What's the difference between an assassination and a garden-variety murder? Where does the term 'assassin' actually come from, and how did an obscure sect founded almost one thousand years ago fundamentally change the course of history as we know it? Tune in for the answers to these questions and more in the first part of this special two-part series.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Today we are embarking on a two part episode, one the travels
time and space from the ancient Middle EAST all the way.
to the modern day. Let's, let's start this way without
too much had too much introduction? What is the difference between an assassination and a murder? While here are
the facts we all kind of new. What an assassin is right. Yes, at least to an extent,
No, that an assassin is a murderer bright in order to assassinate something or someone you have to order it or kill it right
over has to prepare a typical murderer that is out. There might commit huh
side, which is taking the life of another human being for any number of reasons, and we have laws on the books to differentiate
between those types right, homicide
degrees right, there's
in weirdly enough. Just from a linguistic standpoint, the coolest sounding one man slaughter is actually
largely agree, Jesse gagging man than murder and the first
degree sidewalks, I hit you with my car, then
and slaughter
success and outdated and by the way I want to say but few human death. Yes, you caused human death. Let's get that the Sioux. It appears that
Assassination is a genre of homicide and and that's correct, but
Why is it a while? An assassin is defined by their target, their tactics?
and their motivations. So if we it's interesting because recently earlier this year there was a
hubbub in western media about the use of a word, the word
an assassination or assassin. Webster
New World College Dictionary, which MP are uses for their editorial purposes as there can a guide for how to write reporting, they define
miss Ashton as someone who murders a politically important or prominent person, typically by surprise attack
usually for some sort of payment or in.
service of some sort of ideology.
general belief- and this is this- this sounds cold. When we look at this
way, because that means that would say someone Knox over a gas station in Iraq,
Marie. They fatally shoot cashier that makes that criminal
a murderer, but not an assassin, and
Ass would be someone who fatally attacks the president of a country unless, of course, this somehow
I laugh. It is ridiculous unless, of course, they somehow accidently kill. The president. We know, which is
terrible manslaughter, yet about like accident
giving them corona virus.
Maybe maybe I mean that person is definitely in for a good talking to stiff fine. Perhaps, but we do know. Is that going to be considered and fascination
Well, you know right. Maybe it was premeditated that certainly one of the factors, but my question for you to business like what if say someone was
aid to kill a prominent pod, castor and what we do,
you go into the realm of like being politically important enough to be assassinated versus just off
you now or our book or have a hit put out on you. Dont worry dude we're off the table for US ass, a nation's leisure.
Where is it, gives me up nights. We wish not be assassinated, murdered, certainly looking right
guess I feel better now stabbed her shot. Yeah! That's interesting because Intuit
three, our definition of what counts is an assassination
is something we arrive at retroactively right, but if you, for instance,
Someone who may not be seen is prominent, maybe
murdered and their death may set off a
series of events that changes the world and later historians will say it was an assassination for that reason, MIKE Archduke
and Ferdinand rain.
When I went he's already earnest assassination worthy Victor Rake Aziz and Archduke added right- and you see, the question gets complete,
like the most one of the weirdest examples of this
I could think of was the story of the Bible,
goal Kane Enable was just a murderer, or was he an assassin before the term
Just it I mean it checks the boxes. He launched a surprise attack.
A politically and socially important person- and he did it because he was
driven by a zealous beliefs. It was his brow.
there, the right one in his jealousy. There
It is his father like, like the other, rather better,
I give think ethics is who you're doing you're you're using. This is like almost like a micro cosmic, Mcnerney
a this sort of encapsulates the larger thing, because it was political because he was favoured by his father. Therefore, it was motivated because he wanted to be the the battle
favorite son, yeah and end its wisdom. That is with such a small cast of characters
and he had story every body is prominent politically, socially nurse. That's really smart Ben. I like that and then in the end came was, was condemned
by God and forced to walk the earth like another came from Kung fu. I just made me realize: maybe that's where they came from
Maybe that's where it came from yeah exactly jump, this ok, so this
murder, verses assassination think it might seem like it's a game of semantics like it doesn't really make a big difference. Hollings
being an assassination versus calling in a murder, definitely doesn't bring that person back from the dead, but the difference, as will find, is huge in its crucial. In some cases it as legal implications,
Slight earlier this year, the United States of America targeted
prominent iranian general costs, solar Maney in January and
whose organizations like NPR Foxy in all along all the hits they
they were really
concerned about how they should described this an end, that's because murder
has a legal implications as this assassination words like
maybe the military jargon would be eliminating a high level targets? Are
then along those lines. But the idea of calling it assassination is a bad look,
You know a pr wise. It's like the that's where this
antics do matter for the optics. In this we dont assassinate people. We take out targets lawyer exactly because
when np are actually
enabled this action and assassination it became a big deal.
