Assassins(hashishins, hashashins, hashishins, hashashins) is a fairly popular topic in the modern world. This is facilitated not only by the identification of a member of the order with the word Assassin, but also by the relevance of the plot of the Arab killers in show business. part from the same developer. The theme of the Assassins is also touched upon in the film "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (Disney 2010). This quite naturally aroused the interest of many viewers and gamers in an ambiguous historical phenomenon - the existence of the Order of the Assassins. “Okay, let them learn history,” you say?

Alas, everything is not so simple: the superficial knowledge of most fans gives rise to a lot of dogmas and prejudices that spread like cockroaches in the kitchen of a cheap Chinese restaurant. The most striking example is probably the common mistake that the word "assassin" comes from the word "hashishin", which in turn comes from the name of the drug: hashish. The mistake is that the Arabic word "Hashishin" means "herbivore, a person who eats plants." It was just a hint at the poverty of the members of the order, and it has nothing to do with drugs. In addition, the order of the Assassins used opium poppy for rituals, not hashish. In an effort to avoid possible errors of pseudo-historical neologisms, I will try to reveal the theme of the history of the order.

To begin with, Muhammad was dead. There was no doubt about it.

After the death of the legendary prophet, the Islamic world split into Sunnis and Shiites. Without going into details, the Sunnis seized power and in fact, the Shiites were outlawed in the Islamic world. Their communities have become so carried away with the conspiracy that they completely forgot about maintaining ties with each other. The result was the formation of a whole cascade of sects - sometimes funny and ridiculous, and sometimes bloody and terrible. One of these religious sects from the Ismaili movement was headed by Hasan ibn Sabbah. Without a fight, having occupied the fortress of Alamut (this fortress is mentioned in the film "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" as sacred), the innovator Hassan ibn Sabbah founded a theocratic state.

Having abolished all previous taxes and, in fact, prohibiting luxury, he understood that he would not be able to maintain a large army in a mountain fortress. Following the call of reason, Hasan ibn Sabbah is looking for new ways to solve political and military issues. According to the legend, he was led to the decision to create an order of murderers by chance. In 1092, in the city of Sava, located on the territory of the Seljuk state, the Hashashin preachers killed the muezzin, fearing that he would betray them to the local authorities. In retaliation for this deed, 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 slow painful death. After that, Hasan ibn Sabbah climbed the tower and shouted: "The killing of this shaitan will anticipate heavenly bliss!"

And as he descended, a crowd had already gathered at the foot of the walls, from which a group of fanatics stood out, led by a man named Bu Tahir Arrani, who, kneeling down, said that he was ready to fulfill the will of the ruler, even if he had to pay for it with his life. Omitting details, Bu Tahir Arrani fulfilled his task, and the vizier died surrounded by his bodyguards. Nearby lay the body of that same Bu Tahir Arrani. This is the story of the first assassin, from which the concept of the order originates: the will of the sovereign is equated with the most sacred law, you can get to heaven only by dying for a sacred cause. Yes, it definitely sounds very loud, but let's see why Hasan ibn Sabbah was surrounded by a crowd of fanatics, at first glance insane, ready for any sacrifice.

The secret lies not only in the careful selection of members of the order, but also in the psychology of that time and region. It is worth noting that the religious wars were then waged precisely from religious motives, in other words, people really believed that they were going to fight for a sacred cause (unlike the European crusades, which were clearly predatory in nature). As for preparation, this is a separate issue.

Well, one more?.. Drug myths about the training of assassins.

There are enough different dogmas in conversations about the training of assassins. First of all, they are associated with the use of narcotic drugs: there is an opinion that assassins are killers who go to their death under the influence of psychotropic substances. This is a delusion, in fact, the situation was different.

At first, those wishing to join the order gathered at the gates of the fortress, waiting for permission to enter the courtyard. Sometimes their wait lasted up to several weeks, but no one kept the young men, they could go home at any time. Under the same conditions in the courtyard, they awaited permission to enter the house. Of those who did not go home, they chose the most persistent (one of the legends says that Hasan ibn Sabbah adopted this system from Chinese monasteries - the similarity is obvious). They gave preference to orphans, because the future assassin had to devote his whole life to the order.

