The Assassins: Ismaili Fortresses and Mongol Wrath in Medieval Iraq

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The Assassins: Ismaili Fortresses and Mongol Wrath in Medieval Iraq

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Long before the Mongol sack of Baghdad, a shadowy Ismaili network known as the Assassins (Nizaris) held sway over mountain fortresses in Iran and Iraq. This episode explores their rise under Hasan-i Sabbah, their use of targeted political murder, and their uneasy coexistence with the Abbasid caliphate and Seljuk sultans. We delve into how the Nizaris carved out a state within a state, why they were feared from Cairo to Constantinople, and how their fate was sealed by the Mongol invasion under Hulagu, who crushed their stronghold at Alamut in 1256. The discussion covers key figures like Rashid al-Din Sinan, the 'Old Man of the Mountain' of Crusader lore, and the internal divisions within Ismailism. We also examine the lasting legend of the Assassins—from Marco Polo's embellishments to modern conspiracy theories—and separate fact from fiction about their supposed use of hashish and paradise gardens. This episode sheds light on a secretive movement that challenged Sunni orthodoxy and reshaped the political landscape of medieval Iraq and Persia. #Assassins #NizariIsmaili #HasanISabbah #Alamut #RashidAlDinSinan #Hulagu #MongolInvasion #SeljukEmpire #AbbasidCaliphate #Ismailism #OldManOfTheMountain #MarcoPolo #MedievalIraq #PersianHistory #Fortresses #TargetedKillings #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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