There is a lot of outcry from audience members about just again the semantics over. This was not an assassination. No, you can call it that don't don't call it that, where the good guys
of course, attack with daggers and Jones in the dark, but a guarantee the peace
and soon the monies own country sure, as Hell cans
an assassination didn't they absolutely and in its we're, because this strategy, if we just objective
look at this strategy. It doesn't matter what you call it matters, what happened and this strand
g of assassination is familiar to cultures across the planet throughout
ages.
I mean just from late from John Wilkes Booth. That's a famous! U S based his ass
right. He assassinated, then President Abraham Lincoln,
that guy all the way back to the ancient days with people like look who stood a poisoner, you don't have to look there
far very deep, defined historical records of assassins. There's a book, I guess on his hold it up- will do alone,
disturbing reading rainbow here. Oh no, you see this there's any Caravaggio on the cover and love that image C. Is it
I think it is but either way it's one of those classic legally
the cover of a joint vision, album. It's like this person dead in the bath with their arms,
and of draped over the side that classic, I believe, it's impressionist, but, as you know, the curve,
You would be a great example, really high definition, super
who d in and very kind of that image? I love those types of paintings. That's right! The encyclopedia
ass a nation's available at any arcane bookstore near you by Karl Civic, is this explores. Booth attempted
and successful assassinations throughout human history, and
firstly, we enough it list several cases such as that of die.
Hammer scold,
What are the last year to cool name? I it lists that case as an assassination, but that still has not been officially
confirmed as such, even though the? U S, president, that Dag a hammer school was in charge of the? U n. When
he was when he died
serious airplane accidents,
old Youtube video on that. But the point is this: this book is pretty old, but the
these cases of assassination because of the content
she they remain very touchy subjects for a long, long time and so
today in the in the first part of our series, we
wanted to ask. Where did this come from? Where, where does the concept of an assassin actually originate? We'll tell you after word from our sponsor
let's be honest. We ve all been led astray by bad advice before whether from our misguided parents and ignorant, mentor or and overconfident freedom faithfully Trojan brow
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Why
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here's where it gets crazy.
Assassin isn't some dramatic exotic word. Some hack writer invented just sort of Jews up
another wise depressing murders story, then arrive
IP from Ruby soft
for movies are in fact the German
Fasten refers to an all too real, all too conspiratorial
organization from ancient history, it's an honest to God, secret society, let's call it the order of its assets. My god await your saying. It's real battle, we're saying the order of assassins.
real or was yeah well
saying here we're not seen assassins creed should be considered a pliable doc
Henry, although there are a lot of great historical research in their we're.
We're saying there was a real group: we don't know what time about them. This is something
that you always run into when you're looking a controversial institutions in ancient history, the fortress of these actions
they did have a real fortress was conquered in twelve fifty six c e and when they were conquer day, the the castle was re
essentially a their library was destroyed. So we have no written historical record's about the assassins from the assassins themselves. Still we do know some
That's right between one thousand and ninety and one thousand two hundred and seventy five, a small in the Zari Ismaili Sect high in the
of Persia in Syria, went into
the murder for higher business. The assassins were an offshoot of these mainly sect of Sheer Islam, and it was founded by Hassan ISA referred his followers as a minute. Oh,
Ok, association, a ass, a ass, I Y Y, you end with some underscore characters over the aid and the EU, and that means people who are faithful to the foundation
of faith in they were. They have a stronghold fortress called Allah Castle
a hundred thirty miles from what is today known as terror on well, I mean so cool gold at that
real so the concept here of this group,
They wanted to challenge the soldier. Turks,
who were sunni Muslims, so were retard.
About sheer and sunni conflict back in what we say. The one
thousand nine DC to twelve hundred seventy five c, the Sunni Muslims, these cells,
Turks there and control of Persia at this time when, when this group is organised for these purposes- and this is when the group
first became known as the hash machine or another cool word here.
