Today I learned:
There was, back in the day (and by that I mean around 1080 A.D) a religious sect called the Nizari Ismailis. They were an order whose true beginnings are murky to pick out (since most of the writing about them either comes from muddled westerners or hostile neighbors) but around the time of the first crusade, their first shining leader emerged, Hassan-i Sabbah. He was a popular teacher and leader, and eventually decided to militarize the cult somewhat. It is uncertain as to whether he conquered or built the castle, but in either case he adapted the fortress to the needs of his men. He established a hierarchical structure for his religion, with Great Propagandists below him, Propagandists below them, followed by Companions and then Adherents.
The predominant theories on what motived this paradigm shift are power and revenge, but whatever the case he was in for a surprise. It was about the time a bunch of Christians knocked politely on the door. And of course by that I mean the first crusade added a third faction to the local power struggle. However, Sabbah forged a weapon that would leave a permanent mark on history, and on the english language. His Adherents, rabidly loyal, were also young, strong, and exceptionally trained in more than theology; they were trained to infiltrate, to blend in, and then to kill.
Yes, I am totally talking about the original assassins. They were called Hashasheen by the Westerners, mistaking a generalized term (the word basically meant rabble rouser, outcast, trouble maker) for a specific one. This also gave rise to the story that they took hashish, a drug, before doing anything...for which there is very little factual basis outside the accounts of their enemies. The fortress they operated out of was a city in the mountains called Alamut, and as near as can be determined, the word "Assassin" comes as a westernization of "Asiyun" which Sabbah called his Adherents, or "Fida'i" (self sacrificing agents).
While any idea of their true impact is a bit hard to determine, since they got blamed for every assassination that took place in the region during that time period, it is certain that they were both dangerous, but NOT an extremist sect existing only to kill. They weren't bad; they just had a really lousy PR department.
Also, apparently the company I work for has about 66 offices all over Texas, Shreveport, Oklahoma, and...places. I didn't realize we were quite so...legiondary...
-Flynn (If you are a lady and nobody pays attention to you, just walk outside. Men love ladies.)
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