Templars and Assassins: who are they? Mysteries of history. Assassins in Real Life: The True Story
Templars and Assassins - in real life, they met very rarely, if at all, in such a connection.
The Templars have such a real wonderful history, interest in which has not waned for 700 years after the defeat of the order, that, it would seem, why “improve” it? Why fill the heads of gamers, fans of the game Assassin's Creed, with non-existent facts that distort real events?
The poor and the noble
The Order of the Knights Templar is one of the most remarkable and tragic pages in the history of mankind. It arose approximately in 1118, at a time when the first crusade ended and the knights were out of work, through the efforts of a nobleman from France, Hugh de Payne. The most noble intentions - to protect pilgrims to the Holy Sepulcher by creating a military-monastic or spiritual-knightly order - prompted this gentleman and his eight knight relatives to unite in an organization, calling it the "Order of the Poor", which corresponded to reality. They were so poor that they had one horse for two. And then for many years, even when the order became immensely rich, the symbolism, which depicts a horse saddled by two riders, remained.
The essence of the Crusades
The Knights Templar would not have survived if it were not for the patronage of the crowned persons and the Pope. Baldwin II, the ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, having sheltered them, gave them a part of the southeast wing of the temple of the city of Jerusalem. As you might guess, the second name of the Templars - "templars" - came from here, because it was in the temple that their headquarters was located. The Templars wore red equilateral crosses on a white background on their robes, on the shield and on the peak flags, symbolizing their readiness to shed their blood for the liberation of the Holy Land. By these insignia, the Knight Templar was recognizable by everyone. They reported directly to the Pope. Jerusalem, or the Holy Land, was periodically captured by Muslims, in fact, the goal of all crusades was declared as the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher, located in this city, which passed from hand to hand. The templars provided significant support to the crusader army in battles with the infidels.
Pretty small sect.
The Crusaders, including the "poor knights", fought the Muslims, but not the Assassins, who are called medieval terrorists. The organization was arranged in such a way that not all its members knew each other by sight. They never went on the attack, they acted from around the corner. The Templars and the Assassins never specifically confronted each other. But the Western entertainment system actively uses the image of a noble knight Templar, not always stipulating that this is fiction. Assassins, of course, existed in history, and were also surrounded by secrets and legends.
One of the branches of Islam
In fact, this widespread name meant the Nizari Ismailis, who were severely persecuted as heretics by official Islam. It is a branch of Shiite Islam. Subtleties are known only to specialists. However, there is information about the Shiite sect, whose members were distinguished by extreme cruelty and elusiveness. A secret organization with the strictest hierarchy, fanatics who blindly worship only their leader. In the Middle Ages, they instilled fear in absolutely everyone on a vast territory from the court of the King of the Franks Charlemagne to the borders of the Celestial Empire, although the size of the organization was too exaggerated. Gradually, the word "assassin" became synonymous with the term "murderer".
Why not exploit such an image? Yes, even in a bunch of "Templars and Assassins." On the one hand, a noble knight, on the other, a secret mercenary. But in general, maybe an interesting computer game or an exciting book like The Da Vinci Code will inspire an inquisitive young man to find out if all this really happened, and if so, how? No wonder many are interested in questions about who the Templars and Assassins are.
Destruction of the Poor Knights
What happened to the "templars"? Someone else's gold always blinds. The Templars have long irritated with their wealth - they were successfully engaged in trade and usury, they knew how to invest money in profitable projects. All the kings of Europe went into their debtors, who needed money to wage endless wars. And in 1268, the throne of France was occupied by Philip IV the Handsome from the Capetian dynasty, who ruled the country until 1314. In fairness, it should be noted that he did everything to make France a strong prosperous power. Including, being a man fanatically devoted to the Catholic faith, he wanted to cleanse the country of sectarians. He owed the Templars a lot, there was nothing to give, and the money was needed further. One way or another, but he went to defeat the order, arrested the top of the Templars, brutally forced many to confess that they were heretics, and when Pope Clement V, under whose direct protection the Templar order was, came to his senses, the king already had testimonies of those arrested, speaking not in their favor.
famous curse
The Templars were arrested on Friday, October 13, 1307. The destruction of the templars made an indelible impression on society, the date and day are considered unlucky even now. Grand Master Jacques de Molay and the three leaders of the order fully admitted their guilt, hoping, as the court ruled, for life imprisonment. On the same evening, March 18, 1314, Jacques de Molay and Geoffroy de Charnay were burned on the Jewish Island right in front of the windows of the palace. Before his death, Jacques de Molay cursed the pope, the king, the executioner-chancellor and their entire family.
The Grand Master left them only a year of life. Clement V died a month later, Guillaume de Nogaret - some time later, less than a year later, Philip IV suddenly died. Somehow the life of the closest relatives of the people cursed by the master did not work out either.
Many unsolved mysteries
After the arrest, the main shock was that the untold riches of the Templars were never found. Many questions arose, even more assumptions - the money was spent on financing Masonic lodges around the world, it was assumed that English banks were subsidized by the templars. But the strangest suggestion is the possible appropriation of the New World. And the main secret of the Templars is that, according to unconfirmed assumptions, back in the 12th century, with the help of their money, the silver mines of America were developed and strong ties with the natives were established. And allegedly their ships made regular flights across the Atlantic. There are plenty of secrets associated with this order, for example: who did the Knight Templar and his brothers really worship, what did the templars possess - was it really the Grail, what rites accompanied cult actions. And these unsolved mysteries give rise to a lot of speculation that does not provide answers to questions, but only kindle fantasy.
Playing a popular game Assassin's Creed, people often began to wonder if there really are silent and agile the killers? Yes, it is absolutely true, it originated in a distant era brotherhood of assassins. In this article, you will learn the full history of the existence of the Assassins in real life.
By the end of the 11th century in the highlands Persia was a small power. It appeared after the collapse of Islam and due to the development of the Ismailis, just with whom there was a long struggle for power. Warfare in Islamic states often escalated into a life or death dilemma.
Commander Hasan ibn Sabbah thought about creating a new country in order to survive in hostile conditions between peoples. Along with the fact that the state was in the mountains, and all the populations nearby were closed and inaccessible, he often used the methods of reconnaissance and punitive operations against his sworn enemies. After that, after some time, people began to learn about what the assassins are and what their role is in this world.