But today there better known as assassins it's it's a term that
is given to them by the European Crusaders who are rolling through, and you know too in there
thing those here where they are Europeans, just making language work for them. He now here just a kind of a corruption of the phrase right but-
that's what you get with the living language. This grew known as the assassins
actively and covertly murdered first
muslim than later christian leaders throughout the Middle EAST and the murder
These folks were assassinated these folks
and they were seen as a threat to this sect to their society to their GEO political control, and while the term assassins applies to the whole crew
right. There was actually only a smaller inner group, known as
today that, indeed
aged in actual conflict,
what is sometimes euphemistically referred to his direct action, and this is important and we had. We do have to say that
None of us are fluent arabic speakers. So thank you in advance, with
for your understanding of our pronunciations, I e we. We do know
That, then, is already did not have a standing army so
they relied upon. These warriors these operatives to carry out espionage
I kill, nor why fight Normie when you can just kill the king or the general, though their preferred method of killing was usually gonna, be through
use a dagger, so that means close up to their target. No poison drop
snow arrows and often
they were known for being completely ok, we'll die or being tortured, ass
they had committed there murder they posed a strategic threat to fathomed abyss id
and Seljouk Authority alike, and for all,
almost three hundred years, we know they killed hundreds and hundreds of people important
the euro, that version of IE, three colleagues of rules,
Jerusalem, tons of other leaders, muslim and Christian alike. So, despite the fact that we don't have direct accounts from like Hassan himself saying
I do these guys up and bring wash them and now we're kill in every body we do have accounts from other people who were
live around at the time. Then, let's go see what you think of these are one of the first ones can
from a spanish rabbi named Benjamin of to day LE he traveled
Syria in eleven sixty seven. So this is while the group was active and Benjamin, not our Benjamin. When we just mentioned he told of this mission,
serious leader that existed named the
old man in the mountain. That's the old man in the mountain that he was. He referred to as old man in the mountain, this old man in the mountain this Yoda like,
figure, although he did not have that reference who led a sect of warriors who do
in hidden mountain fortresses, Laura Palpitating, I think TAT is more poverty and its
Josh. I care my router episode think we did one on military in drugs where we talked about the mountain fortresses in several
parts of the region there and how important they were and then how we saw that reflected in the conflicts that the? U S, then,
went into in places around US
understand in and out in the Middle EAST in these these
mountain fortresses that were so difficult
you, if you were in invading force or someone who's, trying to attack so difficult to penetrate, but that's a and interesting
being right. There's an old man in a mountain and he's here
controlling or leading a bunch of these warriors that live there, and there is also
information quite a bit more. Actually that comes from Syrian sooner.
Chroniclers and you know it's there. It exists which
very nice, but unfortunately, quite a bit of this information is biased. Again, let you have
remember that there was conflict there between
she and the Sunni Muslims, and because of that conflict, the the syrian Sunni population really did hate, or at least some of these prominent writers seem too
show anger and hatred in the writing, or at least right
about them the front fino from enemies for
two because they were the enemies and they probably did hate them, because they did some heinous things get there.
My dad every reason, eighty assassins and let it just thinks of the historical record than itself becomes
this version of it rather than well. Let's you know, let's actually look at it as equal parts in some way earlier, in some form who the their
gaiters were aware of these chronicles from the fire.
The syrian Sunni population, they said look. This is close enough
the truth someone's out here till in every body, so
Just run wild with it. You know who has time to fact check as
when we have in the modern day. So as a result, we have to treat these stories with scepticism
like propaganda. You would see against the Pope by their successors or or against Royal
the lot and urges many army? You know you're more armies of the propaganda. This produces is intense, so they're gonna, say the illegal
read some of these things and translations thereof and say: ok. This looks like
B was designed to entertain an audience or just a character. Assassinate
the assassins themselves and they talked about how powerful, how competent
these operatives work, but then they also made these pretty crazy claims about. How will they became so sick
as for yeah and in the twelfth century, William. The second who was a crusader and the archbishop of Tyre believed that this whole.
Old man in the mountain idea was true.
that he commanded this individual as many as sixty thousand assassins, and he noted that they would do suicide.
Attacks, and they have no regard for their own safety in their own lives. They were seeking destroy an event to make out alive. So be it it's all about the target and gain the job done.
Of this old man in the mountain figure, William? The second wrote this quote: it is their custom to install their masters.
and choose their chief, not by hereditary right, but solely by virtue,
Mary, what a novel idea by the way disdaining end
Other title of dignity. They call him the elder. The bond of submission and obedience that binds this people to their chief is so sharp theirs.
A so arduous, difficult or dangerous that any one of them would not undertakes perform it with the greatest zeal and
active propaganda in the war of words? Enshrined smear folks can be taken
Graham saw, but there was there were reports about this group that they, God forbid, eight pork and marry their sisters and which were to turn pack that that quotation from William this
he's not seeing meritocracy is a good thing. He's
Why did it out as a criticism is implying their barbaric cause? They dont because they respect people's talents,
over their genetic lottery, which had ever
counter intuitive, fascinating and like a product of that,
I mean I mean what they don't have a royal pure
lead line lineage, sending directly to God
our aim, like they hire people
based on their skills? They promote them?
based on their skills: they eat pork and their sleeping with theirs.
