Who are the assassins history. Assassins: centuries-old myths and cruel reality. Myths about assassins and their exposure

With the introduction of the popular game “Assassins Creed”, many questions arose: “Who are the assassins?”, “Does the game have a connection with reality?” Indeed, such a society existed in the Middle Ages.

In the 10th-13th centuries, the state of Alamut existed in the mountainous regions of Persia. It arose as a result of the split in Islam and the development of the Ismaili sect of the Shiite trend, with whom the dominant religious system waged an irreconcilable struggle.

Ideological clashes in Islamic countries have often turned into questions of life and death. Hassan ibn Sabbah, the founder of the new state, had to think about survival in a hostile environment. In addition to the fact that the country was located in a mountainous region, and all the cities were fortified and inaccessible, he made extensive use of reconnaissance and punitive operations against all enemies of Alamut. Soon the entire eastern world learned about who the assassins were.

In the palace of Hassan-ibn-Sabbah, who was also called the King of the Mountain, a closed society of the chosen ones was formed, ready to die for the approval of the ruler and Allah. The organization consisted of several stages of initiation. The lowest level was occupied by suicide bombers. Their task was to complete the task at all costs. To do this, one could lie, pretend, wait a long time, but punishment for the condemned person was inevitable. Many rulers of Muslim and even European principalities knew firsthand who the assassins were.

Entry into secret society was desirable for many young people of Alamut, as it provided the opportunity to receive universal approval and become familiar with secret knowledge. Only the most persistent received the right to enter the gates of the mountain fortress - the residence of Hassan-ibn-Sabbah. There the convert underwent psychological treatment. It boiled down to the use of drugs and the suggestion that the subject had been to heaven. When the young people were in a state of drug intoxication, half-naked girls came to them, assuring them that the pleasures of heaven would become available immediately after the will of Allah was fulfilled. This explains the fearlessness of suicide bombers - punishers who, having completed the task, did not even try to hide from retribution, accepting it as a reward.

Initially, the Assassins fought against Muslim principalities. And even after the crusaders came to Palestine, their main enemies remained other movements of Islam and unrighteous Muslim rulers. It is believed that for some time the Templars and the Assassins were allies, even hiring the assassins of the King of the Hill to solve their own problems. But this situation did not last long. The Assassins did not forgive betrayals and exploitation in the dark. Soon the sect was already fighting against both Christians and fellow believers.

In the 13th century, Alamut was destroyed by the Mongols. The question arises: was this the end of the sect? Some say that since then they begin to forget about who the assassins are. Others see traces of the organization in Persia, India, and Western European countries.

Everything is permitted - this is how the King of the Hill instructed his suicide bombers when he sent them on a mission. The same motto continues to exist among a number of people who use all methods to solve their problems. In the overwhelming majority of cases, they simply use the religious feelings, needs and hopes of suicide bombers. At the highest levels of initiation, religious pragmatism reigns. So assassins also exist in our time - they are called, perhaps differently, but the essence remains: intimidation and murder to achieve their political or economic goals. This connection is especially evident in Islamic terrorist groups. At the same time, it should be noted that individual terror has been replaced by public terror, which means that any ordinary resident of the country can become a victim.

Templars and Assassins - in real life in this connection they met very rarely, if at all.

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?

Beggars and Nobles

The Templar Order is one of the wonderful and tragic pages of human history. It arose around 1118, at the time when the first crusade ended and the knights were out of work, thanks to the efforts of a nobleman from France, Hugo de Payns. The most noble intentions - to protect pilgrims to the Holy Sepulcher by creating a military-monastic or spiritual-knightly order - prompted this gentleman and eight of his knight relatives to unite in an organization, calling it the “Order of Beggars,” which corresponded to reality. They were so poor that they had one horse between them. 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 Templar Order would not have survived if not for the patronage of the crowned heads and the Pope. Baldwin II, the ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, gave them shelter and allocated them part of the southeastern 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 their shields and on their peak flags, symbolizing their readiness to shed their blood for the liberation of the Holy Land. By these insignia, the Knight Templar was recognized 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.

