Hasan-i Sabbah vs Pulakeshin II

Hasan-i Sabbah and his followers seized the Alamut fortress in the Alborz mountains of northern Iran. This became the headquarters of the Nizari Ismaili state and the base from which he led a decentralized resistance against the Seljuk Empire.

Following the capture of Alamut, Hasan-i Sabbah established a network of mountain fortresses in Persia and Syria, creating a Nizari Ismaili state. This state operated as a decentralized theocracy, using strategic assassinations to counter Seljuk power.

The Seljuk vizier Nizam al-Mulk was assassinated by a Nizari Ismaili agent near Nahavand. This event demonstrated the reach of Hasan-i Sabbah's network and destabilized the Seljuk administration, contributing to the decline of Seljuk central authority.

After the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Mustansir, Hasan-i Sabbah supported the succession of Nizar over al-Mustali, leading to a schism. He established the Nizari Ismaili doctrine, emphasizing the authority of the imam and the use of taqiyya (dissimulation) for survival.

Hasan-i Sabbah died at Alamut, having led the Nizari Ismaili state for 34 years. He was succeeded by Kiya Buzurg Ummid. His legacy includes the creation of a resilient state that survived for over a century and the development of the Assassin legend.

Pulakeshin II received a diplomatic mission from the Sassanid Persian king Khosrow II, as recorded in the Aihole inscription. This embassy indicates the Chalukya kingdom's international prestige and trade connections with the Persian Gulf.

Pulakeshin II repelled an invasion by the northern emperor Harsha of Kannauj on the banks of the Narmada River. This victory established the Chalukya kingdom as the dominant power in the Deccan and prevented Harsha from expanding southward.

Pulakeshin II commissioned the Aihole inscription, composed by the poet Ravikirti. The inscription details his military campaigns, including the defeat of Harsha, and provides a key historical source for the Chalukya dynasty.

Pulakeshin II captured the Pallava capital of Kanchipuram, defeating the Pallava king Mahendravarman I. This conquest extended Chalukya control into Tamil country and marked the height of his empire's territorial extent.

Pulakeshin II was killed in battle against the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who avenged the earlier capture of Kanchipuram. The Pallavas sacked the Chalukya capital Vatapi, and Pulakeshin's death led to a temporary decline of the Chalukya empire.