Assassins Creed: Unmasking the Real Story Behind Al Hashashin Series
As Ramadan draws to a close, it’s clear that ‘Al Hashashin’ stands out as a special series, with its impressive set and Karim Abd El Aziz’s portrayal of Hassan-i Sabbah, the leader of the assassins.
While the series narrates a true story, it’s not free from myths that are not quite accurate historically, so let’s explore the fascinating life of Hassan-i Sabbah and try to separate facts from fiction.
Myth 1: Childhood Chums? Not Quite!
Contrary to the story in the series’ first episode, Hassan-i Sabbah, Nizam El Mulk, and Omar El Khayyam weren’t exactly childhood buddies and most likely didn’t hold oaths with each other as depicted in the series.
In fact, their birth years—1018 for Nizam El Mulk, 1050 for Hassan-i Sabbah, and 1048 for Omar El Khayyam—clearly indicate their age differences. There are no secret fireplace meetings here!
Myth 2: The Youthful Cave Encounter
The portrayal of Hassan-i Sabbah as an old sage meeting Ibn Atash in a mystical cave is a fabrication. In reality, this encounter occurred when Sabbah was a mere 17 years old. So, forget the long white beard.
Myth 3: Egypt’s Visit Wasn’t During a Famine
In episode 2, we saw Sabbah visit Egypt during a supposed crisis and famine when people were desperate and miserably helpless, but this wasn’t the whole truth.
In reality, Hassan-i Sabbah’s visit to Egypt wasn’t during a famine. Historical records reveal that he set foot in Egypt five years after the conclusion of the “Al-Mustansiriya struggle.” No desperate scavenging for bread, just some good old sightseeing!
Myth 4: Court Drama? Not for Sabbah!
We all enjoyed the court intrigue between Sabbah and Nizam Al Mulk in episodes 5 and 6, as each tried to win the sultan’s favor.
But did Hassan-i Sabbah work in Malik Shah’s court in Esfahan after his Egyptian escapade? Nope! He didn’t have secretarial duties or cloak-and-dagger intrigue. He didn’t hold any position within the Seljuk Sultanate House of Secrets. His résumé remained assassin-free!
Myth 5: Assassination Attempt? Fiction Alert!
The dramatic tale of an assassination attempt on the Abbasid caliph during his visit to Esfahan is pure fiction! While he did marry Malik Shah’s daughter, she was sent to Baghdad without any cloak-wielding drama.
Fact Check: The Natural End
Spoiler alert: Hassan-i Sabbah didn’t meet a dramatic demise. Instead, he peacefully passed away in his castle at Alamut in 1124. So, let’s see how he’ll die by the end of the series.
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