[638] On account of their adherence to Nazár, the sect, headed by Hassan Sabah, and the Ismâilah of Persia are called also Nazárián, which is a more probable derivation than that in note 4, p. 419. [639] Haleb, a town in Syria, is said to be as ancient as the dynasty of the Kayanian kings of Persia; it was in this town, that Kushtasp received the royal crown sent him by his father Lohrasp. It is the ancient Berrhœa. [640] _Da âí_ appears to have been a particular and eminent dignity among the Ismâílahs. It is said of Nazir-eddin, a minister of Mostanser Billah, that he occupied at the same time the places of great Kázi, of great _Dá âí_, and of Vizir. According to Mokrizi (see _Chrestom. ar._, vol. I. p. 142) the Dáâi of the Dáâis follows in rank immediately the Kází of Kázis, and wears the same costume. He teaches the doctrine of his sect, and receives the engagement of all those who renounce their former creed, adopting that of the Fatimites. [641] Mirkhond gives a more detailed account of Hassan’s itinerary, as follows: Hassan went from Isfahan to Yezed, and to Kirman; whence he returned to Isfahan, where he resided four months; he departed again for Khozistan, staid there three months, and then went to Damegan, in which town and district he passed three years. After that he proceeded to Jorjan, and using every caution for not falling into the hands of his enemies, he went to Sari, from thence to Damawend, whence, by the route of Kazwin, he entered Dilem; from thence he passed into a town near Alamut, where he devoted himself to a religious life. I have thus enumerated the countries in which the doctrine of the Ismâilahs was more or less spread, but not without opposition. [642] Alamut is a town and fort near Kazvin, in the Persian province of _Ghilan_, on the western shore of the Caspian sea. آِله اموت, _îlah amut_, means “nest of a vulture.” The value of the numbers represented by the letters of these two words make together the epoch of Hassan’s entering the fort, viz.: ا = 1 ل = 30 ه = 5 ا = 1 م = 40 و = 6 ت = 400 ―――― 483 483 of the Hejira (A. D. 1090), in the month of Rajeb, the seventh of the Muhammedan year; Abulfeda (vol. III. p. 425) says the eighth month of the year 483. This stronghold soon became the capital of a formidable sovereign, known among the European crusaders, under the name of _shaikh al Jebal_, interpreted “the old man of the mountain.” [643] The author neglects to mention the date from which he begins his computation.