Samarkand
 


 
 

I. Setting
Samarkand
Registan square, Samarkand

 Seljuk and Fatimid Empires
1090: Hassan seizes Alamut
1091: Al-Ghazzali (d. 1111) appointed to Nizamiya Madrasa
1094: Nizari split follows succession dispute in Fatimid Egypt 
1099: Crusaders take Jerusalem
1123: Umar Khayyam's death
 

II. Characters


Nizam al-Mulk
Umar Khayyam
Hassan Sabbah
Court
Nizam al-Mulk
Seljuks
Umar Khayyam
General information

Ismailis
Institute of Isma`ili Studies (London)
Belgian artist Paul Perry's Alamut site

 III. Background



Seljuks Central Asian Nomad, Turkish-speaking
 
Sultans:
Tughril Beg 1038-1063
Alp Arslan 1063-1072
Battle of Manzikert: Defeated Byzantines 1071
Malikshah 1072-1092

Nizam al-Mulk: Advisor, Vizier (Minister)
         patron of Nizamiyah system of academies
Patron of Umar Khayyam and al-Ghazali (b. 1058, went into retreat 1095, d. 1111)
Author of Siyasatname  or Book of Government; assassinated 1092 

Sultan--Protector of the Caliph
Iqta': system of payment by assigning tax revenues of agricultural lands
Atabeg (Turkish title of local rulers)--Decentralization

Isma`ilis to Fatimids: From Revolutionaries to Caliphs
Revolution carried out by da'is (missionary teachers)
Hassan Sabbah a da'i, beginning 1072, four years later went to Egypt, and returned to Isfahan 1081
Reinvigorating Ismaili cause, planning revolt against Seljuks
Seized Alamut, created new state

Chart of Shi`i Imams
Isma'ilis: Schism arose in the struggle over succession after 6th Imam, Ja'far  al-Sadiq
Ubayd Allah, future Caliph al-Mahdi, in 899 claimed Imamate for himself and his predecessors, who had organized the Fatimid success.   Claimed an unbroken line from the hidden Imam.
Beginning in North Africa, managed to create Fatimid dynasty centered in Cairo, an Isma'ili state
Emphasis on batin or inner truth vs. law (thus the nickname Batiniyya)
Reliance on Imam

Hassan Sabbah: Religious knowledge (`ilm) comes from Ta`lim, authoritative teaching of Imam
1. All knowledge is either from authority or reason, but in reality comes from authority (if you disagree, you assert your own authority)
2. Only the true teacher has authority  (against Sunni legal egalitarians)
3. Either authority must be demonstrated, or any will do (against Shi'i version)
4. The group that advocates the teachings listed above is therefore led by the true and authoritative Imam

In Egypt, death of Fatimid Caliph al-Mustansir in 1094
Had designated (nass) son Nizar as successor
Al-Afdal, all-powerful vizier and military dictator, favored youngest son Musta`li (d. 1101), whom he installed instead of Nizar
Nizar believed to be in hiding (in Alamut?); remember the occultation of Isma'il
Musta`lian branch continues in Yemen and India (Isma`ili Bohras)

Polemic opposition to Isma`ilis from Sunnis and Twelver Shi`is: believed to be dangerous and misguided
the name Hashishiyyun or Hashshashun becomes "Assassins" in Europe
Legends proliferate and are spread by Marco Polo to Europe

Nizam al-Mulk: "Never has there been a more sinister, more perverted or more iniquitous crowd than these people, who behind walls are plotting harm to this country and seeking to destroy the religion...and as far as they can they will leave nothing undone in the pursuit of vice, mischief, murder and heresy."