Assassins in the modern world. Who are the Assassins - history

On October 23, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, the next installment of Ubisoft's annual adventure series, will be released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The image of the assassin, formed in popular culture, completely crazy and far from the truth. Read about what the mysterious order was actually doing, who actually coined the phrase “Nothing is true. Everything is allowed, ”as Kurt Cobain is involved in this, and in which Ubisoft turned out to be no worse than the French classics.

Stereotypes about assassins in general are based on real history religious order of the Islamic Nizari sect. We have collected non-trivial facts about them, after which the entire setting of the Assassin's Creed universe will appear before you in a completely different light.

The first victim of the founder of the order
became his school friend

Hassan ibn Sabbah, the founder of the Order of the Assassins, nicknamed the "Old Man of the Mountain", was born into a family of moderate Shiites, but after studying in Cairo, he switched to the more radical teaching of the Nizari. It is significant that he was a classmate of many influential and even great people of that time, among whom were Omar Khayyam and Nizam al-Mulk, the vizier in the Seljuk empire.

Monument to Nizam al-Mulk in Iran

It was with Nizam al-Mulk that the history of the Assassins as an organization of assassins began. Former schoolmates became political rivals, and at some point Hasan eliminated the enemy: an assassin disguised as a dervish wanderer was sent to him, and the vizier was killed right in the middle of his luxurious palace, surrounded by guards and many witnesses.

Alamut Fortress, the main stronghold of the Assassins,
was captured by them without a single drop of blood

Ruins of Alamut Fortress

When Hasan ibn Sabbah was choosing a place for his base, he stopped at the Alamut fortress near the Caspian Sea. It really was almost impregnable for the troops, but it was not necessary to besiege it. Posing as a teacher and a wanderer, the future prophet prepared the ground for his future empire: most of the local residents were converted into his ardent followers.

One day, the commandant of the fortress found that not a single person obeyed his orders, and he had to flee, leaving his fiefdom. So the Assassins unexpectedly declared their independence; after the capture of Alamut, they built more than a hundred fortresses, and the territories they occupied were rightfully considered a separate state.

The Assassins Were Terrorists, Not Stealth Assassins

The Assassins weren't exactly an order of secret assassins. According to modern ideas, they can rather be called terrorists, since they preferred not so much covert operations as high-profile (and preferably bloody) political assassinations that were committed in large crowds of people. The elimination of an important figure was not so much an end in itself as a method of political terror. Moreover, many of the killers did not flee the scene, but remained and furiously shouted political and religious appeals to the people until they were captured or killed by the guards. It is noteworthy that the Assassins proclaimed the entire class of officials and bureaucrats as their main enemies.

The phrase “Nothing is true. Everything is allowed"
at did not think the assassins

There is an opinion that the phrase served as the motto of the Assassins during the Crusades. The quotation is actually Burroughs's and is taken from his Cities of the Red Night. Moreover, Burroughs was not only fascinated by the Assassins, but, as far as one can tell, transferred this interest to Kurt Cobain. They recorded a joint audio story "They called him a priest" and planned to create something similar about the assassins. Cobain's death thwarted those plans.

Assassins and hashish have nothing to do with each other

One of the common opinions about the assassins is that, firstly, they used hashish in their rituals and training, and secondly, thanks to this hobby, they earned their name. The order was indeed called "Hashishins", but this is either connected with the name of their leader, Hassan, or comes from their derogatory nickname - "grass-eaters", that is, beggars. As for the use of cannabis in the training of killers, this seems highly unlikely:

“If the assassins took hashish, then their visions and hallucinations themselves made it unnecessary to create a man-made “paradise” with houris and rivers of wine. Many months of staying in someone else's guise required from the assassin great self-control and endurance. They understood that an unexpected premature exposure and the commission of a murder for them could only end in an inevitable and very painful death. Such lengthy and highly professional actions could not be carried out under the influence of hashish, nor under duress, nor by order.

Separately, Eddie Izzard walked through this theory, showing how absurd assassins under hashish would be:

Assassins believed in a supernatural messiah
who lived in their capital

One of the central ideas of the Nizari as a sect was the existence of a certain "hidden" imam, a descendant of Muhammad, who escaped from enemies and would reveal himself as the messiah. Sabbah managed to convince his followers that he personally freed the "hidden imam" from captivity in infancy and even raised a divine child himself, settling in the secret chambers of the fortress. The Nizaris believed that both the prophet (that is, Sabbah) and some otherworldly messenger of Allah lived in Alamut. Subsequent "Old Men of the Mountain" proclaimed themselves to be this supernatural being.

Applicants were selected on the same basis
as the monks in Zen Buddhism

The method of selecting applicants for the junior link of assassins (fidaids) resembles the method of selecting monks for Zen Buddhist monasteries. Those wishing to become an instrument of the order were met only by closed gates, he was obliged to sit with them waiting for several days until the head of the community himself descended to the meeting. All this time, the newcomer was humiliated, threatened and even beaten by the elders. Those who passed this test were admitted to the next exams. The idea of ​​such a check upon joining the community was used in Fight Club.

At least one European
really visited the fortress of Alamut

Nizaris show contempt for death

This man was Henry, Count of Champagne. It is to him that we owe stories that Hassan's people are ready to jump off a cliff or stab themselves with a knife at his command alone. The suicide of several members of the community was demonstrated to the guest with truly theatrical pathos.

Assassins were actively engaged in extortion

Seljuk court life

The nobility of the Seljuk Turks and Arabs was so frightened by the terror of the Assassins that even in peacetime, almost without exception wore chain mail. The only more or less serious way to protect yourself was to secretly bribe the "Old Man of the Mountain." In fact, a racket-like system developed: the nobles paid huge sums of money to an illegal organization for "accident insurance". Of course, the only danger against which the insurance contract protected was the Nizaris themselves.

