Alamut
Alamut was a mountain fortress located in the South Caspian province of Daylam near the Rudbar region in Iran controlled by the Levantine Assassins between the 11th and 13th centuries. The fortress was destroyed in 1256 by the Mongol Empire, after which the region was abandoned. The fortress of Alamut was, unbeknownst to the Assassins, on the site of a small First Civilization temple, which contained dozens of Memory Seals.[1]
History
The origins of the Alamut fortress can be traced back to the Justanid ruler, Vahsudan, who, during a hunting trip, saw a flying eagle perch down high on a rock. Realizing the tactical advantage of the area, he chose the site for the construction of a fortress, which was called "Aluh āmū[kh]t" meaning "Eagle's Nest". Alamut remained under Justanid control until the arrival of the Assassin Leader, Mentor, and Grandmaster, Hassan-i Sabbāh to the castle in 1090 AD.
The occupied peoples of Persia shared resentment for the ruling Seljuks, who had split the country’s farmland and levied heavy taxes upon the citizens living there. Meanwhile, Persian working and lower classes grew increasingly dissatisfied with the Seljuk laws and heavy taxes. Hassan-i Sabbāh was outraged by the political and economic oppression imposed by the Seljuk ruling class on citizens living across Persia. Hassan-i Sabbāh embarked on a resistance movement against the Seljuks, beginning with the search for a secure site from which to attempt to make the people realize that they were not alone in their fight against oppression, and to make them stand up for themselves.
Under the leadership of Hassan-i Sabbāh, Alamut became the site of intense activity for the Assassins. During the medieval period, the castle functioned as the major stronghold for the Order.
By 1227, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, his son Darim, his former daughter-in-law, and his grandchildren sought refuge in Alamut, after Abbas Sofian staged a coup to take over the Assassin Order. Altaïr remained in the fortress for about two decades, during which time he made several discoveries, in addition to creating a number of inventions through the knowledge he gained from the Apple of Eden.[2]
Altaïr also discovered the remains of the First Civilization temple,[1] and took six Memory Seals with him, later using five of them as keys necessary to open his library underneath the fortress of Masyaf.[3]
In 1256, Assassin control of the fortress was lost to the invading Mongol Empire, and its famous library was destroyed by fire, on the order of Ata-Malik Juwayni, a servant of the Mongol court. Ata-Malik Juwayni hated the Levantine Assassins, and thought of them as heretics and sinners.
In the 18th century, the fortress' ruins were visited by the Assassin Edward Kenway, in his search for First Civilization sites.[4]
Trivia
- "Alamut" is a Persian word meaning "Eagle's Nest".