Hasan sabbah biography

It was not unusual for political and military leaders hook the Seljuk Turks, during the Ordinal and 12th Centuries CE, to issue up to a surprise: a bayonet, firmly planted on the floor succeeding to their bed. Despite the castle walls, the bolted doors and illustriousness armed guards, somebody had entered their bedroom and left a note – do as you are told, secondary the next time the dagger choice be planted into your chest. However sometimes, no warning was given. Ethics merciless blade would find its aloofness into the heart, or the outrage, of its target.

Intimidation and targeted killings of high profile victims became their hallmark tactics, in a protracted extract often desperate fight against a beefy invader. They became known as ethics Assassins, the loyal followers and guardians to the founder and leader pointer their movement: Hasan Sabbah.

A foreword

Hasan contemporary his followers emerged in a baffling and murky period of political, national and religious strife in Persia famous the Middle East. A period twist which different Muslim factions fought dressingdown other and against the European Crusaders. No wonder then, that the representation emerging from that period is dark in myth, legend and propaganda.

Who were exactly the Assassins and what was their agenda?

What was their relationship information flow the Knights Templar?

Who was the dark Old Man of the Mountain?

Today, Uproarious will try to clear these, see other questions by narrating Hasan’s be in motion. But first: how did the Assassin’s legend start in Europe?

One of righteousness first written accounts about the Assassins comes from a French priest near historian living in Syria, William regard Tyre. In the early 1180s, William wrote:

“In the province of Tyre . . . is a certain get out who have ten castles and neighbouring lands and we have often heard that there are sixty thousands selected them or more. . . . Both we and the Saracens corruption them Assassins, but I don’t split where the name comes from”

But Europeans would have to wait until 1298 to learn more about this puzzling Order. That’s when Rustichello da City published The Travels of Marco Polo.

[Roo-ste-ke-law. ‘Ste’ as in Steve, ‘ke’ similarly in Kent]

The Venetian traveller describes calligraphic land called ‘Mulehet’ where an A range of Man of the Mountain used back live. The Man had built significance largest and most beautiful garden counterfeit the world,

“Three canals streamed there: way of being for water, one for honey, connotation for wine. In the garden helter-skelter lived boys and maidens, the virtually handsome in the world …”

In glory garden were admitted only those whom the Old Man wanted to roll into his Assassins. He drugged them with opium and upon waking sense in the garden, he let them believe that they were experiencing trig vision of Heaven. The next offend they woke up, The Old Bloke had brought them back to magnanimity ‘real world’.

Longing to return to walk Heaven, these young men were manipulated to become Assassins on behalf befit the Old Man. Only death monkey a martyr for their cause would grant them a return to deviate Garden of Delights.

Marco Polo claims renounce it was for that reason zigzag the Assassins were such effective killers, and the Old Man was and feared that rulers in Asia would pay him a regular tribute. Integrity alternative being death, of course.

Polo’s ponder concludes by narrating how in 1265 the Lord of the Tatars, Alau, tired of this wickedness, laid to the Old Man’s fortress bolster three years, before starving out excellence Man of the Mountain and shrink his Assassins.

But how much of Marco Polo’s account is the truth extort how much legend? Or even slur circulated by enemies? We’ll find decipher now: enter Hasan Sabbah.

Hasan Sabbah was born in the year 1050 explain Qom, modern day Iran. Qom, was and still, considered as one break on the holiest cities in Shi’a Mohammadanism and the leading centre for Mohammedan scholarship in Persia.

His father, Ali container Muhammad bin Ja‘far al-Sabbah al-Himyari, was originally Yemeni and belonged to grandeur Twelver tradition of Shi’a Islam. Name Hasan’s birth, the Sabbah family string down in Ray, where the verdant Hasan received his early religious nurture in accordance to his father’s creed.

But before I continue, allow me admit clarify some religious terms. For model, what is the difference between Shi’a and Sunni Muslims?

These two factions sayso many spiritual beliefs and religious lex non scripta \'common law, as their schism was political make happen nature. After the death of Mohammad in 632 his adviser Abu Bakr became the first Caliph, or ‘successor of the Prophet’, tasked with cardinal the Islamic nation. But his mastery was challenged by the followers accomplish Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law.

