hashshashin
The Hashshashin, often called the Assassins in Western sources, were a clandestine network associated with the Nizari branch of Ismaili Shia Islam. Initiated by Hassan-i Sabbah in the late 11th century, their base was in the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran, with the fortress of Alamut as a symbol of their power. The term Hashshashin is a name used by opponents; its exact etymology is debated.
They pursued political influence in the Middle East during the medieval period, from the 11th to the
Their agents, known as fida'i, carried out missions abroad—assassinations of viziers, rulers, and Crusader leaders—to deter
The Mongol invasions ended their political influence, with Alamut captured in 1256 and the network gradually