Assassins are hired killers. assassins - assassins
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 much larger than on the European continent. The political map was being redrawn at kaleidoscopic speed. Following the Arabs, who managed to conquer vast territories, Turkic tribes came to these lands. Some empires and states disappeared, and much more powerful state formations appeared in their place. The political struggle had a clear religious connotation and sometimes took the most unexpected forms - conspiracies and coup d'état alternated with endless wars.
Political assassination is becoming a favorite tool of Eastern politics. The word assassin is firmly included in the everyday life of the political elite, personifying a merciless and tough hired killer. Not a single ruler of the East, a political figure, could guarantee himself complete security. At any moment, one 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 the Assassins, flourished.
The Order was a small public education, which became the most radical branch of Islam and was distinguished by extremely radical views. For the next whole century, the Assassins kept the entire Middle East at bay, 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 boiling socio-political cauldron, in which sharp political, social, social and religious contradictions were combined.
The epicenter of the acute socio-political crisis was Egypt, where the political struggle reached its highest boiling point. The ruling Fatimid dynasty could not cope with other political opponents. The country plunged into civil armed confrontation. Do not sit idly by, and aggressive neighbors. The Ismailis, a Shiite branch of Islam, found themselves between a rock and a hard place under such conditions, risking becoming a victim of an acute social, social and religious conflict. One of the branches of the Ismailis, the Nizari, was headed by Hassan ibn Sabbah. It was under his leadership that a large group of Nizari was forced to leave Egypt, going to seek refuge. The end point of long wanderings was the central, hard-to-reach mountainous regions of Persia, which at that time was part of the Seljuk state. Here Hassan ibn Sabbah, together with his companions, decided to found a new Ismaili Nizari state.
The fortress of Alamut, captured by the Ismailis in 1090, became the stronghold and center of the new power. Following Alamut, other neighboring cities and fortresses of the Iranian Highlands quickly submitted to the new owners. The birth of a 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 form- a religious order based on the religious cult, rituals and traditions of the Nazarites. Hasan-ibn-Sabbah headed the order, who received the title of sheikh, and the Alamut fortress became the symbol of the new order.
The rulers of the neighboring principalities and the central government of the Seljuk state treated the newcomers with disdain and looked at them as rebels and rebels. Companions of Hasan-ibn-Sabbah, the population of the new state and the Nazarites in general, were casually called by the ruling Seljuk and Syrian elite the mob - 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 quality, social and social status and religious and ideological outlook.
Sheikh Hassan I, thanks to his personal qualities, was well versed in the political situation. As a result of his foreign policy the state of the Ismailis and the order of the Assassins not only managed to withstand the confrontation with the central government. The internal political strife that engulfed 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 ideological motives, of course, for material and political gain.
The state of the Nizari existed for a century and a half, until 1256, having managed during this period to unite under its command the vast territories of modern Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Iran. This was facilitated by a fairly rigid system of governance, built on unquestioning obedience to Sharia law, and a communal system of social and public relations. There was no division into classes in the state, and the entire population was united in communities. The 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 under the rule of the Assassins for the longest time, 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 Assassin order. Since that time, a new stage in the life of this organization begins, which completely and completely switched to conducting subversive, sabotage and espionage activities.
The origins of the real strength and power of the Assassins
At the height of their power, the state and the order represented a real political power in the Muslim world. Assassin is not just a name for radical religious fanatics. Just one mention of them terrified the ruling and political elite. The Assassins, not without reason, were considered masters of political terror, professional killers and, in general, a criminal organization. The influence of the order was not limited to the borders of the Muslim world. The Europeans also faced the cunning and power of the order to the fullest extent.
