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Niccolò Machiavelli

2010-11-26T01:04:16Z

71.109.70.136: /* Trivia */

{{Era|AC2|Assassins|Ren}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli
|image = Zw-niccolomachiavelli.png
|imgdesc = Niccolò Machiavelli in the Animus database.
|birth = 3 May 1469<br>[[Florence]], [[Italy]]
|death = 21 June 1527 (aged 58)<br>Florence, Italy
|period = [[Renaissance]] (15<sup>th</sup> century)
|faction = [[Assassins]]<br>[[Mercenaries]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''<br>''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|voice = [[Shawn Baichoo]]
}}
{{Quote|I am an Assassin. Trained in the ancient ways to safeguard mankind's evolution. Just like you, and each one of us here.|Machiavelli to Ezio upon their first meeting|Assassin's Creed II}}

'''Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli''' (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was an [[Italy|Italian]] philosopher, writer, and is considered one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, musician, and playwright, but foremost he was a civil servant of the Florentine Republic.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Niccolò was born in [[Florence]] as the third son of attorney Bernardo di Niccolò Machiavelli and his wife Bartolomea di Stefano Nelli.

Niccolò was trained and inducted into the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] at an early age.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

===Acquiring the Apple of Eden===
At age 19, Niccolò and a group of other Assassins gathered in [[Venice]] to acquire the "[[First Apple|Apple of Eden]]" from [[Rodrigo Borgia]], the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] of the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. When the group arrived at Rodrigo's location, they found him fighting with [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], the son of the the late Assassin [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]]. The other Assassins rushed to Ezio's aid, whereas Niccolò watched from the distance.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

After the group killed the guards and severely injured Rodrigo, the group revealed themselves to be Assassins to Ezio, which was previously unknown by him. They went on to a tall tower in Venice, where they inducted Ezio into the Order before one after the other performing [[Leap of Faith|Leaps of Faith]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Battle of Forlì===
Niccolò, [[Mario Auditore]], Ezio and [[Leonardo da Vinci]] studied the Apple of Eden in Leonardo's workshop. Upon accidentally activating it, the three concluded that the Apple's power was too powerful and that Rodrigo would be relentless to get it back. Mario figured the best way to protect the Apple would be to take it to the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]] in [[Forlì]], as Forlì was ruled by their ally [[Caterina Sforza]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in the countryside of [[Romagna]]. As they walked towards Forlì, Caterina explained that she killed her husband [[Girolamo Riario]] because he was a member of the Templar Order and for personal reasons. As they were nearing Forlì, they found a lot of its citizens running away scared. One of them explained that the city was under attack by the [[House of Orsi|Orsi brothers]], the same men Caterina hired to kill her husband. Niccolò concluded that they were hired by Rodrigo to obtain the map Girolamo made of all the [[Codex]] pages. By the time the group arrived at Forlì, the Orsi had already taken control of it and closed the gates. Ezio managed to stealthily enter the city by swimming under a gate in the water and after traversing the wall, opened the city gates.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

Niccolò, Ezio and Caterina then proceeded on to the Rocca di Ravaldino, killing any Templar guard that stood in their way. When they finally arrived at the citadel and rid it of all Templars, they found out that the Orsi brothers had taken two of Caterina's children hostage. Ezio went to rescue the children and left the Apple in the hands of Caterina and Niccolò, who remained in the citadel. As Ezio left, the Templars attacked the citadel again and were victorious in retrieving the Apple, which was now in the hands of the remaining Orsi brother [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] (the other having been killed by Ezio to save Caterina's son). Ezio tracked down and killed Checco, but was stabbed himself by the latter as the latter spoke his final words. As he tried to walk back to Forlì, he lost consciousness and saw the Apple being stolen from him by a monk, which he later found out was [[Girolamo Savonarola]]. Hearing of the failure to retrieve the Apple, Niccolò went back to Florence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Bonfire of the Vanities===
In 1497, Niccolò met with Ezio again in Florence and informed him that Savonarola had taken control of the city by using the Apple. Ezio figured that if he killed all nine of Savonarola's lieutenants, his grip would weaken. Niccolò informed [[La Volpe]] and [[Paola]] of Ezio's plan and with each lieutenant killed, the three encouraged the people to stand up against Savonarola.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

