ed din showed symptoms of mental disorder but no man had the courage to say that the chief was in need of assistance. Had a physician dared to tell the truth on that subject he would have been torn limb from limb by the rabble at Alamut. As his illness increased his conduct became almost beyond sufferance, though his associates declared that what he said and did was divine in its origin. When Alai ed din was eighteen years of age a son was born to him. This son he named Rokn ud din Kurshah and made him his successor. From childhood the Ismailians looked upon Rokn ud din as their future Grand Prior and showed him honor equal to that given his father. This roused anger in Alai ed din and he resolved to depose his son and appoint another successor. When his advisors declared that the nomination was final he was enraged and from that time on annoyed and tormented his son, till at last Rokn ud din disclosed his whole mind to those courtiers who were as much dissatisfied with his father as he was. He declared that Alai ed din was ruining the Commonwealth, and that Mongol arms would destroy it because of his conduct. “I will withdraw from my father,” said he, “send envoys to the Grand Khan and make terms with him.” The greater number of the chief men agreed with Rokn ud din and promised to defend him to the utmost, but in case of attack by his father the person of the chief, as they said, must be sacred. A short time after this pact and agreement, Alai ed din when drunk fell asleep in a thatched wooden building near one of his sheep pens, a place which he visited whenever he indulged in his favorite amusement of acting as shepherd. He was found dead in that house about midnight, his head cut from the body. A Turkman and a native of India were found wounded near him. At the end of eight days, after many had been tortured on suspicion, they discovered the murderer. He was a certain Hassan of Masanderan, the late chief’s nearest intimate, his inseparable companion, a man whom he loved till his death though tormenting him in every way possible. Rokn ud din instead of bringing this Hassan to trial had him slain quickly, an act which confirmed the suspicions which rested on the youthful chief, who gave an additional example of savagery by burning with the body of Hassan two sons and one daughter of the Assassin. Of course they were innocent, though not only is it possible but probable, that they possessed knowledge which Rokn ud din would suppress at all hazards. Thus Alai ed din was murdered by an Assassin hired by his own son.