The Assassins were defeated by the Mongols-Crusaders

Now it seems surprising, but once the steppes stood at a crossroads in choosing a religion and were more inclined towards Nestorian Christianity. Alexander Nevsky at one time even fraternized with the son of Batu, who professed Christianity. At some point, the nomads nevertheless chose the path of Islamization, but it was during the war with the Assassins that they launched a real religious war against Muslims. This campaign was called "Yellow Crusade" - its goal was the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher. Now this is hard to imagine, but then the Mongols were perceived as the defenders of the Christian faith and the crusaders became their allies.

The Mongols approached the campaign against Alamut and the cities of Central Asia following it with the utmost seriousness. Mountain bridges and crossings were built, siege engines were fitted, and even Chinese troops armed with . Thus, the fortresses of the Assassins became one of the first structures for the capture of which gunpowder was used.

The last Assassin stronghold resisted the siege for 20 years

Assassin fortress ruins

However, a significant part of the Assassins did not surrender even after the order of their leader and continued to resist the Mongol invasion. The most incredible case is the siege of the Girdshuk fortress, which lasted 20 years (obviously, the Mongols simply could not stop the secret routes for delivering food and equipment).

Two of the Eight Assassin Lords
were killed by their own heirs

The last of the "Stars of the Mountain" was Rukn ad-Din Khurshah, who not only killed his father to take his place, but also gave Alamut and most of the fortresses to the Mongols with little or no fight. Khurshah himself, who surrendered to the mercy of the victors, was subsequently killed by them. The Mongols tried to pass it off as an accident, but they, unlike the Assassins, had much less skill in this, and the murder turned out to be very sloppy.

“Khurshah, a young man who inherited power from his father. He was a lover of wine and women, who encouraged intrigues at his court. He could have sat in his castle for a long time, but his nerves gave out. Having learned that he was personally promised life, he appeared in 1256 at the headquarters of Hulagu. He sent him to Mongolia, but Möngke could not stand traitors and ordered Khurshah to be killed on the way.

The dynasty of the rulers of the Assassins was not interrupted
and still exists

Prince Karim Aga Khan IV meeting with Vladimir Putin

Prince Karim Aga Khan - multimillionaire, Nizari spiritual leader and Swiss citizen. He received an excellent education at Harvard, feels better in Europe than in Asia, and personally met with the Queen of Great Britain and Vladimir Putin. Karim Aga Khan IV- a direct descendant of the last of the "Starets of the Mountain" and formally still heir to the title of lord of the assassins.

Assassins and Thug Stranglers not only had a lot in common,
but they knew each other

When the Assassins fled from the Mongol invasion, literally thousands of them fled to India, which means they had to face another similar order - the thugs-stranglers. It is still unknown how their relationship developed and whether they were in contact at all. The Thugs, as well as the Assassins, were accused of using a drug called "communion sugar" (gur) in their ceremonies. It was believed that after tasting this “sugar”, the stranglers could not resist the will of the elders and thoughtlessly went to kill those whom they managed to track down.

The Thagi are another religious order of assassins.

The secret society's "Communion Sugar" may well be the inspiration for moon sugar and skooma from The Elder Scrolls, but this drug has another aspect that may shed light on the nature of assassins and thugs. There is an opinion that an intoxicating substance is not at all some kind of real substance, but a metaphor for murder as such. In addition to the superficial idea of ​​purely sadistic pleasure, there is a deeper concept.

In the rigid caste society of India and in Persia, captured by the Arabs and then the Turks, the secret societies of murderers became almost the only way to metaphorically and metaphysically take this world and fate by the throat. It is clear that a person who entered the order of murderers faced an even tougher hierarchy, but, paradoxically, he felt liberated. Yesterday's native of peasants or artisans suddenly found himself in a system that was engaged in the destruction of the elite of a society that he considered vicious and unfair. Moreover, it was not even the behavior of the predator itself that brought greater satisfaction, but getting rid of the humiliating status of a born victim. The latter was the very intoxicating potion that the "Old Man of the Mountain" presented to his followers.

Assassins are not only killers
But and club bohemian decadents

In the 19th century, there was a so-called "Club of Assassins" in Paris. It was a literary association of daring but popular poets and prose writers, which included Baudelaire, Dumas Père, Hugo and Balzac. In addition to experimenting with dawamesk, these pillars of literature became famous for popularizing the image of the Assassins and Hassan ibn Sabbah, the mysterious mystic and lord of Alamut. Many of the clichés that have remained in popular culture were created by them, and the tradition of artistic distortion of facts about the Nizari begins with them.

In a sense, Ubisoft supports and develops a mythological system that, being based on a real story, was supplemented by the fiction of French classics and avid hashish lovers.

The most beloved daughter of Muhammad. In their opinion, the close relationship with the Prophet Muhammad made the descendants of Ali the only worthy rulers of the Islamic state. Hence the name of the Shiites - "Shi'at Ali"("Ali's party").

Shiites, who were in the minority, were often persecuted by the Sunni ruling majority, so they were often forced to go underground. Scattered Shiite communities were isolated from each other, contacts between them were fraught with the greatest difficulties, and often even a threat to life. Often, members of individual communities, being nearby, did not suspect the neighborhood of fellow Shiites, since their practice allowed the Shiites to hide their true views. Probably, centuries of isolation and forced isolation can be explained a large number of the most diverse, sometimes extremely absurd and reckless offshoots in Shiism.