When all the lieutenants were killed, an angry mob swarmed Savonarola's residence, the [[Palazzo Pitti]]. Savonarola tried to calm the crowd with the Apple, but Ezio knocked it out of his hand with a well-thrown knife and one of Rodrigo Borgia's men acquired it, causing Ezio to chase him down and retrieve it. Savonarola was then taken to be burned alive and the Assassins watched from the distance. Ezio figured that no one should die in such agony and killed him before the flames could reach him. After Ezio gave a speech to inspire the crowd to follow their own ways, the Assassins left the scene.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===War with the Borgia===
Upon Ezio's return to [[Monteriggioni]] in 1499, he told the other Assassins of what transpired in the [[Vatican]]. Machiavelli felt Ezio made a serious mistake by keeping Rodrigo alive. Furious, he left for [[Rome]]. Shortly afterwards, Monteriggioni was [[Siege of Monteriggioni|attacked]] by [[Cesare Borgia]] and, after the siege was over, Ezio made his way to Rome but passed out along the way due to his injuries. Ezio woke up bandaged in a house just outside of Rome, and found out that an unknown man and a citizen woman had saved him. Later, Ezio joined Machiavelli in Rome, but a rivalry developed between them as to who would be [[Grand Master of the Assassin's Order]] in Rome. Despite the newfound jealousy between Ezio and Machiavelli, they jointly took control of [[Tiber Island]] and made it their headquarters. Whereas Ezio went out to actively hunt the Templars, Niccolò stayed behind on the island to train new [[Assassin apprentices]]. He also informed Ezio of [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer characters|Templar targets]] that needed to be taken care of.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

During the war in Rome, [[La Volpe]] was growing suspicious of Machiavelli, believing him to be a double agent for the [[House of Borgia|Borgias]]. Volpe suggested that it was Machiavelli who betrayed them during the siege of [[Monteriggioni]]. After saving Pietro from [[Micheletto Corella]] in the [[Colosseum]], Ezio recognised one of the thieves that was present during the Villa attack, and chased him down. After catching him, Ezio noticed documents with the Borgia emblem, and deduced that the thief was the traitor. Ezio put his hidden blade to the thief's neck, who declared ''"long live the Borgia"'' before grabbing Ezio's arm and stabbing himself with the blade. With no time to lose, Ezio made his way to [[Tiber Island]] to prevent La Volpe from killing Niccolò. After telling La Volpe about the real traitor, Machiavelli walked over to the two of them, and Volpe greeted him as an old friend, telling Machiavelli all about the play.

==Trivia==
*[[File:Maciavelli_1.jpg|thumb|right|A portrait of the real Niccolo Machiavelli]]In real life, Machiavelli witnessed the execution of Girolamo Savonarola, and wrote about it the night of the event. The location, or even the name of these writings are unknown today.
*The debate over Machiavelli's true intentions are often distorted due to the fact that many people concentrate on ''Il Principe'' ("The Prince"), which was one relatively short book, written in a few months. ''The Prince'' was written for a specific reason during a specific time in Italian history (a period when the Medici family had the opportunity to build a strong Italian state in central Italy and drive out the 'barbarians'). Machiavelli also wrote a thesis called the ''Discourses on Livy''. This thesis (which was written over a significant period of his life) reflected Machiavelli's more republican notions of government, and is a far more comprehensive thesis than ''The Prince''. Together the ''Discourses'' and ''The Prince'' show us that, in real life, he was an individual who preferred a republican government, but was prepared to accept a principality if it ensured the survival of the state.
*The fact that the in-game Machiavelli was the leader of Florence's [[mercenaries]] doesn't match with his real-life counterpart. In real life, Machiavelli was against the use of mercenaries, because he believed they were unreliable. However it is possible that mercenaries are meant to represent the Florentine militia that Machiavelli commanded in real life. This is supported by the fact that he made complaints about mercenaries in Bonfire of the Vanities.
*Historically, Machiavelli had good relations with the Borgia family. In 1502, he was sent on a diplomatic mission to Cesare Borgia. He called Rodrigo Borgia/Pope Alexander VI a very successful politician, because he was the prototype of a leader who has no scruples to reach his target, and historically, it is also said that Machiavelli greatly admired Cesare Borgia.
*If Ezio (via the player) chooses to do nothing during the moment where Savonarola tries to silence the crowd in Bonfire of the Vanities, Niccolò himself will step in and be the one to throw a knife at Savonarola's hand.
*Before Ezio does a leap of faith after inducting Claudia, Niccolo says that he wishes to write a book about Ezio. This could be a reference to his book: The Prince.

