Hassan i-Sabbah

From The Maze Where Realities Converge - the psychedelic encyclopedia of reality from The Ultimate Comment

Hassan i-Sabbah, 'The Old Man of the Mountain', was an Arab militant in the 11th century. He took over a mountain fortress called Alamut (The Eagle's Nest) in modern Iran by converting the staff to his way of thinking and getting them to smuggle him inside. He was in de facto control of the fortress before his plot was uncovered. From Alamut, he founded the Hashshashin or Cult of the Assassins.

The Assassins gained immense power throughout Asia by assassination and 'asymmetrical warfare'. If Hassan i-Sabbah didn't like the way you were doing things, one of the Assassins would be sent to infiltrate your inner circle and gain your trust over several years, often becoming bodyguards or advisors before making the kill. Sometimes they'd just leave a dagger on someone's pillow as they slept, which was usually enough to make them shape up. If caught, the Assassins were known for their loyalty to Hassan i-Sabbah, frequently being tortured to death without giving away any information.

Though all the warlords around then would have been strict Islamists, Hassan i-Sabbah renounced orthodox Islam and shari'a law for a system of nihilistic illuminism. The Assassins and Hassan i-Sabbah himself were mystics first and warriors second. All their temporal power was a result not of greed or ego, but of their devotion to The Way.

There's a story told about Hassan i-Sabbah talking to a visitor at Alamut. Hassan i-Sabbah drew his guest's attention to a follower of his standing guard on a cliff some distance away. He then motioned for the guard to come towards him and the guard, without hesitation, took a step in his direction off the cliff, falling to his death. This is recreated in Conan The Barbarian as an illustration of 'The Riddle of Steel': that steel is not strong; flesh alone is strong, because the sword is nothing without the arm that wields it. The first and only power is Will. Hassan i-Sabbah was a master of the riddle of steel.

In the valley of Alamut, Hassan i-Sabbah ordered his Assassins to construct a garden filled with wondrous flowers, strange, marvellous birds, unknown exotic fruits and delicate spiced meats. Young recruits would be drugged with hashish and wake to find themselves in this garden being pleasured by voluptuous and talented houris. They would believe afterwards that Hassan i-Sabbah had transported them for a few brief hours into Paradise, so they would serve him with no fear and total loyalty.

Hassan i-Sabbah is known not so much for any of the historical detail as for his alleged dying words:

This is quoted favourably by Friedrich Nietzsche in Thus Spoke Zarathustra. William Burroughs was a fan of Hassan i-Sabbah, who he called "the only spiritual leader with anything to say in the Space Age".

External links

http://www.disinfo.com/archive/pages/dossier/id985/pg1/index.html
William Burroughs reading his poem 'The Last Words of Hassan Sabbah' a polemic against the dishonour of the Powers That Be.