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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Secrets of Assassins' fort unearthed in Syria
2007-07-15
Nestled at the foot of Syria's coastal mountains, an ancient citadel has been put on the tourist map by restoration and excavation that revealed mysteries of the medieval Assassins sect, once based here.

Saladin, the great Muslim leader, laid siege to Masyaf castle in the 12th century. But he thought twice before launching an assault on the Assassins, who had a reputation for mounting daring operations to slay their foes.

"Anyone who tried to take the Assassins' castle would be dead the next day," said Haytham Ali Hasan, an archaeologist involved in the restoration project.
Didn't seem to bother the Mongols much.
Yeah, and they're all dead now except for their descendants, ain't they? So y'see, the Assassins' Castle really is a place for foreboding and prob'ly has a curse on it. I'll betcha in 50 years most of the people working on excavating it are dead. We should start a cult or somethin'...
Although Saladin had conquered Crusader castles with much stronger defenses, historians believe the Assassins' death threats forced the Kurdish warrior to lift the siege at Masyaf.

Perched on a rock and overlooking a boulder-strewn plain, the castle has been restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Tons of debris have been cleared from the site since 2000, allowing researchers to learn more about the citadel's secretive occupants.

The Assassins were not very good at building castles
One of the main conclusions, Hasan said, was that the Assassins were not very good at building castles, even if the site has lasted well and looks impressive to visitors today. "The system of defense is very poor," he said, reviewing newly acquired knowledge about Masyaf's construction. The Assassins had tried to copy the castles of the Crusaders and Saladin, "but not very well", he said, suggesting the fort's weaknesses might be evidence of the group's relative poverty
What - the EU's aid package didn't arrive?

more at the link
Posted by:lotp

#12  Hulagu was an outsider, and the Assassin's dagger-wielders couldn't really pass for Mongol.
Posted by: Alistaire Sleating4235   2007-07-15 23:33  

#11  The Assassins had tried to copy the castles of the Crusaders and Saladin, "but not very well", he said, suggesting the fort's weaknesses might be evidence of the group's relative poverty

Lack of innovation. Poor engineering. Lousy financial management. It seems as if some traditions die rather hard in the Muslim world.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-07-15 20:13  

#10  Saladin v Assaassins? They were Muslims of the Ismaili sect. Israel-Lebanon-Syria could be a major tourist destination if the Alawites and Hizbollah were taken out of the picture.
Posted by: McZoid   2007-07-15 17:21  

#9  John Frum, I'm always entertained and enlightened by your knowledge :-) - keep it up, and thanks
Posted by: Frank G   2007-07-15 17:02  

#8  I've met one Mongolian officer - very impressive young man.
Posted by: lotp   2007-07-15 16:35  

#7  The initial friendly relations between Assassins and Mongols quickly waned, and Hulagu Khan was sent from Karakoram to destroy the Assassins. He slowly and deliberately went after each mountain stronghold. Khurshah submitted and pleaded that Alamut be spared, but it was not. Neither was he — finally being murdered on the way back from a useless trip to try to see the Great Khan. Through trickery and brutality, the Mongols slew all the Assassins they could find, including babies.

Then Hulagu advanced on Baghdad, besieged it, and when the Caliph surrendered, butchered his retinue. The last Arab Caliph was trampled to death by horses after he revealed the hiding place of his treasury. Then Baghdad was raped, pillaged, and sacked — 800,000 were slaughtered indiscrimately. The ancient irrigation system was wrecked and Mesopotamia never recovered.


Message from the Mongol Hulagu Khan to the caliph, Al-Musta'sim:

"When I lead my army against Baghdad in anger, whether you hide in heaven or in earth
I will bring you down from the spinning spheres;
I will toss you in the air like a lion.
I will leave no one alive in your realm;
I will burn your city, your land, your self.
If you wish to spare yourself and your venerable family, give heed to my advice with the ear of intelligence. If you do not, you will see what God has willed."

Reportedly the Officer in charge of the Mongolian contingent in Iraq told his American counterpart:
"Don't worry, we have some experience operating in Baghdad"
Posted by: John Frum   2007-07-15 16:32  

#6  Deprived of their military power, the Assassins survive in Persia as the Nizari Ismaili, a minor heretical sect of Shi'ite Islam. Their leaders still claim descent, through Nizar, from Ali and Fatima. In 1818 one of them is granted the title Aga Khan by the shah of Persia.

In 1840, after an abortive uprising against the next shah, this first Aga Khan flees to India. There he and his descendants remain leaders of an Ismaili community numbered, in Syria, Iran, Pakistan, India and elsewhere, in several millions. The present Aga Khan, born in 1946, is only the fourth in the line.
Posted by: John Frum   2007-07-15 16:25  

#5  My inner Indiana Jones is dying to have a look at this place.
Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723   2007-07-15 14:31  

#4  Aga Khan Trust for Culture?

Oh, brother.
Posted by: Pancho Glusort1329   2007-07-15 13:45  

#3  The word English word 'assassin' is taken from original 'hashishin', feared doped up warriors of the mystical "Old Man" holed up in the mountains.
Posted by: Danielle   2007-07-15 12:59  

#2  Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Two or three years ago it was just another snake cult.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2007-07-15 09:29  

#1  Didn't seem to bother the Mongols much.

They haven't heard of them much before attacking, so there was no mystique in their hearts or minds about them. Just some bunch of drugged loonies...
Or they thought that they got their mojo werking much better. Which they got.
Posted by: twobyfour   2007-07-15 01:00  

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