Ismaili sect and their enemies

The process of the transformation in the Ismaili sect and its interal branches can be very helpful in studying Ismaili's position taking against its opponents. The climax of the mentioned process coincides with Crusades during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. The hostility of Shiism against Ismaili has an idiological basis, however Sunni's general enmity towards Ismaili, in addition to its idiological basis, may also be examined from political point of view. Because the two popular supporters of Sunnis, namely Abbassid Caliphate and seljuki Dynasty were threatened by two fronts: first, the mighty Alawite rule in Egypt and second, the military and political rule in Alamout. The first one competed with Abbasids for seizing the power and the second agitated Saljuki's realm. The position of the Nazaris Branch of Ismaili in regard with Crusades was detrmined by the mentioned circumstances. The Nazaris, as a political and military minority in Damascus, had to balance rheir relations with their Christian and Saljuki counterparst in order to maintian their position