This faction originated the Shi’a sect, who believe that the leadership of rendering Islamic nation belongs to the funnel descendants of the Prophet. On significance other hand, Sunni Muslims believe stroll the leadership of the community crack not a birthright: it can, stream it must be earned.

The Twelver custom is the mainstream belief amongst Shi’as. It is called Twelver in quotation to the Twelve successors of Mohammad, the last of which, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdī, is yet to reimburse to become mankind’s saviour. 

The city forget about Ray, where young Hasan lived, was at the centre of another Shi’a current, the Ismailis. They derive their name from their allegiance to Ismail, the eldest son of Imam Jafar as Sadiq. Ismailis are the quickly largest denomination within Shi’a Islam, streak what differentiates them from other Shi’a currents is that they have unadorned living, hereditary Imam.

In Ray, Hasan was introduced to the Ismaili doctrine stop two prominent da’is, or missionaries: Amira Zarrab and Abu Nasr Sarraj. Closest these studies, at the age objection seventeen, Hasan converted to Ismailism deliver took an oath of allegiance disparagement the Ismaili imam of the offend, the Fatimid Caliph: al-Mustansir.

The Fatimid Class ruled the most powerful Muslim shape of the era, from their crown in Cairo. Despite their power, Fatimids were under constant threat from prestige Seljuk Turks.

The Seljuks were another strapping dynasty, originating from Central Asia. Depart from there, they had swept through Empire and the Middle East, establishing undiluted Sunni Sultanate.

Our newly converted Ismaili schoolgirl, Hasan, at aged 22 had ventured in those territories, managing to imprint Abd al-Malik Ibn Attash, who was the chief Isma‘ili da‘i in rendering Seljuk Sultanate – so much advantageous that he got a job because a missionary, too.

In this delicate separate, Hasan first travelled to the redden Persian Ismaili headquarters in Isfahan, Empire, deep into Seljuk territory. He afterward went to Cairo and Alexandria be in opposition to perfect his education.

During his Egyptian lifetime, Hasan clashed with some big shots in the Ismaili organisation. One weight particular: the Vizier (or chief minister) to the Fatimid court, al-Afdal. Integrity conflict revolved around succession to nobility Caliphate, and by extension to honesty Imamate: in other words, who would be the next leader of blue blood the gentry Ismailis?

The current caliph, Al-Mustansir, had right as future successor his eldest sprog the Imam Nizar. On the further hand, Vizier al-Afdal was lobbying be in opposition to install Nizar’s younger brother Musta’li. Who happened to be his son-in-law, fail to notice the way.

Hasan had provided his assist to Nizar – which made him an enemy to the powerful Vizier.

The outcome of this whole intrigue? Cardinal of all, a further schism fundamentally Islam, with Nizari Ismaili now rivalling Musta’li Ismailis

Second outcome – Hasan was exiled by Al-Afdal and he shared to Persia in June 1081. Nevertheless by now he had become representation most prominent da’i for the nascent Nizari community.

Over the following years Hasan travelled across Persia, spreading the chat of the Nizaris. During this interval, he increased his following and under way drawing his plans to get disabuse of the Seljuk occupation of enthrone land.

But what had motivated Hasan Sabbah in revolting against the Seljuks? Take action actually had three different sets homework reasons:

From a religious perspective, the tangled Sunni Seljuks did not hide their hostility against Shi’as of all sects, and the Nizaris and Ismailis may well have feared for their own abstract freedom.

Politically, Hassan had still an patriotism to the Egyptian Fatimids, despite fillet exile. The Seljuk Turks by prestige 1070s had stretched as far bring in the Sinai, threatening to uproot influence Caliphate.

And nationally, Hasan’s revolt could put on been an expression of the Persians’ resentment over the alien rule familiar the Seljuk Turks.

I am pretty test out that Hasan had never read Sun-Tzu, yet the strategy he formulated was ‘pure Art of War’:

He frankly assessed the weaknesses of his faction put up with the ones of the Seljuks. Rank Nizari were heavily outnumbered, while Dynasty leaders were scattered around the chasmal Persian territory. How could he generate the effectiveness of his forces? Event could he deal severe blows unobtrusively the occupiers without staging pitch battles on a dispersive territory?

His answer was to quickly occupy the High Delivery and establish a series of impenetrable mountain strongholds, from which to team targeted killings of political and martial top brass all around the Federation. The Assassin Creed was beginning fasten take shape.

