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Giovanni Auditore da Firenze

2010-05-26T21:45:17Z

74.78.85.234:

{{revamp}}
{{Era|AC2|Assassins|Ren}}
{{Character Infobox

|name = Giovanni Auditore da Firenze
|image = Zw-giovanniauditore.png
|imgdesc = Giovanni Auditore in the Animus Database.
|home = [[Florence|Firenze]], Repubblica Fiorentina
|birth = 1436
|death = 1476
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th century)
|faction = [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] [[Assassins]] [[House of Medici|Medici family]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|actor = [[Romano Orzari]]
|voice = [[Romano Orzari]]
}}

{{quote|I am Giovanni Auditore, and like my ancestors before me, I am an Assassin.|''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'''s headline
}}
'''Giovanni Auditore da Firenze''' was the husband of [[Maria Auditore]] father of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], [[Federico Auditore]], [[Petruccio Auditore]] and [[Claudia Auditore]]. He was a nobleman, working as a banker for the [[House of Medici|Medici]], but was truly an [[Assassin]]. He was raised and trained along with his brother [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] as an Assassin, and has been aware of the [[Templars|Templar Order]] for almost all of his life. He also knew of Ezio's ability: [[Eagle Vision]]. He was a descendant of [[Altair]] and an ancestor of [[Desmond Miles]]. He secretly trained his son, Federico, of the ways of an Assassin, even before the beginning of ''Lineage'', though Federico was unaware of it.

Giovanni is the main character of the ''Assassin's Creed'' world-based short film: ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage|Assassin's Creed: Lineage,]]'' where he is portrayed by [[Romano Orzari]].
==Biography==
===''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''===
[[File:Giovanniassassin.png|thumb|left|Giovanni Auditore, during his work as an Assassin.]]
Giovanni Auditore is a Florentine nobleman who lived in 15th century Italy; the Renaissance. He was also an Assassin, and a descendant of Altaïr. He serves for the powerful [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] and justice, however in 1476, a conspiracy plot to overthrow Lorenzo and the Medici family from their position. One night, hiding from his children, Giovanni is about to execute a mission for Lorenzo. In his secret chamber, hidden behind the hearth of the fireplace, Giovanni dons his Assassin's outfit and weapons, including an updated [[Hidden Blade]]. Before he leaves, he peeks in on his family having dinner, smiling as he makes eye contact with his wife, Maria. His teenage son, Ezio, spots the exchange, but says nothing. Giovanni presses a pressure panel on the fireplace mantel, which lowers the active hearth, revealing the chamber's entrance. From the chamber he exits through a long, dark passage way, emerging onto the rooftops.

He intercepts, in the dark streets of Florence, [[Rodrigo Borgia]] and three of his men. Rodrigo flees but Giovanni manages to capture one of his men. He brought him to Lorenzo, and the prisoner reveals through torture that the Duke of Milan, [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], will be assassinated in the church during the feast of Santo Stefano. Giovanni heads to Milan, but arrives too late as he sees through the crowds the assassination of Sforza. Despite his efforts to capture at least one of the murderers for interrogation, the killers are all dispatched by Giovanni and Sforza's vengeful guards. After his mission, Giovanni goes back home to see his family, and then meditates on the death of Sforza and its consequences.

Observing the [[wikipedia:Ducat|Ducat]] he looted from one of Sforza's murderers, he understands that his next quest will lead him to [[Venice]]. He immediately goes to the floating city, and infiltrates the [[Palazzo Ducale]]. There, he spies the conversation between the Barbarigo cousins. A messenger leaves the room he was watching, and is charged by [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] to deliver the message to [[Rome]]. Giovanni tails him by the rooftops and once he arrives in a quiet place, he attempts to assassinate him from above which fails, leading him to enter in combat against him. After a brutal fight, Giovanni manages to take the advantage. On top, and holding his Hidden Blade under the man's chin, he threatens to kill the messenger if he does not reveal his masters' plot. The man refuses, preferring to keep his secrets until death. He unexpectedly grabs onto Giovanni's wrist with both hands and drives the weapon into his own throat. Giovanni curses the messenger as a fool and takes the letter he was carrying. He then brings it to Lorenzo, but the letter is encrypted, and [[Uberto Alberti]] suggests Giovanni to take some rest while he gives it to be decoded by Father [[Antonio Maffei|Maffei]].