The Shiites, according to their convictions, were Imamis, who believed that sooner or later the world would be headed by a direct descendant of the fourth Caliph Ali. The Imamis believed that someday one of the legal Imams who lived earlier would resurrect in order to restore justice that had been violated by the Sunnis. The main direction in Shiism was based on the belief that the twelfth imam, Muhammad Abul-Kasim (bin Al-Khosan), who appeared in Baghdad in the 9th century and disappeared without a trace at the age of 12, would act as the resurrected imam. Most of the Shiites firmly believed that it was Abul-Qasim who was the “hidden imam”, who in the future will return to the human world in the form of a messiah-mahdi (“hidden imam”-savior). The followers of the twelfth imam later became known as the Twelvers. The same views are held by modern Shiites.

Approximately according to the same principle, other branches in Shiism were formed. "Pyaterichniks" - believed in the cult of the fifth Imam Zeyd ibn Ali, the grandson of the Shiite Imam Martyr Hussein. In 740, Zayd ibn Ali launched a Shia rebellion against the Umayyad caliph and died in battle, fighting in the front ranks of the rebel army. Later, the Pyatirichniks were divided into three small branches, recognizing the right of the imamate for one or another descendant of Zeid ibn Ali.

In parallel with the Zaidids (five-faced), at the end of the 8th century, the Ismaili movement was born, which subsequently received a wide response in the Islamic world.

Ibn Sabbah established a strict lifestyle for everyone in Alamut without exception. First of all, he defiantly, during the period of the Muslim fasting Ramadan, abolished all Sharia laws on the territory of his state. The slightest deviation was punishable by death. He imposed the strictest ban on any manifestation of luxury. The restrictions applied to everything: feasts, amusing hunting, interior decoration of houses, expensive outfits, etc. The bottom line was that all meaning was lost in wealth. Why is it needed if it can't be used? At the first stages of the existence of the Alamut state, Ibn Sabbah managed to create something similar to a medieval utopia, which the Islamic world did not know and which European thinkers of that time did not even think about. Thus, he effectively nullified the difference between the lower and upper strata of society. According to some historians, the Nizari Ismaili state strongly resembled a commune, with the difference that power in it did not belong to general advice free workers, but still an authoritarian spiritual leader-leader.

Ibn Sabbah himself set a personal example for his associates, leading an extremely ascetic lifestyle until the end of his days. In his decisions he was consistent and, if required, callously cruel. He ordered the execution of one of his sons only on suspicion of violating the established laws.

Having announced the creation of the state, Ibn Sabbah abolished all Seljuk taxes, and instead ordered the inhabitants of Alamut to build roads, dig canals and build impregnable fortresses. All over the world, his agents-preachers bought up rare books and manuscripts containing various knowledge. Ibn Sabbah invited or abducted to his fortress the best specialists various fields of science, ranging from civil engineers to physicians and alchemists. The Hashshashins were able to create a system of fortifications that had no equal, and the concept of defense in general was several centuries ahead of its era. Sitting in his impregnable mountain fortress, Ibn Sabbah sent suicide bombers throughout the Seljuk state. But Ibn Sabbah did not immediately come to the tactics of suicide bombers. There is a legend according to which he made such a decision due to chance.

In all parts of the Islamic world, on behalf of Ibn Sabbah, at the risk of their own lives, numerous preachers of his teaching acted. In 1092, in the city of Sava, located on the territory of the Seljuk state, the preachers of the hashshashin killed the muezzin, fearing that he would betray them to the local authorities. In retaliation for this crime, 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 the execution, his body was demonstratively dragged through the streets of Sava and hung out for several days in the main market square. This execution caused an explosion of indignation and indignation among the hashshashin. An indignant crowd of Alamut residents approached the house of their spiritual mentor and ruler of the state. The legend says that Ibn Sabbah went up to the roof of his house and loudly said: "Killing this shaitan will anticipate heavenly bliss!"

Before Ibn Sabbah had gone down to his house, a young man named Bu Tahir Arrani stood out from the crowd and, kneeling before Ibn Sabbah, expressed his desire to carry out the death sentence, even if he had to pay with his own life.

A small detachment of hashshashin fanatics, having received a blessing from their spiritual leader, broke into small groups and moved towards the capital of the Seljuk state. In the early morning of October 10, 1092, Bu Tahir Arrani somehow managed to get into the territory of the vizier's palace. Hiding in the winter garden, he patiently waited for his victim, clutching a huge knife to his chest, the blade of which was previously smeared with poison. Closer to noon, a man appeared in the alley, dressed in very rich robes. Arrani had never seen the vizier, but judging by the fact that a large number of bodyguards and slaves surrounded the man walking down the alley, the assassin decided that it could only be the vizier. Behind the high, impregnable walls of the palace, the bodyguards felt too confident and the protection of the vizier was perceived by them as nothing more than a daily ritual duty. Seizing the opportunity, Arrani ran up to the vizier and stabbed him at least three times with the poisoned knife. The guard arrived too late. Before the killer was captured, the vizier was already writhing in death throes. The guards practically tore Arrani to pieces, but the death of Nizam al-Mulk became a symbolic signal to storm the palace. The Hashshashins surrounded and set fire to the vizier's palace.

The death of the chief vizier of the Seljuk state caused such a strong resonance throughout the Islamic world that it involuntarily prompted Ibn Sabbah to a very simple, but, nevertheless, ingenious conclusion: it is possible to build a very effective defensive doctrine of the state and, in particular, the Ismaili movement - Nizaris, without spending significant material resources on the maintenance of a large regular army. It was necessary to create their own "special service", whose tasks would include intimidation and exemplary elimination of those on whom the adoption of important political decisions depended; special service, which neither the high walls of palaces and castles, nor a huge army, nor devoted bodyguards could do anything to protect a potential victim.