Quite a small sect

The Crusaders, and among them the “poor knights,” fought with Muslims, but not with the assassins, who are called medieval terrorists. The organization was structured in such a way that not all of its members knew each other by sight. They never went on the attack, they acted from behind the corner. The Templars and the Assassins never specifically opposed each other. But the Western entertainment system actively uses the image of the noble Templar knight, without 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 brutally persecuted by official Islam as heretics. This is a branch of Shia Islam. The subtleties are familiar only to specialists. However, there is information about a Shiite sect, whose members were extremely cruel and elusive. A secret organization with a strict hierarchy, fanatics who blindly worship only their leader. In the Middle Ages, they struck fear into absolutely everyone over a vast territory from the court of the Frankish king 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 “killer.”

Why not exploit this image? Moreover, in a combination 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 encourage an inquisitive young man to find out whether all this really happened, and if it did, then how? It is not for nothing that many are interested in questions about who the Templars and Assassins were.

Destruction of the Poor Knights

What happened to the “templars”? Someone else's gold always blinds. The Templars had long been annoying with their wealth - they were successfully engaged in trade and usury, and knew how to invest money in profitable projects. All the kings of Europe were their debtors, who needed money to wage endless wars. And in 1268, the throne of France was occupied by Philip IV the Fair from the Capetian dynasty, who ruled the country until 1314. In fairness, it should be noted that he did everything to ensure that France became 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, he had nothing to give, and he still needed the money. One way or another, he went to the destruction of the order, arrested the top of the Templars, through cruel torture got 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 testimony of the arrested, which does not speak in their favor.

Famous curse

The arrest of the Templars took place 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. That same evening, March 18, 1314, Jacques de Molay and Geoffroy de Charnay were burned on the Jewish Island right in front of the palace windows. 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 to live. Clement V died a month later, Guillaume de Nogaret - some time later, less than a year had passed when Philip IV suddenly died. Somehow life did not work out for the closest relatives of the people cursed by the master.

Many unsolved mysteries

After the arrest, the main shock was that the untold wealth of the Templars was never found. Many questions arose, even more assumptions - 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 most important 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 were established with the aborigines. And supposedly their ships made regular voyages 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 Holy Grail, what rituals accompanied the cult actions. And these unsolved mysteries give rise to a lot of speculation that does not provide answers to questions, but only fuels imagination.

Near East, middle Asia, like medieval Europe, experienced an acute political crisis in the 9th-11th centuries. In this region of the planet, the mass migration of peoples was on a much greater scale than on the European continent. The political map was being redrawn at kaleidoscopic speed. Following the Arabs who managed to conquer huge territories, Turkic tribes came to these lands. Some empires and states disappeared, and in their place much more powerful state formations appeared. The political struggle had clear religious overtones and sometimes took the most unexpected forms - conspiracies and coups d'etat alternated with endless wars.

The favorite instrument of Eastern policy is becoming political murder. The word assassin is firmly established in the everyday life of the political elite, personifying a merciless and tough hired killer. Not a single ruler of the East, political figure could not guarantee complete safety. At any moment you could become a victim of an insidious killer. It was during this historical period that the most mysterious and closed religious-state formation - the Order of Assassins - flourished.

The order represented a small number public education, which became the most radical branch of Islam and was distinguished by extremely radical views. Over the next century, the assassins kept the entire Middle East in fear, personifying the most brutal methods of political pressure.

Assassin - who is it? A brief excursion into history

It has already been said above that the Middle East in the 10th-11th centuries was a simmering socio-political cauldron, in which acute political, social and religious contradictions were combined.

Egypt became the epicenter of an acute socio-political crisis, where the political struggle reached its highest boiling point. The ruling Fatimid dynasty could not cope with other political opponents. The country was plunging into civil armed conflict. The aggressive neighbors did not sit idly by either. The Ismailis - the Shiite branch of Islam - in such conditions found themselves between a rock and a hard place, risking becoming a victim of an acute social and religious conflict. One of the branches of the Ismailis, the Nizari, was led by Hasan ibn Sabbah. It was under his leadership that a large group of Nizari were forced to leave Egypt, going to seek refuge. The final destination of long wanderings was the central, inaccessible mountainous regions of Persia, which at that time was part of the Seljuk state. Here Hasan ibn Sabbah, together with his companions, decided to found a new Ismaili state of the Nizari.

