Shahdiz facts for kids
| Shahdiz | |
|---|---|
Quick facts for kids شاهدز |
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| Near Isfahan, Iran | |
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| Coordinates | 32°35′48″N 51°38′38″E / 32.59667°N 51.64389°E |
| Type | Fortress |
| Site information | |
| Condition | In ruins |
| Site history | |
| In use | 1107 |
| Fate | Demolished |
| Battles/wars | Siege of Shahdiz |
Dizkuh (Persian: دزکوه), also known as Shahdiz (شاهدز), was an important fortress located near the city of Isfahan in Iran. It was famously controlled by a group called the Nizari Ismailis, who were a branch of Shiite Muslims. This strong castle was eventually captured and destroyed in the year 1107 by the Seljuk sultan, Muhammad Tapar, during his campaign against the Nizaris. Today, you can still see its impressive ruins about 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) south of Isfahan, on a smaller peak of Mount Soffeh.
The Story of Shahdiz Fortress
Shahdiz was a fortress in central Persia. It was built in a very important spot, guarding the main road that led to Isfahan, which was the capital city of the powerful Seljuq Empire.
A historian named Ibn al-Athir believed that the Seljuq sultan Malikshah built this fortress. However, it's more likely that the castle was much older, possibly even from the pre-Islamic Sasanian period. Sultan Malikshah probably just rebuilt and strengthened the castle because it was so close to his capital city. After this, the name Shahdiz became very common for the fortress.
The castle became famous because of the activities of the Nizari Ismailis. The Ismailis were very active in the Isfahan area during the 11th century. Their chief leader in Persia and Iraq, named Abd al-Malik ibn Attash, had set up his main base in Isfahan. After another Ismaili leader, Hassan-i Sabbah, captured the Alamut Castle, Abd al-Malik ibn Attash's son, Ahmad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Attash, was encouraged to take over Shahdiz.
Ahmad was very clever. He pretended to be a schoolteacher and slowly convinced the soldiers guarding the fortress to join his side. Most of these soldiers were from a region called Daylam and already had some Shiite beliefs, which made them open to the Ismaili ideas. By the year 1100, Ahmad had successfully taken control of the fortress. He then began to make it even stronger, just like other Ismaili castles in Persia. Ahmad also started collecting taxes from the nearby areas. It's said that he managed to convince about 30,000 people in Isfahan to become Ismailis. Shahdiz was extremely important because it protected the main route into Isfahan, the Seljuq capital. Taking this castle was a huge success for the Nizaris.
The Siege of Shahdiz
| Siege of Shahdiz | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Muhammad I's campaign in the Nizari–Seljuk wars | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Seljuq Empire | Nizari Ismailis | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Sultan Muhammad I Tapar | Da'i Ahmad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Attash  |
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| Strength | |||||||||
| Large force | Small force ~80 men in the final battle |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | Most of the force in the final battle | ||||||||
In 1107, soon after he became sultan, the Seljuq ruler Muhammad I Tapar (who was the son of Malikshah) started a major military campaign against the Nizari Ismailis. His main target was the Shahdiz fortress. He surrounded the castle with a very large army.
Ahmad, the Ismaili leader inside Shahdiz, tried to find a way to stop the attack. He tried to get help from Ismaili supporters within the Seljuq army. He also tried to involve the Sunni religious scholars (called ulama) from Isfahan in a long religious discussion. Ahmad tried to convince them that Ismailis were also true Muslims, and that their only difference was about who should be the true leader (the imamate). He argued that because of this, the sultan's attack was not right from a religious point of view. This debate went on for a whole year, but it didn't stop the siege.
Later, the Seljuq sultan tried to negotiate. The Nizaris asked for another fortress in exchange for Shahdiz. But these talks failed. During this time, an Ismaili fighter (called a fida'i) attacked and wounded a Seljuq commander who was very much against the Nizaris.
Eventually, an agreement was reached. Some of the Ismaili soldiers in Shahdiz were allowed to leave safely and go to other Ismaili castles in places like Arrajan and Quhistan. The remaining group, about eighty men, who only held a small part of the fortress, were supposed to surrender. They would then go to Alamut Castle once they heard that their fellow Ismailis had arrived safely at the other castles.
The news arrived that their comrades were safe, but Ahmad surprisingly refused to leave the fortress. It seemed he had decided to fight until the very end. The Seljuqs then attacked the fortress. Ahmad and his small group of fighters bravely defended themselves from tower to tower. Most of the Ismaili fighters were killed, though a few managed to escape. Ahmad and his son were captured and killed, and their heads were sent to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mustazhir in Baghdad.
The Seljuq sultan then ordered the castle to be completely destroyed. He was afraid that the Ismailis might capture it again. It seems that another nearby Ismaili stronghold, the Khanlanjan fortress, was also destroyed during this campaign. Because of these events, the Nizari Ismailis lost their power and influence in the Isfahan region.
See also
In Spanish: Shahdiz para niños
- List of Ismaili castles
