New Books Network Steve Tibble, "Assassins and Templars: A Battle in Myth and Blood" (Yale UP, 2025)
Sep 9, 2025
Join Dr. Steve Tibble, an expert on the Crusades and honorary associate of Royal Holloway College, as he unravels the intertwined tales of history's legendary Assassins and Templars. Delve into their shared strategies of survival, from the promise of death to their violent rivalry during the First Crusade. Tibble explores how these groups shaped medieval power dynamics and their lasting impact on modern culture, echoed in video games like Assassin's Creed. Discover why their complex relationship was more than mere enmity and how their legacies continue today.
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Shared Cult Dynamics
- Both the Assassins and the Templars developed cult-like structures because small, persecuted groups turn inward and become highly committed.
- Steve Tibble argues similar pressures produced similar strategies despite religious differences.
The Assassin Label Was Enemy Propaganda
- The derogatory term "assassin" (hashashin) originated with Sunni enemies and implied drug use or low status.
- Tibble finds little evidence of narcotic use and says the label functioned as an enemy slur that stuck.
Assassination As Asymmetric Strategy
- Facing overwhelming foes, the Nizari Ismailis adopted asymmetrical tactics: targeted murder as strategic leverage.
- Tibble frames their killings as survival strategy rather than aimless fanaticism.
