History and ethnology. Data. Events. Fiction. Assassins in Real Life: The True Story
Who are the Assassins? The history of the Assassins begins at the end of the 11th century, when a certain person named Hassan ibn Sabbah founded the order of the Nizari - Ismailis in Persia and Syria. These were the same notorious assassins who captured many mountain fortresses and posed a serious threat to the Sunni Seljuk dynasty. The Brotherhood of Assassins gained wide fame and fame due to their methods of eliminating opponents through highly professional assassinations. The very word "assassin", derived from the name of the order - "hashshashins" (hashshashins), became a household word and acquired the meaning of a cold-blooded professional - a killer.
Although there are many stories about the activities of the order, it is now quite difficult to separate fact from fiction. Firstly, most of our information about the Assassins comes either from European sources or from people hostile to this order, the same Templars. For example, according to one of the stories heard in the East by the Italian traveler Marco Polo, Hasan used drugs, in particular hashish, in order to lead his followers "to paradise." When these same followers again came to their senses, Hassan allegedly inspired them that he was the only one who had the means that would allow them to return "to paradise". Thus, the members of the order were completely devoted to Hassan and carried out any of his wills. However, there are a number of inconsistencies with this story, pardon the pun. The fact is that the term hashshishi (hashish) was first used by Caliph Al-Amir of the Fatimid dynasty in 1122 as an insulting name for the Syrian Nizari. Instead of its literal meaning (that these people smoke hashish), the word was used more figuratively and had the meaning of "outcasts" or "rabble." The term was then applied to the Persian and Syrian Ismailis by chroniclers who were hostile to this Shia branch and eventually spread throughout Europe by the crusaders.
Assassin kills Nizamal-Mulk. Source - Wikipedia
Thanks in no small part to these historians and chroniclers, the Assassins have earned a reputation as cold-blooded killers over the course of their existence. No, the individuals killed by the Assassins in broad daylight did exist. Perhaps one of their most famous victims is Conrad of Montferrat, de facto king of Jerusalem in the late 12th century. According to the story, Konrad was killed during one of the walks, accompanied by armored knights in one of the courtyards of Tyre. Two assassins, disguised as Christian monks, marched into the center of the courtyard, hit Conrad twice and killed him. Historians have not yet been able to answer the question of who nevertheless hired these assassins, but there is a generally accepted opinion that Richard was responsible for this. Lion Heart and Henry of Champagne.
The most impressive achievement of the Assassins, even more impressive than their courage and audacity, is perhaps their ability to use the methods of "psychological warfare". For, by instilling fear in the enemy, they managed to win their mind and will, without risking their own lives. The great Muslim leader, Salah ad-Din (Saladdin, Salaaddin), for example, survived two assassination attempts on his life by the Assassins. Despite the fact that he survived the assassination attempts, he was haunted by fear and paranoia, fear of new assassination attempts and fear for his life. According to legend, one night during the conquest of Masyaf in Syria, Saladdin woke up and saw someone coming out of his tent. There were hot buns next to his bed and a note on a poisoned dagger. The note said that he would be killed if he did not withdraw his troops. It seems that there is nothing surprising in the fact that in the end Salah ad-Din decided to conclude a truce with the Assassins.
Despite all the scandalous fame, skill, audacity and dexterity of the Assassins, their order was destroyed by the Mongols who invaded Khorezm. In 1256, their fortress, once considered impregnable, fell to the Mongols. Although the Assassins managed to recapture and even hold Alamut for several months in 1275, they were ultimately defeated anyway. From the point of view of historians, the Mongol-Tatar conquest of Alamut is a very significant event, since the sources that could present the history of the order from the point of view of the Assassins themselves were completely destroyed. As a result, we are left with only rather heavily romanticized ideas about the notorious brotherhood of the Assassins. This is best seen in the famous, which has become a cult, the game "Assassin's Creed".
Whether there are assassins in our time in real life is not known for certain. Here, as they say, to each his own. Who wants to believe, he believes.
Order of the Assassins. also known as Brotherhood of Assassins. Circle of Liberals Roman times and Hashshashins. during the High Middle Ages, was an organized order of assassins and sworn enemies of the Templars, against whom they waged a continuous war throughout the history of mankind.
While the Templars sought power to save humanity from themselves against their will, the Order of the Assassins fought for survival in good faith, as it encouraged progress and the growth of individuality.
The Assassins have existed since at least 456 AD. from the Roman era to the 21st century. By the way, traces of the Templars are still found today!
