Militant offshoot of the Islamic Isma'ili sect 1089-1256, founded
by Hassan Sabah (c. 1045-1124). Active in Syria and Persia, they assassinated
high officials in every Muslim town to further their extremist political
ends. Their headquarters from 1090 was the Alamut clifftop fortress
in the Elburz Mountains, NW Iran.
Their leader, Hassan Sabah, became a missionary and rebel against
the Seljuk Empire after his conversion to the sect. As grand master
of the Assassins, he ran the order with strict asceticism. The assassins
were members of a suicide squad: they remained at the scene of the
crime to be martyred for their beliefs. Their enemies called them
hashishiyun 'smokers of hashish'.
Princes, viziers, and also Crusaders were among their victims.
Hassan was a scholar and Alamut, built on a peak of 1,800 m/6,000
ft, held one of the largest libraries of the time.
Hassan was born in Qom. In his twenties he may have become spymaster
to the Seljuk sultan Malik Shah of Transoxania (where he met his contemporary,
the poet Omar Khayyam). Banished after engaging in palace intrigue,
Hassan studied in Cairo 1078-80 and then went forth as a covert missionary
for the proscribed sect. Once he had obtained the castle of Alamut
('eagle's nest'), he never left it. He is said to have executed both
his sons for trivial transgressions. After his death, the Assassins
carried on, though they gave up austerity and assassination in 1164.
In 1256 Alamut was taken by the Mongol invaders, and the library was
destroyed.