Once the letter is decoded, Uberto tells Maffei to keep quiet about the success of the letter's decoding, and sends him to bring Giovanni and Lorenzo. It is night in Florence; Giovanni tenderly kisses his wife Maria before leaving his home, under the peeping of their son Ezio (of which they are aware). Ezio asks him what a "banker" is doing so late at night out of his home. Giovanni replies with it being a ''"business call"''. Ezio insists that he wants to go with him, but Giovanni refuses as he affirms he is already helping him ''"more than he knows"''. Uberto pretends they weren't able to decode the letter, his tone blaming Maffei, and suggests to deliver an exact copy of the letter in order to find the leaders of the conspiracy. Giovanni accepts the mission as he knows where it must be delivered. Having been told by Lorenzo to find the conspirators and to show no mercy, Giovanni then leaves Florence for Rome.

Once he arrived in Rome, Giovanni gives the letter to a man. Then, it travels from hand to hand until arriving into its final destination: in the hands of Rodrigo Borgia. Rodrigo brings the message to Pope Sixtus IV at the Vatican and tries to persuade Sixtus to give military support for a scheme to remove [http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Lorenzo_Medici Lorenzo de' Medici], while not agreeing at first, he eventually accepts. Satisfied, Rodrigo leaves him and walks in the streets of Rome while being followed by Giovanni. He eventually notices his presence and manages to draw him into a church. Rodrigo proposes him to join his [[Knights Templar|side]], but Giovanni refuses. Rodrigo then leaves him to his men. Giovanni wins the intense combat where he loses his [[Hidden Blade]], but he eventually gets hit by a [[Throwing Knives|throwing knife]] from Rodrigo which injures him badly, luckily he is able to escape the attack and back in Florence, his wife treats his wound. She notes that the blade almost reached his heart. Giovanni is worried; he fears that the murder of Sforza was just the beginning of a conspiracy that will strike Florence. Federico, the eldest son suddenly warns his parents of the arrival of Father Maffei, with armed guards. Giovanni prefers to leave discreetly and tells his son to buy him some time. He lastly adds to Federico that as the oldest, it is his responsibility to protect the family in his absence. Federico is clearly disconcerted that the lives of his mother and siblings are on his shoulders, but accepts this. He goes down to answer the door. Giovanni manages to escape the house by the chamber's secret passage. While walking around the dark streets of Florence, he sees his son Ezio flirting with a girl. He smiles with fondness at the sight, and manages to disappear before his son could see him.

<blockquote>''{{quote|My dear sons, dark skies are rising over Florence and time is running low. The enemy is closer than I thought. Now, the final battle is about to unfold. Every man is mortal, every life bounds to an end but certain things will never change. Federico and Ezio, my sons, always remember: WE are the Auditore da Firenze and WE are Assassins.| Giovanni's monologue in the end of Lineage}}''</blockquote>

===''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''===
{{quote|Tu sei un Auditore. Sei un combattente. Perciò Combatti! (You are an Auditore, You are a fighter. So fight!)|Giovanni Auditore speaking to Ezio at his birth}}
Giovanni Auditore is first seen in ''Assassin's Creed II'' at Ezio's birth sequence in the [[Animus]] (1.0), in which he holds Ezio in his arms and remarks that he is a born fighter. After [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]] enters the [[Animus 2.0]], Giovanni is seen once again at the Auditore's house, in which he says he is proud that Ezio reminds him of himself when he was younger. Giovanni then gives Ezio two separate quests "Paperboy" and "Special Delivery". Soon after completing the quests, city guards take Giovanni and his sons, Federico and Petruccio, to prison, being accused of treason. Ezio, who fortunately wasn't captured, ventured to his father's cell window and learns that they are being detained in for answers of their imprisonment, but Giovanni instead tasks his son to find the hidden room inside his office (which hides his Assassin equipment) and take everything that he finds. Shortly after, Ezio arrives at where the execution takes place, [[Uberto Alberti]] declares Giovanni, Federico and Petruccio guilty of treason, therefore executed, becoming victims of a conspiracy. His execution drove Ezio into the life of a self-trained Assassin and Maria into silence.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]'', Ezio eventually goes back for the bodies of his father and brothers. He gives them a proper burial by cremating them and setting them adrift in boats down the river.