Such a policy was the result of a well-thought-out ideological and political move. Hassan I, being the supreme leader of the Nazarites, realized that without powerful army any defense strategy is doomed to failure. An ingenious way out of this situation was found. Unlike neighboring states and principalities, which invest huge amounts of money and resources to maintain 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 state of the Nazarites. Political terror was put at the forefront of the politics of the Assassin Order. The methods and methods used to achieve results were chosen as the most radical - political blackmail and the physical elimination of the enemy. The main driving force of the order was the fanatical devotion of the members of the organization to their spiritual and religious mentor. This was facilitated by the technology of vocational 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 one's own life, disregard for death;
- fostering a sense of self-sacrifice and devotion to religious ideals;
- unquestioning obedience to the will of the leader of the order;
- high moral and physical qualities.
In the order, as in the whole state, heavenly rewards were promoted in exchange for unquestioning obedience to the will of the religious leader. In the usual view of that time, an assassin is a young man of strong physique, selflessly devoted to the ideas of Sharia and sacredly believing in the high divine position of his patron. Teenagers of 12-14 years old were recruited into the order, who underwent the most severe competitive selection. From day one, recruits were instilled with a sense of being chosen to achieve lofty goals.
It is generally accepted that the ideological and religious aspects are the main aspects of the solid 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. The warriors of the medieval special forces were fluent in any weapon and techniques. hand-to-hand combat. The assassin was excellent at riding, could accurately shoot a bow, 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 art of the Assassins in the use of 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 assassins from Sheikh Hassan I was put on stream. The results of such a thorough and comprehensive preparation were not long in coming. Notoriety about the power of the order 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 the Assassins, this organization has become 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, solving their political issues in achieving certain goals.
Many mistakenly believe that it was the modern Taliban and Palestinians who created the first specialized suicide camps, but this is not so. The gloomy events associated with the death of people began many centuries ago. At that time, the owners of other people's lives were the Assassins - a religious organization of hired killers, which consisted of Ismailis.
Its founder was Sheikh Hassan I ibn Sabbah, known from historical pages as the creator of the state called "Alamut". It included the mountainous territory of Persia (modern Iran), Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The center of power was a fortress built on the peak of the rock Alamut ("Eagle's Nest").
How did the power of the Assassins begin?
For thirty-four years, the sheikh ruled on the territory of his possessions. He was a fairly tough and merciless ruler, instilling fear in his subjects. At that time, under his care, people lived in harsh conditions. However, despite his severity, he himself lived very modestly, he had a wife and children.
For the ruler, the unquestioning obedience of everyone and everyone was important. He did not spare even his children if they were guilty. He executed his first son because he drank wine, and killed his second heir because suspicion fell on him for participating in the murder of a preacher.
Hassan I ibn Sabbah was a heartless and strict ruler for everyone, but it was these features that attracted more and more supporters to him. Soon he had more than 60,000 loyal servants at his disposal, who later became hired killers. They say that the Mountain Elder, as the sheikh was popularly called, decided to create a sect after the leader of the Savvay Ismailis was sentenced to death by the Sultan's vizier Nizim el-Mulk.
The sheikh believed that an innocent person was deprived of life. After the execution, he climbed the tower and began to express dissatisfaction with the behavior of the vizier and received massive support from the observers, who very quickly turned into real fanatics who wanted to kill Nizim el-Mulka.
The most active among the crowd was a man named Bu Tahir Arrani, who became the first hitman appointed by the sheikh. In fact, the founding date of the Assassin sect is considered to be 1092, when during the celebration of the religious holiday of Ramadan, the Sultan's vizier was killed by a hired killer. Bu Tahir Arrani plunged his dagger into his chest and, with a satisfied smile, awaited his inevitable fate.
Naturally, he was executed, and Hassan I ibn Sabbah ordered to hang a memorial plaque with the name of the first assassin, who became the holy creator of revenge. Over time, they began to enter the names of representatives of princely, royal and sultan blood killed by mercenaries, high-ranking officials, scientists, writers, etc. In a fairly short period of time, in just a couple of years, there were already forty-nine names on the list.
