Jubair al-Hakim (23 July 1156 - 20 August 1191) was the Chief Scholar of the Sultanate of Damascus in 1191, and was known for his burning of literature, which he saw as the factor that drove the Crusades and the source of all evil. Jubair was one of the major leaders of Damascus (and "The Illuminated" sect) during the wars with the Kingdom of Jerusalem and its crusader allies, and was assassinated by the Hashshashin in 1191.
Biography[]
Jubair al-Hakim was born in the Sultanate of Damascus in the Middle District, and became a major leader of Damascus. During the time of the Third Crusade, he became the Chief Scholar of Damascus, and encouraged the burning of literature. Hakim believed that literature drove the Crusades and was therefore the source of all evil, with disdain for Socrates and Plato. He was also a secret member of the Templar Order. Hakim became the main leader of Damascus in 1191 while the Saracens focused on fighting against the Kingdom of Jerusalem, England, and France, and he had imams instruct the people of the city to turn in their books for burning. At the Madrasa Al-Kallasah, Hakim was responsible for leading all of the scholars of the city and burning books. His cult was called "The Illuminated", and gathered a large folllowing through repression.
Later in 1191, the Hashshashin (a group of killers from the Alborz Mountains, based nearby at Masyaf in Syria) decided to assassinate him because of his influence over the Near East. Altair Ibn-La'Ahad was given the task of killing Jubair, and Altair searched around for clues to assassinate him. Altair was able to interrogate an imam and eavesdrop on some people conversing about Hakim. He found out that he was going to speak to his followers and scholars at the Madrasa al-Kallasah, so he set out with haste to assassinate him.
Death[]
Jubair's death
Altair climbed onto the roof of the mosque and looked down from a balcony as a pile of books and scrolls were burnt by the scholars. Jubair threw a man who argued with him into the fire, and he asked if any others wished to challenge him. He then sent his men into the city to collect the rest of the books so that they could be burnt.
Altair had to search around the city for him, with many of the scholars that he found not being him. After a while of looking for Jubair, Altair found him under an arch surrounded by people that were being forced to turn in their books. Altair impaled him through the neck with his hidden blades in a stealth assassination, mortally wounding him. In his last moments, Jubair said that he was a source of knowledge with which Altair disagreed, like books with him. He said that ancient scrolls inspired the Crusaders, with their texts endangering others. Jubair said that Altair's deed was done, and so was he.