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Masyaf castle, west of Hama, was the main stronghold of the Nizari Isma'ilis in Syria. In the twelfth century it was the seat of their leader Rashid al-Din…
Masyaf castle, west of Hama, was the main stronghold of the Nizari Isma'ilis in Syria. In the twelfth century it was the seat of their leader Rashid al-Din Sinan, known to the Crusaders as the Old Man of the Mountain, and Salah al-Din besieged it in 1176 before the two sides came to terms. The Mamluk sultan Baybars brought the castle under his control in 1270. Its walls and towers have been restored and stand above the town of Masyaf, and it is one of the most visited castles in central Syria.