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{{Era|TSC|ACR}}
{{Era|Timeline}}{{WP-REAL|Mongol campaign against the Nizaris}}
{{WPtimeline}}
{{Battle Infobox
|prev = [[Medieval Inquisition]]
|next = [[Siege of Diaoyu Castle]]
|image = The torch 5.png
|conflict = [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]]-[[Assassins|Assassin]] conflict
|date = 1257
|place = [[Masyaf]], [[Syria]]
|result = *Fall and dispersal of the [[Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins|Levantine Brotherhood]]
*Death of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]
|side1 = Assassins
|side2 = Mongols
|commanders1 = Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
|commanders2 = [[Hülegü Khan]]
|forces1 = *Unknown numbers of Assassins
|forces2 = *Unknown numbers of Mongolian soldiers
|casual1 = *Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (outside of battle)
*Unknown number of Assassins
|casual2 = *Unknown
|civilian = Unknown
}}
The '''fall of Masyaf''' was an event during the mid-13th century in which [[Genghis Khan]]'s grandson [[Hülegü Khan]] led an assault on the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[fort]]ress of [[Masyaf]] in an attempt to annihilate the Order for their part in his [[Assassination of Genghis Khan|grandfather's death]] in 1227.


{{Battle
The attack caused the ultimate disbandment of the Assassins residing in Masyaf, which was completely deserted before the [[Mongol Empire|Mongols]] could claim their victory. Prior to the siege, the majority of the Assassin strongholds east of the [[Levant]] had already been destroyed.
|prev=[[Decline of the Assassin Order]]
|next=The dispersal of Syrian Assassins
|image=[[File:The torch 5.png|300px]]
|conflict= [[Mongols|Mongol]]-[[Assassins|Assassin]] conflict
|name=Fall of Masyaf
|date= 1257
|place= [[Masyaf]], [[Syria]]
|result=*The fall of the Assassins in Masyaf
*Dispersal of Assassins
*Death of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (not directly related to the battle)
|side1= [[Assassins]]
|side2= [[Mongols]]
|commanders1= *[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]
|commanders2= *[[Hülegü Khan]]
|forces1=Unspecified numbers of:
*Assassins.
|forces2=*Unknown numbers of Mongolian soldiers.
|casual1=*Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (outside of battle)
Unknown number of Assassins
|casual2=*Unknown number of Mongolians.
|civilian=Unknown numbers}}
The''' fall of Masyaf '''was an event during the late 13th century where the grandson of [[Genghis Khan]], [[Hülegü Khan]], led an assault on the fortress of [[Masyaf]] in an attempt to annihilate the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] for their part in his grandfather's death in 1227.


The event caused the ultimate disbandment of the Assassins from Masyaf, which was completely deserted before the Mongols could claim their victory. Alongside Masyaf, most of the Assassins' fortresses in the Levant were already destroyed by the Mongols in 1256.
==Cause==
==Cause==
To stop the major threat of the [[Mongols]], who were unstoppably moving from East towards West, [[Altaïr]], [[Maria Ibn-La'Ahad|Maria]], [[Darim Ibn-La'Ahad|Darim]] and [[Qulan Gal]] headed to the Xia province in Mongolia, visiting a camp set up by Mongolians, in which Genghis Khan supposedly was. There, Altaïr and his son, together with Qulan, sneaked into the camp and accidentally raised the alarm for Genghis Khan, who then fled on [[Horse|horseback]]. A few moments later, Khan was hit by an arrow from Qulan's crossbow, and was then finished by Darim.
{{Quote|A dark tide rises to the east – an army of such size and power that all the land is made quick to worry. Their leader is a man named Temujin, who has adopted the title Genghis Khan. He sweeps across the lands, conquering and subsuming all who stand in his way.|Altaïr's Codex, page 29.|Assassin's Creed II}}
To stop the major threat of the Mongols, who were making an unstoppable march from the East, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], his wife [[Maria Thorpe|Maria]], and son [[Darim Ibn-La'Ahad|Darim]] travelled to [[Western Xia]] to assassinate the Mongol leader, Genghis Khan. With the aid of the [[Mongolian Brotherhood of Assassins|Mongolian Assassins]] [[Qulan Gal]] and [[Nergüi]], they successfully drove the Khan out of his camp, allowing Darim and Qulan to kill him. However, the Assassins were forced to escape before they could recover the Khan's [[Sword of Eden 2|Sword of Eden]], which was reclaimed by the vengeful Mongols.<ref name="Memories">''[[Assassin's Creed: Memories]]''</ref><ref name="Reflections">''[[Assassin's Creed: Reflections]]'' – [[Assassin's Creed: Reflections 2|Issue #02]]</ref><ref name="Secret Crusade">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''</ref>
 
