the assassins' guild was founded on 27 august am1512 by sir gyles de munforte as the "de munforte school for gentlemen assassins". sir gyles was a warrior knight who, during his crusades in klatch, was intrigued by the klatchian tradition of professional gentleman assassins, and decided to set up a similar organisation at home, only without the drugs. in am1576 the school was elevated to the status of a guild and the name was changed to the "royal guild of assassins". the 'royal' was dropped after the 'events' of am1688 (i.e. the ankh-morpork civil war, as a result of which the monarchy was overthrown).