Ticket to the next world
Feeling a pleasant "taste" of power after the death of the vizier, the sheikh realized what incredible power he possessed, because the fanatics around him, like fighting dogs, ready at any time to rush to the victim and destroy it. However, he did not recruit everyone into the ranks of hired killers; he gave particular preference to orphans. The detachment he created was called "Fidayins", which means "those who sacrifice themselves in the name of faith."
He was an excellent manipulator and orator. He promised his "dogs" paradise after death, and in order to reinforce their desire to serve, the sheikh gave them this paradise, but only on Earth. To do this, on his orders, an incredibly beautiful garden with fruit trees and fragrant flowers was created. In its center stood a majestic palace, adorned with the finest gold.
There were springs near the palace walls, from which milk, wine and honey flowed. In the garden and in the palace there were true beauties who played various musical instruments, delighted the eyes with their plasticity during dances, and also had incredible vocal abilities. In fact, the sheikh created an earthly paradise, well, at least he told his followers about such an Eden, and, in addition, he called himself a prophet, capable of sending anyone who wishes to a heavenly place at any time. And he did it periodically.
The young men were put to sleep, and after that they were transferred to Eden, leaving for a few days, then back to the fortress. When young people woke up, they were ready to kiss the feet of their master and do whatever he ordered. Naturally, the news about "paradise" spread very quickly, and every time more and more people wanted to get into the sect.
Assassin training
The training of hired killers was carried out with the utmost care. Each assassin had to own absolutely all types of weapons existing at that time, understand poisons, and also have the utmost stamina and endurance. To do this, the young men were forced to stand motionless at the wall of the fortress for several hours, regardless of weather conditions.
Patience is one of the main qualities that characterize mercenaries, as they must hatch a plan of revenge for as long as it takes, whether hours, days or years pass, and patiently wait for the right moment to strike a killing blow.
Also, each supporter of the sect had to be able to transform, and they had this talent for the highest level. A distinctive and at the same time unique feature of the Assassins can be considered the presence of a smile on their faces during torture and execution - they, thus, seemed to mock those representatives of high society who live believing in impunity and their unquestioning power.
The sect was created strictly according to the hierarchy:
- “Fidayins” is the lowest bar that carried out death sentences, that is, contract killings.
- "Rafiki" - senior privates.
- "Dai al-kirbali" - the generals who obeyed the Mountain Elder, who was always in the shade from prying eyes. That is why only the elite knew about him, and his people did not even suspect that their ruler was the founder of the religious sect of the Assassins.
Peak development and prosperity of the sect
The Assassins quickly caught up with fear throughout the Muslim world, creating many mountain fortified fortresses on the territory of Syria and Iran. Every year there were more and more secret political deaths on their account. However, over time, the efficiency of fulfilling orders began to fall - it is likely that the reason for this was the bribery of mercenaries by the eastern rulers, who gave a new task - the elimination of European officials.
In 1145, the sect received an order to kill the son of the Tripolitan Count Raymond II of Toulouse. He was killed in a church where he was trying to find his salvation. Naturally, the count was not going to leave the act of the Assassins unpunished and gathered an army of the Templars, but the leader of the sect was able to negotiate with him and literally bought forgiveness from him for 2,000 gold coins. But still, the peaceful lull did not last long and a disagreement arose between them.
Since that time, European kings have been in fear of the power and dexterity of the Assassins. Only flattering things were said about the Mountain Elder, and those who allowed themselves excesses in his direction were mysteriously killed. An excellent example was the death of Count Bohemond, who was stabbed to death in broad daylight in a crowd of people. The same fate awaited Conrad of Montferrat, who was a contender for the Jerusalem crown.
On account of the sect were the murders of four caliphs, forty-eight city rulers and regional governors, seventeen representatives spiritual world, as well as the great scientist of Iran - Abu-l-Mahasin Ibn Taghri-berdi - and this is not the whole list. However, despite the impunity and strength of the Assassins, in 1256 their rule came to an end thanks to the hordes of the Mongols, led by Khan Hulagu. They destroyed the center of hired killers - the fortress of Alamut and killed representatives of the religious sect of the Mountain Elder.
