about Alamout in Ghazvin province
Those who favor ambitious excursions and unusual historical
episodes are recommended to go near the source of the Alamut
river on the southern foothills of the Alborz Mountains.
There, fortified eagles` nest recall unbelievable but authentic
adventures of the (Old Man of the Mountains) - Hasan Sabah, the
Grand Master (1040-1124) - and of his sect of (Assassins) or (Hashashins).
The historical fortresses are known as the Castle of the
Assassins, which were first introduced into European literature
by the
Returning Crusaders, and made famous this century in Dane
Freya Stark`s classical Valleys of the Assassins.
These were the heavily fortified lairs of the adherents of a
bizarre religious cult, based loosely on the precepts of the
Ismaili Sect. Hasan Sabah founded the Cult in the 11th century.
This heretical and widely feared Sect sent out killers
throughout the region to murder the leading political and
religious figures.
Its followers, the Hashishiyun, were so called because of their leader`s alleged cunning ruse of taking them into beautiful secret gardens (filled with equally enticing young maidens), getting them stoned on hashish and then sending them out on their homicidal assignments under the illusion of Hasan Sabah had the power to transport them to paradise
The cult at its height extended from Syria to Khorasan. Until
1256, when the Mongols captured its castles, the Assassins
spread fear throughout the region, although some scholars claim
that their reputation was exaggerated.
As one might expect. The outlaw mountain hideaways were designed
to be impregnable and inaccessible, and to this day it is still
extremely difficult to visit them; a complete tour of the castle
in this region would take about a week on horseback with a local
guide. Many of them are only accessible to experienced and
well-equipped mountaineers
...YES! IRAN IS BEAUTIFUL |