The initiation ceremony was extremely simple and ingenious: the recruit was drugged with opium, after he lost consciousness, he was transferred to a special "Garden of Eden", where he was expected by exquisite food, luxury and many beautiful women. A few hours later, they again gave him the drug, and carried him back, informing him later that he could return to paradise only by giving his life for the sake of a sacred cause. It should be understood that before that the young man lived in poverty, because wealth and luxury were prohibited by law, but women were the greatest luxury, because not every young man could afford a bride.

Here lies the mistake of most of the "experts" in the history of the order of the Assassins, since in later life, the killer will no longer touch alcohol, drugs, or women. So, in contrast, reinforced by opium withdrawal, a member of the order embarked on brutal training. He was taught not only weaponry and acrobatics, least of all, an assassin had to master acting and the art of disguise. All this made an almost perfect killer out of a student, for whom it was not necessary to think over an evacuation plan.

But the inventive Hassan ibn Sabbah did not stop at the preparation of the assassins. He understood that for the effective operation of the Assassins, a developed network of informants and scouts was needed. He created a special "agency", whose duties, in addition to intelligence, also included a new means of obtaining information - bribery. So, along with a huge number of preachers who reported to him about the general events and moods in the cities, he also had his people in the palaces and fortresses of the influential people of the East. After a series of murders, the entire political elite realized that neither the army nor the bodyguards would help them in the fight against the Assassins. It was with this that the "Old Man of the Mountain", as the members of the order called the ruler, achieved the absolute inviolability of mountain Alamut.

Hasan ibn Sabbah himself was a very curious person. In addition to collecting knowledge from around the world, kidnapping learned doctors and alchemists throughout Europe and Asia, he was also an avid hoaxer. In pursuit of the loyalty of his subjects and international prestige, he was very fond of various types of performances and tricks. For example, the trick with a severed head, popular for a long time, according to legend, was invented by him. With the help of make-up, the correct placement of the background and a system of mirrors, he created a very talented performance with a “severed” head predicting paradise for all dead assassins. There was only one difference from the modern focus - the ending. The actor was cut off his head and hung for several days on the main square of the fortress. For the sake of realism. The self-immolation trick was also popular. Its essence was no less cruel - they really burned a person, a double of Hasan ibn Sabbah. Demonstrating the loyalty of his subjects to the ambassadors, the Alamut ruler ordered the guards on the walls to rush into the abyss with a wave of his hand.

In conclusion, one more myth can be revealed - the opinion that all the killers died while performing the task. Often there was an order to return, since this task is only preparation for the transition to paradise. This was dictated by the fact that even in the commune of the order a hierarchy was necessary. After all, someone had to arrange a “paradise” for the students, play with a severed head, and teach the students.

Paid killers

Another misconception is that assassins are contract killers. Most likely, it got its start from the history of the alliance of the Crusaders and the Assassins. Such an alliance took place after the death of Hassan ibn Sabbah. The new rulers of Alamut were not so ascetic in their desires - there was an urgent need for finances, and the lords generously paid in Jerusalem gold for the services of the assassins directed against Salah ad-Din. But, it is impossible to call the hashish order a society of hired killers, since not ordinary performers, but their owners took payment for work. In addition, the killings of these figures can be seen as loyalty to the alliance.

But, it was money that led to the fact that the order lost its influence. Seeing the strong stratification of society inside the fortress, those who wanted to die for the sake of a dubious sacred cause became less and less. This posed the need for reorganization within the system, which led to virtually everything that Hasan ibn Sabbah denied when he built the state. The commune turned into a monarchical system with its own nobles and nobility. All this made the Alamut state easy prey for the Mongols who invaded Persia.

On the origin of myths

In conclusion, I will try to explain some of the myths about the order of assassins. These legends were born after the events in Alamut. The initiators of the "first" wave of legends about the Assassins in the 14th century were the Venetian Marco Polo, who in his writings writes about the country of Mulect, where the Elder of the Mountain lives, sending young men to death, drugging them with drugs. A new, stronger wave of myths took place in the middle of the 19th century in France. Hashish became a very fashionable drug at the time, along with the use of thujone from Egyptian wormwood. This is probably why novelists were sure that the Assassins used hashish as a means to open the gates to paradise.