Does the Assassin sect exist today?
There is an opinion that after the attack of the Mongols, a small part of the mercenaries were able to escape to the territory of India. Such an assumption has the right to exist, because in the XIII century the Syrian lands were close to this country. In addition, irrefutable evidence is that it was during this period that the sects of fansigars and tags that existed at that time rapidly increased their indicator of influence in Indian lands.
Therefore, it is likely that the Syrian assassins have become part of them. Also, given that the main fortress of the sect was located on the lands of Iran, which is located next to Iraq and Afghanistan, it is likely that Osama bin Laden himself and Saddam Hussein may be associated with the Assassins or even be their leaders.
Osama bin Laden
Saddam Hussein
After all, it is no secret to anyone that these people were accused of organizing a large number of terrorist acts. In addition, martyrs, like assassins, firmly believe that they will certainly go to heaven after their “heroic” death.
However, doing their actions today, they are in a trance, the cause of which is drug intoxication. Shaheeds, just like the Assassins, believe that by taking people's lives, they learn the truth and fulfill their destiny. Are there any similarities? But despite some answers, there are still more questions.
Special camps for the training of suicide bombers are not the invention of the Palestinians of the 20th century or the Taliban. Many centuries ago the dark glory began religious organization of hired killers - assassins.
Assassins(translated from Arabic "using hashish") is an aggressive Ismaili sect. Its founder was Sheikh Hassan I ibn Sabbah (1051-1124), who in the mountainous regions of Persia, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon created the state of Alamut, which existed for almost two centuries, from 1090 to 1256. The capital of the state was a fortress erected on a high rock Alamut, which means "Eagle's Nest" in translation.
First victim
For thirty-four years, Hasan ibn Sabbah, whom the crusaders called the Mountain Elder, lived in Alamut. He established a harsh lifestyle there for absolutely everyone without exception. The sheikh himself led a very modest life, although he was married and had children. He demanded absolute obedience from his subjects.
He ordered the execution of one of his sons, catching him drinking wine. Another son was sentenced to death, only suspecting that he was involved in the murder of a certain preacher. Hassan was strict and fair to the point of heartlessness. This attracted supporters to him, and soon under his rule
About 60,000 people have already gathered.
They say that the idea to turn their subjects into fanatic killers of the Mountain Elder was prompted by a story when in the city of Savva, on the orders of Nizam el-Mulk, the chief vizier of the Seljuk Sultan, the leader of the local Ismailis was executed.
Upon learning of this, the Mountain Elder climbed the tower in Alamut and proclaimed:
The murder of this shaitan el-Mulk will anticipate heavenly bliss!
While he was descending from the tower, a crowd of fanatics had already gathered at its foot, ready to kill the vizier. A certain Bu Tahir Arrani shouted louder than anyone in her, expressing his readiness to pay with his life for revenge on the vizier. Ibn-Sabbah chose him for the role of the killer.
During the Ramadan holiday on October 10, 1092 in the city of Savva (south of Tehran), Bu Tahir Arrani managed to approach the stretcher of el-Mulk when he was carried out of the tent. The murderer plunged his dagger into the chest of the vizier and immediately, with a smile on his lips, gave himself up for inevitable reprisal into the hands of the guards.
Assassination of Nizam al-Mulk. Miniature of the 14th century.
Hasan ordered that a commemorative table be hung in Alamut and the name of the murdered man be engraved on it, next to it - the name of the holy creator of revenge. Over the subsequent years of Hasan's life, 49 more names of people killed by the Assassins appeared on this "honor board": sultans, princes, kings, governors, priests, mayors, scientists, writers ...