==Disbandment==
==Disbandment==
===Attack===
===Attack===
{{quote|The main force is not far away. In the meantime the skirmishing party seems to want to make a name for itself and has been launching small but fierce attacks.|Niccolò Polo on the Mongol attack in his journal, [[The Secret Crusade]].|Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade}}During 1257, the Mongol army travelled across the Levant, destroying all the Assassin fortresses situated there. As the army travelled towards Masyaf, the [[Mentor]] of the [[Levantine Assassins]], Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, was interviewed by [[Niccolò Polo]] and his brother [[Maffeo Polo]] in order to document the stories of his life and the Order. Eventually in August of 1257, the Mongols neared Masyaf and sent a small skirmishing party to attack the Assassins, with the main force not far away.
{{Quote|The main force is not far away. In the meantime the skirmishing party seems to want to make a name for itself and has been launching small but fierce attacks.|Niccolò Polo on the Mongol attack in his journal, ''The Secret Crusade''.|Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade}}
In 1257, the Mongol army marched across the Levant, destroying all Assassin fortresses situated there. As the army progressed towards Masyaf, Altaïr, the [[Mentor]] of the [[Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins|Levantine Assassins]], was interviewed by [[Niccolò Polo]] and his brother [[Maffeo Polo]] in order to document the stories of his life and the Order. Eventually, in August of 1257, the Mongols neared Masyaf and sent a small skirmishing party to attack the Assassins, with the main force not far away.<ref name="Secret Crusade" />
 
Though most of the Assassins left the fortress to increase their numbers throughout the [[Earth|world]], enough remained to hold off the Mongols temporarily. During the assault, the Mongols attacked the walls of the village and fought on the ramparts, before being forced to retreat. During the battle, Altaïr had the two Polo brothers meet him in the main courtyard of the fortress. Once there, Altaïr passed on his life's work to the Polos; his [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's Codex|Codex]].<ref name="Secret Crusade" /><ref name="ACR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>


Though most of the Assassins left the fortress to increase their numbers throughout the world, enough remained to hold off the Mongolians temporarily. During the assault the Mongols attacked the walls of village and fought on the ramparts before retreating. During the battle Altaïr had the two Polo brothers meet him in the main courtyard of the fortress. Once there Altaïr passed on his life's work to the Polos; his [[Codex]].
Altaïr then escorted the two brothers out of Masyaf, using the [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]] to fend off the Mongols before giving the Polos his [[Memory Seals]], which also acted as the [[Masyaf Key|keys]] to his underground [[Library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|library]], instructing them to hide each of them if necessary. As the Polo brothers left Masyaf, Altaïr led the remaining Assassins to fight the Mongols.<ref name="Secret Crusade" /><ref name="ACR" />


Altaïr then escorted brothers out of Masyaf using his[[Second Apple|&nbsp;Apple of Eden]] to fend off the Mongols before giving the Polos his [[Memory Seals]], which acted as the [[Masyaf Keys|keys]] to his library. He instructing them to hide each of them if necessary. As the Polo brothers escaped Masyaf, Altaïr led the remaining Assassins to fight the Mongolians.
===The library===
===The library===
[[File:Lost_legacy_3.png|thumb|left|250px|Altaïr seals away the Apple.]]With the Polo brothers able to escape successfully, Altaïr had the remaining Assassins and villagers of Masyaf evacuated, before the main Mongol army arrived to destroy the citadel. However, Altaïr stayed behind in Masyaf, intending to seal himself inside the [[Altaïr's library|library]]. Before entering his library Altaïr told his son to leave before the Mongols return and the library must stay hidden. After hugging his son and bidding him goodbye, Altaïr then entered his library and sealed away Apple of Eden.
[[File:Lost legacy 3.png|thumb|left|250px|Altaïr sealing away the Apple]]
With the Polo brothers able to escape successfully, Altaïr had the remaining Assassins and villagers of Masyaf evacuated, before the main Mongol army arrived to destroy the citadel. However, Altaïr stayed behind in Masyaf, intending to seal himself inside the library.<ref name="ACR" />