In the estate Hassan ibn Sabbaha was praised as the king of the mountain, because it was he who first created a closed association of selected people who were ready to give their lives for the sake of the words of the Sultan and God Allah. The sect was built from several levels of enlightenment in assassins. The smallest step was taken by a squad of suicide bombers. Their obligation was to complete the task at the cost of their own lives. They could lie, pretend to be ordinary people, wait a long time, but after that, the death of the condemned was inevitable. Muslim and European leaders already long before that they knew who the assassins were.
Many of the young people from there were very eager to get into the brotherhood of the Assassins. After all, all because they wanted to master secret knowledge and obtain universal consent. Only a few could enter the palace to Hassan ibn Sabbaha, as this required courage, perseverance and zeal for victory. First of all, the newcomer underwent a psychological examination. He was given narcotic drugs and was told that he had been to a heavenly place. Young people under the influence of drugs saw charming naked young ladies come to them and offer pranks with the words: all heavenly bliss will be opened after the will Allah be fulfilled. This phenomenon is explained by the brave suicide bombers who, after a successful task, accepted it as a reward and did not try to avoid punishment.
Most first brotherhood of assassins were at war with the Muslim states. Up to the fact that even after the appearance of the crusaders in Palestine, their main enemies still remained other areas of Islam and dishonest Muslim kings. For a time, the Templar society and assassins maintained allied bonds, it even happened that the order of knights hired warriors Hassan ibn Sabbaha to solve their problems. Although this situation did not last too long. assassins they never loved and did not let traitors go, if someone from their brotherhood turned out to be a traitor, then he was simply waiting for the death penalty. Recently, the sect waged war with everyone with whom it was possible, among them were: Christians and co-religionists.
By the end of the 13th century, it was attacked by the Mongol troops. And then the question immediately arises: this is it, the end of the sect assassins? Some believe that after the attack on the state, the brotherhood of silent murders fell apart, while others, on the contrary, even claim to have seen assassins in countries such as Persia, Greece, and in Western European states.
Everything is allowed - the king of the hill said every time, sending fearless killers to hunt. Many sects praised this motto, and began to say it in their communities when it came to solving problems related to them. In other cases, the religious feelings, interests and faith of the suicide bombers were simply involved. At the last stages of enlightenment, religious propaganda already dominates.
For almost 200 years, this kind of secret organization of the Shiite Ismaili sect inspired fear and horror in the expanses of the Muslim world and Europe. They conquered and destroyed cities, overthrew powerful rulers and lords. The Iranian Assassins were defeated by the Mongol Khan Hulagu in 1256.
In Syria and Lebanon in 1272 they were finished off by the Egyptian Sultan Baybars I, but, nevertheless, they still exist, and some researchers believe that the modern Illuminati - the secret World Government - inherited their ideology ...
The aggressive sect of the Nizari branch of the Ismailis at one time received the name "Assassins" as a Europeanized version of the Persian word "Hashishin" (translated from Arabic - "using hashish" or "herbal eaters"), that is, a hashish consumer. What is characteristic - the term "assassin" was not a self-name of the members of the order, who called themselves fidai (literally - "sacrificing themselves"). This nickname with a clearly offensive meaning was given by their contemporaries. But it was the name of the movement as the Order of the Assassins that was fixed in contemporary chronicles and works of medieval authors.
In the heyday of its power, this paramilitary organization kept the entire civilized world of that time in fear and trembling. The word "assassin" has entered many Western European languages and has become synonymous with "killer", "hitman", "political assassin", "ruthless villain", "criminal", and often "terrorist". So, for example, in France and Germany, terrorists, killers, serial killers are still called assassins. This word is often used in relation to such "heroes" in the United States.
Over time, depending on the political situation and the alignment of forces, the meaning of words in the life and activities of society undergoes significant changes. What is characteristic: the perception of the term "terrorist" and even "suicide bomber" in the recent Soviet past did not have a clear negative meaning. In these words, as it were, there was an aura of revolutionary romanticism and an example for the younger generation to follow. The terrorists Zhelyabov, Kalyaev, Khalturin and others, as well as the ideologists and perpetrators of the merciless "red" revolutionary terror of the 20s of the 20th century, were officially considered folk heroes.
Of course, the assassins are fundamentally different from modern terrorists in that, having failed in open military actions, they switched to individual terror, directed primarily against the top leadership - the bearers of real power. The actions of the ancient assassins were often international in nature and took place in the international arena, so the term "assassin" now has a generally recognized international meaning, it does not require translation for any European language.
Theological and historical excursion
At an early stage of the spread of Islam, approximately in the 8th century A.D., this religious doctrine was divided into two directions - Sunnism and Shiism. Sunnis gradually formed a universal system of public law - Sharia and were guided by it, and the caliphate community itself began to be regarded as the guardian of the Koranic tradition and Sharia.
The main figure of religious power for the Shiites is the imam - the spiritual heir of Mohammed. The Shiites believe that Mohammed appointed as his successor an imam who is endowed with a special spirituality and therefore has the right to interpret the Koran. They revere Caliph Ali ibn Talib, a cousin and adopted son, as well as Mohammed's son-in-law, who married his daughter Fatima, as the first imam. Shiites believe that Ali inherited from Mohammed special spiritual qualities - wilaya - and through the sons of Fatima Hasan and Hussein passed them on to his offspring - the family of hereditary imams.
Most Shiites are known as Imamis - they make up the main population of Iran and believe that the cycle of "wilayah" will last until the Last Judgment and end with a messianic return to the twelfth imam, who is called the "hidden imam." It is believed that he did not die, but passed into the state of "gayba" from the third century of the existence of Islam. Through intermediaries-mujtahids - healers of the law, of which the most important are the Iranian ayatollahs, the "hidden imam" spiritually nourishes the Shiite community.
The Imamat is divided into two main streams, one of which is the Ismailis, adherents of the doctrine of the Imamate, and in turn have two main streams. The first is nizaris, whose adherents consider senior representatives of the Aga Khan family as their imams and descendants of Mohammed. The second is mustalis, whose followers believe in a "hidden imam" who is not a descendant of Fatima's children - Hassan and Hussein.