And some people believe that the order of assassins exists to this day, and its members remove objectionable people. Such thoughts are quite understandable, because many people want to see the world more complex than it really is. Many people see secrets, riddles, mysticism... Are they right? Who knows?..

From the countries of the East to distant Scandinavia, only one word could terrify even the most powerful rulers. And this word is assassin.

A stealthy assassin who can single-handedly solve problems that entire armies cannot solve, and the rulers of great countries have been trying to solve through diplomacy for years.

Medieval historians described members of the order with such phrases.

Why "Assassins"?

There are two versions of the origin of the word.

According to the first, the secret of the strength of terrorist warriors was in a state of combat trance - the faith, strength, and spirit of a warrior increased significantly after drinking hashish.

According to popular belief, the roots of the word "assassin" came from here - hashshishin, or smoking hashish.

But, as is usually the case, the most common opinion is erroneous and suitable only for the plebeians because of its simplicity. Well, in fact, you won’t believe that a powerful organization that has conquered the territory on which several large countries coexist today will call itself “Planokurs”?!?

The true roots of the word should be sought in the languages of the Middle East. "Khasas" - this is how the word "basis", "truth" sounds in Arabic. Thus, the word hassasin, or, more euphonious to the ear of a European, assassin, originally means a person who seeks the truth.

Nothing is true everything is permitted.

Approximately with such a slogan, the Nizari formed the consciousness of their warriors - everything that you receive from the outside is a lie. When you are told that killing is bad, it is a lie. Seek the truth in the process of achieving the goal.

It was new then, but today many organizations understand that the true strength of a warrior is not in big muscles, not in dexterity with weapons, but in faith and the absence of fear of death.

The Nizaris were perhaps the only ones who understood the significance of the psychology of warriors, and therefore their success today's historians is not at all surprising.

Assassin training.

Focus first. Outsiders are not allowed.

In the movie The Book of Eli, you might have seen an episode where Harry Oldman's character lists the protagonist the benefits of being in his army: food, water, girls, better weapons.

The Middle Ages could be marked by a high level of poverty, and therefore being in the army could become a source of livelihood. Already for the sake of prosperity in food, many residents of the Nizari countries dreamed of becoming assassins.

But not everyone was accepted into the order. The set was made on certain dates. These days, young men wishing to join the order could come to the gates of Alamut in order to express their desire. It would seem that once they announced the recruitment, then accept us. But it was not there. The gates of Alamut remained closed for many days while the recruits "roasted" in the sun, languishing with thirst and hunger. Of course, many turned around and walked away, but the most enduring and persistent remained - the most worthy. If you think that these worthy people were immediately accepted into the order, then you are mistaken. The gates of the fortress remained closed. And only when the remaining brave men lost consciousness from exhaustion, the guards came out and took them inside.

Focus second. Paradise Demo

In order to strengthen the faith of their warriors, the Nizari showed them a demo version of paradise, into which everyone who died, having fulfilled the will of the head of the Order, would fall.

On the day of the initiation, the would-be assassin was drugged and taken to a secret garden near Alamut. There, living beauties, food, and wine were waiting for him. The deeply religious inhabitants of the Middle Ages could not suspect a dirty trick. They were completely sure that in front of them were the mythical houris, and they themselves were in the Garden of Eden.

When the assassin fell asleep, he was carried out of the garden. And waking up, he dreamed of only one thing - to get back to paradise as soon as possible. Of course, after using the "demo version", the newly minted the assassin was not at all afraid of death, and even strove for it, remembering that the door to paradise opens only to dead heroes.

Focus third. Demigod Necromancy

The illusion of paradise was not the only trump card in the sleeves of the assassins.

So, in order to show the unlimited power of the head of the order, the Nizaris spread a rumor that they managed to catch a traitor, who was executed in front of the newcomers.

This, it seemed, would be enough to believe in the power of the ruler of the Assassins. But the Nizaris understood that serving a human is far less stable than serving a demigod.