First of all, it was necessary to establish a mechanism for collecting reliable information. By this time, Ibn Sabbah had countless preachers in all corners of the Islamic world, who regularly informed him of all the events that were taking place. However, new realities required the creation of an intelligence organization of a qualitatively different level, whose agents would have access to the highest echelons of power. The Khashshashins were among the first to introduce the concept of "recruitment". The Imam - the leader of the Ismailis - was deified, the devotion of fellow believers to Ibn Sabbah made him infallible; his word was more than law, his will was perceived as a manifestation of the divine mind. The Ismaili, who is part of the intelligence structure, revered the share that fell to him as a manifestation of the highest mercy of Allah. It was suggested to him that he was born only to fulfill his "great mission", before which all worldly temptations and fears fade.

Thanks to the fanatical devotion of his agents, Ibn Sabbah was informed of all the plans of the enemies of the Ismailis, the rulers of Shiraz, Bukhara, Balkh, Isfahan, Cairo and Samarkand. However, the organization of terror was unthinkable without the creation of a well-thought-out technology for the training of professional killers, whose indifference to their own lives and neglect of their death made them practically invulnerable.

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 the candidate got into the interior of the castle, he was informed that after joining the secret knowledge there can be no way back from the order.

One of the legends says that Ibn Sabbah, being a versatile person who had access to various kinds of knowledge, did not reject the experience of others, revering it as a welcome acquisition. So, when selecting future terrorists, he used the methodology of the ancient Chinese schools of martial arts, 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, in the courtyard in front of the house of Ibn Sabbah, his adherents from among those who had passed the first degree of initiation appeared. 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. At any moment, the young man was allowed to get up and go home. 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.

The same legend says that the Khashshashins, having beaten off the corpse of their comrade, Bu Tahir Arrani, by force, buried him according to the Muslim rite. By order of Ibn Sabbah, a bronze tablet was nailed to the gates of the Alamut fortress, on which the name of Bu Tahir Arrani was engraved, and opposite him, the name of his victim, the chief vizier Nizam al-Mulk. Over the years, this bronze tablet had to be increased several times, since the list began to include hundreds of names of viziers, princes, mullahs, sultans, shahs, marquises, dukes and kings.

The Hashshashins selected physically strong young people into their battle groups. Orphans were preferred, as the hashshashin was required to break away from his family permanently. After joining the sect, his life entirely belonged to the "Old Man of the Mountain", as the Great Lord was called. True, they did not find a solution to the problems of social injustice in the hashshashin sect, but the "Old Man of the Mountain" guaranteed them eternal bliss in the Gardens of Eden in return for the real life.

Ibn Sabbah came up with a rather simple, but extremely effective method for preparing the so-called "fedayeen". "Old Man of the Mountain" declared his home "the temple of the first step on the path to Paradise". There is an erroneous opinion that the candidate was invited to the house of Ibn Sabbah and stupefied with hashish, hence the name assassin. As mentioned above, in fact, the opium poppy was practiced in the ritual actions of the Nizari. And the adherents of Sabbah were nicknamed "hashishshins", that is, "grass-eaters", hinting at the poverty characteristic of the Nizari. So, immersed in a deep narcotic sleep caused by opiates, the future fidayin was transferred to an artificially created "Garden of Eden", where pretty maidens, rivers of wine and plentiful treats were already waiting for him. Surrounding the bewildered young man with lustful caresses, the girls pretended to be heavenly virgin-houris, whispering to the future hashshashin suicide bomber that he would be able to return here as soon as he died in battle with the infidels. A few hours later, he was again given the drug and, after he fell asleep again, was transferred back. Waking up, the adept sincerely believed that he had been in a real paradise. From the first moment of awakening, the real world lost any value for him. All his dreams, hopes, thoughts were subordinated to the only desire to be in the "Garden of Eden" again, among the beautiful maidens and treats so distant and inaccessible now.

It is worth noting that we are talking about the 11th century, whose morals were so severe that for adultery they could simply be stoned to death. And for many poor people, due to the inability to pay bride price, women were simply an unattainable luxury.

The "Old Man of the Mountain" declared himself almost a prophet. For the hashshashin, he was the protege of Allah on earth, the herald of his sacred will. Ibn Sabbah inspired his adherents that they could get into the Gardens of Eden, bypassing purgatory, only on one condition: by accepting death on his direct order. He did not stop repeating a saying in the spirit of the prophet Muhammad: "Paradise rests in the shadow of sabers". Thus, the hashshashins not only were not afraid of death, but passionately desired it, associating it with the long-awaited paradise.

In general, Ibn Sabbah was a master of falsification. Sometimes he used at least effective reception persuasion or, as it is now called, "brainwashing". In one of the halls of the Alamut fortress, over a hidden pit in the stone floor, a large copper dish with a circle neatly carved in the center was installed. By order of Ibn Sabbah, one of the hashshashin hid in a pit, sticking his head through a hole cut in the dish, so that from the side, thanks to skillful makeup, it seemed as if it had been cut off. Young adepts were invited into the hall and showed them the "cut off head". Suddenly, Ibn Sabbah himself appeared out of the darkness and began to make magical gestures over the "cut off head" and pronounce on "incomprehensible, otherworldly language" mysterious spells. After that, the "dead head" opened its eyes and began to speak. Ibn Sabbah and the rest of those present asked questions about paradise, to which the "severed head" gave more than optimistic answers. After the guests left the hall, the head of Ibn Sabbah's assistant was cut off and the next day they paraded it in front of the gates of Alamut.

Or another episode: it is known for certain that Ibn Sabbah had several doubles. In front of hundreds of ordinary hashshashin, the doppelganger, intoxicated with a narcotic potion, committed a demonstrative self-immolation. In this way, Ibn Sabbah allegedly ascended to heaven. What was the surprise of the hashshashin when the next day Ibn Sabbah appeared before the admiring crowd, safe and sound.

