Toward the end of the 5th/llth century the missionary activity of Isma'eelism took root in the fort of Alamut and for nearly a century and a half the Isma'eelis lived in complete independence in the central regions of Persia. 

Also the Siiddt-i Mar'ashi, who were descendants of the Holy Prophet, ruled for many years in Mazandaran (Tabaristan). Shah Muhammad Khudilbandah, one of the well-known Mongol rulers, became Shi'ite and his descendants ruled for many years in Persia and were instrumental in spreading Shiasim. 

Mention must also be made of the kings of the Aq Qoyfinlfl and Qara Qoyfinlfl dynasties who ruled in Tabriz and whose domain extended to Fars and Kerman, as well as of the Fatimid government which was ruling in Egypt. 

Of course religious freedom and the possibility of exerting religious power by the populace differed under different rulers. For example, with the termination of Fatimid rule and coming to power of the Ayyubids the scene changed completely and the Shi'ite population of Egypt and Syria lost its religious independence. 

Many of the Shi'ites of Syria were killed during this period merely on the accusation of following Shiasim. 

One of these was Shahidill Awwal (the First Martyr) Muhammad Ibn Makki, one of the great figures in Shi'ite jurisprudence, who was killed inDamascus in 786AH/1384AD. 

Also Shaykh Al-Ishraq Shihab Al-Din Suhrawardi was killed in Aleppo on the accusation that he was cultivating Batini teachings and philosophy. 

Altogether during this period Shiasim was growing from the point of view of numbers, even though its religious power and freedom depended upon local conditions and the rulers of the time. 

During this period, however, Shiasim never became the official religion of any Muslim state.