Start
Ismaili doctrine was formed in 1094-1095. as a consequence of the appointment by the Egyptian caliph Mustansir as his successor not of the eldest son of Abu Mansur Nizar, but of the younger Abu-l Qasim Ahmad. The disgraced Abu Mansur Nizar, after the death of his father, fled to Alexandria, where he was captured and killed. His supporters, led by the Persian preacher Hasan ibn Sabbah (according to one version, 1051-1124), a native of Khorasan, declared Abu Mansur Nizar the true caliph, and his hypothetical heir a "hidden imam", while the creation of a closed military religious organization to protect the organization, the imam and his relatives.
Having joined the Ismailis in adulthood, ibn Sabbah set about creating a separate Ismaili state. Since 1081, while in Cairo (at that time - the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate), he began to actively gather supporters, uniting them under the banner of the Nizari dynasty. Being a skilled preacher and orator, he quickly rallied around him a large number of admirers, students and followers.
Little is known about the life of Hasan ibn Sabbah, hidden from prying eyes, which at one time only strengthened the halo of mystery, which, even during his lifetime, shrouded everything that was connected with this person. According to some reports, it is known that the closest friend of Hassan's childhood and youth was the poet and materialist scientist Omar Khayyam. They studied together at the Nishapur madrasah, which prepared an educated elite for the state machine of the Seljuk Empire. The atmosphere in which he was brought up and grew up was marked by religious free-thinking and modernism.
The sympathy and support of the broad masses of the people alone was clearly not enough to create a state - a cohesive organization was required that could give a decisive rebuff to enemies. To do this, underground groups of preachers were created throughout the caliphate, who, in addition to promoting the new teaching, were engaged in the systematic collection of various intelligence information. These scattered cells were at any moment ready, on the orders of Hassan ibn Sabbah, to act as mobile battle groups in defense of their interests. It is clear that Hasan did not take root at the court of the Caliph, and in 1090, at the height of the repressions, he fled from Cairo and a few months later showed up with his supporters in the mountainous regions of Persia. At this time, he was at the height of his popularity.
His choice fell on an impregnable fortress built on the high rock of Alamut, a spur of Elburs (according to other sources - Alburs), hidden among mountain ranges, northwest of the Iranian city of Qazvin. Rock Alamut, translated from the local dialect, means "Eagle's Nest", against the backdrop of mountains, it already seemed like a natural fortress. The approaches to it were cut by deep gorges and raging mountain streams.
The choice of ibn Sabbah justified itself in every respect. It was impossible to imagine a more strategically advantageous place for the creation of the capital-symbol of the secret order. Ibn Sabbah captured this impregnable fortress almost without a fight and founded the Nizari Ismaili state, which began to spread its influence in the Muslim world, creating a chain of fortified mountain fortresses in northern Iran and Syria, pursuing a policy of secret assassinations of its enemies and opponents. At the same time, ibn Sabbah became Sheikh Hassan I ibn Sabbah and, in the hierarchical system of power he created, bore the title "Sheikh al-Jabal", and among the crusaders he was well known as the "Mountain Elder" or "Old Man of the Mountain".
Sheikh Hassan I was lucky to some extent. Shortly after the capture of the Alamut fortress, the Seljuk sultan Malik Shah died. After that, for twelve long years, the state was shaken by internecine strife for the throne. All this time, they were not up to the separatists, dug in in Alamut.
By uniting the mountainous regions of Persia, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, Hassan I actually created a state that lasted until 1256. He established in Alamut for all without exception a harsh way of life. First of all, defiantly during the Muslim fast, Ramadan abolished all Sharia laws on the territory of his state. The slightest deviation was punishable by death. He imposed the strictest ban on any manifestation of luxury. The restrictions applied to everything: feasts, amusing hunting, interior decoration of houses, expensive outfits, etc. The bottom line was that all meaning was lost in wealth. Why is it needed if it can't be used?
In the first stages of the existence of the Alamut state, Hassan I managed to create something similar to a medieval utopia, which the Islamic world did not know and which European thinkers of that time did not even think about. Thus, he effectively nullified the difference between the lower and upper strata of society. According to some historians, the Nizari Ismaili state strongly resembled a commune, with the only difference being that the power in it belonged not to the general council of free workers, but to an authoritarian spiritual leader-leader.
Development of theory and practice
Having created his own state, Hassan I abolished all Seljuk taxes, and instead ordered the inhabitants of Alamut to build roads, dig canals and build impregnable fortresses. All over the world, his agents-preachers bought up rare books and manuscripts containing various knowledge. He invited to his fortress or kidnapped the best specialists in various fields of science, from civil engineers to doctors and alchemists. He created a fortification system that had no equal, and the concept of defense in general was several centuries ahead of its era.
Sitting in his impregnable mountain fortress, Hasan I sent suicide bombers throughout the Seljuk state. But he did not immediately come to the tactics of suicide bombers. According to legend, it was accepted by chance.
In 1092, in the city of Sava, Hashashin preachers killed a muezzin, fearing that he would betray them to the local authorities. In retaliation, on the orders of Nizam al-Mulk, the chief vizier of the Seljuk Sultan, the leader of the local Ismailis, was seized and put to a painful death. This execution caused an explosion of indignation and indignation among the hashashin. An indignant crowd of Alamut residents approached the house of their spiritual mentor and ruler of the state. The legend says that Hassan I went up to the roof of his house and loudly said: “The killing of this shaitan will anticipate heavenly bliss!” No sooner had he entered the house than a young man named Bu Tahir Arrani stood out from the crowd and, kneeling before him, expressed his desire to carry out the sentence of death, even if he had to pay with his own life.
In the early morning of October 10, 1092, Arrani managed to penetrate the territory of the vizier's palace. Hidden, he patiently waited for the victim, clutching a huge knife smeared with poison to his chest. Closer to noon, a man appeared in the alley, dressed in very rich robes. Arrani had never seen the vizier, but judging by the fact that a large number of bodyguards and slaves surrounded the man walking down the alley, the assassin decided that it could only be the vizier. Seizing the opportunity, Arrani ran up to the vizier and stabbed him at least three times with the poisoned knife. Before the killer was captured, the vizier was already writhing in death throes. The guards almost tore Arrani to pieces.
By order of Hassan I, a bronze tablet was nailed to the gates of the Alamut fortress, on which the name of Arrani was engraved, and opposite it - the name of the victim. Over the years, this bronze tablet had to be increased several times, since the list began to include hundreds of names of viziers, princes, mullahs, sultans, shahs, marquises, dukes and kings.