Hashshashins and Crusaders

The first clashes between the Nizari and the Crusaders date back to the beginning of the 12th century. Since the time of the head of the Syrian Nizari Rashid ad-Din Sinan (1163-1193), the term assassin, derived from hashishin. Another origin of the word is also assumed - from Arabic hasaniyun, meaning "Hasanites", that is, the followers of Hasan ibn Sabbah.

Myths about the Nizari

Assassins and hashish

assassins- fanatics-sectarians of the medieval East, used individual terror as a means of protecting their religion. The legend of the Assassins, spread in Europe in the presentation of the Venetian traveler Marco Polo (c. 1254-1324), in in general terms came down to the following. In the country of Mulect, in the old days there lived a mountain elder Ala-one, who arranged a luxurious garden in a certain secluded place in the image and likeness of a Muslim paradise. He made young men from twelve to twenty years old drunk and carried them in a sleepy state to this garden, and they spent the whole day there, amusing themselves with the wives and virgins there, and in the evening they were drunk again and carried back to the court. After that, the young men were “ready to die, if only to get to paradise; they won’t wait for a day to go there ... If the elder wants to kill one of the important ones or anyone in general, he will choose from his assassins and wherever he wants, he sends him there. And he tells him that he wants to send him to paradise, and therefore he would go there and kill such and such, and as soon as he himself is killed, he will immediately go to paradise. Whoever the elder so orders, willingly did everything he could; He went and did everything that the elder ordered him.

Marco Polo does not specify the name of the drug with which the youths were intoxicated; however, French romantic writers of the mid-19th century. (see Assassins Club) were sure it was hashish. It is in this vein that the Count of Monte Cristo retells the legend of the mountain elder in the novel of the same name by Alexandre Dumas. According to him, the elder “invited the elect and, according to Marco Polo, treated them to some kind of grass that carried them to Eden, where ever-blooming plants, ever-ripe fruits, and ever-young virgins were waiting for them. What these happy youths took for reality was a dream, but a dream so sweet, so intoxicating, so passionate that they sold their soul and body for it to the one who gave it to them, obeyed him like a god, went to the ends of the world to kill the victim indicated by him and meekly died a painful death in the hope that this was only a transition to that blissful life that the sacred grass promised them.

Thus, one of the key legends about hashish was created, which significantly influenced its perception in Western culture. Up until the 1960s. the psychotropic drugs of cannabis were perceived by the mass consciousness as a drug that gives heavenly bliss, kills fear and excites aggression (see Anslinger, "Job madness"). And only after the use of these drugs became widespread, the romantic myth was debunked, although its echoes still wander through the publications of the popular press.

Interestingly, the legend of the Assassins has a solid historical basis. "Mountain elders" really ruled in the XI-XIII centuries. in the Iranian fortress of Alamut; they belonged to the Ismaili Islamic sect and solved their foreign policy problems with the help of suicide bombers. However, there is no reliable historical evidence that hashish was used in their preparation.

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• The Order (Brotherhood) of Assassins is central to the plot of the game series

This sect became famous for insidious murders, but its founder was a man who took fortresses without shedding a single drop of blood. He was a quiet, courteous young man, attentive to everything and eager for knowledge. He was sweet and friendly, and he wove the chain of evil.

This young man's name was Hasan al-Sabbah. It was he who founded the secret sect, whose name is now considered synonymous with insidious murder. We are talking about the Assassins - an organization that trained assassins. They dealt with anyone who was contrary to their faith or took up arms against them. They declared war on anyone who thought differently, intimidated him, threatened him, otherwise they killed him without a long rigmarole.

Hasan was born around 1050 in the small Persian town of Qom. Soon after his birth, his parents moved to the town of Rayi, which lay near modern Tehran. Here, young Hasan was educated and already “from an early age,” he wrote in his autobiography, which has come down to us only in fragments, “was kindled with a passion for all areas of knowledge.” Most of all, he wanted to preach the word of Allah, in everything “keeping faithful to the covenants of the fathers. I have never doubted the teachings of Islam in my life; I have always been convinced that there is an almighty and eternal God, the Prophet and the Imam, there are permitted and forbidden things, heaven and hell, commandments and prohibitions.

Nothing could shake this belief until the day when a seventeen-year-old student met a professor named Amira Zarrab. He confused the sensitive mind of the young man with the following seemingly inconspicuous reservation, 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.” Not only that: “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 possible way the young man resisted the seeds of a strange faith sown by Zarrab. However, he “refuted my beliefs and undermined them. I didn’t openly admit it to him, but his words resonated strongly in my heart.”

Finally, there was a coup. Hasan is seriously ill. We don't know exactly what happened; it is only known that after recovering, Hasan went to the Ismaili monastery in Rayi and said that he decided to convert to their faith. So, Hassan took the first step on the path that led him and his students to crimes. The way to terror was open.

To understand what happened, let's fast-forward a few centuries. Muhammad died in 632. After that, a dispute arose over his successor. In the end, his disciples united around the "faithful of the faithful", one of the first Muslims - Abu Bakr. He was proclaimed the first caliph - "deputy"

Prophet. It was then that the companions of Muhammad began to write down the verses of the Koran.

However, not everyone was happy with this choice. The secret enemies of Abu Bakr (632-634) and his successors Omar (634-644) and Osman (644-656) grouped around Ali, cousin and son-in-law Muhammad. It seemed to them that he had more rights to bear the title of caliph. These people began to be called "Shia" (from the Arabic word "shia" - a group). From the very beginning they were in opposition to the majority of Muslims - they were called Sunnis. Ali's supporters had their own truth. The people who continued the work of Muhammad were more interested in capturing new lands and accumulating wealth than in strengthening the faith. Instead of the state of the Muslims, they were only concerned with their own good. They replaced holiness and justice with money-grubbing.