==Gallery==

<center><gallery captionalign="left">
Image:AC2-M.jpg|Concept art for Niccolò Machiavelli.
Image:Machiavelli pose.jpg|Machiavelli with a longsword.
Niccolo.jpg|Niccolò, as he appears in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood''.
Ezio and Niccolo.JPG|Ezio Auditore and Niccolo Machiavelli in Rome.
char_machiavelli.png|Niccolo Machiavelli as he appears in Assassin's Creed Brotherhood
</gallery></center>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Machiavelli, Niccolò}}
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters]]
[[Category:Assassins]]
[[Category:Historical Characters]]

Assassins

2010-11-26T00:58:16Z

71.109.70.136: /* Medieval and Renaissance periods */

{{Era|ACAC|AC|ACB|AC2|AC2D|Assassins|Crusade|Ren|Modern|Good}}
{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}
{{Faction Infobox
|name =
|image =Aclogo.png
|imgdesc =The emblem of the Assassin Order.
|hideo =
|founder =[[Adam and Eve]]'s descendants<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>
|leader =[[Grand Master of the Assassin Order]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>
|headquarters =''Middle ages'':<br>[[Masyaf]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><br>[[Alep]]<br>[[Cyprus]]<br> ''Renaissance'':<br>[[Tiber Island]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref><br>''Russian Empire'':<br>[[Petrograd]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: The Fall">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref><br>''Modern times'':<br>"[[The Farm]]"<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />
|locations =''Renaissance'':<br>[[Florence]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><br>[[Monteriggioni]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><br>[[Venice]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><br>[[Forlì]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><br>[[Rome]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" /><br>''Modern times'':<br>Worldwide<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
|related =*[[Thugs]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />
*[[Mercenaries]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Courtesans]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Thieves]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[House of Medici]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
|religion =
|hideh =
|formed =Pre-history
|reorganised =1191<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
|collapsed =
|hidea =
|notable =*[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]
*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]
*[[Al Mualim]]
*[[Daniel Cross]]
*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Nikolai Orelov]]
|}}
{{Quote|We work in the dark, to serve the light. We are Assassins.|[[Niccolò Machiavelli]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Assassin Order''', '''Assassin Brotherhood''' and '''Hashshashin''', were an organized order of assassins who fought a continuous secret war with the [[Templars]] for over two-thousand years. Whereas the Templars strove for the power to save humanity from itself by controlling free will, the Assassin Order struggled to ensure the survival of free will, as it is what allows for the progression of new ideas and the growth of individuality. The Assassins, if not the order itself, had existed since at least 456 BC, throughout the [[wikipedia:Roman Era|Roman Era]], the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and into the [[Modern Times|21<sup>st</sup> Century]].

==The Order==
{{quote|Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine<br />("Nothing is true, everything is permitted" in Arabic)''|[[The Creed|The Assassin's Creed]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
ليس هناك ما هو صحيح ، كل شيء مسموح به, means ''"Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted."'' Although it may not be perfectly translated, the meaning of the phrase is embodied by the Assassin's Order throughout the series, as they believe the words hold true meaning to their way of life.

