The Assassins were a medieval Muslim sect that used targeted killings of enemy leaders to defend their faith and territory. They emerged in the 11th century and lasted until the 13th century, when they were destroyed by the Mongols. They were also known as the Nizari Ismailis, a branch of Shia Islam that followed the teachings of the Fatimid caliphate in Egypt.
The founder of the Assassins, Hasan-i Sabbah, was a Persian scholar and missionary who established a network of fortified strongholds in Persia and Syria. He trained his agents to infiltrate and assassinate his foes, often in public places. His targets included Sunni Muslim caliphs, Seljuk sultans, Crusader kings, and Mongol khans, among others. Some of his most famous victims were Nizam al-Mulk, the vizier of the Seljuk Empire, Conrad of Montferrat, the king of Jerusalem, and Hulagu Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan.
The Assassins were the first group to systematically use murder as a political weapon, and their tactics have been copied by terrorists ever since. “The Assassins were the first group to systematically use murder as a political weapon, and their tactics have been copied by terrorists ever since,” said Jefferson M. Gray, a historian and author of Holy Terror: The Rise of the Order of Assassins.
However, the Assassins were not mindless killers, but rational actors who used violence selectively and strategically. They only targeted those who posed a direct threat to their community, and they avoided harming innocent bystanders. They also sought to minimize bloodshed by using stealth and surprise, rather than open warfare. “The Assassins were not mindless killers, but rational actors who used violence selectively and strategically. They only targeted those who posed a direct threat to their community, and they avoided harming innocent bystanders. They also sought to minimize bloodshed by using stealth and surprise, rather than open warfare,” said James Waterson, a journalist and author of The Assassins: The Secret History of Medieval Islam’s Most Feared Sect.
The Assassins were also patrons of learning and culture. They produced many works of philosophy, theology, history, and literature, and contributed to the fields of astronomy, medicine, and mathematics. They also fostered a spirit of tolerance and pluralism, and welcomed people of different faiths and backgrounds into their society. “The Nizari Ismailis were not only warriors, but also patrons of learning and culture. They produced many works of philosophy, theology, history, and literature, and contributed to the fields of astronomy, medicine, and mathematics. They also fostered a spirit of tolerance and pluralism, and welcomed people of different faiths and backgrounds into their society,” said Farhad Daftary, a scholar and author of The Ismailis: Their History and Doctrines.
The legacy of Hasan-i Sabbah and the Assassins is still relevant today, as they offer a counter-narrative to the stereotypes and misconceptions that surround Islam and its diverse branches. They also challenge us to rethink the role and impact of violence in history and politics, and the ethical dilemmas that it poses. “The legacy of Hasan-i Sabbah and the Assassins is still relevant today, as they offer a counter-narrative to the stereotypes and misconceptions that surround Islam and its diverse branches. They also challenge us to rethink the role and impact of violence in history and politics, and the ethical dilemmas that it poses,” said Paul Walker, a professor and author of The Assassin Legends: Myths of the Ismailis.
Relevant articles:
Holy Terror: The Rise of the Order of Assassins, HistoryNet, February 24, 2010
The Assassins: The Secret History of Medieval Islam’s Most Feared Sect, The Conversation, November 10, 2023
How the Assassins Shaped the Modern World, BBC, November 12, 2023
The Legacy of Hasan-i Sabbah and the Nizari Ismailis, The Muslim Vibe, November 13, 2023