Brings all three of those things were just terrible it somehow
well, who join up, are willing to do things
for their leaders
right right right. It's almost like the chance of being promoted makes people better at their jobs. That's a very that's please,
make that the main take away from today's episode tight the you're right. The fact is the that this guide noticed
These people were not the type of individuals to turn away from a task, even if it meant that they would be killed in completing it or captured and tortured. Afterwards.
ways. This was seen as noble in this community. This
so these rumours are around its kind about
an urban legend, it's kind of a conspiracy theory and there's proof in neutral in terms of dead bodies of
people they keep showing up at we're times in history, it gets really popular and Miss characterize in Western Europe.
To one of the best selling books of the medieval era. The travels of Marco Polo. It's this book.
spread so many claims about the order and if we read it through, the lens of the modern day sounds like Marco is telling us. The assassins are a colts theirs.
there's? This idea that the elder
old man in the mountain starting with Hasan himself has been
rain, washing his followers has been doping them with some sort of
substance. Again, we don't know the exact nature of that substance by how she sham assassins
hashish.
The rumor is thoroughly what he says in the book is that
the old man of the mountain is giving his followers drugged pollution,
during their training right and this
breaking down the usual human moral qualms with things like assassination and
before he sets them off on an assassination mission. He gives them.
Version of this again so
it has a lot in common. If you think about it with reports of
manchurian candidates, people who are through systematic psychological tactic-
and through the ingestion of substance there turned into zombies.
no oars will view here's the deal is. Are we we think, at least according that book? We think it
be Hasheesh is at an end. That is Canada's we'd right. It's it's this. Basically like it's the stuff, that's the sticky crystal stuff is totally outside of cannabis. When its cured.
They can shake it off and essentially make it until like you, press it and make it into a resinous kind of material that is able to be smoked. So I've heard, but we're saying we're, saying,
the travels of Marco Polo is saying that that's the substance
made them in some.
They become a manchurian Canada, like the wind out of their minds about actually refer, Maddox them up,
interesting, though, because so
passion. Hash Isham is the nickname for the sector
was used by a lot of its enemies, were
in casual conversation about this group and it was believed to have derived.
the arabic word Hachi, so natural,
You can see how that didn't. Come directly from Marco Polo is book that was already around, but women
polo mention this drugged, pushing it cemented the image
this order in in the guise of the time.
They were like. These are shadowy drug crazed fanatics. They me
of powers that the average
on drugs, human being doesn't have you know what I mean
and to a degree psychologically that might be accurate, but you can see
that about any number of any number of group to Institute systematized suicide attacks. Hey man look we're all the same.
I just got to assassinate. You burn sorry, hair hidden. This verse it'll make your way more chill.
actually wayward railway industry fastening. So with this,
is true, think about it. If this is true of bottles the mind, how is this
brought up more often, especially during these moral panic. I love the invention, reefer madness, nor because, if again, if this is true, it's one of the best PS aged against
use of cannabis in human history, right leg, smoke a joint and then go kill the king, MIDAS murder machine. They re writing. I love that that rhymes. Thank you this. The there's a reason I
There's one reason that this didn't sharpened, a alot appear essays, while first most people would
be familiar with this story, but secondly, it turns out that Marco Polo is the
try Mary propagate her with his hash claim. If you
look at the sources from the islamic world.
Even among the assassins enemies, even among the soldier.
in the Syrians who hated them? They,
really mention the use of hashish, so maybe more convincing explanation for that. Nickname comes from the EU
dipshit in Arabic. Word:
hush issue, and that that means something totally different
It's a little silly. It means lake, noisy people or the troublemakers
What did Marco Polo known to be a bit of a exaggerator to and possibly inventing some stuff, just like out of whole cloth to make himself look like more of a badass explorer yeah yeah, it's true
a curated version of reality, but allow
of the lot of other things, he says, didn't bear up to scrutiny still,
was the best information people had at the time. So
this is why modern scholars- people like Bernard Louis, who is a middle eastern historian, an expert on the assassins- believes that
has she she or hashish him was a popular syrian pejorative? It was a term of abuse where disk
in these people.