The order believed in a strong set of values that strictly governed their way of life. This Creed consisted of three [[tenets]]:
#"Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent."
#"Hide in plain sight, be one with the crowd."
#"Never compromise the Brotherhood."<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>
These tenets permeated every aspect of the Assassins' daily life, as well as their fight for "peace in all things." The Assassins carried out their duties through political, strategic assassination, in the hope that killing one individual would lead to the salvation of thousands. The Assassins believed that they fought on the behalf of those who did not possess the abilities, resources, or knowledge to speak out against those who abused their power.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Despite their service to those who would otherwise suffer, the Assassins were still feared by the general populace, due mainly to their method of ensuring peace. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places, before many witnesses – so as to bring fear into the hearts of those who might abuse their power or corrupt the innocent – before vanishing into the crowd without a trace.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> To aid in this, the Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the [[Hidden Blade]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> a single thrust from which could end the life of its victim.

However, in order to ascertain which death might best assist the Assassins' goals, extensive political knowledge was a must have. Thus, the Assassins remained ever in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding them. Obtaining information on this was the job of low-level members of the Order, who would be stationed throughout the cities of the world. These [[Informants|spies]] would watch the local nobles and rulers, looking for signs of corruption, or for membership in the Templars. Once gathered, any information was passed on to the Assassins responsible for the actual execution.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />

[[File:AssassinGuard.png|thumb|200px|left|Rauf, a combat instructor, wearing similar robes to other high ranked Assassin guards in Masyaf.]]
===Training===
The Assassins spent their entire lifetime training to kill.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> From an early age, they were taught to observe their surroundings and plan ahead. Combat skills were a must, and its training was continuous, with a focus on bladed weapons of all sorts. However, despite such a concentration on combat, the most important consideration in the Assassins' training was concealment. Stealth was the greatest weapon of the Assassin, and everything about their life (the clothes they wore, where they lived, and even how they walked) emphasized a devotion to it.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> It was essential for an Assassin to be able to reach their target unnoticed, and then slip back into the crowd after they had struck.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

Another significant focus of an Assassins' training was maneuverability. By the time an Assassin reached the [[Ranks|rank]] of [[Master Assassin]], he was also a master of an early form of [[Free-Running|parkour]], extensively utilized by the Assassins. Widely seen as alien by the general populace, this method of movement allowed the Assassins to reach areas not normally accessible to man. From scaling a wall, to climbing to one of a city's many [[view point]]s, parkour gave the Assassins a significant advantage over nearly all their enemies and city [[Guards|guards]] and can be used to get anywhere in the city at any time

==History==
===The Third Crusade===
[[File:Almualimassassins.png|thumb|250px|Al Mualim and the Assassins in the fortress of Masyaf.]]
In 1191, during the [[Third Crusade]], the [[Syria]]n branch of the Assassin Order was centered in the fortress of [[Masyaf]], deep within the kingdom of the [[wikipedia:Holy Land|Holy Land]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the Assassins battled with the [[Templars]] and their leader, [[Robert de Sable]], over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It was during the Third Crusade that the Assassins learned of a Templar interest in an [[First Apple|ancient artifact]], hidden within the catacombs of [[Solomon's Temple]]. It was decided to liberate the treasure from them, and the mission was a success, although a costly one. With the death of [[Kadar A-Sayf|one Assassin]], the severe injury of [[Malik A-Sayf|another]], and the arrival of the Templar army at the gates of Masyaf, the Assassins were nearly overwhelmed by the [[Siege of Masyaf|following battle]]. However, by crushing most of the Templar army under a concealed onslaught of rolling logs, they were able to drive the Templars from the fortress and village below.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

Following the assault, the Assassin blamed for the loss of life that day – [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] – was severely reprimanded, and tasked with removing nine influential individuals, who plagued the Holy Land with their corrupt rule. As Altaïr made his way down the list made up of both [[Crusader]] and [[Saracen]] individuals, he was greatly unsettled by the realization that their goal to bring peace to the people of the Holy Land was just, as he that felt his victims were "misguided perhaps, but pure in motive." This was a view shared by Al Mualim, who agreed with their goals, but felt that their attitude of "the end justifies the means" undermined the good they sought to ensure. As his mission progressed, Altaïr sought to know what bound his victims together, and the discovery that they were all Templars only served to reinforce the Assassin's determination to bring an end to the Templar plot.

