The Wondrous Tale of Alroy is the sixth novel written by Benjamin Disraeli, who would later become a Prime Minister of Britain. It is a fictionalised account of the life of David Alroy. Its significance lies in its portrayal of Disraeli's "ideal ambition" and for its being his only novel with a distinctive Hebrew subject. Synopsis Set in the 12th-century Middle East, the novel starts with Alroy's accession as the Prince of Captivity on his 18th birthday. Shortly afterwards Alroy has to flee after he kills the governor of Hamadan, who had assaulted Alroy's sister Miriam. At a desert oasis, Alroy meets the mystic Jabaster, who tells him that he is destined to restore the Jews to their former greatness but first he must find Solomon's sceptre. Jabaster gives Alroy his brother's emerald ring, so that he can call upon his brother to help at any time. Alroy is then kidnapped in a deserted city but is able to leave when his captors realise he is a Jew since the mother of their leader, Scherirah, was a Jewess. He subsequently collapses with heat exhaustion in the desert, where he is discovered by a caravan returning from Mecca. They stab him and leave him for dead when they realise he is a Jew, but a Kurd rescues him. The novel then skips to Alroy being rescued from a merchant, who has accused him of stealing the emerald ring, by the Caliph's physician, Lord Honain, who turns out to be Jabaster's brother. Honain takes Alroy (masquerading as his deaf, dumb eunuch slave) to observe Princess Schirene, the Caliph's daughter by a Jewess, who is lined up to marry the King of Karasmé, whom she detests. Tormented by his love of the unobtainable princess, Alroy leaves for Jerusalem, where he visits some ancient tombs and recovers Solomon's sceptre. Alroy then has a succession of military successes with Jabaster, Scherirah and the prophetess Esther amongst his leading followers. He marches on Baghdad and meets a delegation from the city headed by Honain who offers to surrender if he is benevolent. Against Esther's advice, Alroy accepts and, once in Baghdad, he meets Schirene, who is being harboured by Honain. Alroy and Schirene marry in an extravagant wedding which is resented by one of his generals, Abidan, and Esther who persuade Jabaster to launch a coup on account of Alroy's marrying a Moslem and not building