Sure their effective killers, but their drug addicts, and you know it.
it's the devil's tobacco. It's the jazz cigarettes in the left hand smokes that are making them such a fact of monsters. So you can see already that the image
have of assassins in the modern day and the image
people had of assassins when they were around kind of became
larger than life, they were living legends. There was a lot of dis information about them and we can only
whom they probably used it to their credit, cause it
the kind of pr you can't buy. But this is just one of the misconception, so I propose we take a break for our sponsor, try our best not to get assassinated and come and come back and explore some of those misconceptions. Injustice.
But what it s like the sounds great everybody cross your fingers and hope that it's a cd sponsor go, let's go
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and we ve returned misconceptions about
group of killers in ancient Persia, Slash Syria. This is these.
lightly awkward part where we defend their character.
It was very therefore, were so
a lot of medieval Europeans,
about the order, especially once the travels Marco Polo were published. They believed that this group was specifically targeting Christians
this is fuel to the fire for the crusader
campaigns right.
Now we're now we're fighting to protect good christian people against this threat
Your colleague in our Holy WAR kind of situation right, but this thing
was not enough.
early. True, in fact, it turns out there
and all the time in the world of politics. It turns out there
people who were like publicly enemies to each other behind closed doors? They would
not infrequently get together, and you like,
you know what man I know. What I like is there's a lot of stuff going on and he preached unto the water. Are you guys high, but don't worry about it? Let's, just let's
works at now. Maybe we can make an alliance, you know bullion of they worry about that talk about something here coming up, which is another part of the american sections
there are some reality. Is that this group, faced that makes me wonder,
there was use of cannabis or some other
drug like that. If it didn't have more to do with their situation and less to do with tactics for battle
it's a bit of a spoiler bellew would keep going here. Now. I think it's,
gets foreshadowing Matt, we so
went to pull one example of times that christian forces, an assassin forces, got together right in twelve fifty one.
the king of France Lui the night since an invoice to meet the ascent
it to go and find the old man were the Elk
of the legends and this meeting they took the meeting because it suited their diplomatic needs at the time. Otherwise it seems like the sector was
They were yet they were killing people when they had to her when they wanted to, but they were large
the uninterested in Christians, at least at that time,
they were primarily focused on all the crazy changes happening in the most
the world and the events that had a sheep
They were also shaping these events in turn, that's because of their assassination tactics. Let's go to what you said MAC about not just the rumours of drug use, but about how these
tactics. Came came came to be wasn't so much a matter of like religious belief.
for what is the moral right way to kill someone? It was necessity, it was desperation even if you take that sixty thousand,
Number in good faith, we have to remember only a few people in the assassins order were
actually killing folks were actually going out on these missions. I sign was our kind and outnumbered, though
all time, the way he was out gunned out manned
outnumbered out planned like this. It s. Yes, yes, he was.
Very much so I- and he was also. I guess
Nobody was outgunned at that time.
Paisley's knives browsers like the knife, age
These guys are using knives daggers to kill arrows around swords around but their day,
I'm out of their farms like that. That's the seller, yeah they pop out from the risk. Yes,
new. He knew that there
no way they could wage. What we would call like conventional war of the time they didn't Cumbria, so we had to resort to be more crafty and we're talkin
That's an James bond level here guerrilla warfare.
Espionage, spying, targeted killings, assassinations, there would be sleeper agents that would
basically travel in disguise and you know pose as members of the community in which they were trying to infiltrate to get away.
Beat on their targets and insert themselves into these very important strategic positions so that they could have the upper hand right.
I'm, it may sound familiar again will like we just drop the array,
Instead, the revolutionary WAR
version of telling
a revolutionary war but yeah
whenever I think, there's
a commonality. Whenever you have a small force that needs to operate effectively,
what's Hercules Mulligan a spy! Wasn't that his
we pass yeah. I think so. It's, though, that that's all I'm sorry, no, no don't like hurdles. Mulligan is a real guy. Wasn't he hasn't got fire bar
everyone realises that yeah yeah. That was his first love. I think that in being a taylor- and then you a third America by June,
to think about that. You know we always think of sleeper agents in the context of the I guess, like the cold war here in the West right. That was the worry, deep cover
sleep regions from the. U S going in the USSR, vice versa, but they existed in
ancient times. These guys would say: ok, we're gonna, kill this person.
we're going to do it in two years, so tonight I'm
travel with this caravan Adeimantus set up shop
I'm just gonna. You know, I'm just gonna sell trinkets in charge keys for a while until the time comes that I break up and drugged pollution.
break out my dagger, but of being Baraboo leading Nazi about being about Abou report
embassy drugs. Potion, though, is God. I love that phrase sounds like a good good time. The drugs potion
Our want, we should refer to things is potions. More often right
There is some way there, probably some craft breweries that use the phrase elixir, but let's bring
potion outgrew, remember Philip Seymour Halfpence Character and the the Pall Thomas Edison Movie, the master he was really
taken by Freddy Working Phoenix. This kind of unhinged, like you, know that character is, he would make this huge out.