By the end of the year, the Assassins were victorious over their Templar enemies. [[Robert de Sable]], [[Grand Master of the Templar Order]], was dead, however the treachery of one of their own had also hit the Assassin Order hard. Al Mualim, [[Grand Master of the Assassin Order]], and a former member of a coalition of ''ten'' Templar leaders, was revealed to be a traitor, and was killed by the very man he had sent to eliminate his fellow Templar conspirators. With Al Mualim dead, Altaïr took over as Grand Master of the Order, leading the Assassins in their attempts to rebuild their strength after the costly conflict.

Eventually, it was decided that the [[Piece of Eden]] was too great a threat to keep in Masyaf, and the decision was made to store it on the island of [[Cyprus]], in the [[Templar Archive|Limassol archives]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref> However, following the liberation of the island from its Templar rulers, the Piece was kept by Altaïr until he had at least completed his fabled [[Codex]].

The power of the Assassin's in the east was destroyed by the Mongols in 1256 when an assassination attempt on Hulagu Khan failed and the Mongols retaliated by attacking the Assassin's strongholds, destroying them.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Renaissance===
{{Quote|In this modern age, we are not as literal as our ancestors; but our seal is no less permanent…|Mario Auditore|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Asslogorenaissance.png|thumb|left|Renaissance variation of the Assassins' emblem.]]
The Order continued to thrive, despite being forced to adopt an even more secretive and isolated existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> During the time period known as the [[Renaissance]], the Assassin Order had apparently "gone underground." The reason for this is explained inside the Codex pages, where Altaïr states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altaïr believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Having abandoned the fortress of Masyaf, the Assassins spread out across the [[wikipedia:Mediterranean|Mediterranean]], taking up residence in places like northern [[Italy]] and [[Spain]]. However, the Templars too had done as much, headquartering themselves in [[Rome]]. By 1321, the Assassin Order had successfully integrated itself into modern day life of northern Italy, widely unknown to the average folk. That same year, a young sailor by the name of [[Domenico Auditore|Domenico]], the son of an Assassin, was apprenticed to the poet and Assassin [[Dante Alighieri]], who had been tasked with transporting the Codex of Altaïr from [[Venice]] to Spain.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Auditore Crypt">''[[Auditore Family Crypt|Uplay Content - Assassin's Creed II: Auditore Family Crypt]]''</ref> Upon his death, however, the undertaking fell instead to Domenico. During the voyage, pirates under the employ of the Templars ambushed the ship looking for the Codex, consequently killing the wife of Domenico. Fortunately for the Assassins, Domenico managed to break apart the Codex and hide its pages from the pirates before he and his son were forced overboard.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Auditore Crypt" />

Eventually returning to Venice, Domenico found his father and his patron, [[Marco Polo]], an ally of the Assassins, dead. Thus, Domenico emptied the bank accounts of Messer Polo, and traveled to the city of [[Florence]] under the assumed name of [[House of Auditore|Auditore]]. He eventually constructed the [[Auditore Family Villa|Auditore Villa]] in the city of [[Monteriggioni]], which became the center of the Assassin Order in Italy.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Auditore Crypt" />

[[File:Assassins1503E3.png|thumb|400px|Ezio and his apprentices, facing Cesare and Rodrigo Borgia in Rome in 1503.]]
Despite the order "modernizing" since the 12<sup>th</sup> Century, they still retained many of the rituals and practices, albeit altered. The practice of removing one's ring finger had been stopped, although the seal of the Order was branded upon the finger instead; such was the induction of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] in 1487. Although significantly fewer in number, the Assassins were supported by the [[courtesans]], [[thieves]] and [[Mercenary|condottieri]] of Florence and Venice; the guilds of which were each run by a member of the Order.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

During this time period, the Assassins entered another period of increased hostilities with the Templars, who were attempting to overthrow the ruling [[House of Medici]] in Florence, and the [[wikipedia:Doge|Doge]] of Venice. Having already killed the [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza|Duke]] of [[Milano|Milan]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref> in 1476, [[Rodrigo Borgia]], the Grand Master of the Templar Order, brought the noble families of [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi]], [[House of Barbarigo|Barbarigo]] and [[House of Orsi|Orsi]] together<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" /> to accomplish his goals. Entering into conflict with the Assassins, Borgia dealt a crippling blow to the Order in 1476, when he executed the experienced warrior [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]] and his two sons, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], although a third son, Ezio, managed to escape. With the aid of Ezio, the Assassins were able to counter Borgia's plot over a [[Assassin's Creed II|twenty-three year campaign]], defeating him at every turn.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