In the end, the dreams of the Shiites came true. In 656, the rebellious people killed Caliph Osman from the Meccan family of the Umayyads. Ali became the new ruler of the Muslims. However, five years later, he was also killed. Power passed to Muawiyah (661-680) from the same kind of Umayyads.

The Umayyads, like the rulers of all times and peoples, strengthened their power. During their reign, the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. All dissatisfied with the authorities rallied around the Shiites. The caliphate began to shake the uprisings. Back in 680, after the death of Muawiyah, Hussein, the son of Ali, and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet and the widow of Ali, revolted.

Initially, the Shia was a purely political grouping. Now a split has occurred in the religious field. main reason turmoil and unrest, the Shiites believed, was the illegal power of the caliphs. Only the direct descendants of the Prophet could be guardians of truth and law. Only from among them could the long-awaited Savior be born, who would arrange a state pleasing to God.

The leaders of the Shiites - the imams - were Alid, descendants of Ali in a straight line. This means that all of them had their roots in the Prophet. They had no doubt that the long-awaited Savior would be a Shia imam. Echoes of this yearning for a "righteous world" we observed quite recently, when in 1979 in Shiite Iran the people greeted with jubilation the news that Ayatollah Khomeini proclaimed the country an Islamic republic. How many hopes ordinary Shiites associated with this happy event!

But let's go back to the distant past. In 765, the Shiite movement was waiting for a split.

When the sixth imam, who succeeded Ali, died, not the eldest son Ismail, but the youngest son was chosen as his successor. Most Shiites accepted this choice calmly, but some rebelled. They believed that the tradition of direct inheritance had been violated - and remained faithful to Ismail. They were called Ismailis.

Their preaching was an unexpected success. A variety of people were attracted to them - and according to different reasons. Lawyers and theologians were convinced of the correctness of the claims of Ismail and his direct heirs, who disputed the title of imam. Ordinary people were attracted by the mysterious, full of mysticism, the sayings of the Ismailis. People scientists could not pass by the sophisticated philosophical interpretations of faith proposed by them. The poor, however, most of all liked the active love for their neighbors, which the Ismailis showed. They founded their own caliphate, named after Fatima. Over time, their power was so strengthened that in 969 the army of the Fatimid Caliphate - it was located in Tunisia - invaded Egypt and, having captured the country, founded the city of Cairo, its new capital. During its heyday, this caliphate embraced North Africa, Egypt, Syria, Sicily, Yemen and the holy cities of Muslims - Mecca and Medina.

However, when Hassan al-Sabbah was born, the power of the Fatimid caliphs was already noticeably shaken - one might say that it was in the past. However, the Ismailis believed that only they were the true custodians of the ideas of the Prophet.

So, the international panorama was as follows. An Ismaili Caliph ruled in Cairo; in Baghdad - Sunni caliph. Both of them hated each other and waged a fierce struggle. 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 have taken over.

In the medieval East, the most harmless-looking person could turn out to be an assassin, Hassan could not help but know that, becoming supporters of the Ismailis, he chooses 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, to the stronghold of the Ismaili power. Perhaps this new supporter will be of great use to the brothers in faith.

However, it took six whole years until Hasan finally left for Egypt. During these years, he did not waste time in vain; he became a well-known preacher in Ismaili circles. When in 1078 he nevertheless arrived in Cairo, he was greeted with respect. However, what he saw horrified him. The caliph whom 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. In any case, we know that three years later Hassan was arrested and deported to Tunisia. However, the ship that carried him was wrecked. Hasan escaped and returned to his homeland. The misfortunes upset him, but he firmly held the oath given to the caliph.

Hasan planned to make Persia a stronghold of the Ismaili faith. From here, its supporters will lead the 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 Elburz mountains on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

True, the fortress was occupied by completely different people, and Hasan regarded this fact as a challenge. Here, for the first time, a typical strategy for him appeared.

Hassan left nothing to chance. He sent missionaries to the fortress and the surrounding villages. The local people are accustomed to expect only the worst from the authorities.

Therefore, the preaching of freedom, brought by the envoys of the border, found a quick response. Even the commandant of the fortress cordially greeted them, but that was an appearance - a deception. Under some pretext, he sent all the people loyal to Hasan out of the fortress, and then closed the gate behind them.

The fanatical leader of the Ismailis did not think of giving up. “After long negotiations, he again ordered them (envoys) to be let in,” Hassan recalled his struggle with the commandant. “When he again ordered them to leave, they refused.”

Then, on September 4, 1090, Hasan himself secretly entered the fortress. A few days later, the commandant realized that he was unable to cope with the "uninvited guests". He voluntarily resigned his post, and Hasan sweetened the parting with a promissory note worth more than $3,000 in our usual exchange rate.

From that day on, Hasan did not take a step out of the fortress. He spent 34 years there until his death. He didn't even leave his house. He was married, had children, but now he still led the life of a hermit. Even his worst enemies among Arab biographers, incessantly vilifying and defaming him, they invariably mentioned that he “lived like an ascetic and strictly observed the laws”; those who violated them were punished. He made no exceptions to this rule. So, he ordered the execution of one of his sons, catching him drinking wine. Another son Hasan was sentenced to death, suspecting that he was involved in the murder of a preacher.

Hassan was strict and fair to the point of complete heartlessness. His supporters, seeing such steadfastness in their 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 informed him of everything that was going on outside the walls of the fortress. He listened attentively to them, 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, "sharp, skillful, versed in geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, magic and other sciences."

