ASSASSINS ASSASSINS (Arab, ffashashin, hashish smok- ers), a secret political society in Persia, Syria, and Arabia, in the middle ages, a branch of the Ismaelians, so called from the imam Ismael hen Jafar. It took its origin in Persia about A. D. 840 from Abdallah, son of Maimun Kadah, a believer in the ancient Magian worship, who undertook by the preaching of his dais or mis- sionaries to reestablish the old religion, or at least to overthrow the power of the Abbas- side caliphs. His followers were sometimes called Ibabie, "indifferents," and sometimes Ismaelians, because they favored the preten- sions of the descendants of Mohammed ben Ismael, of the house of All. One of his disciples, Ahmed, called Karmath, raised the standard of revolt, and for a whole century the East was involved in wars. Another par- tisan of the sect, the dai Abdallah, who styled himself a descendant of Mohammed ben Ismael, escaped from prison, where he had been confined by the caliph Motadhad, and succeeded in seating himself on the throne of Africa under the name of Obeidallah Mahdi, A. D. 909. This person was the founder of the dynasty of the Egyptian caliphs, who, tracing their descent to Ismael ben Jafar Sadik, and from him to Fatima, the prophet's daugh- ter, are known by the name of Fatimites or eastern Ismaelians. The secret policy of this sect was to overthrow the Abbasside caliphate. In the reign of Hakem-biamr-illah a lodge was instituted at Cairo called Dar el-Hikmet, house of wisdom. Access to this lodge, and the use of the books and mathematical instruments kept in it, as well as instruction by the profes- sors, who were paid by the government, were free to all. In this lodge were taught nine se- cret doctrines deduced from those of Abdallah ben Maimun Kadah. In the first degree the mind of the novice was purposely perplexed, and a hidden meaning of the text of the Koran was suggested. After an oath of unconditional obedience the pupil was initiated into the sec- ond degree, which inculcated the recognition of divinely appointed imams, who were the source of all knowledge. The third degree taught their number, which could not exceed seven; these were Ali, Hassan, Hossein, Ali Seinolabidin, Mohammed el-Bakir, Jafar es- Sadik, and Ismael his son. The fourth grade taught that since the beginning of the world there have been seven divine lawgivers, or speaking apostles of God, each of whom had by command of heaven altered the doctrine of his predecessor. Each of these had seven coadjutors in succession, who, as they did not appear openly, were called mutes (samit). The first of the mutes was named Sus, and the seven speaking prophets were Adam, Noah, Abraham, Muses, Jesus, Mohammed, and Is- mael hen Jafar. The fifth degree taught that | each of the seven mute prophets had twelve apostles for the extension of the true faith, the number twelve being the most excellent after seven. After these five degrees the precepts of Islamism were examined, and it was shown that all positive religious legislation must be subordinate to the general and philosophical. The dogmas of Plato, Aristotle, and Pythago- ras were adduced as proofs and laid down as axioms. In the seventh the student passed from philosophy to mysticism. In the eighth the pupil was perfectly enlightened as to the superfluity of all prophets and apostles, the non-existence of heaven and hell, the indiffer- ence of all actions, for which there is neither punishment nor reward either in this world or the next; and thus was he matured for the ninth and last degree, in which he became the blind instrument of his superior. This lodge was closed by the general of the caliph Amer Biakim-illah, but was soon reopened. One of the initiated dais was Hassan ben Sabah, who became the founder of the eastern branch of Ismaelians, the Assassins. Banished from Egypt, he went to Aleppo, Bagdad, and Persia, preaching his doctrine and making proselytes. Partly by stratagem and partly by force, he got possession of the almost impregnable castle of Alamut (eagle's nest) in the Persian province of Ghilan, strengthened it, and made it the seat of the central power of the Assassins. The basis of his political and religious system was : "Nothing is true, and everything is lawful." The knowledge of all the degrees was to be imparted only to a chosen few. The bulk of his followers were only initiated far enough to con- fuse their minds and leave them dependent up- on their leaders, and the observance of all the precepts of Islamism was most strictly enjoin- ed. At Alamut, and when their power was extended in other places also, the Assassins had splendid walled gardens with flower beds and fruit trees of every description, limpid streams, luxurious halls, and porcelain kiosks, adorned with Persian carpets and Grecian stuffs, drink- ing vessels of gold and silver and crystal, and charming maidens and handsome boys. A youth who was deemed worthy by his strength and resolution to he initiated, was invited to the table and conversation of the grand mas- ter; he was then intoxicated with hashish and carried into the garden, which on awakening he believed to be paradise. Sleeping again, he was carried back to the side of the master ; and when the effect of the drug had passed away he believed that he had actually had a fore- taste of the bliss of paradise, and henceforth blindly devoted himself to the will of .his mas- ter, eagerly seeking an opportunity to sacrifice himself in order to attain eternal life. Later, when -one of the grand masters allowed the en- joyment of every pleasure to all, the sect fre- quently intoxicated themselves with hashish, whence their name Hashashin, corrupted by the crusaders into Assassins, which, in view of their bloody deeds, came to signify men who practise secret murder in general. Jelal ed-Din Malek, sultan of the Seljuks, having sent an ambassador to the grand master to require his obedience and fealty, Hassan ben Sabah called into his presence