In 1487, the Order of Assassins learned that the Templars had retrieved an important artifact from the island of Cyprus, and deemed its capture necessary. Following the artifact from [[L'Arsenale di Venezia]], Ezio managed to overpower and replace the Templar guard carrying the artifact. Under this guise, Ezio met with Borgia himself, and the two engaged in battle. Borgia fled upon the arrival of other Assassins, and the artifact fell once again into the hands of the Assassins. The Assassins of this age, however, were unaware of the nature of the artifact, although they did recognize it as one of the Pieces of Eden mentioned within Altaïr's Codex.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

{{spoiler}}
====War in Rome====
By 1500, one year after [[Cesare Borgia]] [[Fall of Monteriggioni|besieged]] the city of [[Monteriggioni]], murdering [[Mario Auditore]] and once again claiming ''the Apple'' for the Templars, Ezio Auditore had moved to Rome, meeting up with Niccolò Machiavelli and laying the foundations of a new "brotherhood" of Assassins. Utilising the mercenaries, thieves and courtesans of [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]], [[La Volpe]] and [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia Auditore]] respectively, Ezio's brotherhood worked to [[Liberation of Roma|combat the influence and power]] of the Borgia family, and by extension the Papacy itself. Headquartered in an underground store-room owned by Fabio Orsini, on [[Tiber Island]] in the centre of Rome, the Assassins begun to spread their influence throughout the city,recruiting those who had been saved by Ezio Auditore. Many undertook a variety of missions across Europe, aiding their brothers in cities such as London, Lisbon, Moscow and Calicut.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

Over a period of three years, Ezio's brotherhood whittled away the Borgia family's power, and with the murder of Rodrigo Borgia at the hands of his own son, and the arrest of Cesare by the [[Papal Guard]] of [[Pius III]], the Templars' influence over the city of Rome was shattered.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
{{Spoiler End}}

===Modern Times===
{{Quote|We lost two more teams last night. That's eight more of us just… gone.|Lucy Stillman|Assassin's Creed II}}

By the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, the world had changed vastly.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> Whilst the Order of Assassins had kept to their policy of remote camps and isolation,<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> the Templars had begun to infiltrate society further; taking the form of many corporations such as [[NASA]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> and [[Abstergo]]. The Templars continued to search for and investigate the various Pieces of Eden they discovered throughout this period,<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> whilst the Assassins continued their war against them; notably being responsible for the destruction of at least one Templar-controlled base in [[wikipedia:Siberia|Siberia]] in 1908, known in public as the [[Tunguska explosion]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> However, by the year 2012, the Templars, under the guise of their front company [[Abstergo Industries]], had begun kidnapping Assassins or those related to them in an attempt to locate even more Pieces of Eden.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> Notable captives included the mysterious [[Subject Sixteen]], and [[Desmond Miles]] – descendants of both Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />

Using Desmond, Abstergo managed to obtain a map of the locations of the Pieces of Eden across the globe, and subsequently begun their attempts to claim them. Not long after, the Assassins were able to free Desmond<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> with the aid of [[Lucy Stillman]] (an Assassin who had been working undercover at Abstergo for at least seven years by 2012)<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> as well as obtain their own copy of the map.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> Following this, Desmond agreed to aid the Assassins in their quest to defeat Abstergo, mostly for revenge, but also for closure. Utilizing the [[Animus|Animus 2.0]], a copy of the machine used by Abstergo to explore his genetic memories previously,<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Desmond followed the memories of Ezio Auditore, adopting his skills in combat and free-running, while the rest of the Order concentrated to locating the Pieces of Eden before their Templar counterparts. Despite this, however, the war with the Templars had taken a turn for the worse. With their numbers dwindling, the Order of Assassins was in danger of losing the war.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

As technology progressed, so did the weapons used againt the Assassins. By the time of Desmond Miles, the Templars were using cell phone towers to track down the Assassins. As a result at least one group took refuge within the [[Sanctuary]], deep beneath the city of [[Monteriggioni]]<ref>http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=270248</ref>.