In Assassin's Creed III, we learn that the Assassins and the Templars want to achieve the same goal, but the Assassins achieve it with freedom, and the Templars with control.
And what is shown in the game assasin creed has a historical basis. There was such an order, there were legendary people in it. The headquarters of the order was the fortress city of Alamut.
In his headquarters in the mountain fortress of Alamut, Ibn Sabbah created a real school for the training of intelligence officers and terrorist saboteurs. By the mid 90s. XI century Alamut fortress became the world's best academy for the training of secret agents of a narrow profile. She acted extremely simply, however, the results she achieved were very impressive. Ibn Sabbah made the process of joining the order very difficult. Out of about two hundred candidates, a maximum of five to ten people were allowed to the final stage of selection. Before a candidate enters inner part castle, he was informed that after being introduced to the secret knowledge, he could not have a way back from the order.
One of the legends says that Ibn Sabbah, being a versatile person who had access to different kind knowledge, did not reject the experience of others, revering it as a welcome acquisition. So, when selecting future terrorists, he used the method of ancient Chinese martial arts schools, in which the screening of candidates began long before the first tests. Young men who wanted to join the order were kept in front of closed gates from several days to several weeks. Only the most persistent were invited to the courtyard. There they were forced to sit starving for days on the cold stone floor, content with the meager remains of food, and wait, sometimes in icy torrential rain or snow, to be invited inside the house. From time to time on courtyard in front of the house of Ibn Sabbah appeared his adherents from among those who had passed the first degree of initiation. They insulted young people in every possible way, even beat them, wanting to test how strong and unshakable their desire to join the ranks of the hashshashin was. Any time young man I was allowed to get up and leave. Only those who passed the first round of tests were admitted to the house of the Great Lord. They were fed, washed, dressed in good, warm clothes... They began to open the "gates of another life" for them.
Assassins are professional assassins. The first mention of the Assassins date back to the end of the XI century. The Assassins significantly influenced the course of history, in particular the fate of the Middle East during the time of the Crusades. It is generally accepted that the first Assassins were members of the Nizari branch of the Shiite Ismaili sect.
The Order of the Assassins was founded by the Persian Hassan ibn Sabbah, who gained fame among the crusaders as the "Mountain Elder". In 1091, Ibn Sabbah captured the mountain fortress of Alamut, located on the territory of modern Iran. In fact, the mountain fortress of Alamut became the capital and focal point of the Assassins.
The Assassins killed both crusaders and Muslims, without joining any side, remaining isolated, but nevertheless exerting a significant influence on all participants in the religious confrontation. Often, the killings at the hands of the Assassins were custom-made, and their reasons could be both religious and political and economic in nature.
Assassins killed very sophisticated. The place of the murder could be both the victim's dwelling and the central square of the city. The murder weapon could be poisons, but more often it was cold steel. The Assassin's trademark hidden blade was hidden under the left sleeve and had a mechanism that allowed the blade to be extended along the wrist with lightning speed, turning left hand into a deadly sting.
In the middle of the XIII century, the fortresses of the order, located on the territory of modern Iran, were destroyed by the Mongols. Soon the Mamluks destroyed the fortresses located on the territory of modern Syria. It would seem that this is where the story of the Assassins ends. But I have no doubt that the secret order of assassins exists to this day ...
The Brotherhood of Assassins has always tried to keep their activity low, preferring to operate in the shadows, attacking from places where they are least expected. This kind of activity involves some precautions, the most striking of which, perhaps, is the presence of a hood in assassins' costumes. However, this does not mean at all that members of the order could not dress stylishly and elegantly.
Famous Florentine Assassin Ezio Auditore throughout his active life, described in detail in AC2, the Brotherhood of the Blood and Revelations, he did not forget to regularly update his wardrobe: from simple cloaks and capes, to the Armor of Altair and Brutus left as a gift. Also Connor Kenway has the opportunity not only to go shopping and pick up clothes in size and the latest fashion, but also to acquire more unique alternative costumes. To open them, you will need to complete a number of quests and additional tasks, where you will need to show all your Assassin's dexterity and ingenuity. As soon as the task is completed, you can find a new outfit in my wardrobe, in the basement of Achilles' house.
In total, to choose from, the game offers us 15 different variations on the theme appearance Connor clothes. Six of them, without any problems, can be purchased in the shops of Boston and New York after reaching a certain progress in the passage of the main plot of the game. You will receive four more by completing a row side quests and quests. Two costumes will replenish your wardrobe upon completion of tasks storyline, two more are present in the game as additional downloadable content. And your closet will get fatter by one with the help of the Uplay in-game service. which is located in the game menu where you can purchase this costume.
