Hashshashin
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The Hashshashin (also Hashishin), or Assassins were a religious group (some would say a cult) of Ismaili Muslims from the Nizari sub-sect with a militant basis, thought to be active in the 8th to 14th centuries as a mystic secret society specialising in terrorising the Abbasid elite with fearlessly executed, politically motivated assassinations. Their own name for the sect was al-da'wa al-jadīda (الدعوة الجديدة) which means the new doctrine and they called themselves fedayeen from the Arabic fidā'ī which means one who is ready to sacrifice their life for a cause — that term has the modern connotation of "freedom fighter". The name Hashshashin was given to them by their Muslim enemies. In religion and sociology, a cult is a group of people (often a new religious movement) devoted to beliefs which may be different to those held by the majority of society. ... The Ismaili (Persian: اسماعیلیان Esmâiliyân) branch of Islam is the second largest Shia community, after the Twelvers who are dominant in Iran. ... Islam listen? (Arabic: al-islÄm) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second largest religion. ... The Nizaris are a sect of Shia Muslims that accept Nizar as their Imam. ... (7th century — 8th century — 9th century — other centuries) Events The Iberian peninsula is taken by Arab and Berber Muslims, thus ending the Visigothic rule, and starting almost 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... Mysticism (ancient Greek mysticon = secret) is meditation, prayer, or theology focused on the direct experience of union with divinity, God, or Ultimate Reality, or the belief that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge. ... A secret society is a social organization that requires its members to conceal certain activities—such as rites of initiation or club ceremonies—from outsiders. ... Terrorism is a controversial term with multiple definitions. ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid was the dynastic name generally given to the caliphs of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Muslim empire, that overthrew the Umayyid caliphs. ... Jack Ruby murdered the alleged assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... A sect is a small religious group that has branched off of a larger established religion. ... Fedayeen (from the Arabic fidai, one who is ready to sacrifice his life for the cause) describes several distinct, primarily Arab groups at different times in history. ... Arabic (العربية) is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Freedom fighter is a relativistic local term for those engaged in rebellion against an established government that is held to be oppressive and illegitimate. ...
Their Muslim contemporaries were extremely suspicious of them; in fact they were described in terms (Batini) which suggested they were only nominally Islamic. This constant religious estrangement would eventually see them go so far as allying with the Occidental Christians against Muslims on a number of occasions. It is even suggested that they attempted to negotiate their own conversion to Christianity with Amalric I of Jerusalem, but were foiled by Templar machinations, perhaps on the basis that this would exempt them from onerous taxes on non-Christians in the Holy Lands, which were profitable for the knightly orders. Plainly, their connection to mainstream Islam was tangential at best. Amalric I (also Amaury or Aimery) (1136 – July 11, 1174) was King of Jerusalem 1162–1174, and Count of Jaffa and Ascalon before his accession. ...
The Seal of the Knights — the two riders have been interpreted as a sign of poverty or the duality of monk/soldier. ...
The phrase The Holy Land (Arabic الأرض المقدسة al-Arḍ ul-Muqaddasah; Hebrew ארץ הקודש;, Standard Hebrew Éreẓ haQodeš, Tiberian Hebrew ʾÉreṣ haqQāḏēš; Latin Terra Sancta) generally refers to Palestine or the Land of Israel. ...
The group transformed the act of murder into a system directed largely against Seljuk Muslim rulers that had been persecuting their sect. They were meticulous in killing the targeted individual, seeking to do so without any additional casualties and innocent loss of life, although they were careful to cultivate their terrifying reputation by slaying their victims in public, often in mosques. Typically they approached using a disguise; their weapon of choice a dagger, rejecting poison, bows and other weapons that allowed the attacker to escape. However, under no circumstances did they commit suicide, preferring to be killed by their captors. For the dynasty and empire founded by Seljuk, see Seljuk Turks. ...
Casualties of war. ...
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...
The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ...
For the typographical mark, see dagger (typography). ...
The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ...
A bow is a weapon that shoots arrows powered by the elasticity of the bow and/or its string. ...
The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David, 1787 Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of wilfully ending ones own life; it is sometimes a noun for one who has committed or attempted the act. ...