The stronghold and center of the new power was the fortress of Alamut, captured by the Ismailis in 1090. Following Alamut, other neighboring cities and fortresses of the Iranian Highlands quickly conquered the new masters. The birth of the new state coincided with the beginning of the Crusades, which plunged the entire Middle East into a long, bloody confrontation. Using his influence, Hassan ibn Sabbah managed to bring into the structure government controlled new uniform- a religious order based on the religious cult, rituals and traditions of the Nazarites. The order was headed by Hassan ibn Sabbah, who received the title of sheikh, and the symbol of the new order was the Alamut fortress.

The rulers of neighboring principalities and the central government of the Seljuk state were disdainful of the newcomers and looked at them as rebels and rebels. The ruling Seljuk and Syrian elite casually called the companions of Hassan ibn Sabbah, the population of the new state and the Nazarites in general, the rabble - the Hashshashins. Subsequently, with the light hand of the crusaders, the Sunni name assassin came into use, which no longer meant a person’s class affiliation, but his professional qualities, social status and religious and ideological worldview.

Sheikh Hassan I, thanks to his personal qualities, was well versed in the political situation. As a result of his foreign policy the Ismaili state and the Order of Assassins not only managed to withstand the confrontation with central government. The internal political strife that gripped the Seljuk state after the death of Sultan Malik Shah contributed to the rise of the order and the political influence of the Assassins on the politics of the world order. The Order became an unspoken political subject of foreign policy, and the assassins themselves began to be considered religious fanatics who were capable of taking the most extreme measures for the sake of ideological motives, naturally, for material and political gain.

The Nizari state lasted for a century and a half, until 1256, managing during this period to unite under its control the vast territories of modern Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Iran. This was facilitated by a fairly strict management system, built on unquestioning obedience to Sharia law, communal system social relations. There was no division into classes in the state, and the entire population was united into communities. Supreme power belonged to the supreme spiritual and religious mentor - the leader.

The centralized state of the Assassins was defeated by the Mongols, who came to Iran from the east. The Middle Eastern possessions were the longest under the rule of the Assassins, which were lost in 1272 as a result of the military campaign of the Egyptian Sultan Baybars I. However, the loss of statehood did not mean the end of the existence of the Order of the Assassins. From now on it begins new stage life of this organization, which completely switched to conducting subversive, sabotage and espionage activities.

The origins of the real strength and power of the assassins

At the peak of their power, the state and the order represented a real political force in the Muslim world. Assassin is not just a name for radical religious fanatics. Just the mere mention of them terrified the ruling and political elite. The Assassins, not without reason, were considered masters of political terror, professional killers and generally a criminal organization. The influence of the order was not limited to the borders of the Muslim world. The Europeans also encountered the full extent of the cunning and power of the order.

This policy was the result of a thoughtful ideological and political move. Hassan I, as the supreme leader of the Nazarites, realized that without a powerful army, any defense strategy was doomed to failure. A brilliant way out of this situation was found. Unlike neighboring states and principalities, which invest huge amounts of money and resources into maintaining the army, Hassan created an order - a secret and closed organization, a kind of special forces of that time.

The task of the new intelligence service was to eliminate political opponents and opponents, whose decisions could negatively affect the existence of the Nazarite state. Political terror was placed at the forefront of the policy of the Assassin Order. The most radical methods and methods used to achieve results were chosen - political blackmail and physical elimination of the enemy. The main driving force of the order was the fanatical devotion of the organization's members to their spiritual and religious mentor. This was facilitated by the technology of professional training, which was mandatory for every member of the order.

The main conditions for membership in the order were the following aspects:

• complete indifference to own life, disregard for death;
• fostering a sense of self-sacrifice and devotion to religious ideals;
• unquestioning submission to the will of the leader of the order;
• high moral and physical qualities.

The order, as well as throughout the state, promoted heavenly rewards in exchange for unquestioning obedience to the will of the religious leader. In the usual view of that time, an assassin was a young man of strong physique, selflessly devoted to the ideas of Sharia and a sacred believer in the high divine position of his patron. Teenagers aged 12-14 years old were recruited into the order and went through a rigorous competitive selection process. From the first day, recruits were instilled with a sense of being chosen to achieve high goals.

It is generally accepted that the ideological and religious aspects are the main aspects of the strong structure of the order. However, its real strength rested not only on the high moral qualities of its members. Professional training, which the assassins practiced from morning to evening, during breaks for prayer, gave excellent results. Medieval special forces warriors were fluent in any weapon and technique. hand-to-hand combat. The Assassin had excellent horsemanship, could shoot accurately with a bow, and was distinguished by endurance and good physical strength.

