The Old Men Of The Mountain

Once upon a time (900 years ago) there was an old man who lived on top of a mountain just off the south shores of the Caspian Sea.  His name was Hassan-i-Sabah (1050 - 1124 AD). He was a Persian. He built an impenetrable castle on top of an inaccessible mountain. The castle was called Alamut which in Farsi means 'Eagle's Nest'. The castle was ultimately destroyed by the Mongols but its remains are still there. Here is a picture:

Hassan-i-Sabah was a Nizari Ismaili Shiah and he founded an Ismaili based military order on his mountain tops (his military order lasted 185 years - 1090 till 1275 AD) which would build many similar impenetrable mountain top castles throughout Central Asia).  In the 2nd century of their existence the Order was once led by one Rashid al Din Sinan (1131 - 1193 AD)

• Their military order was later given the derogatory name "hashishin" (the people who smoke hashish). 
• A more correct version says they were called "asasiyun" in arabic (asas in Malay) meaning 'People with Principles'. Asas means foundation or principles.

Hassan-i-Sabah was a formidable military leader who never fought a single battle. Instead he engaged in targeted killings. Meaning he assassinated people. Hence 'asasiyun' (or 'hashishin) became the English word 'assassin'.  

And Hassan's mountain top Military Order became more popularly known as the 'Order of the Assassins' (eg. in Wikipedia)

Hassan's incredibly trained assassins were the secret ninjas who came down from the mountains. Their expertise was with the dagger. They were trained to extreme fitness, devotion and fanatical discipline. When given an order they carried it out. 

History says after his remote castle at Alamut was completed, Hassan-i-Sabah entered it and never ever left the castle thereafter. He lived and died inside his mountain top fortress. Meaning Hassan-i-Sabah was not a conqueror or an invader of other peoples' territories. 

So what was he? He merely wanted to be left alone. Hassan just wanted to be left alone on his mountain top to practise his faith as a Nizari Ismaili Shiah.  

Just like they are doing now, the Muslims at that time were also killing and murdering each other over their sectarian differences. Hassan Sabah being a minority (Nizari) within a minority (Ismaili) within yet another minority (Shia) was tired of being bullied - largely by Seljuk Turks who were hanafi Sunnis. So he thought up this idea of creating a secluded community in an impenetrable mountain stronghold.

Yet from his far away mountain top Hassan-i-Sabah influenced the rise and fall of kings and rulers throughout the domain of the Persian and Turkish sultanates.  These were usually sultans, viziers (prime minister) and rulers who messed with him. 

1. Among the notable targeted killings by the Assassins  was the death of the Nizam al Mulk (in 1092 AD) who was the Vizier of the Turkish Seljuk Dynasty. He was assassinated  near Isfahan in modern day Iran. The Nizam was travelling between Isfahan and Baghdad when he was stabbed by two assassins dressed as Sufi dervishes. 

2. During the Third Crusade in Jerusalem, Richard The Lion Heart, the King of England was in a bitter feud with the Italian noble Conrad of Montferrat  for the title of King of Jerusalem. (The Christians were also fighting - religion makes people psycho).  So Richard the Lion Heart hired Rashid al Din Sinan's assassins and had Conrad killed (in 1192 AD). Two of the assassins plunged their daggers into Conrad.  Obviously Hassan-i-Sabah's Order of the Assassins took in other peoples' laundry as well - for whatever consideration they needed in return. Usually the consideration was 'just make sure we are left alone'.

3.  Another major target of the Assassins was Saladin the Great (Salahuddin al Ayubi). Saladin was a Kurd and the Kurdish people were largely Hanafi Sunnis. They lived around the same area as Hassan-i-Sabah's Nizari Ismaili Shiah people. 

Saladdin the Great was the famous conqueror of Jerusalem who defeated the christian crusaders. He was a talented general who was almost unbeatable on the battlefield. However Saladdin went afoul of the Assassins. Saladin's power relations with the Crusaders also threatened the Assassins (Rashid al Din Sinan) and his Ismaili followers. 

In 1175 AD Rashid al Din Sinan despatched his Assassins to deal with Saladdin. But they did not kill Saladdin. The story goes that the Assassins crept into Saladdin's closely guarded tent and quietly stuck a dagger in his bed (with a note and symbol) and then left. When Saladdin woke up he quite freaked out - the Assassins were able to penetrate his huge army and his personal bodyguards and enter his most private chamber.

After that 'close call'  Saladdin sent emissaries to the Assassins and came to some peace agreement. Again it was another 'Ok I will leave you folks alone' type of agreement.

Hassan-i-Sabah and his Order of the Assassins avoided large scale wars and confrontations which would only cause wanton destruction and bloodshed with no guarantee of the outcome. Instead, because they had very little resources, they relied on a "judicious" or "shrewd" application of force which could determine the fate of powerful rulers and armies around him.  

Just some history. History always has relevance.  There is a 20 minute YouTube (https://youtu.be/OUVY3CFQAGY) which gives a good roundup about Hassan-i-Sabah and the Order of the Assasiyoun.