Table of Contents
Resources 
DB 19-20: The Valiant Horsemen of the Merciful – Part A
| Prologue | Verse from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas invoking the “valiant horsemen of the Merciful” |
| Section 1: The First Wave of Attacks [November-December 1848] | First wave of attacks led by Abdu’lláh Khán-i-Turkamán and its defeat; prophecy of rain and snow by Quddús; construction of a moat and life in the fort; Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 19, p353-354, 361-365. |
| Section 2: The Second Wave of Attacks [December 1848] | Arrival of large army led by Prince MihdĂ-QulĂ MĂrzá; the second wave of attacks and their defeat; QuddĂşs hurt; and Mullá Husayn fighting with two swords and how his swordsmanship not a developed skill but suddenly emergent only in Mázindarán. Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 19, p333-334, 360-368; Chapter 20, p413 footnote 2. |
| Section 3: The Third Wave of Attacks and Death of Mullá Husayn [February 1849] | Bahá’u’lláh’s imprisonment and bastinado on his way to the fort, and prevention of His coming to the fort; the siege of the fort entering heightened stage; digging of well and Mullá Husayn’s last day; and Mullá Husayn’s death and burial. Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 19, p368-376; Chapter 20, p378-383. |
| Section 4: The Fourth Wave of Attacks [March 1849] | Fort enters conditions of famine; betrayal by some; further attacks on the fort; Naw-RĂşz 1849 celebration in fort in spite of starvation conditions. Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 20, p384-392. |
| Section 5: The Last Wave of Attacks [April 1849] | Reinforcement of the besieging army and intensification of attacks on the fort; starvation in fort forces them to eat grass and dig up Mullá Husayn’s dead horse to eat; and BábĂs continuing the defence in spite of dire conditions. Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 20, p 391, p393-396. |
| Section 6: The Siege Ends Through False Promises | Final attempts to seduce the BábĂs with promises of food and freedom; story of Mullá MihdĂ of Kand; change of tactic to false promises made on the Qur’án; acceptance of this false promise knowingly by QuddĂşs and his preparation of the companions of their upcoming martyrdom; end of siege and BábĂs surrender. Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 20, p397-402; p413 footnote 2. |
| Section 7: The Promise is Broken and the Companions Massacred | Killing of the surrendered BábĂs by the army; stories of some of them including two sets of brothers from Sang-sar; some sold as slaves or sent off to be ransomed (they become the survivors of Shaykh TabarsĂ); and martyrdom of QuddĂşs. Main Source: Dawn-Breakers Chapter 19, p351; Chapter 20, p402-412; p426-427. |
| Epilogue | Excerpt from the Dawn-Breakers on the period of the Black Standard and the events that it led. |
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