In addition, the training program included practical and theoretical knowledge in the field of chemistry and medicine. The assassins' art of using poisons has reached perfection. There is a theory that Catherine de Medici, being a skilled master of poisoning, received lessons in this craft from the assassins.

Finally

In a word, the training of spies and professional killers by Sheikh Hassan I was put on stream. The results of such thorough and comprehensive preparation were not long in coming. The notoriety of the order's power quickly spread throughout the world. Thanks to his servants, Hassan I, nicknamed in the Islamic world and far beyond the Mountain Elder, managed not only to achieve his goals, but also to put political terror on stream. The Nizari state managed to exist for quite a long period, successfully playing on the political contradictions of its stronger neighbors.

As for the Order of Assassins, this organization became not only an instrument of Nizari foreign policy, but also a significant source of income. Rulers and politicians did not disdain to use the services of professional killers and spies different countries and states, resolving their political issues in achieving certain goals.

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 treacherous murders, but its founder was a man who took fortresses without shedding a drop of blood. He was a quiet, polite young man, attentive to everything and eager for knowledge. He was sweet and affable, and he wove a chain of evil.

This young man's name was Hassan ibn Sabbah. It was he who was the founder of the secret sect of assassins, whose name is now considered synonymous with insidious murder. The Assassins are an organization that trained killers. They dealt with everyone who was opposed to their faith or took up arms against them. They declared war on anyone who thought differently, intimidated him, threatened him, or even killed him without any delay.

Founder of the Assassin sect Hassan ibn Sabbah

Hassan 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 received his education and “from a young 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 “while remaining faithful to the covenants of the fathers. I have never doubted the teachings of Islam in my life; I have always been confident that there is an omnipotent and ever-existing 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 clause, 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 way the young man resisted the seeds of strange faith sown by Zarrab. But he “refuted my beliefs and undermined them. I didn’t admit it to him openly, but his words resonated strongly in my heart.”

In the end, there was a revolution. Hasan fell seriously ill. We don't know in detail what might have happened; all that is known is that after his recovery, Hasan went to the Ismaili monastery in Rayi and said that he wanted to convert to their faith. Thus, Hassan took the first step along the path that led him and his students to crimes. The path to terror was open.

When Hasan ibn Sabbah was born, the power of the Fatimid caliphs was already noticeably shaken - it, one might say, was in the past. But the Ismailis believed that only they were the true guardians of the Prophet’s ideas.

So, the international panorama was like this. Cairo was ruled by an Ismaili caliph; in Baghdad - Sunni caliph. They both hated each other and fought bitterly. 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 began to gain the upper hand.

Hasan could not help but know that by becoming a supporter of the Ismailis, he was choosing 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, the citadel of Ismaili power. Perhaps this new supporter will be very useful to brothers in faith.

But six whole years passed until Hassan finally left for Egypt. During these years he did not waste any time; he became a famous preacher in Ismaili circles. When he finally arrived in Cairo in 1078, he was greeted with respect. But what he saw horrified him. The caliph 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. At least we know that three years later Hassan was arrested and deported to Tunisia. But the ship on which he was transported was wrecked. Hassan escaped and returned to his homeland. The misadventures upset him, but he firmly adhered to the oath given to the caliph.

Hassan planned to make Persia a stronghold of the Ismaili faith. From here, its supporters will wage a 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 Elborz mountains on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. True, the fortress was occupied by completely different people, and Hassan regarded this fact as a challenge. This is where his typical strategy first emerged.

Hassan did not leave anything to chance. He sent missionaries to the fortress and surrounding villages. The people there are accustomed to expecting 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 greeted them cordially, but that was an appearance - a deception. Under some pretext, he sent away all the people loyal to Hassan from the fortress, and then closed the gates behind them.

The fanatical leader of the Ismailis did not intend to give up. “After lengthy negotiations, he again ordered them (the envoys) to be let in,” Hasan recalled his struggle with the commandant. “When he ordered them to leave again, they refused.” Then, on September 4, 1090, Hassan 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 Hasan sweetened the separation with a promissory note.

From that day on, Hassan did not take a single step from the fortress. He spent 34 years there until his death. He didn't even leave his house. He was married, had children, but now still led the life of a hermit. Even his worst enemies among Arab biographers, constantly denigrating 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. Hassan sentenced his other son to death when he suspected him of involvement in the murder of a preacher.