Excursion to the next world
After the first political assassination, the Mountain Elder became convinced that fanatics who were ready to sacrifice themselves were a terrible force. From the young men, among whom preference was given to orphans, he selected the fighting detachment of the Fida-wi or Fidains, which means “sacrificing themselves in the name of faith,” which may have become the first terrorist organization on Earth. Hassan inspired his Fidawis that after death they would certainly go to heaven. And with a skillful trick, he made the candidates for murderers feel what this paradise is like.
In one of the hard-to-reach valleys between the mountains, in a place known only to a handful of Hassan's closest assistants, an amazing garden was planted with beautiful flowers and fruit trees, in the center of which stood a palace decorated with gold. From the springs near the walls of the palace there flowed wine, milk and honey.
The palace and the garden were full of the most beautiful women who knew how to play musical instruments, sing and dance superbly. Everything was in line with how Muhammad described paradise. Inspiring his followers that he is also a prophet and that even during his lifetime he can transfer a person to paradise, Hassan from time to time performed this “miracle”.
Several youths preparing to become Fedavi were drugged with hashish, drugged to sleep, and taken to that secret garden. Having come to their senses, seeing around them the indescribable beauty and the charming houris who served them wine, delighted their ears with music and singing, in every possible way gratified the guests with skillful love caresses, the young men were completely sure that they were in a real paradise. After several days of heavenly life, the guys were again euthanized and transferred back to the fortress.
There, Hassan asked where they were, and they answered: “In paradise, thanks to your mercy, sir!”, and told about the details of paradise life. The rest of the young people gathered around envied the lucky ones, and all together sincerely wished to give their lives for the great cause of the Mountain Elder in order to quickly get to paradise, which had become quite real for them.
They prepared fidais to the conscience. They were taught to wield all types of weapons, understand poisons and endure adversity. They forced them to stand motionless near the fortress wall in the heat and cold, honing their patience. They were explained that a real assassin must be able to wait for years for a moment to deliver a mortal blow to the enemy.
The talent of reincarnation among the Assassins was valued no less than combat skills. They were able to change beyond recognition. Posing as a wandering circus troupe, monks of a medieval Christian order, healers, dervishes, oriental traders or local warriors, the assassins made their way into the very lair of the enemy to kill their victim there. And at the most terrible torture and the executions to which the assassins were subjected, they tried to smile.
The sect had a strict hierarchical structure. At the very bottom were the rank-and-file members - the "fidayins", the executioners of the death sentences. If they managed to survive for several years, they were promoted to the next rank - senior private or "rafik".
blood count
The Assassins were most active during the reign of Hasan ibn Sabbah. Under him, they extended their influence to many areas of the Muslim world, creating a chain of fortified mountain fortresses in northern Iran and Syria and pursuing a policy of secret assassinations of enemies.
Judging by the "roll of honor" in Alamut, one hundred and eighteen Fidains killed 73 people, and 49 of them were during the reign of the Old Man of the Mountain. Probably the "decline in performance" was due to the fact that the eastern rulers began to buy the loyalty of the assassins. But at the same time, they began to pay them for the elimination of objectionable noble Europeans.
In 1145, the Assassins received an "order" for the son of the Tripolitan Count Raymond II of Toulouse. They attacked his small band at the gates of Antioch and pursued him through the streets of the city. When the heir of Tripoli took refuge in the church, the assassins broke in and stabbed him right on the altar.
In response, the detachment of Raymond II, together with a detachment of the Templars, drove the Assassins into the mountains and took Alamut in a tight ring. The Mountain Elder and the Grand Master of the Templars Robert de Craon agreed that the Assassins would pay the Crusaders a "symbolic" tribute of 2,000 gold coins.
Assassins attack Saladin, 1175
For some time, the Assassins and Crusaders lived peacefully, especially since the Europeans often had a demand for hired killers, and the Assassins had an offer. However, after some time, a conflict arose between them, and the friendship was upset.