The death of the chief vizier caused such a strong resonance throughout the Islamic world that it unwittingly prompted Hassan I to a very simple, but, nevertheless, ingenious conclusion - it is possible to build a very effective defensive doctrine of the state without spending significant material resources on maintaining a large regular army. It was necessary to create their own "special service", whose tasks would include intimidation and exemplary elimination of those on whom the adoption of important political decisions depended; special service, which neither the high walls of palaces and castles, nor a huge army, nor devoted bodyguards could do anything to protect a potential victim.
Thanks to the fanatical devotion of his agents, Hassan I was informed of all the plans of the enemies of the Ismailis, the rulers of Shiraz, Bukhara, Balkh, Isfahan, Cairo and Samarkand. However, the organization of terror was unthinkable without the creation of a well-thought-out technology for the training of professional killers, indifference to their own lives and a disdainful attitude towards death, which made them practically invulnerable. The main dogma of the teaching was unquestioning obedience to the head of the order and readiness to sacrifice his life at any moment on the orders of the Elder of the Mountain. Obedience reached such a degree that a student, without any practical purpose, could throw himself off a cliff or pierce himself with a dagger at his one command.
Over time, Hassan I came to the conclusion that it is not enough to promise people a paradise in heaven - it must be shown in reality! He, declaring himself the plenipotentiary representative and conductor of the will of the "hidden imam", developed a whole theory of heavenly retribution for unquestioning obedience to him. Boys and young men from 12 to 20 years old were recruited into the order, who were initially inspired that they were not just taken to the Alamut fortress, but that they were the chosen ones of the “hidden imam”.
The famous medieval traveler Marco Polo, in The Book of the Diversity of the World, describes how reckless determination in the minds of the disciples was achieved in the following way. The young man, stupefied with wine or hashish (anasha) to an unconscious state, was transferred to a beautiful garden specially arranged according to Eastern canons, where fountains of real milk, honey and wine beat. The garden was located in a guarded valley surrounded on all sides by mountains, and no outsider could penetrate there. In a wonderful garden, he was looked after and fed with delicious dishes. The young men were delighted with the lustful caresses of the girls, who pretended to be heavenly virgin-houris, whispering to the future hashashin suicide bomber that he would be able to return here as soon as he completed the assigned task and died in battle with the infidels. This went on for several days, but not for long enough for the young man to get fed up with the “miracle”. Then, having again lulled the young man through drink and food, he was transferred to the castle of the Mountain Elder, where, after waking up, the teacher announced that the young man, by the will of the “hidden imam”, had visited the real paradise, which is described in the Koran. If he wants to get there after death, then he must obey him - Hassan - in everything - then he will become a holy fidai who sacrificed himself for the sake of Allah and will certainly go to paradise. Young people so sincerely believed that they had been in paradise during their lifetime that from the first moment of awakening the real world lost any value for them. All dreams, hopes, thoughts were subordinated to the only desire to be in the "Garden of Eden" again, among the beautiful maidens and treats so distant and inaccessible now ...
It is worth noting that we are talking about the XI century, whose morals were so severe that for adultery they could simply be stoned to death. And for many poor people, due to the inability to pay bride price, women were simply an unattainable luxury. Since the Mountain Elder recruited his adherents among the children of the half-starved poor and commoners, such treatment with constant drug feeding gave the required positive result: the young men turned into devoted biorobots who obeyed him unquestioningly.
In addition to "ideological training", the hashashins spent a lot of time in daily grueling training. The best masters taught them to master all types of weapons to perfection: shoot accurately from a bow, fencing with sabers, throw knives and fight with bare hands. They had to have an excellent understanding of various poisons, they were forced for many hours - both in the heat and in the fierce cold - to squat or stand motionless, pressing their backs against the fortress wall, in order to develop patience and willpower. Each hashashin-suicide bomber was trained for "work" in a certain region. The training program also included the study of the language of the state in which it was supposed to be used. Particular attention was paid to acting skills - they valued the talent of reincarnation no less than their fighting skills. If desired, they knew how to change beyond recognition. Posing as a traveling circus troupe, monks of a medieval Christian order, doctors, dervishes, oriental traders or local warriors, the hashashin made their way into the very lair of the enemy to kill the victim. As a rule, after the execution of the sentence pronounced by the Mountain Elder, the hashashin did not even try to hide and readily accepted death or killed themselves. Even being in the hands of the executioner and being subjected to savage medieval torture, they tried to keep smiles on their faces.
To strengthen their faith, the Mountain Elder continued to subject them to increased psychological influence. In general, the Elder of the Mountain was an outstanding master of falsification. So, according to legend, in the castle, in one of the rooms, there was a room in the floor of which a well was equipped. One of the young men stood in it so that only his head was visible above the floor. A dish consisting of two halves was put on his neck. In this case, the impression of a severed head lying on a dish was created. For greater reliability and effect, blood was poured into the dish. Young adepts were invited into the hall and showed them the "cut off head". Suddenly, the Mountain Elder himself appeared out of the darkness and began to perform magical gestures over the “cut-off head” and pronounce mysterious spells in an incomprehensible, otherworldly language. After that, the "dead head" opened its eyes and began to speak - those present were in shock. Ibn Sabbah and the rest asked questions about paradise, to which the "severed head" gave more than optimistic answers. Then this young man was killed, and his head was put on display. The belief that only death in the service of Hasan opens the way to paradise spread among the people, and there was no shortage of those willing to serve the Mountain Elder.
It is known that the Mountain Elder had several doubles. In front of a crowd of hashashins, a double, under the influence of a narcotic potion, committed a demonstrative self-immolation. In this way, he allegedly ascended to heaven. What was the surprise and indescribable admiration of the hashashin when the next day the Mountain Elder appeared before them safe and sound.
The legend says that once Hassan I, having decided to subjugate one of the cities closest to his fortress, staged a real massacre there, but received a decisive rebuff. However, the test of the human "material" turned out to be successful - stoned young men went into battle without the slightest fear and parted with their lives without regret.
