How Did Hasan Sabbah Die? Death, Tomb and Family
Updated: 6 November 2026
Short answer
Hasan-i Sabbah died at Alamut in 1124. The sources we read do not say he was killed, and he is described as having fallen ill. Shortly before his death he named Kiya Buzurg-Ummid as his successor. His mausoleum was demolished by the Mongols in 1256.
The date
Daftary gives 26 Rabi' II 518 (12 June 1124), adding that it may have been twenty days earlier. The TDV entry gives 23 May 1124. The difference between the two is therefore well understood, and either date can be found in reference works.
His family
Daftary writes that he had both his sons executed, "one for alleged murder, the other on suspicion of drinking wine". He is also said to have sent his wife and daughters permanently to Girdkuh, where they earned their living by spinning. These details come from later historians and should be read as reports.
Frequently asked questions
- How did Hassan Sabbah die?
- Of natural causes as far as the sources show, after an illness, at Alamut in 1124.
- Where is Hasan-i Sabbah buried?
- Near Alamut. His mausoleum, once visited by Nizaris, was destroyed by the Mongols in 1256.
- Who succeeded Hasan-i Sabbah?
- Kiya Buzurg-Ummid, his lieutenant at Lamasar, who ruled from 1124 to 1138.
Sources
- Farhad Daftary, “Hasan Sabbah”, Institute of Ismaili Studies (edited from Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. XII)
- Abdülkerim Özaydın, “Hasan Sabbâh”, TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, vol. 16 (1997), pp. 347-350 (in Turkish)
- “Alamut Castle”, English Wikipedia
Medieval authors such as Juvayni, Rashid al-Din and Ibn al-Athir are cited here through the listed studies, not directly. Prepared by the hasansabbah.com editorial team.