They invited newcomers to the chambers of the ruler, where they saw a bloody head on the carpet. The ruler of the Nizari explained to the newcomers that Allah deigned to tell him the truth about this traitor, which allowed him to catch and cut off the head of the traitor. “But even in his death, his soul belongs to me,” newcomers heard: “Now I will revive his head in order to find out the necessary information.”

To the surprise of the novices of the order, the head not only came to life, but also answered the questions of the ruler. Of course, the execution was falsified, the "traitor" was not beheaded, but put in a pit, covered with a carpet and his head, abundantly irrigated with the blood of an outsider, was put through a hole in the carpet.

Focus fourth. And eight more tricks.

Within the Order, there were nine levels of initiation, the transition to each of which was accompanied by a separate magical ritual.

Alas, the description of none of these rituals has survived to this day, but we are sure that these were yet another Nizari tricks.

With each degree of initiation, the assassin gained access to more and more secret information, and only at the ninth step did he learn the Truth: there is no difference between Heaven and Hell. Well, we remembered the cherished "Nothing is true, everything is permitted"

End of the Order

It would seem that nothing can stop such a strong organization. But…

ceased to exist Nizari order the same thing that half a century later came to Russia, for a long time throwing it back in the race for the primacy of states.

In 1256, Alamut fell under the onslaught of the Mongol cavalry. The Mongols marched all over Iran, destroying the remnants of the order (and everything that came to hand (such are they, the Mongols)).

After 16 years, the weakened order lost the remnants of its rule in Syria and Iraq, where in 1273 the Nizari cities were captured by the Mamluks of King Baibars I.

It seemed that this would be the end of the existence of the order. But after all, we have said more than once that the army of assassins was scattered around the world. Trained worse than James Bond, loyal to the order to the end, these people could not disappear without a trace ...

Assassins today

One of the places where the assassins probably remained is. In the 13th century, the borders of Syria were located quite close to India, and therefore it becomes very suspicious that it was at the end of the 13th century that the Indian sects of murderers (tags) and stranglers (fansigars) noted a sharp increase in influence in the country. It is easy to assume that it was here that the Syrian assassins fled.

What happened to those who obeyed the main fortress of the order? Let's think. Alamut was in Iran. Open the political map of the world and see where Afghanistan and Iraq are in relation to Iran.

The medieval history of many peoples is replete with various secret societies and powerful sects, about which legends and traditions have survived to this day.

This happened, in particular, with the Islamic sect of the Assassins, whose history formed the basis of the famous computer game Assassin's Creed. In the game, the assassins are opposed by the Order of the Knights Templar, but in real history, the paths of development and death of these powerful medieval organizations practically did not intersect. So who are the Assassins and Templars really?

Assassins: from the realm of justice to shameful death

Name "Assassins" is a corrupted Arabic word "hashshishiya" , which many associate with the hashish used by these mysterious killers. In fact, in the medieval Islamic world "hashshishiya" was a contemptuous name for the poor and literally meant: "those who eat grass".

The Assassin Society was formed between 1080 and 1090 by the Islamic preacher Hassan ibn Sabbah, who belonged to the Shia branch of Islam, more precisely, to his Ismaili teachings. He was a well-educated and very intelligent man who planned to create a kingdom of universal justice based on the laws of the Koran.

Establishing the realm of justice

In 1090, Hassan ibn Sabbah and his supporters managed to occupy a powerful fortress located in the fertile valley of Alamut, and establish their own rules in it. Every luxury was outlawed, all residents had to work for the common good.

According to legend, Ibn Sabbah executed one of his sons when he suspected him of wanting more benefits than an ordinary inhabitant of the valley was supposed to. In his state, Hasan ibn Sabbah actually equalized the rights of the rich and the poor.

Sect of secret assassins

The worldview of the new ruler of Alamut could not please the surrounding rulers, and Hassan ibn Sabbah was tried in every possible way to destroy. At first, he organized a huge army to defend his valley and castle, but then he came to the conclusion that fear would be the best defense.

He created a system for training secret killers who could hide under any guise, but achieved their goal. The Assassins believed that after death they would go straight to heaven, so they were not afraid of death. Hundreds of rulers and commanders died at their hands during the life of Hasan ibn Sabbah.