Hassan was strict and fair to the point of complete heartlessness. His supporters, seeing such steadfastness in his 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 to them with attention, 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, “insightful, skillful, knowledgeable in geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, magic and other sciences.”

Gifted with wisdom, he thirsted for strength and power. He needed power to implement 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 carved out a submissive country for himself. He was in no hurry. At first, he convinced and exhorted those whom he wanted to take by storm. But if they did not open the gates for him, he resorted to weapons.

Assassins - a mysterious sect

His power grew. About 60 thousand people were already under his authority. But this was not enough; he kept sending out his emissaries throughout the country. In one of the cities, in Sava, south of present-day Tehran, a murder was committed for the first time. Nobody planned it; rather it was caused by despair. The Persian authorities did not like the Ismailis; they were watched vigilantly; for the slightest offense they were severely punished.

In Sava, Hassan's supporters tried to win over the muezzin to their side. He refused and began to threaten to complain to the authorities. Then he was killed. In response, the leader of these imminent Ismailis was executed; his body was dragged through the market square in Sava. This was ordered by Nizam al-Mulk himself, the vizier of the Seljuk Sultan. This incident stirred up Hassan's supporters and unleashed terror. The killings of enemies were planned and perfectly organized. The first victim was the cruel vizier.

“The killing of this shaitan will usher in bliss,” Hasan announced to his faithful, rising 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 put his hand on his heart, expressing his readiness,” says one of the Ismaili chronicles. The murder took place on October 10, 1092. Only Nizam al-Mulk left the room where he was receiving guests and climbed into the palanquin to go into the harem, when Arrani suddenly burst in and, drawing a dagger, rushed at the dignitary in a rage. At first, taken aback, the guards rushed towards him and killed him on the spot, but it was too late - the vizier was dead.

The entire Arab world was horrified. The Sunnis were especially indignant. In Alamut, joy overwhelmed all the townspeople. Hasan ordered a memorial tablet to be hung and the name of the murdered man engraved on it; next to it is the name of the holy creator of revenge. Over the years of Hassan’s life, 49 more names appeared on this “honor board”: sultans, princes, kings, governors, priests, mayors, scientists, writers...

In Hassan's eyes, they all deserved to die. Hassan felt he was right. He became stronger in this thought, the closer the troops sent to exterminate him and his supporters approached. But Hassan managed to gather a militia, and it was able to repel all enemy attacks.

He sent agents to his enemies. They intimidated, threatened or tortured the victim. 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 next time its tip would cut into the doomed chest. After such a direct threat, the intended victim, as a rule, behaved “lower than water, lower than the grass.” If she resisted, death awaited her.

The assassinations were planned down 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 gain her trust and waited for months. The most amazing thing is that they did not care at all about how to survive the assassination attempt. This also made them ideal killers.

It was rumored that future “knights of the dagger” were put into a trance and stuffed with drugs. Thus, 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 wished for came true instantly. A few days later they were again given opium and taken away from the marvelous helicopter city. When they woke up, they were told that they had been to Paradise - and could immediately return there if they killed one or another enemy of the faith.

No one can say if this story is true. It is only true that Hassan's supporters were also called "Haschischi" - "hashish eaters." It is possible that the drug hashish actually played a certain role in the rituals of these people, but the name could also have a more prosaic explanation: in Syria, all madmen and extravagant people were called “hashish.” This nickname passed into European languages, turning here into the notorious “assassins”, which was awarded to ideal killers.

The story told by Marco Polo is, albeit partly, undoubtedly true.

The authorities reacted very harshly to the murders. Their spies and bloodhounds roamed the streets and guarded the city gates, looking out for suspicious passers-by; their agents broke into houses, searched rooms and interrogated people - all in vain. The killings did not stop.

At the beginning of 1124, Hasan ibn Sabbah became 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 disappeared into His hell.” In fact, the blessed word “deceased” is more appropriate for the death of Hassan: 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 sect founder

Hassan's successors continued his work. They were able to expand their influence into Syria and Palestine. In the meantime, dramatic changes have taken place there. The Middle East was invaded by crusaders from Europe; they captured Jerusalem and founded their own kingdom. A century later, the Kurd overthrew the power of the caliph in Cairo and, gathering all his strength, rushed against the crusaders. In this fight, 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. Both Arab princes and Conrad of Montferrat, king of Jerusalem, became victims of the murderers. According to historian B. Kugler, Conrad “evoked the revenge of the Assassins against himself by robbing one of their ships.” Even Saladin was doomed to fall from the blade of the avengers: it was only by luck that he was able to survive both assassination attempts. Sinan's people sowed such fear in the souls of their opponents that both of them - Arabs and Europeans - obediently paid tribute to him.

