List of Ismaili castles
Location of several of the Ismaili castles in the regions of Alamut and Rudbar.
List of the castles of the Nizari Ismaili state in Persia (Iran) and Syria.
The state had around 200 fortresses overall, most of which were spur castles. Most of the Persian Ismaili castles were in Alborz mountains, in the regions of Daylaman (particularly, in Alamut and Rudbar; north of modern-day Qazvin) and Quhistan (south of Khurasan), as well as in Qumis. Most of the Syrian Ismaili castles were in Jabal Bahra' (Syrian Coastal Mountain Range).
Persia
| Name | Persian name / Alternative spellings | Location | Condition | Image | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamut Castle | الموت | Alamut region | Ruined, partially restored |  |
36°26′40.63″N 50°35′9.58″E / 36.4446194°N 50.5859944°E | The main stronghold of the Ismailis. |
| Lambsar Castle | لمبسر, لمسر, Lamasar, Lambasar, Lanbasar | Rudbar, Rudbar region | Ruined |  |
Captured, refortified, and governed by Kiya Buzurg-Ummid. Probably the largest Ismaili castle. | |
| Rudkhan Castle | قلعه رودخان | Daylam | Mainly intact |  |
37°03′52″N 49°14′21″E / 37.064357°N 49.239276°E | |
| Maymun Diz | میمون دژ, Maymundez, Meymundezh | Alamut region | Unknown, said to be west of Alamut. | Destroyed by the Mongols in 654 AH / 1256 CE. | ||
| Samiran Castle | قلعه سمیران | Rudbar, Rudbar region | ||||
| Nevizar Shah Castle | قلعه نویسر شاه, Nevisar Shah | Alamut region- | ||||
| Gerdkuh | گردکوه, دژ گنبدان, Girdkuh | Qumis region, near Damghan | 36°09′43″N 54°09′25″E / 36.16194°N 54.15694°E | The last Ismaili castle that was surrendered to Mongols. | ||
| Saru castles | قلعه سارو, Soru | Qumis region, near Semnan | Mainly intact | Two nearby related castles, Greater Saru and Lesser Saru, are recently attributed to the Ismailis. | ||
| Mo'menabad Castle | فلعه مؤمن‌آباد | Quhistan region, modern-day Darmian County | ||||
| Qa'in Castle | قلعه قائن | Quhistan region, modern-day Qaen | ||||
| Furg Castle | قلعه فورگ, Furk Castle | Quhistan region, modern-day Darmian County | Mainly intact |  |
||
| Kuh-e-Ghal'eh | کوه قلعه | Quhistan region, near Ferdows |  |
The biggest fortress in south Khurasan, per Tarikh-i Jahangushay. Burned by the invading Mongols. | ||
| Khalanjan Castle | قلعه خالنجان, خولنجان, شاهدژ, Khulanjan, Shah-Dezh | Nehbandan County | ||||
| Arrajan Castle | ارجان | Behbahan, Khuzestan | ||||
| Anjudan | انجدان | modern Markazi Province | ||||
| Sa’adat-kuh | سعادت‌کوه | |||||
| Mubarak-kuh | مبارک‌کوه | |||||
| Firuzkuh Castle (fa) | فیروزکوه | modern Tehran Province | in ruins |  |
A concentric castle | |
| Shah-Dizh / Dizkuh | شاهدژ / دژکوه | Isfahan | in ruins | Peacefully captured and refortified by Ahmad ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Attash, recaptured and destroyed by the Seljuqs[1] |
Syria
| Name | Arabic name / Alternative spellings | Location | Condition | Image | Coordinates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masyaf Castle | قلعة مصياف | Hama | Partially restored |  |
35°03′58″N 36°20′36″E / 35.06611°N 36.34333°E | The most famous Syrian Ismaili castle. |
| Abu Qubays | قلعة أبو قبيس | Hama | Partially ruined |  |
35°14′5.92″N 36°19′50.83″E / 35.2349778°N 36.3307861°E | Purchased from Iftikhar al-Dawla, the Fatimid governor of Jerusalem. |
| Qalaat al-Madiq | قلعة المضيق, Qal'at al-Mudiq | Hama | Residential area |  |
35°25′12″N 36°23′33″E / 35.42000°N 36.39250°E | Purchased. |
| Aleika Castle | قلعة العليقة, Uleyqa | Tartus (in Jabal Bahra') |  |
A concentric castle | ||
| Al-Qadmus Castle | قلعة القدموس, Al-Qadmous; Kadmus | Tartus (in Jabal Bahra') | Ruined | 35°06′05″N 36°09′40″E / 35.10139°N 36.16111°E | Purchased from Muslim forces. | |
| Al-Kahf Castle | قلعة الكهف | Tartus (in Jabal Bahra') | Partially ruined | 35°02′27″N 36°04′58″E / 35.04083°N 36.08278°E | Probably the main residence of Rashid al-Din Sinan. He died in the castle in 1192. Ismailis had purchased the castle from Muslims in 1138. | |
| Khawabi Castle | قلعة الخوابي | Tartus (in Jabal Bahra') | Residential area | 34°58′22″N 36°00′06″E / 34.97278°N 36.00167°E | Conquered by Baibars in 1273. | |
| Rusafa Castle | قلعة الرصافة | Hama (in Jabal Bahra') | Partially ruined | 35°2′15″N 36°18′00″E / 35.03750°N 36.30000°E | Rebuilt by Sinan. Conquered by Baibars in 1271. | |
| Qulay'ah Castle | قلعة القليعة | Tartus (in Jabal Bahra') | ||||
| Sarmin Castle | قلعة سرمين | Idlib (in Jabal Bahra') | ||||
| Maniqa Castle | قلعة المنيقة | Latakia (in Jabal Bahra') | ||||
| Shaizar Castle | قلعة شيزر | Hama (in Jabal Bahra') | In ruins |  |
Breiefly occupied by the Assassins | |
See also
- Nizari Ismaili state
- Nizari Ismailism
- History of Nizari Ismailism
- List of castles in Iran
- List of castles in Syria
- List of Crusader castles
- Baltit Fort, used by Ismailis of the Hunza princely state in Pakistan
References
- ↑ "DEZKŪH – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- "Nizari Ismaili Castles of Iran and Syria". Institute of Ismaili Studies. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- Willey, Peter (2005), Eagle's Nest: Ismaili Castles in Iran and Syria, Institute of Ismaili Studies, I.B.Tauris, ISBN 9781850434641
External links
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- "Nizari Ismaili Concept of Castles", The Institute of Ismaili Studies
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