Maymūn-Diz ( fa, میمون دز) was a major

fortress A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

of the

Nizari Ismailis The Nizaris ( ar, النزاريون, al-Nizāriyyūn, fa, نزاریان, Nezāriyān) are the largest segment of the Ismaili Muslims, who are the second-largest branch of Shia Islam after the Twelvers. Nizari teachings emphasize independent ...

of the Alamut Period described in historical records. It has been variously identified with the

Alamut Castle Alamut ( fa, wikt:الموت, الموت, meaning "eagle's nest") is a ruined mountain fortress located in the Alamut region in the South Caspian Sea, Caspian province of Qazvin near the Masudabad, Qazvin, Masoudabad region in Iran, approximately ...

, Navizar Shah Castle, Shirkuh Castle, Shahrak Castle, and Shams Kalayeh Cave. Recently, Enayatollah Majidi located it on top of Mount Shatan ( ''Kūh-e Shātān''; ) near Khoshk Chal. The fortress was surrendered by Imam

Rukn al-Din Khurshah Rukn al-Dīn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad Khurshāh (or Khwarshāh) () (1230-1257) was the son of ‘Alā’ ad-Dīn Muḥammad III and the 27th Isma'ili Imam. He was also the fifth and final Nizari Isma'ili Imam who ruled at Alamut. The Imam was the ...

, who was residing there, to the invading Mongols under

Hulagu Khan Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulegu ( mn, Хүлэгү/ , lit=Surplus, translit=Hu’legu’/Qülegü; chg, ; Arabic: fa, هولاکو خان, ''Holâku Khân;'' ; 8 February 1265), was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of West ...

and was subsequently demolished. This was followed by surrender of Alamut and almost all other strongholds and the disestablishment of the Nizari state.

History

The date of the (beginning of the) construction by the Nizari Ismailis is variously given as 1097 (per ''

Jami' al-tawarikh The ''Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh'' (Persian/Arabic: , ) is a work of literature and history, produced in the Mongol Ilkhanate. Written by Rashid al-Din Hamadani (1247–1318 AD) at the start of the 14th century, the breadth of coverage of the work h ...

''), 1103 (per '' Zubdat al-Tawarikh''), and during the Imamate of Ala al-Din Muhammad (1211–1255) (per ''

Tarikh-i Jahangushay ''Tārīkh-i Jahāngushāy'' ( fa, تاریخ جهانگشای "The History of The World Conqueror") or ''Tārīkh-i Jahāngushāy-i Juwaynī'' () is a detailed historical account written by the Persian Ata-Malik Juvayni describing the Mongol, H ...

''). The fortress was on a great spur of rock rising almost vertically from the valley. Its ramparts were made of plaster and gravel. Elsewhere it has been described as an "extraordinary cave-fortress". After the

Mongol invasion of Iran The Mongol invasion of Khwarezmia ( fa, حمله مغول به خوارزمشاهیان) took place between 1219 and 1221, as troops of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan invaded the lands of the Khwarazmian Empire in Central Asia. The cam ...

and the subsequent death of the last Khwarezmian emperor,

began to conquer the strongholds of the

as the main objective. He demanded the Nizari Imam

dismantle the Nizari fortresses, including

Alamut Alamut ( fa, الموت) is a region in Iran including western and eastern parts in the western edge of the Alborz (Elburz) range, between the dry and barren plain of Qazvin in the south and the densely forested slopes of the Mazandaran provinc ...

, and surrender himself to Hulagu Khan, who had reached

Rudbar Rudbar ( fa, رودبار, Rudbār) ( Gilaki:, ''rubâr'') is a city and capital of Rudbar County, Gilan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 11,454, in 3,303 families. Rudbar is from Tehran and with a variable climate. It ...

. Khurshah was residing in Maymun-Diz, and soon found the fortress encircled by Hulagu Khan and his eight '' tümen''s (80,000 fighters). Teams of hand-picked Mongol fighters were distributed at around 250 meters intervals from the hilltop down to the valley. Apparently, the Mongols were hesitant to push the siege of Maymun-Diz, and were persuaded to accept some sort of compromise. As winter was approaching, the besieging Mongols faced supply problems due to the difficulty of finding fodder for their horses. On 19 November 1256, Khurshah with a group of notables left the fortress and surrendered to Hulagu Khan. Considering how well-fortified and well-provisioned Alamut was, the Mongols welcomed the surrender. A group of Nizaris kept fighting in a

last stand A last stand is a military situation in which a body of troops holds a defensive position in the face of overwhelming and virtually insurmountable odds. Troops may make a last stand due to a sense of duty; because they are defending a tactic ...

in the ''"qubba"'' (a supposedly high domed structure within the fort) and were killed. Maymun-Diz was subsequently destroyed and its inhabitants were massacred. This is traditionally considered the date of the disestablishment of the

Nizari Ismaili state The Nizari state (the Alamut state) was a Shia Nizari Ismaili state founded by Hassan-i Sabbah after he took control of the Alamut Castle in 1090 AD, which marked the beginning of an era of Ismailism known as the "Alamut period". Their people w ...

References

External links

"Castle of Maymun Diz"

Institute of Ismaili Studies The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) is a research institute in London, United Kingdom. It aims to promote the study of Muslim cultures and societies, both historical and contemporary, in order to foster a greater understanding of their relatio ...

{{Castles in Iran Castles in Iran Buildings and structures in Qazvin Province Alamut Castles of the Nizari Ismaili state 1256 disestablishments in Asia Ruined castles in Iran Buildings and structures demolished in the 13th century 7th-century fortifications National works of Iran Lost buildings and structures Official residences in Asia Buildings and structures completed in 1097 Buildings and structures completed in 1126