Masyaf Castle in Syria: One of the main

strongholds of the infamous Hashshashins

March 12, 2018 Bojan Ivanov

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Masyaf Castle was one of the many strongholds of the legendary

Hashshashins (Assassins). During the medieval period the warriors of this
Islamic sect, officially known as the Nizari Ismailis, brought fear on three
continents. Many rulers were frightened just at the mention of their name and
they tried to avoid conflicts with them at any cost.

Throughout the centuries many stories and legends were made about
the Hashshashins and their fanaticism, in which the unconventional methods
that they used during their cruel actions are described. Although there are
many exaggerations in the stories, like that they were phantoms, immortal or
invisible, there are also many facts that confirm their abilities.

However these warriors weren’t supernatural beings–only humans who were

trained killers with advanced skills and tactics for infiltrating, sabotage, and
spreading mass hysteria.
 View of Masyaf Castle

The sect was established at the end of the 11th century in Persia by Hassan-i
Sabbah. He was a follower of the esoteric principles and religious teachings of
Isma’ilism, a branch of Shia Islam.

The followers of this sect were persecuted by the rulers of the Seljuk Empire,
who were Sunni Muslims. After being thrown out from the Persian court, he
successfully escaped from the Sunni Seljuk oppression by hiding in the
isolated mountain region of Northern and Eastern Persia (now Iran), which
was predominately inhabited by Ismaili Shia, where he formed the
Hashshashin group.
The medieval fortification is partly ruined/ Author: Amjad helo – CC BY-SA 3.0

Armed with wisdom and hypnotic leadership, Hassan-i Sabbah convinced

many locals to start a silent rebellion against the Seljuk Empire. Very soon
they became a real threat for the empire. His successors continued his work
and the Hashshashins became a serious regional power.

Their strategy and tactics were plain and simple: to capture as many mountain
fortresses as possible by using minimum force and with minimum losses. In
some way it was a subtle and psychological warfare. They didn’t enter often in
open battles, instead they killed their enemies through ingenious
assassinations.
 A secret tunnel was used as escape passage/ Author: Mewes – CC BY-SA
3.0

Masyaf Castle, which looks more like a fortress, was the Hashshashin’s main
headquarters in Syria. According to archaeological discoveries and historical
documents, the fortification was erected during the Byzantine Empire.

The site had been considered strategically important since the Seleucid and
Roman periods because it provided a great panoramic view over the village of
Masyaf and the surrounding area, and thus was perfect for controlling the
important trade routes that crossed through the region. The Crusaders
captured the fortress in 1103, but they couldn’t maintain it logistically because
it was too far away from their main coastal fortress.
 One of the towers

The Hashshashins first took control over Masyaf Castle in 1141. The castle
became their significant center, especially while under the rule of Rashid al-
Din Sinan (the Old Man of the Mountains) who was a trained Hashshashin
warrior and leader of the Syrian branch of the sect. In Syria they also
controlled another 8 fortresses. Masyaf functioned as capital of the Nizari
Ismaili state from the middle of the 12th century (when the castle was
reconstructed) until the late 13th century.
 A gate to Masyaf Castle

Despite the fact that the Hashshashins didn’t have their own army, they shook
the ground of much bigger powers and hit the dominion of larger kingdoms in
the Middle East by their successful assassinations and attacks on important
leaders. Many neighboring rulers felt the danger from the rising power of the
sect on their own skin, like the King of Jerusalem, Conrad of Montferrat, who
was killed by two Hashshashin in 1192. As might be expected, Masyaf
became a prime target for the courageous rulers who tried to confront and
defeat the Hashshashins. One of them was Saladin (Salah al-Din), the
founder of the Ayyubid dynasty and the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, who
attacked the castle in order to kill Sinan.
 An entry with inscriptions

But his attempt to capture the castle in 1176 failed. According the story, while
he was sleeping beneath the walls of Masyaf, an Hashshashin agent silently
entered his tent, leaving a poisoned piece of cake or bread with a poisoned
knife and warning note. The threat worked–the great Saladin was so scared,
he packed up his camp, withdrew the army and immediately made peace with
Sinan and the Hashshashins. But they weren’t invincible. In 1260 Masyaf and
three other Hashshashin strongholds fell during the Mongol invasion. The
Mongols were only present in the area for a short while because they were
expelled by the Mameluke forces (with the help of the Hashshashins) at the
battle of ‘Ayn Jalut a few months later. The Hashshashins returned to the
castle and held it for the next ten years. In 1270, Sultan Baybars and his
Mameluke army took control over the stronghold.
 The castle served to protect the trade routes

Now the partly ruined castle is an historical monument. Detailed

archaeological excavations and a huge conservation project were started 18
years ago. Some parts of the castle were preserved and restored in order to
be saved from crumbling and to be protected for future generations. Among
the discoveries made during the excavations is a secret tunnel that probably
served as an escape passage, and a system of channels and cisterns (placed
in the lowest part of the castle), that were used for collecting rain water. A
bathhouse, and various coins and ceramics have also been uncovered. All of
the discoveries suggest that the fortification was designed to cope with
prolonged periods of siege by enemy forces.
 A view of the castle from distance

The castle is an inseparable part of the old district of the town of Masyaf. It is
and one of the best preserved fortresses in Syria and probably one of the
town’s main attractions. The town of Masyaf is located in the coastal mountain
range (an-Nusayriyah Mountains) of western Syria, approximately 28 miles
west of the city of Hama.