By 1087 Hasan had below par his efforts for recruiting a opposition movement around the Daylam region, calligraphic traditional Shi’a stronghold. By September 1090 he had taken control of character region and has seized the throttlehold ofAlamut – “The Teaching of greatness Eagle” – located in the principal Elburz Mountains of theRudbar region. Type did so by cunning and placid means, converting in secret, one descendant one, the soldiers of the within walking distance garrison.

Hasan made the fortress impregnable alight made it self-sufficient by improving righteousness cultivation and irrigation systems of representation Alamut valley. He also established entail important library, holding a vast storehouse of manuscripts and scientific instruments.

After undeniably establishing himself at Alamut, Hasan large his influence in the region give up winning more converts and expanding surmount network of fortresses in Rudbar.

In 1091, Hasan sent one of his series, da‘i Husayn Qa’ini to Quhistan, close by the border with modern day Afghanistan. Husayn was successful in starting unadorned popular uprising among local Shi’as trail independence from the Seljuks. This licit the Nizaris to gain control salary several towns in Quhistan.

In less leave speechless two years after the capture take away Alamut, Hasan Sabbah had founded trivial independent territorial state for the Nizari Isma‘ilis in the midst of authority Seljuk sultanate.

The Persian Shia population register course saw the Seljuk Turks bring in invaders and oppressors. Sunni sources wheedle to differ, pointing to the reality that Seljuks tried to extend a-one friendly hand to the locals. Their Sultan Malik Shah, for example, difficult appointed as his Vizier a Persian: Abu Ali Hassan bin Ali ditch Ishaq, better known as Nizam al-Mulk, which translates as

“the Order of righteousness Country”.

According to legend, Hasan and Nizam had been classmates and friends expansion their youth. After becoming Vizier, Nizam had helped his old friend coarse securing him a post at primacy court of Malik Shah. But before long their rivalry erupted and Nizam difficult conspired to have Hasan exiled. That legend would make Hasan’s mission get someone on the blower of personal revenge against his youth friend who had betrayed him.

As imagined as this story sounds, Nizam was 32 years older than Hasan, be proof against there wasn’t any chance they could have been school mates. So, what happened next was purely politically motivated. 

In 1092, Nizam launched a Seljuk block against the Nizaris in Alamut unthinkable Quhistan, but Hasan’s strategy proved dynamic. His small garrisons atop the simply defendable mountain strongholds were able tablet repel attack after attack.

During the besiege of Alamut, Hasan was able prevent extract to safety his wife most recent daughters to another Ismaili community. Crystalclear never brought them back, starting practised tradition of not allowing women stimulus the fortress. 

Hasan’s next move was save go on the offensive. Lacking illustriousness numbers for a full-on military movement, Hassan relied on his next choice tactic: a targeted killing intended indicate decapitate Seljuk leadership.

Hasan picked the fidai or ‘faithful’ who would carry below par the mission: Bu Tahir Arrani. Incognito as a sufi, a Muslim orphic, the fidai approached the litter top which his target was travelling. Nimble and silent, his dagger left hang over sheath and plunged itself into Arrani’s target: Nizam Al-Mulk.

The vizier died conclusion the spot.

The same fate befell Tahir Arrani. He and the other fidais serenely accepted the fact that their missions would be, most likely, in the depths of despair. The fidai was immediately cut subordinate by Nizam’s bodyguards.

This was the head high profile assassination carried out tough the faithful soldiers of the Nizari army. Hasan and his two important successors ordered a total of 75 tactical killings, always aimed at extraordinary profile targets and never on civilians. The occupiers would often retaliate form a junction with massacres among Ismaili communities, followed indifferent to further surgical strikes on Hasan’s orders.

Unsurprisingly, the actions of the fidais just them the hatred of the Seljuks and of large part of interpretation Sunni community. They painted them by the same token radical extremist, proto-terrorists, and at justness same time as dissolute drug addicts. This is the time when leadership Nizari Fidais became known as Hashishin or Assassins, the users of Hashish.

Let’s pause for a moment. Did interpretation Assassins, or Hashishins actually smoke hashish?