The preparation system, at its final stage, included a session of opium dreams. The future assassin, intoxicated with a drug, was transferred to luxurious chambers, where he spent several hours surrounded by delicious dishes and beautiful women. When he woke up, he was sure that he had been in paradise and was no longer afraid to die, believing that after death he would return to this beautiful garden.

Templars with Assassins

The Christian order of the Knights Templar originated in Jerusalem around 1118. It was formed by the knight Hugh de Payne and six other poor nobles. By order of the then ruler of Jerusalem, the new order, called by them "Order of the Poor", located in one of the parts of the city temple.

That's where their name came from. templars, or templars, from the word "temple" meaning castle or temple. The Order quickly gained popularity, and its warriors gained fame as skillful and selfless defenders of the Holy Sepulcher.

By the end of the eleventh century, the confrontation between the Christians who captured Jerusalem and the Islamic rulers of the surrounding countries reached its climax. The defeated Christians, who were less numerous than their opponents, were forced to enlist allies, and sometimes dubious ones, to their side.

Among them were the Assassins, who from the moment the mountain fortress was founded, were at enmity with the Islamic rulers. Suicide bombers from among the Assassins with pleasure and for a considerable fee killed the opponents of the crusaders, thus fighting side by side with the Christians.

End of the legend

The last pages of the history of the Assassins are marked by shame and betrayal. The state of the Alamut Valley, which existed for about 170 years, gradually lost the principles of disinterestedness, its rulers and nobles were mired in luxury, and among ordinary people there were fewer and fewer people who wanted to become a suicide bomber.

In the mid-50s of the thirteenth century, the army of one of the grandsons of Genghis Khan invaded the valley, besieging the fortress. The last ruler of the Assassins, the young Ruk-ad-din Khursha, at first tried to resist, but then surrendered the fortress, reprimanding himself and several close ones for life. The remaining defenders of the fortress were killed, and the stronghold of the Assassins was destroyed.

After some time, the Mongols also killed Ruk-ad-din, as they considered that the traitor was not worthy of life. The few followers of the doctrine who remained after the defeat were forced to hide, and since then the sect of murderers could no longer recover.

The power and death of the Templars

One of the main activities of the Templars, along with military service, was finance. The Templars managed, thanks to the iron discipline and the monastic charter of the order, to concentrate quite serious wealth in their hands. The templars did not hesitate to put their funds into circulation and lend, having received the permission of the pope for this.

Their debtors were representatives of all walks of life, from small landowners to the rulers of the regions and states of Europe. The Templars did a lot for the development of the European financial system, in particular, they invented checks. In the thirteenth century they became the most powerful organization in Europe.

The end of the order of the templars was put by the French king Philip, nicknamed the Handsome. In 1307, he ordered the arrest of all prominent members of the order. Under torture, confessions of heresy and debauchery were knocked out from them, after which many templars were executed, and their property went to the state treasury.

100 Great Mysteries of History Nepomniachtchi Nikolai Nikolayevich

WHO ARE THE ASSASSINS?

This sect became famous for 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 founded the secret sect, whose name is now considered synonymous with insidious murder. We are talking about the Assassins - 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.

Hasan was born around 1050 in the small Persian town of Qom. Soon after his birth, his parents moved to the town of Rayi, which lay near modern Tehran. Here, young Hasan was educated and already “from an early age,” he wrote in his autobiography, which has come down to us only in fragments, “was kindled 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 convinced that there is an almighty and eternal God, the Prophet and the Imam, there are permitted and forbidden things, heaven and hell, commandments and prohibitions.

Nothing could shake this belief until the day when a seventeen-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.” Not only that: “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. However, he “refuted my beliefs and undermined them. I didn’t openly admit it to him, but in my heart his words resonated strongly.”

Finally, there was a revolution. Hasan is seriously ill. We don't know exactly what happened; it is only known that after recovering, Hasan went to the Ismaili monastery in Rayi and said that he decided 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.

