Rashid al-Din Sinan (Arabic: رشيد الدين سنانRashīd ad-Dīn Sinān; 1131/1135 – 1193) also known as the Old Man of the Mountain (Arabic: شيخ الجبلShaykh al-Jabal, Latin: Vetulus de Montanis),[1][2] was a da'i (missionary)[3] and leader of the Syrian branch of the Nizari Isma'ili state (the Assassin Order) from 1162 until his death in 1193. He was also a prominent figure in the history of the Crusades.[4]
Rashid ad-Din Sinan was born between the years 1131 and 1135 in Basra, southern Iraq, to a prosperous family.[5] According to his autobiography, of which only fragments survive, Rashid came to Alamut, the fortress headquarters of the Assassins, as a youth after an argument with his brothers,[5] and received the typical Assassin training. In 1162, the sect's leader Ḥassan ʿAlā Dhikrihi's Salām sent him to Syria, where he proclaimed Qiyamah (repeating the ceremony of Hassan II at Alamut), which in Nizari terminology meant the time of the Qa'im and the removal of Islamic law. Based at the Nizari strongholds al-Kahf and later Masyaf, he controlled the northern Syrian districts of Jabal as-Summaq, Maarrat Misrin and Sarmin.[6]
Rashid enjoyed considerable independence from the Nizari centre in Alamut and some writings attribute him with a semi-divine status usually given to the Nizari Ismaili Imam.
His chief enemy, the Sultan Saladin (1137/1138–1193), ruled over Egypt and Syria from 1174 to 1193. Saladin managed twice to elude assassination attempts ordered by Rashid and as he was marching against Aleppo, Saladin devastated the Nizari possessions. In 1176, Saladin laid siege to Masyaf but he lifted the siege after two notable events that reputedly transpired between him and the Old Man of the Mountain. According to one version, one night, Saladin's guards noticed a spark glowing down the hill of Masyaf and then vanishing among the Ayyubid tents. Saladin awoke from his sleep to find a figure leaving the tent. He saw that the lamps in his tent were displaced and beside his bed laid hot scones of the shape peculiar to the Assassins with a note at the top pinned by a poisoned dagger. The note threatened that he would be killed if he did not withdraw from his siege. Saladin gave a loud cry, exclaiming that Sinan himself was the figure that left the tent. As such, Saladin told his guards to come to an agreement with Sinan. Realizing he was unable to subdue the Assassins, he sought to align himself with them, consequently depriving the Crusaders of aligning themselves against him.
Sinan's last notable act occurred in 1191, when he ordered the successful assassination of the newly elected King of Jerusalem Conrad of Montferrat. Whether this happened in coordination with King Richard I of England, with Saladin, or with neither, remains unknown.
In 1193, Sinan wrote a letter to Leopold V, Duke of Austria at the request of Richard I, taking credit for the assassination order and subsequent death of Conrad of Monferrat, of which Richard was being accused.[7] However, this letter is believed by modern historians to be a forgery written after Sinan's death.[8]
He died in 1193 in al-Kahf Castle in Masyaf and was buried in Salamiyah.[9] He was succeeded by the Persian da'i Abu Mansur ibn Muhammad or Nasr al-'Ajami appointed from Alamut, which regained a closer supervision over the Syrian branch of the Assassin Order.[10]
In popular cultureedit
A fictionalized version of Rashid ad-Din Sinan (referred to as "Al Mualim", meaning The Mentor) appears as the main antagonist in Ubisoft's historical video game Assassin's Creed, voiced by Peter Renaday.[11] As the Mentor (leader) of the Assassin Order in the late 12th century, he is a prominent figure in the Third Crusade and wishes to defeat the Assassins' longtime enemies, the Knights Templar, who are taking advantage of the Crusade for their own ends. After one of the Assassins, Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad, fails to recover an artifact, the Apple of Eden, from the Templars due to being blinded by arrogance, Al Mualim strips him of his rank and orders him to assassinate nine prominent Templars across the Holy Land to regain his rank and redeem himself. However, Al Mualim's desire to obtain the Apple leads him to secretly betray the Assassins and ally with the Templars, whom he eventually betrays as well. After Altaïr discovers the truth about Al Mualim's betrayal and alliance with the Templars from his final target, he confronts his mentor and kills him to prevent him from using the Apple (which is actually a piece of advanced technology that predates humanity) to enslave the human race, which Al Mualim believed would permanently end all conflict. In the game, Al Mualim's death occurs in 1191 rather than 1193.