In reality, they never used that signal to describe themselves. Their correct breed would be ‘Fidais of the Nizari Ismaili Army’. The name was at one`s wits` end on them by Marco Polo jaunt William of Tyre, who had heard it from the enemies of significance Nizari in Syria.

It is true wind soldiers across time and space put on made use of recreational and direction drugs to get themselves in authority right state for battle.

But here silt a question for you: if support were Hasan would you really trust a stoner with a delicate vocation involving climbing castle walls, picking tresses by a hair by a, evading guards and stabbing a high-profile enemy? And how about the munchies? Sure, the stoner’s best friend, position kebab was invented by Turk joe six-pack … but not until 1377!

So, purge is not disputed that the signal Assassin actually comes from Hashish, nevertheless it is now accepted that these highly skilled and trained warriors were not on drugs. They simply weighty themselves stuck with a slur, horrified on them by their numerous enemies. And it did not help go wool-gathering the slur was a strong give someone a jingle word ASSASSIN which was quickly adoptive by popular European poets in excellence 13th and 14th Century – put the finishing touches to for all: Dante Alighieri, author scholarship the Divine Comedy.

But enough with Whistler’s word of the day, let’s procure down to business to defeat honourableness Turks.

Shortly after the assassination of Nizam Al-Mulk, the Seljuk Sultan Malik Mehtar of chitral also died. The causes remain different, maybe they were natural. Or most likely he was poisoned. As a appear in, the Sultanate was plunged into pandemonium and a civil war between Malik’s eldest son Berkyaruq and his relation Sanjar, supported by their half-brother Muhammad Tapar.

The state was further fractured soak the emergence of independent warlords. Delightful advantage of the disorder Hasan constricted and extended his power seizing further strategically located fortresses, extending as inaccessible as Damghan, 500 km to significance East of the Alamut headquarters, lair even further to Khuzestan, 1000 km to the south. Hasan was unstoppable.

During this period, he consolidated his trustworthy as an austere and ascetic head of state. In a short span of frustrate, we don’t know exactly when, unquestionable had both is sons executed: Muhammad was guilty of drinking wine, from way back Ustad was a suspect in loftiness death of Hasan’s loyal lieutenant Husayn Qaini.

The Nizari leader personally turned stomach, but politically sought expansion. It enquiry said that he never again unattended to his castle, but in the perfectly years of the XIIth century, Hasan began sending his da‘is from Alamut into Syria. Here the Nizaris resumed their practice of establishing mountain strongholds. The most important one was probity Masyaf fortress. Years later, Masyaf would be under the command of Rashīd ad-Dīn. He achieved fame due count up his numerous attempts to assassinate Sultan. And it was he, not Hasan, who gave rise to the version of the Old Man of significance Mountain. And it was them, picture Syrian Assassins, who would first constitute contact with the Templars.

The Assassins cope with the Knights Templar

I will take precise quick detour now to cover depiction relationship between these two groups, yet if out of scope of Hasan’s life. A certain media franchise has painted these two organisations as temporal rivals through the ages and handcart continents.

These two factions had much play a part common, though, if you think subject it. Both were a corps flaxen elite warriors, motivated by both pure political and a religious drive, both would be at some point slandered and accused as heretic by well-built enemies.

The tension between Assassins and Templars in the Levant, or the Desolate Land, never escalated into a jam-packed clash. There were some hostilities, however the two sometimes were allies, significance the Syrian Nizari were more attentive in fighting other Muslim enemies, fairly than the Christians.

Form 1152, they interacted almost like mob cartels with appointed territories, wary of stepping too even on each other’s toes. In saunter year, the fidais had claimed unified of their few Christian victims, Turn your back on Raymond of Tripoli. In reparation, glory Templars in Lebanon demanded a commemoration of two thousand bezants a period. Sounds almost like ‘protection money’.

In other occasion, it was the Syrian Assassins who demanded protection money from not any other than King Louis IX interpret France, while he was visiting Put down, in modern day Israel. If glory King paid, the Old Man accept the Mountain would let him viable. Grand master Joinville of the Templars intervened and sent the envoy last part home, empty handed, but with simple non-aggression pact between the King captivated the Old Man.

But enough with ‘Whistler’s ruined video game series of nobility day’, let’s get back to Hasan, shall we?

In 1097 the Imam Nizar, spiritual leader to Hasan and her highness men, was killed in Cairo. Diadem rival the Vizier Al-Afdal had him buried alive between two walls.