Since then, kings in the heart of Europe have flinched at the mention of the Assassins. One careless word about the Elder of the Mountain and his subjects could bring death, as happened with Count Bohemond, who was killed in broad daylight in a dense crowd at the gates of Antioch.
In 1192, the Fidains overtook Conrad of Montferrat, a contender for the crown of Jerusalem, at the gates of Tire and killed him. The Assassins killed three caliphs, six viziers, several dozen governors of regions and rulers of cities, many prominent clerics and the great Iranian scientist Abul-Mahasin Ibn Taghri-berdi.
But still, the power of the Assassins was broken in 1256 by the Mongol hordes led by Khan Hulagu. They destroyed the nest of assassins, razed the fortress of Alamut to the ground, and killed them themselves.
Far in Persia - between the Iranian highlands and the coast of the Caspian Sea - an impregnable mountain rises. On it stands the fortress of Alamut. An Elder lives there, served by hundreds of warriors - ideal killers, ruthless and unbending executors of the will of their master ... not people - living weapons! And therefore, everyone in the East - up to the emirs and caliphs - trembles before the Elder ...
So they said in the XI century, returning from the Holy Land. It might seem like an “oriental tale” - but the Elder (as well as his warriors, called assassins) actually existed ... True, at the beginning of his career he was only 30 years old - and at first he was called “old man” not because of his age, but out of respect… how did he start his ?
“If you want to get rich, you need to found a new religion” - this principle was known long before L. Ron Hubbard. In any case, Hassan ibn Sabbah (this is the real name of the Elder of the Mountain) went exactly this way: he created what would now be called totalitarian sect. As in modern sects, the "creed" was very simple: "only I know the truth, obey me unquestioningly - and you will go to heaven." People Middle Ages fell for such a "bait" as easily as our contemporaries - especially since the Elder allowed his adherents to visit "paradise" during his lifetime. "The key to paradise" was hashish - that's why its adherents were called hashishins (Europeans pronounced this word as "assassins").
In other words, the Assassins were sectarian drug addicts. And a drug addict, as you know, is ready for anything for a "dose" ... Once a certain emir was visiting the Elder of the Mountain - and he wanted to make sure that his soldiers were as obedient as they say? The elder immediately ordered the sentry, who was standing on the tower, to throw himself into the abyss - and he threw himself without hesitation ... apparently, he was not as afraid to die as to be left without another “dose” (and why be afraid of death - after all, the person was sure that he would fall straight to heaven, which he has already "seen"!).
But throwing himself from the tower is just a demonstration... but in general, the Elder found a more useful use for his people. He began by capturing in 1090 this very fortress of Alamut, and from there - the valley over which it dominated, and there the neighboring lands. Moreover, he acted not only and not even so much as a conqueror, but also as a leader mafia clan: you recognize my power - you use my protection and patronage, you do not recognize ... you yourself understand what will happen. And locals he was supported: one Elder is still better than a whole army of corrupt officials (who, by the way, will not protect against his killers if you do not obey) ... This is how a kind of bandit state turned out.
No one should think that no one tried to fight the Assassins and their leader - so, in 1092, the troops of Emir Arslan-tash tried to take Alamut by storm ... failed. Another opponent of ibn-Sabbah was the vizier Nizam al-Mulk - and in 1092 he was killed by an assassin. Sultan Malik Shah planned to attack the Assassins - and unexpectedly died on the eve of the campaign (no one doubted that it was poisoning) ...
Yes, terror was a favorite tactic of ibn Sabbah, and his feedai (as they would say now - killers) knew no equal - the Elder even made good money on this, "hiring out" his killers, and Christians also used such "services" ( So, already after the death of the Elder, Konrad of Montferrat was killed by the Assassins - shortly after the decision was made to transfer the crown of the Kingdom of Jerusalem to him) ...