By themselves, the costumes in no way affect the gameplay or the plot of the game and carry only aesthetic value.
I would also like to recall such a thing as armor. She is not. Don't believe? But in vain! Our prayers have been answered, and the armor is no longer in the game. Hurrah, comrades! Um, I think I got a little carried away.
Let's move on to the costumes. Right under the name in italics it is written how you can get this or that suit. Once again, for the incredulous - all things become available in the basement of Achilles' house.
assassin outfit
Connor's original cape, in which our young assassin flaunts in most screenshots and art. Trying on this outfit will fall out after passing the 5th sequence and, even despite the long list of all kinds of alternative costumes, most players never take it off until the very end of the game. Multi-colored variations of this cape do not count.
Assassins - this word in many countries refers to the insidious performers of pre-planned, carefully prepared murders. It comes from the Arabic hashashin - intoxicated with hashish. So in the Middle East they called the members of the Shia Muslim sect, which arose in the 11th century on the territory of present-day Iran.
The Assassins have gone down in history since the time of the Crusades. Desperately resisting the hordes of conquerors who invaded their territory, the hashish-drunk suicide warriors terrified the armored crusaders. Subsequently, the Assassins began to be used as hired killers.
It is in this meaning that the word assassin has migrated into our today's lexicon.
The hand of modern assassins is most often directed by political, religious and terrorist groups. Once armed with an antique dagger, today she clutches the butt of a pistol, the stock of a sniper rifle, or the ring of a grenade. So-called contract killings, insidious backstabs, attacks from around the corner - all this is the diabolical arsenal of modern assassins operating in the Middle East, Northern Ireland and around the world.
A typical crime of this kind is the assassination of Julius Caesar, who was stabbed to death by political opponents in the Roman Senate in 44 BC. However, the entire history of the Roman Empire is full of political assassinations. Gaius Caesar, better known as Caligula, who was stabbed to death by his guards in 41 AD, also fell victim to the conspiracy. Caligula's successor, Claudius, also died a violent death: he was poisoned by his wife Agrippina in 54 AD.
Sources: ru.assassinscreed.wikia.com, otvechay.ru, shikateka.beon.ru, assassingame.ru, ufo-legacy.ru
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assassins(hashishins, hashashins, hashishins, hashashins) is a fairly popular topic in the modern world. This is facilitated not only by the identification of a member of the order with the word Assassin (killer (English)), but also by the relevance of the plot of the Arab killers in the field of show business. Not so long ago, the world saw computer game Assassin's Creed, produced by Ubisoft Montreal, followed by the second part from the same developer. The theme of the Assassins is also touched upon in the film "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (Disney 2010). This quite naturally aroused the interest of many viewers and gamers in an ambiguous historical phenomenon - the existence of the Order of the Assassins. “Okay, let them learn history,” you say?
Alas, everything is not so simple: the superficial knowledge of most fans gives rise to a lot of dogmas and prejudices that spread like cockroaches in the kitchen of a cheap Chinese restaurant. by the most a prime example It is probably a common mistake that the word "assassin" comes from the word "hashishin", which in turn comes from the name of the drug: hashish. The mistake is that the Arabic word "Hashishin" means "herbivore, a person who eats plants." It was just a hint at the poverty of the members of the order, and it has nothing to do with drugs. In addition, the order of the Assassins used opium poppy for rituals, not hashish. In an effort to avoid possible errors pseudo-historical neologisms, I will try to reveal the theme of the history of the order.
To begin with, Muhammad was dead. There was no doubt about it.
After the death of the legendary prophet, the Islamic world split into Sunnis and Shiites. Without going into details, the Sunnis seized power and in fact, the Shiites were outlawed in the Islamic world. Their communities have become so carried away with the conspiracy that they completely forgot about maintaining ties with each other. The result was the formation of a whole cascade of sects - sometimes funny and ridiculous, and sometimes bloody and terrible. One of these religious sects from the Ismaili movement was headed by Hasan ibn Sabbah. Without a fight, having occupied the fortress of Alamut (this fortress is mentioned in the film "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" as sacred), the innovator Hassan ibn Sabbah founded a theocratic state.