However, some of the enemies became emboldened 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 the Johannites. For them, the daggers of assassins were not so terrible also because the head of their order could be immediately replaced by any of their assistants. They were “not to be attacked by murderers.”

The intense struggle ended in the defeat of the assassins. Their strength gradually faded. The killings stopped. When the Mongols invaded Persia in the 13th century, the Assassin leaders 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 obediently watched as the stronghold was razed to the ground. After this, the Mongols dealt with the ruler himself and his retinue. “He and his companions were trampled underfoot, and then their bodies were cut with a sword. So, there was no longer a trace left of him and his tribe,” writes historian Juvaini.

His words are inaccurate. After the death of Rukn al-Din, his child remained. He became the heir - the imam. The modern imam of the Ismailis - Aga Khan - is a direct descendant of this kid. The assassins submissive to him no longer resemble the insidious fanatics and murderers who prowled throughout the Muslim world a thousand years ago...

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What do we know about the mysterious medieval sect of assassins? Their history, like information about their mysterious leader, is covered with a thick layer of myths, legends and rumors, so that it is no longer possible to distinguish truth from speculation. The very name of the sect - hashishins - hashish lovers, contains a legend conveyed by the traveler Marco Polo: in the process of training killers, this drug was used, and the future terrorist was transported to the Garden of Eden, a return to which he was promised after completing the task.

IN medieval Europe The reputation of the Hashishins was akin to that of al-Qaeda in the modern Western world. Information about a secret sect of Muslim fanatics spread in Europe during the era of the first Crusades. Their participants conveyed intelligence about a group of secret killers, saying modern language- terrorists. It was known that they were led by the Elder of the Mountain - this is how the crusaders nicknamed Hassan ibn Sabbah. The group itself consists mainly of Persians, and there is a strict internal hierarchy and discipline within it.

In these turbulent times, Sheikh Hassan ibn Sabbah appears on the political scene of the Middle East Caspian region. His appearance and behavior were least consistent with his deeds. A calm, reasonable person with mild manners, but at the same time a cruel and cynical leader of a religious-terrorist order. His network state covered by no means neighboring lands in the mountainous regions of Persia, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

The life of the sheikh was a secret for outsiders, and for the uninitiated too. Everything connected with him was kept as a great secret. For three hundred years, the sect of the Old Man of the Mountain was rightfully considered the main terrorist organization of the medieval world. An organization whose victims were kings, sultans, nobles and scientists of different nationalities and religions. The hand of the murderers of this organization caught them in their palaces.

Hasan ibn Sabbah was born in 1051 in the Persian city of Qom. He received a good education, showing a genuine interest in science and knowledge from an early age. Hassan was a man who was wholeheartedly devoted to his religion - Islam. But his life changed dramatically after meeting and long conversations with the scientist, adherent of the Ismaili movement, Amir Zarrab. The scientist's sermon deeply affected the young man. However, Ibn Sabbah did not immediately move to this direction of Islam.

Hasan became an Ismaili in his 20s, after a serious illness, and over time became firmly established in the desire to found an independent Ismaili state. Beginning in 1081, while in Cairo, the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate, he began to gather supporters, preaching the power of a hidden imam from the Nizari dynasty. He turned out to be a brilliant preacher who found a lively response in the hearts of a considerable number of followers. However, Ibn Sabbah soon quarreled with the de facto ruler of Egypt, the vizier, and was arrested and sent to Tunisia.

But the ship on which he was transported was wrecked, in which Hassan survived. After which he returned to his homeland, Persia. For the time being, Hassan ibn Sabbah was the leader of one of the many Sufi orders of the Shiite trend. Sheikh Hassan differed from his colleagues in that he preferred not abstract theological reasoning traditional for Sufis - about the essence of God, about the nature of the human soul, about the possibility of a person merging with Divinity, etc., but participation in real politics. He was pushed to this by the alarming situation in the Middle East region, and fatigue from endless wars, and expectations of peace and a new order among the local population - residents of Persia, Syria and Lebanon.

