Misplaced Pages

#498501

21-632: The fortress was surrendered by Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah , who was residing there, to the invading Mongols under Hulagu Khan and was subsequently demolished. This was followed by surrender of Alamut and almost all other strongholds and the disestablishment of the Nizari state. The date of the (beginning of the) construction by the Nizari Ismailis is variously given as 1097 (per Jami' al-tawarikh ), 1103 (per Zubdat al-Tawarikh ), and during

42-737: A daii. However, at one place he writes (p. 663), "And today, the leader (Ruknuddin Khurshah) of the heretics (the misnomer used for the Ismailis) of Alamut traces his descent from this son (of Nizar)." At the very least, we can ascertain that the Nizari imams claimed descent from him. His father, Imam ‘Alā’ ad-Dīn Muḥammad had taken due care of rudiments of his formal education at home under personal care. When he grew young, his father designated him his deputy to investigate few cases of disorders in some castles, with an instruction to obey his orders as his own. In 653/1255, before his father's death, he

63-617: A dialect of the Tati language . However, other sources claim that the majority of people in Alamut are Mazanderani or Gilaks who speak a dialect of the Mazanderani language or Gilaki language . According to some linguists, the term ‘Tati’ was used by Turkic speakers to refer to non-turkic speakers. This could explain why some sources claim the people of Alamut are Tats, while others claim they are Mazanderanies or Gilaks. Likely,

84-798: A means of delaying his seizure of the castles and on 8 November 1256 the Mongol troops quickly encircled the Maymundiz fortress and residence of the Imam. After four days of preliminary bombardment with significant casualties for both sides, the Mongols assembled their mangonels around the castle in preparation for a direct siege. There was still no snow on the ground and the attacks proceeded, forcing Rukn al-Din to declare his surrender in exchange for his and his family's safe passage. After another bombardment, Rukn al-Din descended from Maymundiz on 19 November. In

105-663: Is located. In 1090 CE, Hassan-i Sabbah , the Arab founder and leader of the Assassins , a sect of Nizari Ismailis in Iran, chose the Alamut region as his headquarters to campaign, preach and convert new followers. This proved to be a turning point for the destiny of Alamut Valley. The result of over two centuries of Ismailite stronghold, the region witnessed numerous castles throughout, of which at least 20 "castles" dating back to this era have been identified. The most magnificent castle in

126-524: Is reported to have visited Syria with a letter of his father. Strict protection had been given to Rukn, and wherever he went, a small unit of armed men accompanied him as security guards. It is related that he stayed more than a year in the castles of Rudbar and Kohistan for making fresh administrative fabric, and thus the enemies of the Ismailis smacked of exaggerations that his relation had been deteriorated with his father. Three days later, having assumed

147-605: The Alamut Valley is the Alamut Castle , which is built on top of a high rock reaching 2163 m above sea level near the Gazor Khan Village . The rock is 200 m high and covers an area of 20 hectares (49 acres); with its steep slope and deep and dangerous ravine, the rock is practically inaccessible and forms a part of the fort’s structure. Currently, only ruins of the fort and some towers are apparent, and it

168-568: The Imamate of Ala al-Din Muhammad (1211–1255) (per Tarikh-i Jahangushay ). The fortress was on a great spur of rock rising almost vertically from the valley. Its ramparts were made of plaster and gravel. Elsewhere it has been described as an "extraordinary cave-fortress". After the Mongol invasion of Iran and the subsequent death of the last Khwarezmian emperor, Hulagu Khan began to conquer

189-538: The Imamate, Rukn sent an army which his father had ordered against Shal-Rud in the district of Khalkhal . The Ismaili forces occupied the castle after a small fighting. In 1256, Rukn al-Din commenced a series of gestures demonstrating his submission to the invading Mongols . In a show of his compliance and at the demand of Hulagu Khan , Rukn al-Din began the dismantling process at Alamut Castle , Maymundiz and Lambsar Castle , removing towers and battlements. However, as winter approached, Hulagu took these gestures to be

210-578: The Mongol Empire marking the end of the Nizari state in Persia. Ruknuddin Hasan (Rukn al-Dīn), surnamed Khurshāh or Khwarshāh was born in 627 AH/1230 CE. He is also known as Kahirshah. When he was still a child, his father had declared him as his successor. Persian historian Ata-Malik Juvayni denigrates the Nizari line of Imamate, claiming that they are not true Alids but instead descended from

