Capture of Alamut
| Capture of Alamut | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Assassins2-alamut.jpg The Hashshashin's fortress of Alamut Castle | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Hasan-i Sabbah | Seljuk Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Hasan-i Sabbah |
Abu Muslim Mahdi | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| none | none | ||||||
The Capture of Alamut was a bloodless siege of the city of Alamut by Hasan-i Sabbah.[1] The seizure of the castle marks the establishment of the Ismaili state in Persia (also called the "Alamut state") and the beginning of the so-called Alamut Period during which the Ismaili mission unfolded as an open revolt against the Sunni authorities.[2] The Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir Billah congratulated Hasan-i Sabbah on his victory.
Background
The Ismailis in Persia, including Da'i Hasan-i Sabbah, were aware of the declining power of the Fatimids during the final decades of the imamate of al-Mustansir.[3] Hasan was a new Ismaili convert who had been appointed to a post in the da'wah organization by Ibn Attash in May–June 1072. Within nine years of his missionary activity in several Seljuk provinces, Hasan had evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the Seljuk military and government and took note of the Seljuk administrative and military prowess. After nine years of intelligence operations, Hasan concentrated his missionary efforts in Daylam, a traditional stronghold for the minority Zaydi Shias which had already been penetrated by the Ismaili da'wa.[4]
Siege
By 1087, Hasan had chosen the inaccessible castle of Alamut, located in the remote area of Rudbar (nowadays called "Alamut") in northern Persia, as the base of operations. From Damghan and later Shahriyarkuh, he dispatched several da'is to convert the locals of the settlements in the Rudbar valley near the castle. These activities were noticed by the Seljuk vizier Nizam al-Mulk, who ordered Abu Muslim, the governor of Rayy, to arrest the da'i. Hasan managed to remain hidden and secretly arrived at Daylam, temporarily settling in Qazvin. He was later appointed as the Fatimid Da'i of Daylam.[5]
Hasan's takeover of the fort was conducted without any significant bloodshed. To effect this transition Hasan employed a patient and deliberate strategy, one which took the better part of two years to effect. First Hasan sent his Daʻiyyīn and Rafīks to win over the villages in the valley, and their inhabitants.
From Qazvin Hasan dispatched one further da'i to Alamut. Meanwhile, Ismailis from elsewhere infiltrated and populated the region near Alamut. Hasan then moved to Ashkawar, and then Anjirud, gradually getting closer to the castle, and secretly entered the castle itself on the eve of September 4, 1090, living there for a while disguised as a children's teacher. Mahdi, the commandant of the castle, eventually discovered Hasan's identity, but he was powerless since many in the castle, including his guards, were Ismailis or Ismaili converts. Hasan permitted Mahdi to leave peacefully and then paid him via Muzaffar, a Seljuk ra'is and a secret Ismaili, 3,000 gold dinars for the castle. The seizure of the castle marks the establishment of the Ismaili state in Persia (also called the "Alamut state") and the beginning of the so-called Alamut Period during which the Ismaili mission unfolded as an open revolt against the Sunni authorities.[6][7]
References
- ↑ Daftary 2007, p. 317.
- ↑ Daftary 2007, p. 314-316
- ↑ Daftary 2007, p. 310-311
- ↑ Daftary 2007, p. 313-314
- ↑ Daftary 2007, p. 314
- ↑ Daftary 2007, p. 314-316
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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Sources
- Template:Daftary-The Ismailis
- Lewis, Bernard (2011). The Assassins: A Radical Sect in Islam. Orion. ISBN 978-0-297-86333-5. Search this book on
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