Daggers were used for the murders, less often poison, and most importantly, the murders were very well organized: in each city, ibn Sabbah had his own agents who provided shelter and the necessary information to the fidai who arrived from Alamut, bribed the servants and bodyguards of the victim. And if the assassins decided to kill someone (in the interests of their leader or by order) - there was no doubt: they would do it! So, once the killers lived for two years (!) as Christians, on Sundays, where the person who should have been killed went - until they stopped paying attention there ... So ibn-Sabbah did not just love terror tactics - he brought it to perfection!
And it was precisely this tactic that he tried to use to seize power: his people in the capital began to kill prominent citizens, provoking panic ...
The plans of the Elder were thwarted by a chance: a beggar woman, passing by a house on the outskirts of the city, heard screams and groans and called the guards. The house was immediately searched - and they found a basement where torture and murder took place. After that, raids begin, in which the inhabitants of the city, who hate the Assassins, willingly participate.
Thus, the Elder of the Mountain failed to become Caliph - so he lived to a ripe old age in the Alamut fortress. He executed his sons: on one he was informed that he was preparing a conspiracy against his father (and when it turned out after the execution that it was slander, he executed informers and their relatives to the seventh knee), and on the second he was found in the room - contrary to the ascetic requirements of the sect - pitcher...
But, despite the fact that the Elder had no blood heirs, the terrorist "power" did not cease to exist with his death in 1124. And it existed for another 100 years, until it fell under the blows of the Mongol conquerors.
Assassins are medieval mercenaries, immigrants from the East, outcasts among their fellow tribesmen, later romanticized by Western folklore. Since ancient times, assassins have been called assassins who commit atrocities for political reasons. Recently, the legend of the Assassins has received a rebirth: after studying historical sources telling about assassins, Ubisoft Montreal released the game Assassin's Creed.
Origins of the Assassins
For the first time on the European continent, the Assassins were heard during the Crusades. Stories about assassins were written by the enemies of Muslims - the crusaders, and have long since become legends. Initially, the Assassins were used by politicians of the Muslim faith to achieve their goals, later they "retrained" as Christian killers and began to fight the incursions of the crusaders. It is known that in 1256 the Tatar-Mongols captured the headquarters of the Assassins, located in the city of Alamut.
In their work, the assassins used various methods adopted in the Middle Ages. One of these methods was the killings carried out in crowded places in order to intimidate potential opponents. However, unlike modern terrorists, the Assassins never killed the civilian population, they directed their actions only against real, aggressive enemies. The Assassins had their own code, they were trained in the art of war, strategy, linguistics, equestrianism, the art of disguise.
Assassins today
Modern people learned about assassins after the appearance of the game Assassin's Creed. This is an adventure game with a historical plot, which takes place during the Third crusade. The player participates in events as main character – modern man Desmond Miley. Mili, using a machine called the Animus, resurrects the genetic memory and restores in his mind the identity of one of his ancestors, the assassin Altair.
The essence of Assassin games
The goal of Assassin's Creed is to carry out a series of contract killings on behalf of the leader of the Assassins. To complete the mission, the player must travel from the headquarters of the Brotherhood through the Holy Land to one of the three cities - Acre, Jerusalem or Damascus, and find the Brotherhood of Agents. Agents provide the player with the necessary information and require the completion of additional missions: eavesdropping, interrogation, theft, transfer of information.
Having joined the game, the user finds himself in an open world for research. He can take part in side missions, protect the people he needs, climb to the top of the towers and inspect the situation from there. After completing the task, the player returns to the Brotherhood, receives a new weapon and a new goal. The character's health depends on the synchronization that occurs between Desmond's memory and Altair's. When Altair suffers injuries, it is perceived as an aberration from reality rather than physical damage.
The game Assassin's Creed after its appearance received a lot of positive feedback and ratings. The project has gained popularity among players on all continents, it has been awarded as one of the best action games with excellent graphics, famously twisted plot and addictive gameplay.
Assassin games are not limited to the above game, they are many and varied. All of them are distinguished by an exciting storyline, addictive gameplay and excellent graphics. We have collected the best of them for you on this page.