231-459: The Mongol khagan in person, embarking on a long journey to Karakorum , Mongolia. When Rukn al-Din met Möngke Khan there, the latter rebuked him and demanded the surrender of the remaining castles, such as Gerdkuh and Lambsar . En route back to his homeland, Rukn al-Din was put to death in 1256 near Toungat ( تنغات ; reading uncertain, possibly referring to the Tannu-Ola mountains ). He

SECTION 10

#1732766248499

252-1025: The Mongols welcomed the surrender. A group of Nizaris kept fighting in a last stand in the "qubba" (a supposedly high domed structure within the fort) and were killed. Maymun-Diz was subsequently destroyed and its inhabitants were massacred. This is traditionally considered the date of the disestablishment of the Nizari Ismaili state . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Rukn al-Din Khurshah States People Centers Other Rukn al-Dīn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad Khurshāh (or Khwarshāh) ([ركن الدين الحسن بن محمد خورشاه] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |links= ( help ) ) (1230–1256)

273-497: The hands of Hulagu, Rukn al-Din was forced to send the message of surrender to all the castles in the Alamut valley. At the Alamut fortress, the Mongol prince Balaghai led his troops to the base of the castle, calling for the surrender of the commander of Alamut, Muqaddam al-Din . It was decreed that should he surrender and pledge his allegiance to the Khagan within one day, the lives of those at Alamut would be spared. Muqaddam al-Din

294-456: The hilltop down to the valley. Apparently, the Mongols were hesitant to push the siege of Maymun-Diz, and were persuaded to accept some sort of compromise. As winter was approaching, the besieging Mongols faced supply problems due to the difficulty of finding fodder for their horses. On 19 November 1256, Khurshah with a group of notables left the fortress and surrendered to Hulagu Khan. Considering how well-fortified and well-provisioned Alamut was,

315-468: The instructions of the Imam, which would impact significantly on the Ismaili commander's oath of total obedience to the Imam. The recorded attitude of Hulegu toward the surrendered Imam appears ambiguous; at times he treated the Khurshah with great deference and viewed him with "attention and kindness", even presenting him munificent gifts. Nevertheless, the Imam ultimately asked Hulegu to let him visit

336-425: The north. Starting from Qazvin toward Alamut, passing through the first range of hills, curvatures, forms, are significant themes in nature's composition of this area. The famous Ismaili castle of Alamut and numerous others are in this area, which served as the heartland of the state founded by Hassan-i Sabbah . According to some sources, the majority of people in northern Qazvin (Alamut) are Tats who speak

357-699: The strongholds of the Nizari Ismailis as the main objective. He demanded the Nizari Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah dismantle the Nizari fortresses , including Alamut , and surrender himself to Hulagu Khan, who had reached Rudbar . Khurshah was residing in Maymun-Diz, and soon found the fortress encircled by Hulagu Khan and his eight tümen s (80,000 fighters). Teams of hand-picked Mongol fighters were distributed at around 250 meters intervals from

378-472: The ‘Tats’ of Alamut are Mazanderani or Gilak speakers who have been labeled as Tats as historically they were considered Mazanderani or Gilaks. Alamut ( Persian : الموت ), historically known as Rudbar ( رودبار ) or Rudbar of Alamut ( رودبار الموت Rūdbār-i Alamūt ), named after the Shahrud river. More precisely, Alamut is a small region in the historical Rudbar in which the namesake castle

399-408: Was reluctant and wondered if the Imam's message of surrender was actually an act of duress. In obedience to the Imam, Muqaddam and his men descended from the fortress, and the Mongol army entered Alamut and began its demolition. Many of the other fortresses had already complied, therefore not only would Muqaddam's resistance have resulted in a direct battle for the castle, but the explicit violation of

420-571: Was succeeded by his son Shams al-Dīn Muḥammad . Alamut States People Centers Other Alamut ( Persian : الموت ) or Rudbar ( Persian : رودبار ) is a region in Iran including western and eastern parts on the western edge of the Alborz (Elburz) range, between the dry and barren plain of Qazvin in the south and the densely forested slopes of the Mazandaran province in

441-414: Was the son of ‘Alā’ ad-Dīn Muḥammad III and the 27th Isma'ili Imam . He was also the fifth and final Nizari Isma'ili Imam who ruled at Alamut . The Imam was the eldest son of Imam ʿAla al-Din Muhammad and succeeded his murdered father to the Imamate in 1255. Imam Rukn al-Din engaged in a long series of negotiations with the invading Mongols , and under whose leadership Alamut Castle was surrendered to

SECTION 20

#1732766248499
#498501