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Etymology of the word "assassin"
The name "assassin" is commonly believed to be a mutation of the Arabic "haššāšīn" (حشّاشين, "hashish-eaters"). However, there are those who dispute this etymology, arguing that it originates from Marco Polo's account of his visit to Alamut in 1273, in which he describes a drug whose effects are more like those of alcohol than of hashish. It is suggested by some writers that assassin simply means 'followers of Al-Hassan' (or Hasan-i Sabbah, the Sheikh of Alamut (see below). Others suggest that since hashish-eaters were generally ostracized in the middle ages the word "Hashshashin" had become a common synonym for "outlaws". So the attribution of Hassan's Ismaili sect with this term is not necessarily a clue for drug usage. Some common accounts of their connection with hashish are that these "assassins" would take hashish before missions in order to calm themselves; others say that it helped to boost their strength, and turned them into madmen in battle. Yet other accounts state it was used in their initiation rites in order to show the neophyte the sensual pleasures awaiting him in the afterlife. The connection between their mysticism and that drug is not something subject to reliable or consistent historical accounts; this is not surprising given their secrecy and infamy. Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ... Arabic (العربية) is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Confiscated hashish from the Drug Enforcement Administration Hashish (often shortened to hash, and also referred to by countless slang terms such as dope) is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. ... Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ... The remains of the fabled Alamut castle. ... Events St. ... In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكØول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... Confiscated hashish from the Drug Enforcement Administration Hashish (often shortened to hash, and also referred to by countless slang terms such as dope) is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. ... Hasan ibn Sabbah (circa 1034 - 1124), or The Old Man of the Mountain, was an Iranian Ismaili missionary who converted a community in the late 11th century in the heart of the Elburz Mountains of northern Iran. ... Shaikh (شيخ, also rendered as Sheik, Shaykh or Sheikh) is a word in the Arabic language meaning an elder or a revered old man. ... The remains of the fabled Alamut castle. ...
"Many scholars have argued, and demonstrated convincingly, that the attribution of the epithet 'hashish eaters' or 'hashish takers' is a misnomer derived from enemies of the Isma'ilis and was never used by Moslem chroniclers or sources. It was therefore used in a pejorative sense of 'enemies' or 'disreputable people'. This sense of the term survived into modern times with the common Egyptian usage of the term Hashasheen in the 1930s to mean simply 'noisy or riotous'. It is unlikely that the austere Hasan-i Sabbah indulged personally in drug taking."
"There is no mention of that drug [hashish] in connection with the Persian Assassins - especially in the library of Alamut ('the secret archives')."
- Edward Burman, The Assassins - Holy Killers of Islam
History of the Hashshashin
Although apparently known as early as the 8th century, the foundation of the Assassins is usually marked as 1090 when Hasan-i Sabbah established his stronghold in the mountains south of the Caspian Sea at Alamut. A Yemeni emigrant and an Ismaili Shiite, Hasan set the aim of the Assassins to destroy the power of the Abbasid Caliphate by murdering its most powerful members. Hasan ibn Sabbah was also known as "The Old Man of the Mountain", however, this is likely to have been a mistake in translation, since "Old Man" is the literal translation of "Sheikh". Much of the current western lore surrounding the Assassins stems from Marco Polo's supposed visit to Alamut in 1273, which is widely considered mythical (especially as the stronghold had reportedly been destroyed by the Mongols in 1256). Events Granada captured by Yusuf Ibn Tashfin, King of the Almoravides Beginnings of troubadours in Provence Bejaia becomes the capital of the Algeria Births William of Malmsbury Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Saint Famianus Eliezer ben Nathan of Mainz Deaths Saint Malcoldia of Asti Saint Adalbero Categories: 1090 ... Hasan ibn Sabbah (circa 1034 - 1124), or The Old Man of the Mountain, was an Iranian Ismaili missionary who converted a community in the late 11th century in the heart of the Elburz Mountains of northern Iran. ... Caspian Sea viewed from orbit The Caspian Sea or Mazandaran Sea is a landlocked sea between Asia and Europe (European Russia). ... The remains of the fabled Alamut castle. ... The Ismaili ( اسماعيلي, Persian Esmaaili) branch of Islam is the second-largest Shia community, after the Twelvers who are dominant in Iran. ... Shi‘as (the adjective in Arabic is شيعى shi‘i; English has traditionally used Shiite) which mean follower in Arabic make up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%-35% of all Muslim. ... Abbasid provinces during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid Abbasid was the dynastic name generally given to the caliphs of Baghdad, the second of the two great Sunni dynasties of the Muslim empire, that overthrew the Umayyid caliphs. ... Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ... Events St. ... Events Hanseatic League formed. ...