To understand what happened, let's fast forward a few centuries ago. Muhammad died in 632. After that, a dispute arose over his successor. In the end, his disciples united around the "faithful of the faithful", one of the first Muslims - Abu Bakr. He was proclaimed the first caliph - the "deputy" of the Prophet. It was then that the companions of Muhammad began to write down the verses of the Koran.

However, not everyone was happy with this choice. The secret enemies of Abu Bakr (632-634) and his successors Omar (634-644) and Osman (644-656) grouped around Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. It seemed to them that he had more rights to bear the title of caliph. These people began to be called "Shia" (from the Arabic word "shia" - a group). From the very beginning they were in opposition to the majority of Muslims - they were called Sunnis. Ali's supporters had their own truth. The people who continued the work of Muhammad were more interested in capturing new lands and accumulating wealth than in strengthening the faith. Instead of the state of the Muslims, they were only concerned with their own good. They replaced holiness and justice with money-grubbing.

In the end, the dreams of the Shiites came true. In 656, the rebellious people killed Caliph Osman from the Meccan family of the Umayyads. Ali became the new ruler of the Muslims. However, five years later, he was also killed. Power passed to Muawiyah (661-680) from the same clan of the Umayyads.

The Umayyads, like the rulers of all times and peoples, strengthened their power. During their reign, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. All dissatisfied with the authorities rallied around the Shiites. The caliphate began to shake the uprisings. Back in 680, after the death of Muawiyah, Hussein, the son of Ali, and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet and the widow of Ali, revolted.

Initially, the Shia was a purely political grouping. Now a split has occurred in the religious field. The main reason for the turmoil and unrest, the Shiites believed, was the illegitimate power of the caliphs. Only the direct descendants of the Prophet could be guardians of truth and law. Only from among them could the long-awaited Savior be born, who would arrange a state pleasing to God.

The leaders of the Shiites - the imams - were Alid, descendants of Ali in a straight line. This means that all of them had their roots in the Prophet. They had no doubt that the long-awaited Savior would be a Shia imam. Echoes of this yearning for a "righteous world" we observed quite recently, when in 1979 in Shiite Iran the people greeted with jubilation the news that Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed the country an Islamic republic. How many hopes ordinary Shiites associated with this happy event!

But let's go back to the distant past. In 765, the Shiite movement was waiting for a split. When the sixth imam, who succeeded Ali, died, not the eldest son Ismail, but the youngest son was chosen as his successor. Most Shiites accepted this choice calmly, but some rebelled. They believed that the tradition of direct inheritance had been violated - and remained faithful to Ismail. They were called Ismailis.

Their preaching was an unexpected success. A wide variety of people were attracted to them - and for various reasons. Lawyers and theologians were convinced of the correctness of the claims of Ismail and his direct heirs, who disputed the title of imam. Ordinary people were attracted by the mysterious, mystical sayings of the Ismailis. People scientists could not pass by the sophisticated philosophical interpretations of faith proposed by them. The poor, however, most of all liked the active love for their neighbors, which the Ismailis showed.

They founded their own caliphate, named after Fatima. Over time, their power was so strengthened that in 969 the army of the Fatimid Caliphate - it was located in Tunisia - invaded Egypt and, having captured the country, founded the city of Cairo, its new capital. During its heyday, this caliphate covered North Africa, Egypt, Syria, Sicily, Yemen and the holy cities of Muslims - Mecca and Medina.

However, when Hasan ibn Sabbah was born, the power of the Fatimid caliphs was already noticeably shaken - it can be said that it was in the past. However, the Ismailis believed that only they were the true custodians of the ideas of the Prophet.

So, the international panorama was as follows. 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 lived 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 of great use to the brothers in faith.

However, 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 in 1078 he nevertheless arrived in Cairo, he was greeted with respect. However, 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.

Perhaps Hassan quarreled with the all-powerful vizier. In any case, we know that three years later Hassan was arrested and deported to Tunisia. However, 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 did not think of giving up. “After long negotiations, he again ordered them (envoys) to be let in,” Hassan 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 resigned his post, and Hasan sweetened the parting with a promissory note worth - in terms of the exchange rate we are accustomed to - more than $3,000. 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 this rule. So, he ordered the execution of one of his sons, catching him drinking wine. Another son Hasan was sentenced to death, suspecting that he was involved in the murder of a preacher.