Gifted with wisdom, he craved strength and power. He needed the power to put into practice the word of Allah. Strength and power could bring down an entire empire at his feet. He started small - from the conquest of fortresses and villages.

From these scraps, he cut himself a submissive country. He took his time. First, he persuaded and exhorted those whom he wanted to take by storm. However, if they did not open the gate for him, he resorted to weapons.

His power grew. There were already about 60,000 people under his rule.

But this was not enough; he kept sending his emissaries around the country. In one of the cities, in Sava, south of modern Tehran, the first murder took place. Nobody planned it; rather, it was driven by desperation. The Persian authorities did not like the Ismailis; they were closely watched; for the slightest offense severely punished. In Sava, Hassan's supporters tried to win the muezzin over to their side. He refused and threatened to complain to the authorities. Then he was killed. In response, the leader of these ambulances for the massacre of the Ismailis was executed; his body was dragged through the market square in Sava. So ordered Nizam al-Mulk himself, the vizier of the Seljuk Sultan. This event stirred up Hassan's supporters and unleashed terror. The killings of the enemies were planned and well organized. The cruel vizier became the first victim.

“The killing of this shaitan will herald bliss,” Hasan announced to his faithful, climbing 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 readiness,” says one of the Ismaili chronicles. The murder happened on October 10, 1092. As soon as Nizam al-Mulk left the room where he received guests and climbed into the palanquin to proceed to the harem, Arrani suddenly burst in and, drawing his dagger, rushed at the dignitary in a rage. At first, taken aback, the guards rushed to him and killed him on the spot, but too late - the vizier was dead.

The entire Arab world was horrified. The Sunnis were especially indignant. In Alamut, joy seized all the townspeople. Hasan ordered that a commemorative table be hung out and the name of the murdered man be engraved on it; next to it is the name of the holy creator of revenge. Over the years of Hasan's life, 49 more names appeared on this "honor board": sultans, princes, kings, governors, priests, mayors, scientists, writers ... In Hasan's eyes, they all deserved to die. They have abandoned the path that the Prophet had charted and have ceased to follow the Divine law. “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has sent down, then they are unbelievers,” says the Qur'an (5:48). They are worshipers of idols, despising the truth; they are apostates and swindlers. And they should be killed, as the Koran commanded: “Beat the polytheists wherever you find them, capture them, besiege them, ambush them in every hidden place!” (9, 5) Hassan felt he was right. He was strengthened in this thought the stronger, the closer the troops sent to exterminate him and his supporters approached. However, Hassan managed to gather a militia, and it repulsed all the attacks of the enemies.

Hasan al-Sabbah had been ruling in Alamut for four years when the news came that the Fatimid Caliph had died in Cairo. The eldest son was preparing to succeed him, when suddenly the younger son seized power. So, the direct inheritance was interrupted. In Hasan's opinion, this was an unforgivable sin. He breaks with Cairo; now he was left alone, surrounded by enemies. Hasan no longer sees any reason to reckon with anyone's authority. There is only one decree for him: “Allah - there is no deity but Him, living, existing!” (3, 1). He is used to defeating people.

He sends agents to his enemies. They intimidate the victim by threatening or torturing her. So, in the morning a person could wake up and notice a dagger stuck in the floor next to the bed. A note was attached to the dagger, saying that the next time its tip would cut into the doomed chest. After such an unequivocal threat, the intended victim usually behaved "quieter than water, lower than grass."

If she resisted, death awaited her.

The assassination attempts were prepared to the smallest detail. The killers did not like to rush, preparing everything gradually and gradually. They penetrated the retinue that surrounded the future victim, tried to win her trust and waited for months. The most amazing thing is that they did not care at all about how to survive after the assassination attempt. This also turned them into ideal killers.

There were rumors that the future "knights of the dagger" were put into a trance and drugged. So, Marco Polo, who visited Persia in 1273, later told that a young man chosen as a murderer was drugged with opium and taken to 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 could wish for came true in an instant. A few days later they were again given opium and carried away from the wondrous garden. When they woke up, they were told that they had been to Paradise - and could immediately return there if they killed this or that enemy of the faith.

Nobody knows if this story is true. It is only true that the supporters of Hasan were also called "Haschischi" - "eating hashish." Perhaps the drug hashish really played a role in the rituals of these people, but the name could have a more prosaic explanation: in Syria, all madmen and madmen were called "hashish". This nickname passed into European languages, turning here into the notorious "assassins", which were awarded to ideal killers. The story told by Marco Polo is, albeit in part, but undoubtedly true. Even today, fundamentalist Muslims kill their victims in order to quickly reach Paradise, promised to those who died a martyr's death.

The authorities reacted very harshly to the killings. Their spies and bloodhounds roamed the streets and guarded at the city gates, looking out for suspicious passers-by; their agents broke into houses, ransacked rooms and interrogated people - all in vain. The killings continued.

At the beginning of 1124, Hasan al-Sabbah fell seriously ill "and on the night of May 23, 1124, the Arab historian Juvaini writes sarcastically, he fell into the flames of the Lord and hid in His hell." In fact, Hassan’s death is more appropriate for the blessed word “deceased”: he died calmly and in the firm conviction that he was doing a right thing on sinful Earth.

Hassan's successors continued his work. They managed to expand their influence into Syria and Palestine. Meanwhile, there have been dramatic changes. The Middle East was invaded by crusaders from Europe; they captured Jerusalem and established their kingdom. A century later, the Kurd Saladin overthrew the power of the caliph in Cairo and, having gathered all his strength, rushed to the crusaders. In this struggle, 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. Arab princes and Conrad of Montferrat, king of Jerusalem, became victims of the assassins. According to historian B. Kugler, Conrad "caused the revenge of a fanatical sect against himself by robbing an Assassin ship." From the blade of the avengers, even Saladin was doomed to fall: only by a lucky chance he survived both assassination attempts. The people of Sinan sowed such fear in the souls of opponents that both Arabs and Europeans dutifully paid tribute to him.

