WHO IS HASSAN SABBAH, THE FOUNDER OF THE WORLD’S FIRST TERRORIST ORGANIZATION?

Many followers of Hasan Sabbah are familiar with the fascinating narrative of Hasan Sabbah, who lived in Alamut Castle in Iran, promised paradise to all around him, made them his followers, unconditionally connected them to him, and created the Ismaili sect of the Shiite faith, the Hashashis. 

So, what is Hasan Sabbah’s true story?

Hasan Sabbah, whose full name was Hasan bin Ali bin Mohammed bin Cafer bin Hussein bin Sabbah al-Hamari, was the leader of the Assassin sect in the 11th century. He was one of the most important Twelver Imam Shiism in 1046-47 or 1053-54, although the exact year is unknown. He is supposed to have been born in the city of Kum, which is located in the center of the country. Hasan Sabbah, his father, gave him a good education in philosophy, theology, logic, fiqh, and eloquence, and Hasan Sabbah, a shrewd and capable leader, is notorious for assassinations, bouncers, and Alamut Castle, where he never left for 35 years. With his inquisitive disposition, Hasan Sabbah has always been on the lookout for fresh facts.

Alamut castle.

Hasan Sabbah, the Assyrian sect’s leader, and a revered figure conquered Alamut Castle in 1090 by handing over money to the castle’s owners rather than battling anyone with his superior battle abilities and wits. The castle, which was erected on the rocky slopes of the Elbrus mountains, was one of the strongholds that were thought to be impossible to capture at the time. Hasan Sabbah, famed for his assassinations and the devotion of his bodyguards, was one of the most powerful figures of his time, and with his superior intelligence, he easily conquered the castle.

WHO IS THE HASHAŞİLER?

Hasan Sabbah, the founder of the Assassins sect during the Seljuk State, possesses a high level of religious knowledge and an authoritarian leadership mentality based on a separate religious school and is noted for the assassination-based warfare tactics of the order he formed.

Sabbah, who aspired to be a religious scholar and went to Rey to further his studies, met a Refik, a Fatimid Dais from Ismaili when he was 17 years old, and this encounter constituted a watershed moment in his life, paving the way for him to become a renowned leader. As a result of this interaction, he converted to Ismailism from the Twelve Imam Shi’ism sect, which he had followed till the age of 17. Ibn Attaş, the head of the Iraq region, saw Hasan Sabbah’s high intelligence and unusual talent and recommended him to go to the Fatimid Caliph Mustansir and acquire a more extensive education on the Ismaili sect at Darülhikme. Hasan Sabbah served as Ibn Attaş’s deputy in the Isfahan area after that.

When he arrived in the city, he was received by the chief dai Abu David and visited with the Caliph Mustansir-Billah, which piqued his interest and piqued his interest. Hasan Sabbah was chosen as the caliph’s deputy and asked to live in the Khorasan region in the future.

Hasan Sabbah, vizier and commander-in-chief Badr al-Jamali, who was opposed to him because of Nizar and Ahmed al-Musta’li, who desired to succeed Caliph Mustansir as successor to the caliphate, imprisoned and eventually banished Sabbah from the nation. Sabbah may have escaped Egypt, according to another story. After arriving in Isfahan in 1081, Hasan Sabbah, who had traveled all over Iran for 9 years spreading Westernism propaganda, turned his attention to the north of Iran, particularly the Deylem region, where people did not accept Islam by force, whose lands were hardly conquered, who were warriors, and who kept their old traditions alive. He desired to have complete authority over the people.

Sabbah worked for three years in the Gilan and Mazandaran regions, which were heavily influenced by Sabbah’s propaganda. He completely attracted the people of the region to his side thanks to his mountain soldiers and other dais despatched. The Seljuk Vizier Nizamülmülk, who was following Hasan Sabbah’s movements at the time, gave orders for Sabbah’s capture. Hasan Sabbah then escaped to Qazvin, Iran, and established the Nizari-Ismaili State on September 4, 1090, using the Alamut Castle as his headquarters.

Hasan Sabbah, who contracted an incurable sickness in 1124, is said to have died on May 23, 1124, according to accounts detailing the Seljuks’ history.