Benjamin of Tudela who traveled one hundred years before Marco Polo mentions the Al-Hashshashin and their leader as "the Old Man." He notes their principal city to be Kadmus. Benjamin of Tudela was a medieval Spanish Jewish Rabbi, traveler and explorer. ...
Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ...
The group inspired terror out of all proportion to their scant numbers and territory. The members were organized into rigid classes, based upon their initiation into the secrets of the order. The devotees constituted a class that sought martyrdom and followed orders with unquestioned devotion, orders which included assassination. Because of the secretive nature of the order, it has often been invoked in conspiracy theories. A conspiracy theory is a theory that defies common historical or current understanding of events, under the claim that those events are the result of manipulations by two or more individuals or various secretive powers or conspiracies. ...
Most of the victims of the Assassins were Sunni Muslims. There were some extremely highly placed victims including Nizam-ul-Mulk. It is known that Saladin, incensed by several almost successful attempts on his life, besieged their chief Syrian stronghold of Masyaf during his reconquest of Outremer in 1176 but quickly lifted the siege after parley, and thereafter attempted to maintain good relations with the sect. The sect's own extant (and doubtless embellished) accounts tell of the Old Man himself stealing into Saladin's tent in the heart of his camp, and leaving a poisoned cake and a note saying "You are in our power" on Saladin's chest as he slept. Another account tells of a letter sent to Saladin's maternal uncle, vowing death to the entire royal line, perhaps no idle threat; whatever the truth of these accounts (and likely it will remain a mystery) he clearly heeded their warning, and desisted. Alone amongst the Islamic heretics Saladin so despised, the batinis would be granted leeway. Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ...
Abu Ali al-Hasan al-Tusi Nizam al-Mulk (نظام الملك، ابو علي الحسن الطوسي in Arabic; 1018 - 14 October 1092) was a celebrated Persian vizier of the Seljuk Turks. ...
This article is about the Muslim general, for the British armoured vehicle named after him, see Alvis Saladin. ...
A view of Masyaf from ground level The outer gate Masyaf is a castle in Syria dating back to the Byzantine era. ...
Outremer, French for overseas, was the general name given the Crusader states established after the First Crusade, especially the Kingdom of Jerusalem. ...
Events May 22 - Murder attempt by the Hashshashin on Saladin near Aleppo Raynald of Chatillon released from prison in Aleppo May 29 - Frederick Barbarossa is defeated in the Battle of Legnano by the Lombard League leading to the pactum Anagninum (the Agreement of Anagni) September 17 - Seljuk Turks defeat Manuel...
Christians were largely untouched by the depredations of the Assassins; it was not until the middle of the 12th century that they had even really heard of them, although Conrad of Montferrat, King of Jerusalem, was a victim. The Assassins may have even been hired by Richard the Lionheart. In its simplist form, a Christian is a follower of and a believer in Jesus of Nazareth. ...
(11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ...
Conrad of Montferrat (c. ...
Official language Latin, French, Italian, and other western languages; Greek and Arabic also widely spoken Capital Jerusalem, later Acre Constitution Various laws, so-called Assizes of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a short-lived country established in the 12th century by the First Crusade. ...
Richard I (September 8, 1157 – April 6, 1199) was King of England from 1189 to 1199. ...
The power of the Hashshashin was destroyed by the Mongol warlord Hulagu Khan, but several Ismaili sects share something of a common lineage, such as the sect led by the Aga Khan. During the Mongol assault of Alamut, the library of the sect was destroyed, along with much of their powerbase, and thus much of the sect's own records were lost; most accounts of them stem from the highly reputable Arab historians of the period. Honorary guard of Mongolia. ...
Hulagu Khan (also known as Hülegü, and Hulegu) (1217 – 8 February 1265) was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Southwest Asia. ...
Aga Khan is the title of the spiritual leader of a sect within the Ismaili branch of Islam (Nizari Ismaili). ...
The word "assassin" in the English language has come to denote a murderer, usually with a political motive.
