Abu Tahir al-Sa'igh (, "Abu Tahir the Goldsmith"), recorded as Botherus in Christian sources, was a

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

goldsmith and the chief

Nizari Isma'ili Nizari Isma'ilism () are the largest segment of the Isma'ilism, Ismailis, who are the second-largest branch of Shia Islam after the Twelvers. Nizari teachings emphasise independent reasoning or ''ijtihad''; Pluralism (philosophy), pluralism— ...

da'i A da'i (, ) is generally someone who engages in Dawah, the act of inviting people to Islam. See also * Dawah * Da'i al-Mutlaq, 'the absolute (unrestricted) missionary' * Hujja * List of converts to Islam The following is a list of notabl ...

'' of

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, belonging to the

order of Assassins The Order of Assassins (; ) were a Nizari Isma'ilism, Nizari Isma'ili order that existed between 1090 and 1275 AD, founded by Hasan-i Sabbah, Hasan al-Sabbah. During that time, they lived in the mountains of Persia and the Levant, and held a ...

Abu Tahir was the second Nizari ''da'i'' in Syria sent by

Hassan-i Sabbah Hasan al-Sabbah also known as Hasan I of Alamut, was an Iranian religious and military leader, founder of the Nizari Ismai'li sect widely known as the '' Hashshashin'' or the Order of Assassins, as well as the Nizari Ismaili state, ruling fro ...

, replacing al-Hakim al-Munajjim, and enjoying alliance with Ridwan. He kept using the Nizari base in

Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

, while continuing the Nizari strategy of seizing strongholds in pro-Isma'ili areas, focusing on the

Jabal al-Summaq Harim Mountains ( ) are highlands in the north of Idlib Governorate in northwestern Syria. The mountains are located in the Harim and Jisr Shughur districts of Idlib Governorate. Location and description The Harim highlands are located between ...

highlands located between the

Orontes River The Orontes (; from Ancient Greek , ) or Nahr al-ʿĀṣī, or simply Asi (, ; ) is a long river in Western Asia that begins in Lebanon, flowing northwards through Syria before entering the Mediterranean Sea near Samandağ in Hatay Province, Turk ...

and Aleppo. At this time, the authority over the upper Orontes valley was shared between Janah al-Dawlah of

Homs Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...

Munqidhites The Banu Munqidh (), also referred to as the Munqidhites, were an Arab family that ruled an emirate in the Orontes Valley in northern Syria from the mid-11th century until the family's demise in an earthquake in 1157. The emirate was initiall ...

Shaizar Shaizar or Shayzar (; in modern Arabic Saijar; Hellenistic name: Larissa in Syria, Λάρισσα εν Συρία in Greek language, Greek) is a town in northern Syria, administratively part of the Hama Governorate, located northwest of Hama. Near ...

, and

Khalaf ibn Mula'ib Sayf al-Dawla Khalaf ibn Mulāʿib al-Ashhabī al-Kilābī (; died 3 February 1106) was the ''emir'' of Homs and Apamea between 1082 and 1090. He later seized Apamea again in 490 A.H./1096 from Ridwan and held the city, under the suzerainty of th ...

, the

Fatimid The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimid dynasty, Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa ...

governor of Apamea based in its citadel Qal'at al-Mudhiq. Janah al-Dawlah had been murdered in 1103 by al-Hakim al-Munajjim, and

three years later. Khalaf ibn Mula'ib was probably a Musta'li Isma'ili that refused to cooperate with the Nizari Isma'ilis under Abu Tahir, was murdered in February 1106 with the help of Abu'l Fath of Sarmin, an Ismaili ''da'i''. Abu Tahir and Abu'l Fath subsequently captured Qal'at al-Mudhiq and Apamea by an "ingenious" plan. Tancred, the Frankish regent of the

Principality of Antioch The Principality of Antioch (; ) was one of the Crusader states created during the First Crusade which included parts of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and History of Syria#Medieval era, Syria. The principality was much smaller than the County of ...

besieged Apamea, but was unsuccessful. A few months later he besieged the city again with the help of Mus'ab ibn Mula'ib, brother of the murdered Khalaf, and captured Apamea in September 1106. Abu'l Fath was executed, while Abu Tahir ransomed himself and went to Aleppo. In 1111, an abortive assassination attempt against Abu Harb Isa ibn Zayd, a wealthy Aleppine Persian, caused a general public resentment of the Nizari Ismailis in Aleppo. Ridwan nevertheless provided support for the Nizaris. Ridwan died in 1113 and the Nizaris of Aleppo were deprived of this important ally. During the short reign of his young son

Alp Arslan al-Akhras Tāj al-Dawla Alp Arslān ibn Riḍwān, nicknamed al-Akhras ('The Mute'), was the Seljuk sultan of Aleppo from 1113 until his death in 1114. According to Ibn al-Athīr, he was not actually mute but had only a speech impediment and a stammer. He ...

, who ceded the Balis fortress on the Aleppo–Baghdad road to Abu Tahir. During his anti-Nizari campaign, the Seljuq sultan

Muhammad I Tapar Muhammad I Tapar (, ; 20 January 1082 – 18 April 1118), was the sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1105 to 1118. He was a son of Malik-Shah I () and Taj al-Din Khatun Safariya. Reign Muhammad was born in 20 January 1082. He succeeded his nephew, ...

sent Sa'id ibn Badi', the ''

rais (), plural , is an Arabic title meaning 'chief' or 'leader'. It comes from the word for head, . The corresponding word for leadership or chieftaincy is . It is often translated as 'president' in Arabic, and as 'boss' in Persian. Swahili speak ...

'' of Aleppo, to turn Alp Arslan against the Nizaris. Abu Tahir and many other Nizaris in Aleppo were subsequently executed and others dispersed or went underground. Abu Tahir was succeeded by

Bahram al-Da'i Bahram al-Da'i (, "Bahram the ''da'i'' issionary) or Bahram of Astarabad was a 12th-century Persians, Persian Nizari Ismaili who was the Chief ''Da'i'' and leader of the Order of Assassins, Assassins in Syria from after 1113 through 1128. Alth ...

References

{{Authority control Nizari da'is Nizari Ismaili state Iranian Ismailis Year of birth unknown 12th-century Iranian people People from Aleppo People of the Nizari–Seljuk wars Nizari Ismaili–Seljuk relations 12th-century Ismailis