Rocket fuel and, like you know, for a fact,
we chemicals and and and this character of Filtering Moroccans character referred to it
Gimme another taste of that delectable potion London hurrying back oceans, that's ok! So so we mention this
of course the people were actually doing the assassinations, there's some time
also known as the varying ivy. They were
very, very effective, and they were very, very selective.
They the mean translates to those who sacrificed themselves. They were drilled too. This is.
The most mine blowing part, so they were just drill to accept the possibility of death and the possibility of torture. They were taught to find and eliminate their target
And then wait to be discovered and unwillingly submit to torture execution, that's terror,
for the individual, but imagine how amazing that is for the order exactly setting a precedent that this is gonna. This what's gonna happen. You know who did it
And you don't get any information out of them and you can. Torture
until they die and, oh god, how many other wait. There are a lot of them like this will send another one
there s in a lot of assassination, as will see import. Two of this series is about sending a message and that's what they were doing. So we would today consider this a kind of asymmetrical warfare. Why
who fight an entire network. Why do you attempt to go against an entire system when you can part one?
in the chain right, you can get that you can get that individual dot at the top of the command structure.
And you can create all the results you aimed to achieve you so discord. I you make me opponent,
squander their resources and you make them expect. Even
were terrible things from you in the future. You put him on the on the defensive, so there I don't
the EU can play a hundred different ways, but one example of this comes to us.
in ten. I did you just to give you an actual snapshot of how this grew successfully conspired and carried out. These murders in this example, comes to us
from ten ninety two. This is when the scruple
fastens, murdered or assassinated the view
Europe needs all milk. He was a power
member of the soldier sultanate and of the records that there were veil from that time. They say that in his army disguised himself as a safety mystic and was able to infiltrate yet in close close enough to stab this person and kill them
pray with me. My son yeah yeah. It's is intense in this assassination
had a real domino effect, as we ve been describing exactly because
shortly after the murder of his armor Luke was servant. Think of him like if the Sultan is the President, this guy is one of the secretaries of the cap
kind of so its it as if a secretary of the cabinet was murdered, people are freaking out
and then a little bit later. The Sultan himself, the central Sultan Molly Shaw, is murder.
and at this boy historians argue back and forth over whether that second murder was the assassins, but it doesn't matter because this domino effect goes into play very quickly. The soldier, Sir Kay
who is supposed to be in charge here
people wearing disguises in killing us like white, but I can't trust anyone. You know what about that guy? How long has he been in town that
says he grew up here, but is that true and at it then the attacks continue the assassins?
started, killing more rulers, generals governors, clerics
Anyone any one who
seen in their eyes as an enemy, and they seemed to be every
air, and nowhere you know what I mean: there's not an official uniform could be the mystic. Next, you could be the merchant
who stalls down in the marketplace. So people got really paranoid right
they started hiring bodyguards, even if they thought they might not be the number one target
they wanted also, where chain male under their clothing, like think about these or terrorist attacks middlemen. It's really. This is very reminiscent
the fear that permeated the United States and, I would say, a lot of the western world and probably the entire world following the September eleven attacks of two thousand one where it felt like,
Nobody could be a target railway, even folks they were separated from my big urban centres like in Middle America, really felt vulnerable in that way
Maybe there's a sense of our were away from all the big cities, where's we're somehow safer and on the radar, but that whole kind of
four level really went out the window yet and for very good.
You know I mean humans back then, or that differ from humans. Today we just have more toys we're talking about these assets in the past it, at least this
this origin story, because eventually they did fall.
They were active and effective for the better part of three centuries and they continued after the death of their founder. The old man in the mountain died in one thousand one hundred and twenty four sometime around
and the sex continued without em in love,
Thirty eight, his successor, one bruisers, need died
as well I'm laughing, because we we knew the date of his death thanks to their big fans, the Sunni chronicler
One sunni chronicler described his death in the following way. He says, presume
He died crushed under the heel of perdition, so hell was heated by the fuel of his carcass spoon man,
burn very, very, very literally have their way
visual wow. What a what a wonderful wonderfully hateful way of referring to somebody
very I spit on your grave
I'll as obituaries go, but the order continued on,
That means that the murders, especially high ranking sunni figures, continue in the eleven sixties. Leadership fell to Hassan the second Hassan, to heat
the branch in a different theological direction. Others really interesting. Remember we talked about the propaganda. Saying look imply
in heavily like look. These guys aren't even real Muslims, the pork, their Marian, their siblings, don't fall for the hype, but us on to did something interesting. He said you know for a true believer
willing to die for this cause, you are relieved your absolved from moral customs.