Al Mualim reappears in Assassin's Creed: Revelations during two of Altaïr's memory sequences, one of which showcases his more positive relationship with Altaïr prior to his betrayal, while the other deals with the fallout from his death and its impact on Altaïr's later life, who succeeded Al Mualim as Mentor of the Order.
Al Mualim also has a minor role in Assassin's Creed Rogue where the modern-day Templar Juhani Otso Berg lists him as one of several examples of Assassins throughout history who betrayed the Order because their goals and beliefs aligned more with those of the Templars.
^Letters from the East : Crusaders, Pilgrims and Settlers in the 12th-13th centuries. Barber, Malcolm., Bate, Keith. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. 2013. p. 92. ISBN978-1-4724-1395-6. OCLC 846946318.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
Runciman, Steven: A history of the Crusades Volume 2: The kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East pp. 410
Franzius, Enno (1969). History of the Order of Assassins. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. p. 261.
Hodgson, Marshall G. S. (1955). The Order of the Assassins: The Struggle of theEarly Nizari Isma'ilis against the Islamic World. The Hague, Netherlands: Mouton. p. 352. ISBN9780404170189.
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Rashid al Din Sinan Arabic رشيد الدين سنان Rashid ad Din Sinan 1131 1135 1193 also known as the Old Man of the Mountain Arabic شيخ الجبل Shaykh al Jabal Latin Vetulus de Montanis 1 2 was a da i missionary 3 and leader of the Syrian branch of the Nizari Isma ili state the Assassin Order from 1162 until his death in 1193 He was also a prominent figure in the history of the Crusades 4 Da iRashid ad Din Sinanرشيد الدين سنانEngraving of Rashid ad Din Sinan PersonalBornAbu al Hasan Sinan ibn Sulayman ibn Muhammad1131 or 1135Basra southern Iraq Seljuk EmpireDied1193 age 58 or 61 Al Kahf Castle SyriaResting placeSalamiyah SyriaReligionNizari Ismaili Shia IslamNationalityNizari Ismaili stateEducationPersiaMadrasa of Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Ali AlamutKnown forLeader of the Syrian Nizari Ismailis figure in the Third CrusadeOther namesOld Man of the MountainMilitary serviceRankDa i of Basra District 1160 1163 Chief Da i of Syria since 1163 Senior postingPredecessorAbu MuhammadSuccessorAbu Mansur ibn Muhammad or Nasr al Ajami Contents 1 Biography 2 In popular culture 3 References 4 BibliographyBiography editRashid ad Din Sinan was born between the years 1131 and 1135 in Basra southern Iraq to a prosperous family 5 According to his autobiography of which only fragments survive Rashid came to Alamut the fortress headquarters of the Assassins as a youth after an argument with his brothers 5 and received the typical Assassin training In 1162 the sect s leader Ḥassan ʿAla Dhikrihi s Salam sent him to Syria where he proclaimed Qiyamah repeating the ceremony of Hassan II at Alamut which in Nizari terminology meant the time of the Qa im and the removal of Islamic law Based at the Nizari strongholds al Kahf and later Masyaf he controlled the northern Syrian districts of Jabal as Summaq Maarrat Misrin and Sarmin 6 Rashid enjoyed considerable independence from the Nizari centre in Alamut and some writings attribute him with a semi divine status usually given to the Nizari Ismaili Imam His chief enemy the Sultan Saladin 1137 1138 1193 ruled over Egypt and Syria from 1174 to 1193 Saladin managed twice to elude assassination attempts ordered by Rashid and as he was marching against Aleppo Saladin devastated the Nizari possessions In 1176 Saladin laid siege to Masyaf but he lifted the siege after two notable events that reputedly transpired between him and the Old Man of the Mountain According to one version one night Saladin s guards noticed a spark glowing down the hill of Masyaf and then vanishing among the Ayyubid tents Saladin awoke from his sleep to find a figure leaving the tent He saw that the lamps in his tent were displaced and beside his bed laid hot scones of the shape peculiar to the Assassins with a note at the top pinned by a poisoned dagger The note threatened that he would be killed if he did not withdraw from his siege Saladin gave a loud cry exclaiming that Sinan himself was the figure that left the tent As such Saladin told his guards to come to an agreement with Sinan Realizing he was unable to subdue the Assassins he sought to align himself with them consequently depriving the Crusaders of aligning themselves against him Sinan s last notable act occurred in 1191 when he ordered the successful assassination of the newly elected King of Jerusalem Conrad of Montferrat Whether this happened in coordination