==Known Assassins==
[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|300px|Ezio's initiation into the Brotherhood.]]
{{quote|The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold, the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Subject 16|Assassin's Creed II}}

The Assassins had existed since before the turn of the first millennium; several known figures included the killer of [[Xerxes I of Persia]], [[Darius]], as well as [[Iltani]], [[Wei Yu]], [[Amunet]] and [[Leonius]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Historically however, the fore-bearers of the Assassins have existed since before recorded time, possibly reaching as far back as [[Adam and Eve]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Medieval and Renaissance periods===
During the [[Third Crusade]], the Syrian sect of the Order of Assassins was mainly made up of native, Syrian-born individuals; although some, like Altaïr, were born to parents of both religions. Led by [[Al Mualim]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed " /> and later [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] himself,<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> other members included [[Harash]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines" /> [[Malik A-Sayf|Malik]] and [[Kadar A-Sayf]], [[Rauf]], [[Abbas]], [[Masun]], [[Jamal]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> and [[Qulan Gal]], the death-bringer of [[Genghis Khan]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Allies also included various individuals, such as [[Adha]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles">''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''</ref> and even former Templars like [[Maria Thorpe]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Others included [[Dante Alighieri]] and [[Domenico Auditore]], <ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> founder of the [[Auditore Villa]].

[[File:Vlcsnap-2010-11-12-17h45m54s20.jpg|thumb|274px|Bartolomeo d'Alviano and La Volpe with the Assassin Brotherhood.]]
Later on, during the Renaissance, the Order's numbers had dwindled significantly. Having become much more secretive, members of the Order often had occupations and lives outside of the Order, ranging from artists<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Renaissance">''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''</ref> to thieves<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> to royal treasurers.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''</ref> They included the Florentine banker [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]];<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> his brother [[Mario Auditore]], caretaker of the Auditore Villa and ''[[Mercenary|condottieri]]'' leader; [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]; [[Paola]] and [[Teodora]], the heads of the Florentine and Venetian courtesans respectively; [[Antonio]], the head of the Venetian Thieves Guild; [[La Volpe]], the head of the Florentine Thieves Guild; [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], a writer and head of the Florentine Mercenaries; [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> ''condottiero'' of [[Venice]]; [[Perotto Calderon]], Borgia messenger and lover of [[Lucrezia Borgia]]; [[Francesco Vecellio]], Renaissance painter;<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref> and [[Luis Santangel]] and [[Raphael Sanchez]], finance minister to Ferdinand II and treasurer of Queen Isabella I respectively.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />

Once again, the Order had many allies amongst the common folk of Italy, as well as amongst the nobility. Foremost among them was [[Leonardo da Vinci]], Ezio's closest friend and a genius of invention. Others included [[Caterina Sforza]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì">''[[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì]]''</ref> the Countess of [[Forlì]];<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], the ruler of Florence;<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> [[Agostino Barbarigo]], the Doge of Venice from 1486;<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> and the famed explorer [[Christoffa Corombo]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />

By 1500, Ezio Auditore and Niccolò Machiavelli had begun training new initiates in the Order from their [[Tiber Island|base]] in [[Rome]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed Brotherhood" />During this time [[Claudia Auditore]], sister of Ezio, also joined the Order. Surprisingly, even Fiora Cavazza( the courtesan) became an ally because sometime after Malfatto( the doctor) drugged her , and she sought help from Francesco Vecellio. <ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

===Modern Times===
At the turn of the 20<sup>th</sup> Century, the Assassins' Order had spread as far the Russian Empire, with a strong presence in and around [[Petrograd]]. Members of the [[Narodnaya Volya]] were in fact members of the Assassin Order. Some known Assassins include [[Nikolai Orelov]] and [[Aleksandr Ulyanov]], the older brother of [[Vladimir Lenin]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed: The Fall">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref>

