http://www.enterprisemission.com/tower2.htm
The original source for the main link.
It's amazing that such a cult retains the title of a "religion".
..."..a quasi-religious sect of murderous “defenders of Islam”...
Bush described them correctly shortly after 9/11----Islam behaves in the same way as the Mafia behaves.
The Mafia hides behind a 'religion" also--Roman Catholicism.
But the MONGOLS destroyed them and their impregnable castle.
Don't buy this so-called history. Their modern-day descendants are the Ismailis---google that and find facts more interesting than the tall tales of the hashishim.
The Assassins are an offshoot of Shia.Their name comes from the arabic word for Hashish, one of the drugs they used to make the help pliable. They still exist (without the murders). Their leader is the Aga Khan (one was Rita Hayworth's husband).
The Assassins lived in a series of mountain fortresses in Northern Iran, with the Order's Grand Master (the "Old Man of the Mountain") headquartered at Alamut.
The Assassins were the second group of political terrorists (and suicide knifers) in Middle Eastern history (the first were the Jewish Zealots), and they succeeded in murdering Crusaders and fellow Moslems for a considerable period of time. Then, as now with Al Quaeda, their fellow Moslems were unable, or unwilling, to bring them to heel.
Their downfall was the result (allegedly) of a botched "hit" on Mongke, Kha Khan, Chinnghis' grandson and successor. Since the Assassins had sworn fealty after the fall of Khwaresm, this was something the Mongols would not tolerate.
Mongke sent his brother Hulegu (his other brother was Kubilai)to set things straight. After a siege at Alamut, Mongke took the place and captured the "Old Man", who was young. He then took him to the rest of the Assassin fortresses, where the Grand Master ordered surrender. After that, he was sent to Karakorum and executed. Hulegu rode south, and wiped out the Abbasid Caliphate, sacked Bagdhad, and established the Il-Khanate of Persia
Suggested Reading: "The Assassins: A Radical Sect in Islam" by Bernard Lewis
Assassin comes from the word "Hashish".
(I'm sure all the smart Freepers reading this post know that little bit of trivia already.)
Good article, I bookmarked it for later reading.