Free when you can, where you can, if cancer in that direction
MECCA. That's fine, you can do things
They regarded is openly sinful as well, because you are ultimately in service of wait for it, then the greater good staff I didn't realize it was the greater good
this whole thing was about ok, cool changes, everything right, Emmy, it's the greater good. I've got the regular good that it's. The next level is the most goodest
it says in argued, suggested a clear cut, common argument for doing terrible things throughout history in power,
two eggs in war and all its all its further greater good. Yet we gotta murder all these people, but it's ok
because you know that the greater good will benefit so don't
about this thing. Think about the big picture. It just is a way of pivoting responsibility from the you, the people around
doing the bad, the bad stuff too. I don't know like it's interesting
the greater good two is also varies very subjective fray. What that even means,
Why why? Why isn't it? The greatest good? The
This should be one of the best it's for the best
old people. Do you say that you dont dates for the map where the Berlin something different? Doesn't it for the best
this means well come see, come saw just now.
Just the way aware there was was for the best system says it's a lie. We tell ourselves, which I believe so is the greater good. Yet
me I maybe we should. Maybe we should think about it as just make up a word here.
Georgia by a little May, we should think about it as the good osity, the speed
interaction of a given good right because hands. Yes,
No, you know your mileage may vary in terms of.
are you what direction you
who is going to what speed you feel is good. That's weird,
but it is important for this episode this period in a like a
throw some other rules out of the window. We can cut some corners because, ultimately, we have to remember the good guys I this is,
probably, but are we the goodest guys, but are we the gutters guys? What's our good osity fit? This is probably influenced,
Marco Polo Asthma effect, is certainly influence. What he wrote later and then
Europeans read that and it didn't
after member we print retraction in the back in the paper right, it didn't matter that
leader. This act went back to a more and more strict or austere and
rotation of Islam. The damage was done in every.
Are you didn't like these folks, christian and Muslim alike, was able,
say. Well,.
are they really.
Some sort of religious warriors, they don't.
bother following the rules at home. You know, which is a great
given to Make- and that's that's part:
play no one came to help in the 13th century. When Mongol invaders reached the stronghold, the grease Ptolemaic Castle in one thousand two hundred and fifty six and
put an end to the misery, the assassins it looks, at least that's what would that's what we do
leave rights. Actually guys do you have any favorites assassin sets from pop culture from
video games from movies TV series books. I really like the faceless men from my game of thrones. I think that's one of the coolest assassin sex in in literature,
otherwise I'm wondering if you guys have any other cool references for folks. A check out for me is the elder scroll
one Ben remind what that is. The desire for other huh yeah Dark Brotherhood dig that their great
have the same tasted logos as us as well.
Yeah, then there is, of course, the assassin assassins creed there more like an anti. He wrote kind of vibe
and then I would say, faceless menaced greet us ass in groups
I guess you could say euros. Weird is: is James Bond, an assassin
yeah we're ready to eat as he is, he contains multitudes layers were near. He definitely does assassinate people prefer near. I like the kings, men's vibe,
You know what I mean I like I like the gadgets in the suits, and this these are all these are all cultural, artifacts or cultural descendants of this real life
the assassins because even after they were wiped out the words
ass, it had passed into the common parlance in the thirteenth in fourteen centuries, and you can trace it through fiction and entertainment all
weight of the modern day, and I think it is that is that power where you get no here, know a little bit
In future, it is certainly something that is has captured the imagination of of folks that are into this sort of thing. You know fantasy and fiction
because there is this. The sense of lake, like he said, Matt those houses, creek character,
most an answer here over the same time: ie route for them. Now
so the assassins will always have to be the bad guy.
but one thing I think the decision about assesses that we haven't really touched on is that by nature
their sort of
not a moral but like the lira tool, especially the faceless men. They don't take a stance poet
they just do whatever their paid to do with it?
because a really interesting facet of being an assassin. It's like we,
two by having a political matter,
nation or ecosystems, zealot zealotry,
kind of driven ideology, but aren't assassins you.