During the 21<sup>st</sup> Century, however, the Order seemed to have sunk further into hiding, with their numbers fewer than ever.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Although it is evident that more existed, only a few were known: the mysterious '[[Subject 16]]',[[Desmond Miles| Desmond Miles]], [[Lucy Stillman]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /> [[Rebecca Crane]] and [[Shaun Hastings]], the Order's historian.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

==Known victims==
{{Quote|Find them, kill them. In doing so, you will sow the seeds of peace.|[[Al Mualim]] to Altaïr|Assassin's Creed}}
Over the [[Timeline|centuries]], the Order of Assassins killed hundreds, if not thousands of individuals who they saw to be corrupt in their ways and a danger to humanity. Their intense rivalry with the Templars also ensured that many underlings who served their Templar masters often shared the same fate.<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>

Below is a chronological list of notable victims of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]:

<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
*[[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)|Tamir of Damascus]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[Alaat]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[Roland Napule]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[The Master's Student]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[Master of the Tower]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[Harash]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[Basilisk|Lord Basilisk]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles"/>
*[[Tamir|Tamir, the arms dealer]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Garnier de Naplouse]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Talal]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Abu'l Nuqoud]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[William of Montferrat]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
</div>

<div style="float:right; width:48%;">
*[[Majd Addin]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Jubair al Hakim]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Sibrand]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Robert de Sable]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Al Mualim]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed"/>
*[[Frederick the Red]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
*[[Moloch]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
*[[Dark Oracle]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
*[[Shalim]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
*[[Shahar]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
*[[Pirate captain]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
*[[Armand Bouchart]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines"/>
</div>
<br clear="all" />

Below is a chronological list of notable victims of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]:

<div style="float:left; width:48%;">
*[[Uberto Alberti]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Bernardo Baroncelli]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Antonio Maffei]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Francesco Salviati]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Marco Barbarigo]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Dante Moro]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />
*[[Ludovico Orsi]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì " />
*[[Checco Orsi]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì " />
*[[Gaspar Martinez]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />
</div>

<div style="float:right; width:48%;">
*[[Pedro Llorente]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />
*[[Juan de Marillo]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />
*[[Girolamo Savonarola]]<ref>''[[Bonfire of the Vanities (DLC)|Assassin's Creed II: Bonfire of the Vanities]]''</ref>
*[[Il Carnefice]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Juan Borgia the Elder]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Lanz]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Silvestro Sabbatini]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Lia de Russo]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Brother Ristoro]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Donato Mancini]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Gaspar de la Croix]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Malfatto]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Auguste Oberlin]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Octavien, Baron de Valois]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
*[[Cesare Borgia]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />
</div>
<br clear="all" />

Below is a chronological list of the victims of other known Assassins:<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

*[[Xerxes I of Persia|King Xerxes the Great]], by [[Darius]] in 456 BC
*[[Alexander the Great]], by [[Iltani]] in 323 BC
*[[Qin Shi Huang]], by [[Wei Yu]] in 210 BC
*[[Cleopatra]], by [[Amunet]] in 31 BC
*[[Caligula]], by [[Leonius]] in 41 AD
*[[Genghis Khan]], by [[Qulan Gal]] in 1227 AD
*[[Tomas Torquemada]], in 1498 AD
*[[Niccolò di Pitigliano]], by [[Francesco Vecellio]] in 1510 AD
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]], in 1541 AD
*[[Mary I of England]], in 1558 AD
*[[Ivan Ivanovich of Russia|Ivan Ivanovich]], in 1581 AD
*[[John Wilkes Booth]], in 1865 AD
*[[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]], in 1881 AD
*[[Grigori Rasputin]], in 1916 AD
*[[Adolf Hitler]], in 1945 AD
*[[Joseph Stalin]], in 1953 AD
*[[François Duvalier]], in 1971 AD

==See Also==
*[[The Creed]]

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' {{imo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''

==Notes and references==
[[File:AssassinInformant.png|thumb|right|An Assassin informant.]]
{{reflist}}

{{ACSeries}}
{{ACAC}}
{{AC}}
{{ACBL}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACIID}}
{{ACBrotherhood}}
{{ACLL}}
{{ACTF}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]
[[Category:Assassins| ]]