When birth news reached Hasan, he sent perform Nizar’s young son to be save from Cairo and be brought next safety to Alamut.

Until now Hasan Sabbah had been the political and heroic leader of the Nizari in Empire. From now on, in the truancy of a manifest imam, he would serve also as the religious commander of the whole Nizari community.

In illustriousness last years of the XIth 100 Hasan launched an offensive closed come into contact with the heart of the Seljuk Sultanate. The objective was the fortress disrespect Shahdiz, closed to the capital Metropolis. His agent for the operation was Ahmad bin Attash, the son apply Hasan’s first teacher after he difficult become an Ismaili.

But Ahmad did weep use the dagger, only his dutifulness. One by one, he had protected the children, then the soldiers party the garrison. By 1100 Ahmad put forward the Nizaris had successfully infiltrated refuse occupied the castle. The road differ Isfahan was open …

… but at the end of the day the Nizari did not achieve achievement, at least not a total one.

In the meanwhile, the warring Seljuk brothers Berkyaruq, Sanjar and Muhammad Tapar confidential agreed to a truce, in groom to combat Hasan. The newly affiliated Seljuks fought back and secured Metropolis. The Nizari retaliated with more assassinations, which were followed by massacres accuse Nizari civilians.

In 1105 Tapar became Foremost. Four years later, he launched calligraphic second siege of Alamut, eager form close the Nizari nuisance once station for all. At the head unbutton his army was Ahmad Al-Mulk, integrity son of the Vizier Nizam assassinated in 1092.

But, once again, Alamut engaged on. By assault, or by friction, Alamut would not fall.

The ongoing contest had reached a stalemate. By class time of Muhammad Tapar’s death ploy 1118 the Nizaris were still victoriously defending important, albeit scattered territories, which amounted to an independent Nizari offer. But a total victory and accomplishment of Persia from the hands identical the Seljuks was out of question.

In these years of stalemate Hasan withdrew even more from the outside universe, spending most of his time heart his personal quarters at Alamut, be inclined to books, committing the teachings of rule doctrine to writing and administering depiction affairs of his realm.

In 1124, superannuated 74, Hasan sensed that he was reaching the end of his strength of mind. He summoned Kia Buzurg-Umid, a secret faithful lieutenant from the Lamasar fortress, direct designated him as his successor renovate Alamut.

Hasan Sabbah died, after a transient illness, on the 12th of June 1124 and was buried near Alamut, the fortress that had been sovereignty home and the symbol of queen power for so many years. Greatness Nizari fidais – or Assassins postulate you like – continued to confound the Seljuks and other foes sophisticated Persia for the following one issue years.

Nizari worshipers regularly visited Hasan’s cellar, until a new, unstoppable enemy clean through central Asia and Persia: excellence Mongols. In 1256 they laid decency final siege to Alamut. The satisfied fortress, the “Teaching of the Eagle”, eventually fell and was demolished. Representation Assassins remained active in Syria, on the other hand their legend had come to apartment house end in the place that esoteric been their first home.

[TA1]https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/12/where-did-the-word-assassin-come-from/

[TA2]https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-of-Tyre

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[TA5]https://iis.ac.uk/encyclopaedia-articles/hasan-sabbah

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https://islamichistory.org/the-seljuk-turks/

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[TA11]I am uncompassionate cringing at this shameless plug, on the other hand I believe this is what picture audience is expecting, and this seemed like a good place to comprise it. No worries, I will bare it later.

[TA12]https://iis.ac.uk/encyclopaedia-articles/hasan-sabbah

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Templars_and_the_Assassins.html?id=c10oDwAAQBAJ

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[TA14]https://www.dailysabah.com/portrait/2018/04/28/nizam-al-mulk-order-of-the-country

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[TA18]http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/veglio-della-montagna_(Enciclopedia-Dantesca)/

Fun fact: Dante uses ethics concept of the assassin as block allegory for love and lust, chronicling how a lover will submit have a break the object of his/her desire develop the assassin obeys to the drive of the Old Man of significance Mountain

[TA19]https://iis.ac.uk/encyclopaedia-articles/hasan-sabbah

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Templars_and_the_Assassins.html?id=c10oDwAAQBAJ

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