with King Richard I of England with Saladin or with neither remains unknown In 1193 Sinan wrote a letter to Leopold V Duke of Austria at the request of Richard I taking credit for the assassination order and subsequent death of Conrad of Monferrat of which Richard was being accused 7 However this letter is believed by modern historians to be a forgery written after Sinan s death 8 He died in 1193 in al Kahf Castle in Masyaf and was buried in Salamiyah 9 He was succeeded by the Persian da i Abu Mansur ibn Muhammad or Nasr al Ajami appointed from Alamut which regained a closer supervision over the Syrian branch of the Assassin Order 10 In popular culture editA fictionalized version of Rashid ad Din Sinan referred to as Al Mualim meaning The Mentor appears as the main antagonist in Ubisoft s historical video game Assassin s Creed voiced by Peter Renaday 11 As the Mentor leader of the Assassin Order in the late 12th century he is a prominent figure in the Third Crusade and wishes to defeat the Assassins longtime enemies the Knights Templar who are taking advantage of the Crusade for their own ends After one of the Assassins Altair Ibn LaʼAhad fails to recover an artifact the Apple of Eden from the Templars due to being blinded by arrogance Al Mualim strips him of his rank and orders him to assassinate nine prominent Templars across the Holy Land to regain his rank and redeem himself However Al Mualim s desire to obtain the Apple leads him to secretly betray the Assassins and ally with the Templars whom he eventually betrays as well After Altair discovers the truth about Al Mualim s betrayal and alliance with the Templars from his final target he confronts his mentor and kills him to prevent him from using the Apple which is actually a piece of advanced technology that predates humanity to enslave the human race which Al Mualim believed would permanently end all conflict In the game Al Mualim s death occurs in 1191 rather than 1193 Al Mualim reappears in Assassin s Creed Revelations during two of Altair s memory sequences one of which showcases his more positive relationship with Altair prior to his betrayal while the other deals with the fallout from his death and its impact on Altair s later life who succeeded Al Mualim as Mentor of the Order Al Mualim also has a minor role in Assassin s Creed Rogue where the modern day Templar Juhani Otso Berg lists him as one of several examples of Assassins throughout history who betrayed the Order because their goals and beliefs aligned more with those of the Templars References edit Mentioned in Latin sources from the Crusader states Mirza Dr Naseeh Ahmed Alamut Bastion of Peace and Information Alamut Melbourne Australia Retrieved February 8 2018 Rashid al Din Sinan Oxford Reference 2003 Retrieved February 8 2018 Reston 2001 p 16 a b Wasserman 2001 p 119 راشد الدین سنان پیشوای بزرگ اسماعیلیان شام در عصر صلیبی www hawzah net Retrieved 2017 08 20 Reston 2001 p 372 Letters from the East Crusaders Pilgrims and Settlers in the 12th 13th centuries Barber Malcolm Bate Keith Farnham Surrey Ashgate 2013 p 92 ISBN 978 1 4724 1395 6 OCLC 846946318 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Willey Peter November 25 2005 Eagle s Nest Ismaili Castles in Iran and Syria Institute of Ismaili Studies I B Tauris p 234 ISBN 978 1 85043 464 1 Daftary Farhad 2007 The Isma ilis Their History and Doctrines Cambridge University Press p 389 ISBN 9781139465786 Nichols Derek September 27 2013 History Behind the Game Assassin s Creed Characters VentureBeat Retrieved February 8 2018 Bibliography editDaftary Farhad 2014 RASED AL DIN SENAN Encyclopaedia Iranica Halm Heinz Die Schia Darmstadt 1988 pp 228f Runciman Steven A history of the Crusades Volume 2 The kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East pp 410 Franzius Enno 1969 History of the Order of Assassins New York Funk amp Wagnalls p 261 Hodgson Marshall G S 1955 The Order of the Assassins The Struggle of theEarly Nizari Isma ilis against the Islamic World The Hague Netherlands Mouton p 352 ISBN 9780404170189 Lewis Bernard 1968 The Assassins A Radical Sect in Islam New York Basic Books p 166 ISBN 9780465004980 OCLC 1740057 Mirza Nasseh Ahmed 1997 Syrian Ismailism The Ever Living Line of theImamite AD 1100 1260 Richmond UK Curzon Reston James Jr 2001 Warriors of God Richard the Lionheart and Saladin in the Third Crusade New York Doubleday ISBN 9780385495615 Wasserman James April 1 2001 The Templars and the Assassins The Militia of Heaven Simon and Schuster p 320 ISBN 9781594778735 Rashid al Din Sinan www alamut com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rashid ad Din Sinan amp oldid 1170473836, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
