Rashid ad-Din Sinan  

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Rashid ad-Din Sinan, also known as The Old Man of the Mountain, or Al Mualim (Arabic: "The Teacher") (c. 1132/1135 – 1192) was a leader of the Ismaili religious sect (Nizari branch) in Syria, and a figure in the history of the Crusades. He was born in Basra, Iraq and died in Masyaf, Syria. Latin sources from the crusader states call him Vetulus de Montanis, derived from the Arabic title Shaykh al Jabal, which means wise man or elder of the mountain. According to his autobiography, of which only fragments survive, Rashid came to Alamut, the centre of the Hashshashins, as a youth and received the typical Hashshashin training. In 1162, the sect's leader Hassan II sent him to Syria, where he proclaimed Qiyamah, which in Nizari terminology meant the time of the Qa'im and the removal of Islamic law. Based on the Nizari stronghold Masyaf, he controlled various districts in northern Syria, namely Jabal as-Summaq, Maarrat Misrin and Sarmin.

His chief enemy was Sultan Saladin, who ruled over Egypt and Syria. Saladin managed twice to elude assassination attempts ordered by Rashid and as he was marching against Aleppo, Saladin devastated the Nizari possessions. In 1176, Saladin laid siege to Masyaf but he lifted the siege after two notable events that reputedly transpired between him and the Old Man of the Mountain. According to one version, one night, Saladin's guards noticed a spark glowing down the hill of Masyaf and then vanishing among the Ayyubid tents. Presently, Saladin awoke from his sleep to find a figure leaving the tent. He then saw that the lamps were displaced and beside his bed laid hot scones of the shape peculiar to the Assassins with a note at the top pinned by a poisoned dagger. The note threatened that he would be killed if he didn't withdraw from his assault. Saladin gave a loud cry, exclaiming that Sinan himself was the figure that left the tent. As such, Saladin told his guards to settle an agreement with Sinan. Realizing he was unable to subdue the Assassins, he sought to align himself with them, consequently depriving the Crusaders of aligning themselves against him.

Rashid's last notable act occurred in 1191, when he ordered the assassination of the newly elected King of Jerusalem Conrad of Montferrat. Whether this happened in coordination with King Richard I of England or Saladin remains speculation. Rashid enjoyed considerable independence from the Nizari centre in Alamut and some writings attribute him with a semi-divine status. He died in 1192 in Al-Kahf Castle. He was succeeded by men appointed from Alamut, which regained a closer supervision over Masyaf.

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