Since then, the Mountain Elder has decisively changed tactics, he stopped using his fidai in large numbers in open battles, and instructed them to remove only key persons - rich merchants, high-ranking officials, courtiers, directly threatened even the Persian Shah himself. In the Order of the Assassins, young people did not find a solution to the problems of social injustice, but the Mountain Elder guaranteed them eternal bliss in the Gardens of Eden in return for the given real life. He constantly inspired his adherents that they could get into the Gardens of Eden, bypassing purgatory, only on one condition: by accepting death on his direct order. He did not stop repeating the saying in the spirit of the prophet Muhammad: "Paradise rests in the shadow of sabers." Thus, the Hasashins not only did not fear death, but passionately desired it, associating it with the long-awaited paradise.
The movement has become widespread in Iran and Syria. Moreover, Hassan extended his actions to other countries of the Middle East, North Africa, as well as Europe, where the fidai became real hunters for the highest representatives of power - dukes and kings. Many European rulers paid tribute to avoid his wrath. The Mountain Elder sent assassins throughout the medieval world, never leaving, however, like his followers, his mountain refuge.
In Europe, the leaders of the hashashin were called “mountain sheiks” in superstitious fear, often not even suspecting who exactly now occupies the post of the Supreme Lord. Almost immediately after the formation of the order, Hassan I was able to inspire all the rulers that it was impossible to hide from his wrath, and the implementation of the "act of God's retribution" was only a matter of time.
Somehow, the Hasashins hunted for one of the most powerful European princes for a long time and to no avail. The security was organized so carefully and scrupulously that all attempts by the killers to approach the victim invariably failed. The food that the prince took was previously tested by a special person. Armed bodyguards were near him day and night. Even for big money it was not possible to bribe any of the guards. Then the Mountain Elder did something else. Knowing that the nobleman was reputed to be an ardent Catholic, he sent two young people to Europe who, on his orders, converted to Christianity, fortunately, the practice of “taqiyya” adopted among the Shiites allowed them to perform the rite of baptism to achieve a sacred goal. In the eyes of everyone around them, they became "true Catholics", zealously observing all Catholic fasts. For two years they visited the local Catholic cathedral every day, spending long hours on their knees in prayer. Leading a strictly canonical lifestyle, young people regularly gave generous donations to the cathedral. Having convinced everyone around them of their "true Christian virtue", the new converts became something taken for granted and an integral part of the cathedral. The guards stopped paying due attention to them, which they immediately took advantage of. One day, during a Sunday service, one of the hashashin managed to approach the prince and unexpectedly stab him several times with a dagger. The guards reacted with lightning speed, and the inflicted blows fell on the arm and shoulder, without causing serious injuries to the nobleman. But the second hashashin, located at the opposite end of the hall, taking advantage of the turmoil and panic caused, ran up to the victim and struck a fatal blow with a poisoned dagger to the very heart ...
Relationships of the Hasashins with the Crusaders and Muslims
On November 26, 1095, Pope Urban II, at a church council in Clermont, called for a crusade to liberate Jerusalem and Palestine from Muslim rule. The Crusader troops crossed into Asia Minor and on July 15, 1099, after a long and bloody siege, occupied Jerusalem. The Roman Catholic Church promised the participants of the campaign the remission of all sins. However, their army resembled bandits rather than noble liberators of the Holy Sepulcher. The passage of the Crusaders was accompanied by unprecedented robbery and looting.
There was no unity in the ranks of the crusader knights, which was what Hassan I took advantage of. The impoverished European barons, adventurers and robbers of various sorts, attracted by the countless treasures of the rich East, created temporary alliances and coalitions that were never particularly strong. Crusader knights, trying to resolve internal problems, quite often used the services of hashashin. Many crusader leaders found death from their daggers...
Having overthrown the dynasty of Fatimid caliphs in Egypt in 1171, the Mamluks of Salah ad-Din, better known in Europe as Saladin, in order to unite all efforts against the crusaders, first decided to restore the true faith and defeated the Ismailis in Egypt. Then they rushed to the crusaders - the most difficult period of the wars of the crusaders with the Muslim world begins.
The kingdom of Jerusalem was subjected to one attack after another. It is quite natural that in such a hopeless situation they had no choice but to make an alliance with the hashashin. By and large, the Hasashins didn’t care who they fought with and which side they were on. For them, everyone was an enemy - both Christians and Muslims.
The rich feudal lords of the Crusaders generously paid for the services of the Hasashins. Many Arab aristocrats and military leaders fell during this period from the daggers of the hashashin. Even Saladin himself had to endure several unsuccessful assassination attempts (according to some sources - 8), after which he survived only by a lucky chance - he was not forgiven for the defeat of the Ismailis in Egypt.
However, the alliance of the crusaders and the Hashashin did not last long - the crusaders were let down by greed. Having robbed Ismaili merchants, King Conrad of Montferrat of Jerusalem signed his own death warrant. After that, the hashashin began to send killers to both camps. It is known for certain that during this period, six viziers, three caliphs, dozens of city rulers and clerics, several European rulers, such as Raymond the First, Conrad of Montferrat, the Duke of Bavaria, as well as a prominent public figure, Persian scientist Abd ul -Mahasin, who provoked the wrath of the Mountain Elder with his sharp criticism of the hashashin.
It is known from ancient chronicles that in 1212 Muhammad Khorezm Shah doubted that there were Ismailis in his entourage. The assistant vizier signaled, and the five servants immediately stepped forward, ready for anything. Soon they were executed, but the shah did not rejoice at the newfound security for long - he received a message from the Mountain Elder, where he was asked to pay 10 thousand dinars for each executed as compensation, and at the same time they sent a dagger. Chronicles claim that the shah understood the hint.
It is worth noting that the hashashins inspired many secret societies of East and West with their example. European orders imitated the hashashin, adopting from them the method of strict discipline, the principles of promotion in rank, the technique of insignia, emblems and symbols. Hassan I lived in Alamut for over thirty years, almost never leaving his room, from where, nevertheless, he effectively managed one of the most powerful and spiritually united organizations in the history of mankind. He died in 1124.
Followers of the Mountain Elder
By the end of the 11th century, the Hasashins were firmly established in northwestern Syria; formed the semblance of an independent state. The mountain fortress of Masyaf, located in this region, served as an impregnable citadel. The head of the order in Syria, Rashid al-Din al-Sinan (d. 1192), who became the next Mountain Elder, pursued a policy of terror against the incoming crusaders and local rulers. In 1164, the next successor of the Mountain Elder, Hassan II, declared himself an imam and proclaimed the onset of a new spiritual era of the “Judgment Day” (“Day of Resurrection”). He declared all Shari'ah regulations to be non-binding. But already his grandson - Hasan III returned the obligatory nature of all Shariah provisions, began a reform of the dogma and recognized the spiritual leadership of the Abbasid caliph.