In 1090, when Hassan, as a result of the persecution of sectarians by the Egyptian authorities, returned to the lands of Western Persia, he settled in a mountainous area near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. He was already very popular and was the leader of the Nizari Ismaili group, which would later become widely known as the Order of the Hashishins, or Assassins.

A tightly knit secret organization is gradually being created, consisting of cells of preachers scattered throughout the caliphate, who carried their ideas and, in addition, collected intelligence information. At any time suitable for their leader, they quickly turned into battle groups. The first step towards creating a terrorist state was the seizure of a conveniently located territory, which became the center of the radical movement.

After monitoring fortresses and castles that were conveniently located and well fortified by nature and people, the sheikh chose the Alamut fortress, hidden among the mountain ranges on the Caspian coast, for his residence. The name of this rock translated means “eagle’s nest.” It was not easy to approach it - there were deep gorges and fast mountain rivers all around. This was an excellent place for a secret group base. By hook or by crook, using cunning, Ibn Sabbah became the master of this impregnable fortress.

First he sent his missionaries there. When the mood and numerical superiority in Alamut turned out to be in favor of Hassan, the commandant and his people had no choice but to leave the fortress themselves. Hasan transferred money to the departed commandant. The sheikh spent the next 34 years of his life in this mountain residence of his. Later, the possessions of the Assassins were replenished with a number of the same fortified fortresses in the mountains of Kurdistan, Fars and Alburs and the more western lands of Lebanon and Syria. They acted by preaching - by word and exhortation, and only when this did not help, they resorted to weapons. The situation of interregnum and wars for the throne in the Seljuk state also played into the hands of the Hashishins.

For the time being, no one paid attention to a bunch of fanatics from the Alamut fortress. This is how the Ismaili state appeared on the world map, uniting around itself the mountainous regions of Persia, Syria, Lebanon and Mesopotamia. It lasted from 1090 to 1256. Hasan ibn Sabbah served as an example for his subjects, leading an ascetic lifestyle. The law was the same for everyone. One day, the sheikh ordered the execution of one of his sons, whom he found drinking wine; He ordered the execution of his second son only on suspicion of involvement in the murder of the preacher.

Having proclaimed his state, the Elder of the Mountain organized the construction of roads, the digging of canals and the construction impregnable fortresses. The acquisition of knowledge was also highly valued by the Ismaili sheikh; his preachers bought rare books and manuscripts all over the world containing important information from various branches of knowledge.

Specialists from various sciences, including civil engineers, doctors and even alchemists, were invited to Alamut (or were brought by force). Thanks to such an innovative approach, the assassins' defensive fortification system had no analogues in its time. The radical Nizari Ismaili group was subjected to brutal persecution and responded to the repression with terror. Suicide terrorists in the concept of struggle created by Ibn Sabbah appeared later.

In 1092, after the execution of a local Ismaili leader accused of murdering a muezzin, on the orders of Nizam al-Mulk, vizier of the Seljuk sultan, the sheikh called for revenge. A man named Bu Tahir Arrani volunteered to become the Avengers. He stabbed the vizier to death in his own palace with a poisoned knife. The assassin was killed by the official's guards, but the assassins surrounded and set fire to the vizier's palace. According to legend, the assassins were able to recapture the corpse of their comrade and bury him according to Muslim rites. In memory of this feat, Hasan ibn Sabbah ordered a bronze plaque with the name Bu Tahir Arrani to be nailed to the gates of the fortress, and the name of his victim was written next to it. Later, the board was replenished with a whole martyrology of names, containing the names of viziers, princes, mullahs, sultans, shahs, marquises, dukes and kings.

However, let's return to the beginning of the era of terror of the assassins. Their first terrorist attack had the effect of an exploding bomb and shocked the Islamic world so much that it convinced the Old Man of the Mountain of the effectiveness of such technology. Instead of creating and maintaining a large regular army, which required large expenses, it was decided to use suicide killers, which was much more economically justifiable.