Altaïr subsequently imprinted this final memory on his sixth and last [[Memory Seals]] before finally passing away at age 92.
Before entering it, Altaïr told Darim that the library must stay hidden at all costs, and that he should leave before the Mongols returned. After embracing his son and bidding him farewell, Altaïr entered his library and sealed away the Apple. He imprinted this final memory on his sixth and last Seal, before finally passing away at the age of 92.<ref name="ACR" />


==Aftermath==
==Aftermath==
===Masyaf===
===Masyaf===
After the Mongolian attack, Masyaf was completely abadoned by the Assassins. Now the Assassins were spread across world in [[Assassin Guilds|Guilds]], operating among the people.
After the Mongol attack, Masyaf was completely abandoned by the Assassins. Instead, the Assassins began to operate universally, from a series of [[Assassins Guild|Guilds]] based across the known world.<ref name="Secret Crusade" />
 
===Polo brothers===
===Polo brothers===
Having fled from Masyaf, the Polos were on their way back to [[Italy]], stopping by Constantinople to first complete their task. Two days on their way to the city, a Mongol attacking party had stolen the Codex from the Polo brothers, leaving them only with the keys.
Having fled from Masyaf, the Polos made their way back to [[Italy]], first stopping in [[Constantinople]] to accomplish their task in concealing the Memory Seals. Two days into their journey, a Mongol attacking party stole the Codex from the Polo brothers, leaving them with only the Seals.<ref name="Secret Crusade" />
 
Guided by their knowledge and the importance of their task, Maffeo and Niccolò Polo finally arrived in Constantinople, hiding the Seals throughout the city to guarantee their secrecy. The two brothers also set up a trading post somewhere northwest of [[Hagia Sophia]] and an [[Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassin Guild]], ending their journal on the day they hid away the final Seal.<ref name="Secret Crusade" /><ref name="ACR" />


Guided by their knowledge and the importance of their task, Maffeo and Niccolò Polo arrived in Constantinople, hiding the Seals throughout the city as to make sure of their secrecy. The two brothers had also set up a trading post, somewhere northwest of [[Hagia Sophia]], and an [[Assassins Guild (Constantinople)|Assassins Guild]], writing the end of their journal on the day they locked away the last key.
===Mongolia===
After Hülegü Khan had effectively destroyed the Levantine Assassins, he continued his campaign throughout the [[Middle East]] for two more years. However, he was eventually hunted down and assassinated by the Mongolian Assassin Nergüi in 1265, in retribution for Masyaf's abandonment and the torture he had received at the hands of the Khan's army while he had been an [[Assassin apprentice|apprentice]].<ref name="Memories" /><ref name="Reflections" />


==Source==
==Appearances==
*''[[Secret_Crusade|Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''
{{Incomplete list}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' novel]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Memories]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Reflections]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]'' {{Imo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun]]'' {{Imo}}
*''[[Echoes of History]]'' {{Imo}}


==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACR}}
{{Timeline}}
{{Timeline}}
[[Category:Timeline]]
[[Category:Timeline]]
[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]
[[Category:Assassin purges]]
<!--[fr:Troisième siège de Masyaf]-->

Latest revision as of 02:58, 12 May 2026

The fall of Masyaf was an event during the mid-13th century in which Genghis Khan's grandson Hülegü Khan led an assault on the Assassin fortress of Masyaf in an attempt to annihilate the Order for their part in his grandfather's death in 1227.

The attack caused the ultimate disbandment of the Assassins residing in Masyaf, which was completely deserted before the Mongols could claim their victory. Prior to the siege, the majority of the Assassin strongholds east of the Levant had already been destroyed.