The successors of the Mountain Elder, as befits worthy students, surpassed the teacher, demanding absolute obedience from their subordinates. When Henri, Count of Champagne, was in the fortress of Alamut, two Fidais, at the signal of the lord, pierced their hearts with a dagger. Most of all, the count was struck by their calm, truly angelic faces ... Apparently, at that time this aggressive sect was called the Order of Assassins.
The powerful of this world sought the favor of the Mountain Elder and his heirs as head of the Order, who also bore the name Hassan as a title. According to some chronicles, other sovereign persons “ordered” him neighboring sovereigns or their rivals on the way to the throne. The “order” was carried out strictly, even if it was necessary to arrange a whole chain of specific actions, it was impossible for the customer to cancel it if he suddenly changed his mind. True, the Mountain Elder did not always rely on the dexterity of his feedays alone. He actively used bribery, compromise and blackmail of officials close to the head of state or his guards in order to get closer to the victim. Only in one case did the Assassins not succeed in a single assassination attempt - the personal guard of the famous Caliph Salladin turned out to be extremely vigilant and incorruptible.
Adaptation to reality
The order existed for more than a century and a half, until the fortress of Alamut was destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth by the grandson of Genghis Khan Hulagu Khan in 1256. The head of the order, Rukn ed-Din, was killed. All the treasures and archives went to the winners, who started a real hunt for assassins. The power of the organization was undermined, the survivors - it is not known from whom - received a command: to hide and wait.
Five years later, in 1272, the ruler of Egypt, Baibars I, was able to stop and expel the Mongols, and in Syria and Lebanon he finished off the Hasashins. They never regained their power again. The Hasashins, as before, at the origins of their origin, were forced to disperse over the mountains and go underground. The mystical ideology and psychological technology of the Order of the Assassins in the form of traditional memory has been preserved in Islamic traditions, in Persian and European chronicles.
But the Ismaili movement continued to exist. In the 18th century, the Shah of Iran officially recognized Ismailism as a branch of Shiism. The descendants of the last Nizari head of state, Alamut, lived in Iran for a long time, hiding their status, and only after that were they able to openly lead the Nizari.
In 1841, the Ismaili Imam Hasan Ali Shah, having assumed the title of Aga Khan, came into conflict with the Iranian authorities and fled to India, where he headed the local Ismaili community in Bombay. Following him, most of the Ismailis moved to India. The British authorities actively supported them. The clan of imams became a dynasty of British officers. They participated in several Afghan campaigns.
At the end of the 19th century, Aga Khan III Aga Sultan Muhammad Shah began to rule the community, subjugating the Nizari of Iran, Syria and the Pamirs. Aga Khan III set as his goal the adaptation of the ideas of Ismailism to modern conditions, as a result of which, by the middle of the 20th century. Nizari have become a powerful organization with their communities in 20 countries of the world, as well as great connections in financial and political circles.
In 1957, a direct descendant of the last Elder of the Mountain - Sadretdin Aga Khan IV Karim Shah became the 49th Imam of the Ismailis. In the world, he is better known as a fighter for the environment, a billionaire philanthropist and one of the founders of the World Wildlife Fund. In 1967-1977 The Aga Khan was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, he coordinated the provision of humanitarian and economic assistance to that country. In 1991, the Aga Khan was nominated by Britain for the post of UN Secretary General.
At the same time, the famous French ethnographer Jean Mellier in the late 70s of the last century visited the places of compact residence of the Ismailis in northwestern Pakistan. He writes: “I can testify: assassins exist, they are controlled by the same Elder of the Mountain - Imam Aga Khan. Wherever they live, everyone unquestioningly pays him a tenth of their income. But the most interesting thing is that once a year, somewhere in the mountains, a secret congress of all the hierarchs of the sect takes place, and they present gold to their patron, how much he weighs "...
Vladimir Golovko
Kyiv City
e-mail: [email protected]
Assassin sect. History of creation, interesting facts
The Assassins are a mysterious sect whose existence is legendary. These legends have very specific historical roots...
The sect of assassins became famous for their insidious murders, but its founder was a man who took fortresses without shedding a single drop of blood. He was a quiet, courteous young man, attentive to everything and eager for knowledge. He was sweet and friendly, and he wove the chain of evil.
This young man's name was Hasan ibn Sabbah. It was he who was the founder of the secret sect of the Assassins, whose name is now considered synonymous with insidious murder. The Assassins are an organization that trained assassins. They dealt with anyone who was contrary to their faith or took up arms against them. They declared war on anyone who thought differently, intimidated him, threatened him, otherwise they killed him without a long rigmarole.
Hassan ibn Sabbah, founder of the Assassin sect
Hasan was born around 1050 in the small Persian town of Qom. Soon after his birth, his parents moved to the town of Rayi, located near modern Tehran. There, young Hassan was educated and already “from an early age,” he wrote in his autobiography, which has come down to us only in fragments, “was inflamed with a passion for all areas of knowledge.” Most of all, he wanted to preach the word of Allah, in everything “keeping faithful to the covenants of the fathers. I have never doubted the teachings of Islam in my life; I have always been sure that there is an almighty and eternal God, a Prophet and an imam, there are permitted and forbidden things, heaven and hell, commandments and prohibitions.
Nothing could shake this belief until the day when a 17-year-old student met a professor named Amira Zarrab. He confused the sensitive mind of the young man with the following seemingly inconspicuous reservation, which he repeated over and over again: “For this reason, the Ismailis believe ...” At first, Hasan did not pay attention to these words: “I considered the teachings of the Ismailis to be philosophy.” Moreover: “What they say is contrary to religion!” He made this clear to his teacher, but did not know how to object to his arguments. In every possible way the young man resisted the seeds of a strange faith sown by Zarrab. But he “refuted my beliefs and undermined them. I didn’t openly admit it to him, but his words resonated strongly in my heart.”
Finally, there was a revolution. Hasan is seriously ill. We don't know in detail what could have happened; it is only known that after recovering, Hasan went to the Ismaili monastery in Rayi and said that he wanted to convert to their faith. So, Hassan took the first step on the path that led him and his students to crimes. The path to terror was open.
