Hassan III (Assassins)

--Hassan the Great--

Of all the leaders of the Assassins, almost nothing is known about this leader compared to all the others. What is known is this: He received leadership of the Assassins upon the death of Muhammad II in 1210. The power of the Assassins had dwindled in the previous century, and Hassan III, or Hassan the Great as he became known, realised the true potential of the sect of Assassins as a world power. He expanded the order with the creation of a series of huge fortresses in the Elbruz Mountains to become both impregnable and become a training ground for the Assassins. He sent The Envoys of Alamut to the four corners of the Earth, east to Asia, south to Africa, north to Russia, and west to Europe to gather supporters and more importantly knowledge. The envoys were largely successful, save for the north envoy which was lost. By 1235 the Assassins had nearly tripled in size, with assassins placed in virtually every powerful royal court and palace in the middle east and Europe. Hassan III used this influence to terrorize the nobility to meet the needs of the sect. Using this the Assassins managed to procure large tracts of land in Persia around the Caspian Sea, in Syria, and in Egypt. Even today these lands are not claimed by any country for fear of retribution by the Assassins.