However, some enemies grew bolder 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 Templars (templars) and Johnites. For them, the daggers of assassins were not so good also because the head of their order could immediately be replaced by any of their assistants. They were "not attacked by murderers."

The tense struggle ended in the defeat of the Assassins. Their strength gradually dwindled. The killings have stopped. When in the thirteenth century the Mongols invaded Persia, the leaders of the Assassins 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 dutifully watched as the stronghold was razed to the ground. After that, the Mongols dealt with the ruler himself and his retinue. “He and his companions were trampled under foot, and then their bodies were cut with a sword. So, there was no more trace of him and his tribe, ”says the historian Juvaini.

His words are inaccurate. After the death of Rukna al-Din, his child remained. He became the heir - imam. The modern Ismaili imam, Aga Khan, is a direct descendant of this kid. The assassins obedient to him no longer resemble the insidious fanatics and murderers who roamed the entire Muslim world a thousand years ago. Now these are peaceful people, and their dagger is no longer a judge.

Middle East, Central Asia, as well as medieval Europe, in the IX-XI centuries experienced an acute political crisis. In this region of the planet mass resettlement 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 a new form - a religious order, which was 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 qualities, social and 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 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.

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 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 hand-to-hand combat techniques. 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. The rulers and politicians of different countries and states did not disdain to use the services of professional assassins and spies, solving their political issues in order to achieve certain goals.

Many lovers computer games couldn't miss a game like Assassin's Creed. The first series of the game was released by the end of 2007, but the last one was released in October 2012. At the core of the game, we understand what the plot is: between two “groups” there is long war(for several centuries). Assassins and Templars fight. In Game main character, who has ancestors from the Assassins, finds out what happened in the past of his descendants and goes after the hidden particles of Eden in order to save the world from destruction.

Instead of dividing life into real life and leisure (computer games), many players get used to their hero so much that they begin to desperately look for the answer to the question of how to become an assassin! It's up to you to decide whether it's right or not, but we believe that games should remain in the computer, and not be reincarnated into reality. To begin with, we have to learn a lot about the mysterious people from "Assassin's Creed".

Before you learn how to become an assassin, you need to understand who they are, whether they really existed, and whether it is worth embodying this image on yourself. So, for starters, you should know that assassins and hashishes are one and the same. In fact, assassins in translation are those who use hashish. The name "Assassins" appeared a long time ago (although it gained worldwide fame in last years). Today, the Assassins are the same Nizari Ismailis.

Who are, in turn, the Nizari Ismailis? These are people who are part of a dangerous terrorist group from the Middle East, who constantly use drugs, and are also ruthless killers. Nizari Ismailis are killed on the basis of religious or political enmity. Many claim that they are real fanatical killers who should be sent to psychiatrists. Over time, from the Middle Ages to the middle of the 14th century, assassins became associated with assassins. Especially when it comes to European cities.

As you can clearly understand, the Assassins were drug addicts, and it is clear what they used. With this substance, they were so intoxicated that they were ready to kill again and again. Many claim that the myths about the assassins are a myth about how the drug appeared and spread. The Assassins themselves, as many are sure, are fictional characters. But there are some historical facts, which can be correlated with the story of the Assassins.

Indeed, in the fortress in Iran (Alamut) lived and ruled people who are now called elders. They belonged to the Ismaili sect belonging to Islam. No one hid at that time that many political, namely foreign policy problems, these rulers solved through assassins-suicide bombers! Where the story differs, or rather is not confirmed, is in the use and use of drugs on killers.

Now the Assassins are perceived only as hired killers (and not drugged people or suicide bombers). These are hired and completely ruthless killers. In fact, now any killer can be called an assassin: he is hiding and does not give himself away in real life, he has a “job” that he does, regrettably, and it is always very difficult to find, catch and connect him with the chain leading to murder.

Now think carefully: do you still want to become an assassin in real life? If you are still worried about the question of how to become an assassin, we advise you to consult a doctor before you harm yourself and others. Once a friend said to a friend in response to the question “How to become an assassin?”: “First, find out who it really is, be surprised that these are not just cool guys with weapons, forget about the obsession with assassins and live in such a way that every assassin would envy! ".

If you are only interested in the training of assassins, then this is even commendable, because. they clearly have good form, physical training, martial arts. In many ways, assassins can be compared with parkour players: they jump perfectly, they know how to “fall” from a height and successfully land, and they also climb walls perfectly. Parkour is very popular today, developed, so you can easily master this skill. Shooting ranges will help you develop accuracy, coordination and concentration. Find a place where they can teach you how to use exactly the ancient weapons. If there is no such thing in your city, just visit the shooting range, develop accuracy and dexterity. Martial arts should also be taken up (but choose only one art form, at least to begin with, otherwise you will get confused and ruin everything). Do not forget about horseback riding lessons, start with walks and the ability to ride a horse, gradually moving to a more developed level.

Assassin clothing.

If you want to become an assassin for a costume party, then this is a great idea! Surely you will stand out brightly against the background of boring Batmans, Spider-Man and other "evil spirits".

What do you need for an assassin costume? These are pauldrons for the shoulders, a bib for the chest, bracers for the hands and greaves for the legs. They can be completely different depending on the level of assassin you choose. But in addition to these “accessories”, you need to pick up a wide long raincoat with a large hood (usually white or gray color). Take a look at your favorite characters. for example, when dressing in Altair, you also need a wide belt (over a cloak), high brown boots and a fake sword.