When Hassan ibn Sabbah was born, the power of the Fatimid caliphs was already noticeably shaken - one might say, it was in the past. But the Ismailis believed that only they were the true keepers of the ideas of the Prophet.
So, the international panorama was like this. An Ismaili Caliph ruled in Cairo; in Baghdad - Sunni caliph. Both of them hated each other and waged a fierce struggle. In Persia, that is, in modern Iran, there were Shiites who did not want to know anything about the rulers of Cairo and Baghdad. In addition, the Seljuks came from the east, capturing a significant part of Western Asia. The Seljuks were Sunnis. Their appearance upset the delicate balance between the three most important political forces of Islam. Now the Sunnis have taken over.
Hassan could not help but know that in becoming a supporter of the Ismailis, he chooses a long, merciless struggle. Enemies will threaten him from everywhere, from all sides. Hasan was 22 years old when the head of the Ismailis of Persia arrived in Rayi. He liked the young zealot of the faith and was sent to Cairo, to the stronghold of the Ismaili power. Perhaps this new supporter will be very useful to the brothers in the faith.
But it took six whole years until Hasan finally left for Egypt. During these years, he did not waste time in vain; he became a well-known preacher in Ismaili circles. When he nevertheless arrived in Cairo in 1078, he was met with reverence. But what he saw horrified him. The Caliph, whom he revered, turned out to be a puppet. All issues - not only political, but also religious - were decided by the vizier.
Maybe Hasan quarreled with the all-powerful vizier. At least we know that three years later Hassan was arrested and deported to Tunisia. But the ship that carried him was wrecked. Hasan escaped and returned to his homeland. The misfortunes upset him, but he firmly held the oath given to the caliph.
Hassan planned to make Persia a stronghold of the Ismaili faith. From here, its supporters will lead the battle with those who think differently - Shiites, Sunnis and Seljuks. It was only necessary to choose a springboard for future military successes - a place from which to launch an offensive in the war for faith. Hasan chose the Alamut fortress in the Elburz mountains on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. True, the fortress was occupied by completely different people, and Hasan regarded this fact as a challenge. Here, for the first time, a typical strategy for him appeared.
Hassan left nothing to chance. He sent missionaries to the fortress and the surrounding villages. The local people are accustomed to expect only the worst from the authorities. Therefore, the preaching of freedom, brought by strange messengers, found a quick response. Even the commandant of the fortress cordially greeted them, but that was an appearance - a deception. Under some pretext, he sent all the people loyal to Hasan out of the fortress, and then closed the gate behind them.
The fanatical leader of the Ismailis was not going to give up. “After lengthy negotiations, he again ordered them (envoys) to be let in,” Hasan recalled his struggle with the commandant. “When he again ordered them to leave, they refused.” Then, on September 4, 1090, Hasan himself secretly entered the fortress. A few days later, the commandant realized that he was unable to cope with the "uninvited guests". He voluntarily left his post, and Hassan sweetened the parting with a debt obligation.
From that day on, Hasan did not take a step out of the fortress. He spent 34 years there until his death. He didn't even leave his house. He was married, had children, but now he still led the life of a hermit. Even his worst enemies among Arab biographers, incessantly vilifying and defaming him, invariably mentioned that he "lived like an ascetic and strictly observed the laws"; those who violated them were punished. He made no exceptions to these rules. So, he ordered the execution of one of his sons, catching him drinking wine. Another son Hassan was sentenced to death when he suspected him of involvement in the murder of a preacher.
Hassan was strict and fair to the point of utter callousness. His supporters, seeing such steadfastness in their actions, were devoted to Hassan with all their hearts. Many dreamed of becoming his agents or preachers, and these people were his "eyes and ears" who reported everything that happened outside the walls of the fortress. He listened attentively to them, was silent, and, having said goodbye to them, sat for a long time in his room, making terrible plans. They were dictated by a cold mind and enlivened by an ardent heart. He was, according to the reviews of people who knew him, "sharp, skillful, versed in geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, magic and other sciences."
Gifted with wisdom, he craved strength and power. He needed the power to put into practice the word of Allah. Strength and power could bring an entire empire to his feet. He started small - with the conquest of fortresses and villages. From these scraps, he cut himself a submissive country. He was in no hurry. At first, he persuaded and exhorted those whom he wanted to take by storm. But if they did not open the gate for him, he resorted to weapons.
The Assassins are a mysterious sect
His empire grew. About 60 thousand people were already under his rule. But this was not enough; he kept sending his emissaries around the country. In one of the cities, in Sava, south of what is now Tehran, the first murder took place. Nobody planned it; rather it was caused by despair. The Persian authorities did not like the Ismailis; they were closely watched; for the least offense severely punished.
In Sava, Hasan's supporters tried to win the muezzin over to their side. He refused and threatened to complain to the authorities. Then he was killed. In response, the leader of these ambulances for the massacre of the Ismailis was executed; his body was dragged through the market square in Sava. So ordered Nizam al-Mulk himself, the vizier of the Seljuk Sultan. This incident stirred up Hassan's supporters and unleashed terror. The assassinations of the enemies were planned and perfectly organized. The first victim was a cruel vizier.
“The killing of this shaitan will herald bliss,” Hasan announced to his faithful, climbing to the roof of the house. Turning to those who listened, he asked who was ready to free the world from “this shaitan.” Then “a man named Bu Tahir Arrani laid his hand on his heart, expressing readiness,” one of the Ismaili chronicles says. The murder took place on October 10, 1092. As soon as Nizam al-Mulk left the room where he received guests, and climbed into the palanquin to go to the harem, when Arrani suddenly burst in and, drawing his dagger, rushed at the dignitary in a rage. At first, taken aback, the guards rushed to him and killed him on the spot, but too late - the vizier was dead.
The entire Arab world was horrified. The Sunnis were especially indignant. In Alamut, joy seized all the townspeople. Hasan ordered that a commemorative table be hung out and the name of the murdered man be engraved on it; next to it is the name of the holy creator of revenge. Over the years of Hasan's life, 49 more names appeared on this "board of honor": sultans, princes, kings, governors, priests, mayors, scientists, writers ...
In Hasan's eyes, they all deserved to die. Hassan felt right. He strengthened himself in this thought the stronger, the closer the troops sent to exterminate him and his supporters approached. But Hasan managed to gather a militia, and it was able to repel all the attacks of the enemies.