What kind of just a tool of whoever's paying them and they don't
we have? A stance will see that's where you bring things like the assassins
vague that exist in John Wick and
on which universe? Well, that's a good drastic! That's how I love that I love those the boy you you you
pay for a job right, I mean they're hit men right more, so
political tools or ass
Diana, I mean
We started off the episode dynamite semantics. I think we're still hovering
this grey area like what is an assassin. What is a hit man? We know what a murderer. As we know, a manslaughter is, or human murder mobility
go about its? He human death boat? But it's it's defined, I mean it is pretty clearly defined, at least in the key
When usage in english usage as a political killing,
right, I mean right or in killing of importance
in the modern day you know but think about a book
is where is the motivation can be spread across multiple individuals right? I am the owner and c o of uniting aid come quads global, incorporated LLC, whatever and
I am so tired of the governments that of the gun
read the rules, the land. Where most my come quite plantations, are
So I am motivated
although them and have them, replaced with a
government this more pro come quite or pro proof
organisation, more sympathetic to the come quite lobby,
and so my motivation, mammal
vision- is financial gain and power. So I enlist the help
of a let's say, a religious sector, offshoot of secessionist in that country and they kill the Prime Minister, the President
for me. They may be doing it cause they're getting paid, they may be doing it because they believe their religion will be better represented by a different government. So
thing is at the end of the day, the Prime minister is dead and the villains walk away happy
genuine united Come clot is victorious. I got really
filtering cover every time we said there were it. I love elegant, is that a tiny orange is now in some quarters is like a little tiny or even do indeed is eaten with the skin. On everything like it seems like an hour
la appeal such a tiny fruit. I would imagine you would just pop it right in your mouth
is about the size of an olive yeah.
But it's like it, it's central it. It looks like a orange and shape and color I don't know, I just chose it as a
Robert? I love it s, a beautiful work, so could we make
say that not all hits are assessed,
nations, but all assassinations are hits. Perhaps
kind of, like I said about the top. Ok,
Just the up just still just a leader that, for my own, you know, could clarify clarity. I think this is so fascinating, but I think it is she how there's an intersection.
It all depends on the prominence and perhaps the the end result in eyes to what whether it qualifies as an assassination
yeah and speaking in results,
here we are. We know that the military might of this group or what the assassinate or it might of this group,
faded over time. But it's important to know the thief itself serves.
I an end doesn't have anything to do with assassination, so want to be very careful not to vilify this religious community. You can.
and is Molly in twenty five different countries today, at least central? Is
of Asia, Africa, the Middle EAST, the reputation
of the group we referred
was assassins nowadays. I think we built a pretty good case. It was
It was founded on some exaggerations by their enemy, sprites and propaganda, but their tactics or effective, and it strange to realise that such a small group of people could have such a profound impact on history
More importantly, its disturbing realise just how much influence and inspiration they gave to their imitators ever since, and then
that's where we in today's episode, how much
an impact. Do you think fellow conspiracy realised that the assessed
he had all the world in their time and how
if that impact, if any remains,
with us in the modern day. That's that's it.
question, and I can't wait to hear what you think
this is going to conclude this episode assassins, but
guess what there's another one coming we're gonna delve in
you more modern day assassins we're gonna get closer to the present. Are there still people out there in groups that are specifically designed and operated to commit
assassinations. I bet you know the answer to that Middle EAST alive
where we're gonna tell you all about it next episode. In the meantime,
Let us tell us your favorite assassin groups or individuals, Lone Wolf assassins from pop culture. We love here,
about it. You can find it on the usual social media spots. I think our preferred place on the
Our are happy places the here's work. It's crazy facebook group. You can join the common
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I guess it is Bobby Bone- ought to tell you about make it up as we go one of course, by cask of another sheer brought to you exclusively by Unilever's, nor in Magnum Brands and featuring original music by scarlet birth creator, director and executive producer. Anko creator during this is an incredible inside. Looked behind this international riding rooms and teachers superb, acting by building up to myself and random labour. There's a killer soundtrack, the? U can stream alongside original episode, which dropped every we only on the five o clock gas network in association with audio media.
It is Bobby bone ought to tell you about make it up as we go one of course, by cask of another year brought to you exclusively by Unilever's, nor in Magnum Brands and featuring original music by scarlet Birth Creator directorate executive producer, Anko creator, Jerry, who said this is an incredible inside. Looked behind this international riding rooms and teachers. Superb, acting by building up myself, Aunt Miranda, Labour, there's a killer soundtrack. Do you can stream alongside original episode, which dropped every we only on the vibrant pie, gas network, in association with audio of media,
Transcript generated on 2020-10-17.