Cause[edit | edit source]

"A dark tide rises to the east – an army of such size and power that all the land is made quick to worry. Their leader is a man named Temujin, who has adopted the title Genghis Khan. He sweeps across the lands, conquering and subsuming all who stand in his way."
―Altaïr's Codex, page 29.[src]

To stop the major threat of the Mongols, who were making an unstoppable march from the East, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, his wife Maria, and son Darim travelled to Western Xia to assassinate the Mongol leader, Genghis Khan. With the aid of the Mongolian Assassins Qulan Gal and Nergüi, they successfully drove the Khan out of his camp, allowing Darim and Qulan to kill him. However, the Assassins were forced to escape before they could recover the Khan's Sword of Eden, which was reclaimed by the vengeful Mongols.[1][2][3]

Disbandment[edit | edit source]

Attack[edit | edit source]

"The main force is not far away. In the meantime the skirmishing party seems to want to make a name for itself and has been launching small but fierce attacks."
―Niccolò Polo on the Mongol attack in his journal, The Secret Crusade.[src]

In 1257, the Mongol army marched across the Levant, destroying all Assassin fortresses situated there. As the army progressed towards Masyaf, Altaïr, the Mentor of the Levantine Assassins, was interviewed by Niccolò Polo and his brother Maffeo Polo in order to document the stories of his life and the Order. Eventually, in August of 1257, the Mongols neared Masyaf and sent a small skirmishing party to attack the Assassins, with the main force not far away.[3]

Though most of the Assassins left the fortress to increase their numbers throughout the world, enough remained to hold off the Mongols temporarily. During the assault, the Mongols attacked the walls of the village and fought on the ramparts, before being forced to retreat. During the battle, Altaïr had the two Polo brothers meet him in the main courtyard of the fortress. Once there, Altaïr passed on his life's work to the Polos; his Codex.[3][4]

Altaïr then escorted the two brothers out of Masyaf, using the Apple of Eden to fend off the Mongols before giving the Polos his Memory Seals, which also acted as the keys to his underground library, instructing them to hide each of them if necessary. As the Polo brothers left Masyaf, Altaïr led the remaining Assassins to fight the Mongols.[3][4]

The library[edit | edit source]

Altaïr sealing away the Apple

With the Polo brothers able to escape successfully, Altaïr had the remaining Assassins and villagers of Masyaf evacuated, before the main Mongol army arrived to destroy the citadel. However, Altaïr stayed behind in Masyaf, intending to seal himself inside the library.[4]

Before entering it, Altaïr told Darim that the library must stay hidden at all costs, and that he should leave before the Mongols returned. After embracing his son and bidding him farewell, Altaïr entered his library and sealed away the Apple. He imprinted this final memory on his sixth and last Seal, before finally passing away at the age of 92.[4]

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

Masyaf[edit | edit source]

After the Mongol attack, Masyaf was completely abandoned by the Assassins. Instead, the Assassins began to operate universally, from a series of Guilds based across the known world.[3]

Polo brothers[edit | edit source]

Having fled from Masyaf, the Polos made their way back to Italy, first stopping in Constantinople to accomplish their task in concealing the Memory Seals. Two days into their journey, a Mongol attacking party stole the Codex from the Polo brothers, leaving them with only the Seals.[3]

Guided by their knowledge and the importance of their task, Maffeo and Niccolò Polo finally arrived in Constantinople, hiding the Seals throughout the city to guarantee their secrecy. The two brothers also set up a trading post somewhere northwest of Hagia Sophia and an Assassin Guild, ending their journal on the day they hid away the final Seal.[3][4]

Mongolia[edit | edit source]

After Hülegü Khan had effectively destroyed the Levantine Assassins, he continued his campaign throughout the Middle East for two more years. However, he was eventually hunted down and assassinated by the Mongolian Assassin Nergüi in 1265, in retribution for Masyaf's abandonment and the torture he had received at the hands of the Khan's army while he had been an apprentice.[1][2]

Appearances[edit | edit source]

This list is incomplete. You can help the Assassin's Creed Wiki by expanding it.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Assassin's Creed: Memories
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed: Reflections – Issue #02
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Assassin's Creed: Revelations

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