Hassan was strict and fair to the point of complete heartlessness. 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 informed him of everything that was happening 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 took his time. First, he persuaded and exhorted those whom he wanted to take by storm. However, if they did not open the gate for him, he resorted to weapons.

His power grew. There were already about 60,000 people 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 modern Tehran, the first murder took place. Nobody planned it; rather, it was driven by desperation. The Persian authorities did not like the Ismailis; they were closely watched; for the slightest offense severely punished. In Sava, Hassan'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 event stirred up Hassan's supporters and unleashed terror. The killings of the enemies were planned and well organized. The cruel vizier became the first victim.

“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,” says one of the Ismaili chronicles. The murder happened on October 10, 1092. As soon as Nizam al-Mulk left the room where he received guests, and climbed into the palanquin to proceed to the harem, 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 the eyes of Hasan, they all deserved to die. They have abandoned the path that the Prophet had charted and have ceased to follow the Divine law. “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has sent down, then they are unbelievers,” says the Koran (5, 48). They are worshipers of idols, despising the truth; they are apostates and swindlers. And they should be killed, as the Koran commanded: “Beat the polytheists wherever you find them, capture them, besiege them, ambush them in every hidden place!” (9, 5)

Hassan felt right. He was strengthened in this thought the stronger, the closer the troops sent to exterminate him and his supporters approached. However, Hassan managed to gather a militia, and it repulsed all the attacks of the enemies.

Hasan ibn Sabbah had been ruling in Alamut for four years when the news came that the Fatimid caliph had died in Cairo. The eldest son was preparing to succeed him, when suddenly the younger son seized power. So, direct inheritance is interrupted. In Hasan's eyes, this was an unforgivable sin. He breaks with Cairo; now he was left alone, surrounded by enemies. Hasan no longer sees any reason to reckon with anyone's authority. There is only one decree for him: “Allah - there is no deity but Him, living, existing!” (3, 1). He is used to defeating people.

He sends agents to his enemies. They intimidate the victim by threatening or torturing her. So, in the morning a person could wake up and notice a dagger stuck in the floor next to the bed. A note was attached to the dagger, saying that the next time its tip would cut into the doomed chest. After such an unequivocal threat, the intended victim usually behaved "quieter than water, lower than grass." If she resisted, death awaited her.

The assassination attempts were prepared to the smallest detail. The killers did not like to rush, preparing everything gradually and gradually. They penetrated the retinue that surrounded 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. This, too, made them perfect assassins.

There were rumors that the future "knights of the dagger" were put into a trance and drugged. So, Marco Polo, who visited Persia in 1273, later told 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 could wish 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.

Nobody knows if this story is true. It is only true that the supporters of Hasan were also called "Haschischi" - "eating hashish." Perhaps the drug hashish really played a certain 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. Even today, fundamentalist Muslims kill their victims in order to quickly reach Paradise, promised to those who died a martyr's death.

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 continued.

At the beginning of 1124, Hasan ibn Sabbah fell seriously ill “and on the night of May 23, 1124,” the Arab historian Juvaini writes sarcastically, “he collapsed into the flames of the Lord and hid in His hell.” In fact, the blessed word “departed” is more appropriate for the death of Hasan: he died calmly and in the firm conviction that he was doing a just thing on sinful Earth.

Hassan's successors continued his work. They managed 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 Saladin 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 a fanatical sect against himself by robbing an Assassin ship." From the blade of the avengers, even Saladin was doomed to fall: only by a lucky chance he survived 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 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 Templars (templars) and Johnites. 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."

The tense struggle ended in the defeat of the Assassins. Their strength gradually dwindled. The killings have stopped. When in the thirteenth century the Mongols invaded Persia, 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 was no more trace of him and his tribe, ”says 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. Now these are peaceful people, and their dagger is no longer a judge.

This text is an introductory piece. From the book Animal World author Sitnikov Vitaly Pavlovich

Who are dung beetles? The most numerous group of insects are beetles. In total there are more than 250 thousand species, and one of the most interesting is dung beetles, or simply dung beetles. They are so named because they live mainly in the litter of ungulate mammals, for example