Having abolished all previous taxes and, in fact, prohibiting luxury, he understood that he would not be able to maintain a large army in a mountain fortress. Following the call of reason, Hasan ibn Sabbah is looking for new ways to solve political and military issues. According to legend, he was led to the decision to create an order of murderers by chance. In 1092, in the city of Sava, located on the territory of the Seljuk state, the preachers of the Hashashin killed the muezzin, fearing that he would betray them to the local authorities. In retaliation for this deed, on the orders of Nizam al-Mulk, the chief vizier of the Seljuk sultan, the leader of the local Ismailis, was seized and put to a slow painful death. After that, Hasan ibn Sabbah climbed the tower and shouted: "The killing of this shaitan will anticipate heavenly bliss!"
And as he descended, a crowd had already gathered at the foot of the walls, from which a group of fanatics stood out, led by a man named Bu Tahir Arrani, who, kneeling down, said that he was ready to fulfill the will of the ruler, even if he had to pay for it with his life. Omitting details, Bu Tahir Arrani fulfilled his task, and the vizier died surrounded by his bodyguards. Nearby lay the body of that same Bu Tahir Arrani. This is the story of the first assassin, from which the concept of the order originates: the will of the sovereign is equated with the most sacred law, you can get to heaven only by dying for a sacred cause. Yes, it definitely sounds very loud, but let's see why Hasan ibn Sabbah was surrounded by a crowd of fanatics, at first glance insane, ready for any sacrifice.
The secret lies not only in the careful selection of members of the order, but also in the psychology of that time and region. It is worth noting that the religious wars were then waged precisely from religious motives, in other words, people really believed that they were going into battle for a sacred cause (unlike the European crusades, which were clearly predatory in nature). As for preparation, this is a separate issue.
Well, one more?.. Drug myths about the training of assassins.
There are enough different dogmas in conversations about the training of assassins. First of all, they are associated with the use of narcotic drugs: there is an opinion that assassins are killers who go to their death under the influence of psychotropic substances. This is a delusion, in fact, the situation was different.
At first, those wishing to join the order gathered at the gates of the fortress, waiting for permission to enter the courtyard. Sometimes their wait lasted up to several weeks, but no one kept the young men, they could go home at any time. Under the same conditions in the courtyard, they awaited permission to enter the house. Of those who did not go home, they chose the most persistent (one of the legends says that Hasan ibn Sabbah adopted this system from Chinese monasteries - the similarity is obvious). They gave preference to orphans, because the future assassin had to devote his whole life to the order.
The initiation ceremony was extremely simple and ingenious: the recruit was drugged with opium, after he lost consciousness, he was transferred to a special "Garden of Eden", where he was expected to gourmet food, luxury and plenty beautiful women. A few hours later, they again gave him the drug, and carried him back, informing him later that he could return to paradise only by giving his life for the sake of a sacred cause. It should be understood that before that the young man lived in poverty, because wealth and luxury were prohibited by law, but women were the greatest luxury, because not every young man could afford a bride.
Here lies the mistake of most of the "experts" in the history of the order of the Assassins, since in later life, the killer will no longer touch alcohol, drugs, or women. So, in contrast, reinforced by opium withdrawal, a member of the order embarked on brutal training. He was taught not only the use of weapons and acrobatics, at least the assassin had to own acting skills and the art of disguise. All this made an almost perfect killer out of a student, for whom it was not necessary to think over an evacuation plan.
But the inventive Hassan ibn Sabbah did not stop at the preparation of the assassins. He understood that for the effective operation of the Assassins, a developed network of informants and scouts was needed. He created a special "agency", whose duties, in addition to intelligence, also included a new means of obtaining information - bribery. So, along with a huge number of preachers who reported to him about the general events and moods in the cities, he also had his people in the palaces and fortresses of the influential people of the East. After a series of murders, the entire political elite realized that neither the army nor the bodyguards would help them in the fight against the Assassins. It was with this that the "Old Man of the Mountain", as the members of the order called the ruler, achieved the absolute inviolability of mountain Alamut.
Hasan ibn Sabbah himself was a very curious person. In addition to collecting knowledge from around the world, kidnapping learned doctors and alchemists throughout Europe and Asia, he was also an avid hoaxer. In pursuit of the loyalty of his subjects and international prestige, he was very fond of different kind performances and tricks. For example, the trick with a severed head, popular for a long time, according to legend, was invented by him. With the help of make-up, the correct placement of the background and a system of mirrors, he created a very talented performance with a “severed” head predicting paradise for all dead assassins. There was only one difference from the modern focus - the ending. The actor was cut off his head and hung for several days on the main square of the fortress. For the sake of realism. The self-immolation trick was also popular. Its essence was no less cruel - they really burned a person, a double of Hassan ibn Sabbah. Demonstrating the loyalty of his subjects to the ambassadors, the Alamut ruler with a wave of his hand ordered the guards on the walls to rush into the abyss.