At the same time, a wide agent network was created from many preachers, including those who had access to the heights of power in the states of the region, for which recruitment was carried out, including high ranks. So the sheikh becomes very informed about all the plans of his enemies, such as the rulers of Shiraz, Bukhara, Balkh, Isfahan, Cairo and Samarkand. A whole conveyor belt was set up to train terrorist killers for whom death was indifferent. This kind of sabotage school was created in the main fortress of the assassins, Alamut. It used diverse experience, including the experience of the Chinese school of martial arts, which was exotic for the Islamic East.

Out of two hundred people who wanted to become terrorists of Ibn Sabbah, at most five to ten people were selected. Physically strong men, ideally orphans, ended up there. The militants recruited into the organization severed ties with their families and were placed at the complete disposal of the leader. In Alamut they spent their time in physical training and indoctrination. Terrorists of the Middle Ages were taught to use all types of weapons - archery, fencing with sabers, throwing knives and using hand-to-hand combat techniques, as well as the use of poisons. The fighters were taught the language and customs of the country where they were to work, and the sheikh sent killers from his mountain residence to all the necessary parts of the world, accustoming the rulers of entire states to the idea that it was impossible not to isolate themselves from either a fortress or a palace.

They were also taught acting and image changing. This was important, because the assassins had to mix with the local population, during the preparation of the murder, play the roles of traveling circus performers, doctors, Christian monks or Muslim dervishes, and merchants of oriental bazaars. Many prominent figures of that time became victims of the assassins.

For example, Conrad of Montferrat, ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. To eliminate him, the assassins pretended to be Catholic monks for a long time. In total, three caliphs, six viziers, several dozen governors of individual regions and cities, many influential spiritual leaders and two European monarchs fell to their daggers. Since then, in many European languages, the word assassin means “killer” or “hired killer.”

The Elder of the Mountain built a strictly hierarchical organization. The lowest level of the group was occupied by the fidayeen, these were the executors of death sentences. If they remained alive for several years, they moved to the next level and became senior privates - rafiks.

Next came the dai, through whom the orders of Hassan ibn Sabbah were transmitted. The dai al-qirbal stood even higher; they obeyed only directly the Elder of the Mountain. With their example of a secret organization, the Assassins evoked numerous imitators from different times and in different parts of the world.

The principles of strict discipline, ranking and promotion in ranks, and insignia were adopted by European orders. The hierarchy of Ibn Sabbah's organization included several degrees of initiation, which, in general, was no exception for the Ismaili communities of that era.

The higher the level of initiation, the more clearly the deviation from the principles of Islam became apparent and the more clearly the political component of this organization became apparent. So highest degree initiation had very little contact with religion. For initiates of this level, a completely different meaning was revealed to concepts such as “sacred purpose” or “holy war.”

Initiates could drink alcohol, circumvent the laws of Islam, and even perceive the life of the Prophet Mohammed as an instructive legend. Political expediency was placed at the forefront of this ideology of a kind of religious pragmatism.

On November 26, 1095, Pope Urban II called to begin a crusade for the liberation of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslim rule. The following year, crusading warriors set out from different parts of Europe to Palestine. Jerusalem was captured on July 15, 1099.

As a result of the campaign, several Christian states appeared in the Middle East: the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Principality of Antioch, the counties of Tripoli and Edessa. This was a new turn in the history of not only the Middle East, but also the order of the Assassins. However, despite such impressive victories, there was no unity in the ranks of the crusaders. Surprisingly, Christian knights and Islamic fanatics found a common language.

European crusaders often resolved political differences and personal hostilities with the help of assassin killers. Their employers, according to rumors, were even the Knights Hospitaller and Templar. Some leaders of the crusaders also died from the daggers of Ibn Sabbah’s men.

The founder and leader of the Order of Assassins, Haye ibn Sabbah, died in 1124, when he was 73 years old. For many years of incessant work, he managed to create a strong and effective religious-terrorist organization, which they were forced to reckon with the mighty of the world this, which had its own territory with fortified fortresses and an extensive network, as well as fanatical and devoted supporters.

The heir to the Elder of the Mountain was not his relative, but before his death, the sheikh initiated him into all the secrets and appointed him as his successor. His state-order existed for another 132 years, until in 1256 the troops of the Mongol leader Hulagu Khan took the fortresses of Alam and Meymundiz. The last refuge of the Assassins in the mountains of Syria was destroyed by the Egyptian Sultan Baybars I in 1273. In the middle of the 18th century, the English consul in Sir wrote that the descendants of the Assassins still lived in the mountains of this country.