Methodology
Although Legends states that Hasan-i Sabbah, original leader of the Nizari Isamailies, used Hashish to grant "visions" of paradise to his followers, it is highly unlikely, given the fact that the use and effects of Hashish were well known during that time period, and frequent subjects of Imams in the Mosques. Marco Polo, who traveled through the area, gave an account similar to this: Confiscated hashish from the Drug Enforcement Administration Hashish (often shortened to hash, and also referred to by countless slang terms such as dope) is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. ... Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ...
Recruits were promised Paradise in return for dying in action. They were drugged, often with materials such as hashish (some suggest opium and wine as well) then spirited away to a garden stocked with attractive and compliant women (houris) and fountains of wine. At this time, they were awakened and it was explained to them that such was their reward for the deed, convincing them that their leader, Hassan-i-Sabah, could open the gates to Paradise. The heavens are the sky, the celestial sphere, or outer space. ...
Confiscated hashish from the Drug Enforcement Administration Hashish (often shortened to hash, and also referred to by countless slang terms such as dope) is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. ...
Opium is a narcotic drug which is obtained from the unripe seed pods of the opium poppy . ...
A glass of red wine Wine display at the Mt Markey Winery This article is about the beverage. ...
In Islam, the houri (Øورية), Hour -ul-`Ein or hawra’ in Arabic, are described as fair women of Paradise awaiting devout Muslims. ...
Artistic Rendering of Hassan-i-Sabbah Hasan-i-Sabbah (in Persian / Arabic Øسن بن ØµØ¨Ø§Ø or Øسن ØµØ¨Ø§Ø ) (circa 1034 - 1124), or The Old Man of the Mountain, was an Iranian Ismaili missionary who converted a community in the late 11th century in the heart of the Elburz Mountains of northern Iran. ...
In the very beginning Hasan was not likely to use doped and kidnapped individuals, as their fundamentalism prevented them from using any kind of drug, or making misbelievers become martyrs, as his operatives. But as Ismaili power grew and several Fortresses and their accompanying villages came under Ismaili rule, Hasan and his followers are believed to have begun recruiting and training assassins from birth. Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ...
A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. ...
Modern parallels
Some commentators make comparisons between the historical Assassin movement and Al Qaeda, noting the similar tactics of terror, political assassination, the promise of reaching paradise, as well as the cult-like mysticism around Osama Bin Laden. Al Qaeda is also a secret society, with its leaders purportedly hiding in mountain hideouts. Martyrdom is also a key aspect of Al Qaeda's tactics. Moreover, confirmed culprits so far for 9-11 and the Madrid Bombs were all drug-users. Given the pejorative nature of the term, sympathizers of Al Qaeda would be expected to dispute the similarities. However, assassination and terror are often major components of Arab and Israeli politics. Osama bin Laden Ayman al-Zawahiri Al-Qaeda (Arabic: - al-QÄ‘idah, the foundation or the base) is the name given to an international alliance of Islamist organizations. ... Osama bin Laden UsÄmah bin Muhammad bin `Awad bin LÄdin (born July 30 or March 10, 1957) (Arabic: ), commonly known as Osama bin Laden (Arabic: ), is usually considered to be the figurehead of al-Qaeda, a Sunni Islamist terrorist network that has been involved in attacks against civilians... A secret society is a social organization that requires its members to conceal certain activities—such as rites of initiation or club ceremonies—from outsiders. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ...
Influence
- The Hashshashin figures in several novels by William S. Burroughs.
- The Hashshashin history figures largely into the plot of Dan Brown's novel Angels and Demons.
- The Hashshashin methodology described by Marco Polo figures in Umberto Eco's novels Baudolino and Foucault's Pendulum.
William S. Burroughs William Seward Burroughs (February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American novelist, essayist, social critic and spoken word performer. ... Dan Brown (born on June 22, 1964 in Exeter, New Hampshire) is an American author of detective thrillers. ... Angels and Demons book cover Angels and Demons (2000) is a mystery novel by Dan Brown, featuring the character Robert Langdon, who is also the principal character of his subsequent, better-known novel The Da Vinci Code. ... Marco Polo, after a painting in Badia, Rome Marco Polo (b. ... Photo of Umberto Eco by Robert Birnbaum Umberto Eco (born January 5, 1932) is an Italian novelist and philosopher, best known for his novels and essays. ...
See also
Jack Ruby murdered the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, in a very public manner. ...
Sources
- The Crusades Through Arab Eyes Amin Maalouf