In conclusion, one more myth can be revealed - the opinion that all the killers died while performing the task. Often there was an order to return, since this task is only preparation for the transition to paradise. This was dictated by the fact that even in the commune of the order a hierarchy was necessary. After all, someone had to arrange a “paradise” for the students, play with a severed head, and teach the students.
Paid killers
Another misconception is that assassins are contract killers. Most likely, it got its start from the history of the alliance of the Crusaders and the Assassins. Such an alliance took place after the death of Hassan ibn Sabbah. The new rulers of Alamut were not so ascetic in their desires - there was an urgent need for finances, and the lords generously paid in Jerusalem gold for the services of the assassins directed against Salah ad-Din. But, it is impossible to call the hashish order a society of hired killers, since not ordinary performers, but their owners took payment for work. In addition, the killings of these figures can be seen as loyalty to the alliance.
But, it was money that led to the fact that the order lost its influence. Seeing the strong stratification of society inside the fortress, those who wanted to die for the sake of a dubious sacred cause became less and less. This posed the need for reorganization within the system, which led to virtually everything that Hasan ibn Sabbah denied when he built the state. The commune turned into a monarchical system with its own nobles and nobility. All this made the Alamut state easy prey for the Mongols who invaded Persia.
On the origin of myths
In conclusion, I will try to explain some of the myths about the order of assassins. These legends were born after the events in Alamut. The initiators of the “first” wave of legends about assassins in the 14th century were the Venetian Marco Polo, who in his writings writes about the country of Mulect, where the Elder of the Mountain lives, sending young men to death, drugging them with drugs. A new, stronger wave of myths took place in the middle of the 19th century in France. Hashish became a very fashionable drug at the time, along with the use of thujone from Egyptian wormwood. This is probably why novelists were sure that the Assassins used hashish as a means to open the gates to paradise.
And some people believe that the order of assassins exists to this day, and its members remove objectionable people. Such thoughts are quite understandable, because many people want to see the world more complex than it really is. Many people see secrets, riddles, mysticism... Are they right? Who knows?..
The Middle East, Central Asia, as well as 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 state formation, 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 an acute socio-political crisis was Egypt, where the political struggle reached highest point boiling. 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, the 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, from light hand 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. From this time begins new stage the life of this organization, 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 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 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 a 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.
Task 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, his real strength was not only at high moral character its members. Professional training, which the assassins were engaged in 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.
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 of Islam and the development of the Ismaili sect of the Shiite direction, with whom the dominant religious system waged an uncompromising struggle.
Ideological clashes in Islamic countries often turned into questions about 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 widely used intelligence and punitive operations against all enemies of Alamut. Soon the entire Eastern world learned about who the Assassins were.
In the palace of Hasan-ibn-Sabbah, who was also called the King of the Hill, a closed society of the elect 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 by all means. To do this, one could lie, pretend, wait a long time, but punishment for the condemned was inevitable. Many rulers of Muslim and even European principalities knew firsthand who the Assassins were.
Joining a secret society was desirable for many young people of Alamut, as it made it possible to gain universal approval and join the secret knowledge. Only the most persistent received the right to enter the gates of the mountain fortress - the residence of Hasan-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 young people were in a state of drug intoxication, half-naked girls entered them, assuring that heavenly pleasures 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 the Muslim principalities. And even after the arrival of the crusaders in Palestine, their main enemies were other currents of Islam and unrighteous Muslim rulers. It is believed that for some time the Templars and Assassins were allies, even hiring the assassins of the King of the Hill to solve their own problems. But this state of affairs did not last long. The Assassins did not forgive betrayal and use in the dark. Soon the sect was already fighting both against 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 who the assassins are. Others see traces of organization in Persia, India, and in Western European countries.
Everything is allowed - this is how the King of the Hill instructed his suicide bombers, sending them to complete the task. The same motto continues to exist among a number of people who use all methods to solve their problems. In the vast majority of cases, they simply use the religious feelings, needs and hopes of suicide bombers. Religious pragmatism reigns at the highest levels of initiation. So the assassins also exist in our time - they are called, perhaps in a different way, but the essence remains: intimidation and murder to achieve their political or economic goals. This connection is especially traced 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 citizen of the country can become a victim.