He sent agents to his enemies. They intimidated the victim, threatened or tormented her. So, for example, in the morning a person could wake up and see a dagger stuck in the floor next to the bed. A note was attached to the dagger, which said that the next time its tip would cut into the doomed chest. After such a direct threat, the alleged victim, as a rule, behaved "quieter than water, lower than grass." If she resisted, death awaited her.
The assassination was planned to the smallest detail. The killers were in no hurry, preparing everything gradually and gradually. They penetrated the retinue surrounding the future victim, tried to win her trust and waited for months. The most amazing thing is that they did not care at all about how to survive after the assassination attempt. It also made them perfect assassins.
It was rumored that the future "knights of the dagger" were put into a trance and drugged. So, Marco Polo, who visited Persia in 1273, told later that a young man chosen as a murderer was drugged with opium and taken to a wonderful garden. “The best fruits grew there ... Water, honey and wine flowed in the springs. Beautiful maidens and noble youths sang, danced and played musical instruments.”
Everything that the future killers wished for came true in an instant. A few days later they were again given opium and carried away from the wondrous garden. When they woke up, they were told that they had been to Paradise - and could immediately return there if they killed this or that enemy of the faith.
No one can tell if this story is true. It is only true that Hassan's supporters were also called "Haschischi" - "eating hashish." Perhaps the drug hashish actually played a role in the rituals of these people, but the name could have a more prosaic explanation: in Syria, all madmen and madmen were called "hashish". This nickname passed into European languages, turning here into the notorious "assassins", which were awarded to ideal killers.
The story told by Marco Polo is, albeit in part, but undoubtedly true.
The authorities reacted very harshly to the killings. Their spies and bloodhounds roamed the streets and guarded at the city gates, looking out for suspicious passers-by; their agents broke into houses, ransacked rooms and interrogated people - all in vain. The killings didn't stop.
At the beginning of 1124, Hasan ibn Sabbah fell seriously ill "and on the night of May 23, 1124," the Arab historian Juvaini wrote sarcastically, "he collapsed into the flames of the Lord and hid in His hell." In fact, Hassan's death is more appropriate for the blessed word "deceased": he died calmly and in the firm conviction that he was doing a just thing on a sinful Earth.
Assassins after the death of the founder of the sect
Hassan's successors continued his work. They were able to expand their influence into Syria and Palestine. Meanwhile, there have been dramatic changes. The Middle East was invaded by crusaders from Europe; they captured Jerusalem and established their kingdom. A century later, the Kurd overthrew the power of the caliph in Cairo and, having gathered all his strength, rushed to the crusaders. In this struggle, the Assassins once again distinguished themselves.
Their Syrian leader, Sinan ibn Salman, or "Old Man of the Mountain", sent assassins to both camps fighting each other. Arab princes and Conrad of Montferrat, king of Jerusalem, became victims of the assassins. According to historian B. Kugler, Conrad "caused the revenge of the Assassins against himself by robbing one of their ships." From the blade of the avengers, even Saladin was doomed to fall: only by a lucky chance he was able to survive both assassination attempts. The people of Sinan sowed such fear in the souls of opponents that both Arabs and Europeans dutifully paid tribute to him.
However, some of the enemies grew bolder to the point that they began to laugh at Sinan's orders or interpret them in their own way. Some even suggested that Sinan calmly send assassins, because this would not help him. Among the daredevils were knights - the Order of the Templars (templars) and St. John. For them, the daggers of assassins were not so terrible also because the head of their order could immediately be replaced by any of their assistants. They were "not attacked by murderers."
A tense struggle ended in the defeat of the Assassins. Their strength gradually dwindled. The killings have stopped. When the Mongols invaded Persia in the 13th century, the leaders of the Assassins submitted to them without a fight. In 1256, the last ruler of Alamut, Rukn al-Din, himself led the Mongol army to his fortress and dutifully watched as the stronghold was razed to the ground. After that, the Mongols dealt with the ruler himself and his retinue. “He and his companions were trampled under foot, and then their bodies were cut with a sword. So, there is no more trace of him and his tribe,” writes the historian Juvaini.
His words are inaccurate. After the death of Rukna al-Din, his child remained. He became the heir - imam. The modern Ismaili imam - Aga Khan - is a direct descendant of this baby. The assassins obedient to him no longer resemble the insidious fanatics and murderers who roamed the entire Muslim world a thousand years ago...
Find out if the Assassins and Templars actually existed in history. Here you will find the opinions and comments of other users and specialists, whether there are assassins in our time.
Answer:
Assassins are a very popular topic in today's world. Are there assassins in modern realities? There is no reliable information on this. However, it can be assumed that there is a place for the existence of the so-called followers of this trend. We are talking about the Nizarites of today.
Today, Nizaris live in several countries around the world. They reach the highest density in the northern regions of Afghanistan, Gorno-Badakhshan and the lands of Tajikistan. Unlike most Muslim peoples, the Nizari did not oppose the achievements of Western civilization and defeated poverty, ignorance and rejection of faith.
From 1957 to the present, the Aga Khan IV has been the head of the Nizari. The Aga Khan dynasty built many educational, medical, sports facilities, residential buildings, banks and mosques. Successes were also achieved in foreign policy. Aga Khan IV established a fund to help develop third world countries, and an institute for Ismaili research was founded in London.
Although the Nizari managed to maintain statehood, they did not achieve world domination, their worldview passed through the centuries, overcoming various difficulties and obstacles, and the community did not cease to exist in the shadow of larger groups.
Were there assassins and templars?
For many periods of world history, secret societies existed in different parts of the world that had an impact on the development of civilization. Some of them were real, and some came from mythology. Let's talk about whether the Assassins and the Templars existed and about the history of their occurrence.
The mysterious sect known to us as the Assassins was organized in Persia in the early 11th century. Their name comes from hashish. Thanks to hashish, the leaders of the sect were able to control the minds of their followers. The Assassins were created under the auspices of Christianity, which contributed to their strong influence and power. They were associated with the Christian order of the Knights Templar, organized in the Middle East at the dawn of the Crusades.
The second Greatest mentor of the Assassins, Kiya Buzurg-Umid, maintained close ties with the Christian king of Jerusalem, Baldwin II, who was in close contact with the Templars. At the beginning of the 12th century, the Templars teamed up with the Assassins in order to capture Damascus, but the attempt to take the city was defeated.