==Gallery==

<center><gallery>
File:Giovannilineage2.png|Giovanni in his usual clothes.
File:Giovanni lineage 1.png|Giovanni in the Assassin robe.
File:Giovanniac2ingame.jpg|Giovanni behind his desk, talking to Ezio
File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 20-14-39-52.png|Giovanni (center) moments before being executed with his sons
</gallery></center>

==Trivia==
*Giovanni's ring finger remains intact due to improvements to the "Hidden blade" and changes to the tactics and traditions of the Assassin order made by Altaïr after the events of the first game.
*Giovanni died before telling Ezio (as well as his youngest son, Petruccio and his daughter Claudia) of their assassin heritage which disappointed his brother, Mario. It is believed however, that he began training his eldest son Federico in secret, but couldn't actually get far enough to teach him any intermediate Assassin skills.
*Giovanni's close friendship with the Medicis began when Giovanni saved young Lorenzo's life from drowning.
*Giovanni knew about Ezio's Eagle vision, but it is unknown if he himself possessed this gift.
*While Ezio's Short Blade is next to his sword, Giovanni's Short Blade is kept on his leggings.
*Giovanni is never seen wearing actual Armor.
*Giovanni only ever seemed to carry two throwing knives at once, which is far less than any other Assassin shown using them.
*Giovanni leaves his assassin outfit behind for Ezio to find, however in the short-film '[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]', it does not have the 'Eagle's beak' on the hood; it is also missing several other details.

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore da Firenze, Giovanni]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore da Firenze, Giovanni]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr]]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

2010-05-26T21:43:14Z

74.78.85.234:

{{Era|AC2|AC2D|Assassins|Ren|Good}}
{{spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Ezio Auditore da Firenze
|image = Ezio.jpg
|imgdesc = A full portrait of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
|hideb =
|home = [[Florence|Firenze]], [[Wikipedia:Republic of Florence|Repubblica Fiorentina]]
|birth = 1459 A.D.
|death =
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|hidep =
|faction = [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] [[Assassins]]
|hider =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|actor = [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]]
|voice = [[Roger Craig Smith]]
}}
{{Quote|Nulla é reale, tutto é lecito.|Ezio Auditore, Rome, 1499|Assassin's Creed II}}
'''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''' (born 1459) was a Florentine noble during the Italian Renaissance, and unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers, an influential member of the [[Assassin's Order]]. A descendant of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and the ancestor to both [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Subject 16]], Ezio was unaware of his Assassin heritage until he was 17-years-old, when, following the murder of his [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|father]] and two brothers, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], Ezio fled from the Italian province of [[Florence]] - his hometown - and took refuge in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] in the Tuscan region at the [[Auditore Family Villa]].

After being mentored and trained by uncle, [[Mario Auditore]], Ezio proceeded on his quest of revenge against the Grandmaster of the [[Knights Templar]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who had ordered the executions of his father and two brothers. During his 23-year quest for revenge, Ezio managed to not only unite [[The Codex]] pages Altaïr wrote, for the first time since [[Domenico Auditore]], but also to save the cities of Florence and [[Venice]] from the Templars' wrath. Later still, Ezio was responsible for the rescue of [[Christoffa Corombo]], uncovering a Templar plot to discover the "New World".

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Eziolineagechess.png|thumb|left|A much younger Ezio, portrayed by [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]].]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was born in Florence in 1459 AD, the second son of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]] and [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria Auditore]]. Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury as a member of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance to the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. As a youth he was an apprentice to his father, a Florentine banker, presumably to learn the ropes of banking, so that he could become the leader of the Auditore bank.

At the beginning of [[Assassin's Creed II]] in the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and friends of the family got into a fight with [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his gang. Ezio single-handedly defeated several members of the opposing gang, but unfortunately, Vieri escaped the scene before Ezio could do anything to him. During the fight, Ezio was cut on the side of his mouth, so Frederico suggested that they visit the local doctor. After looting several people left unconscious from the fight, the two brothers ran across the rooftops to the [[Doctor]].

After the doctor had tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye of the brothers and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won and together the two looked out over the city. Realizing that they were nearby, Ezio travelled to the house of [[Cristina Vespucci]] and spent the night with her. Caught by Cristina's father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing guards before meeting with his father at the Palazzo Auditore. Giovanni scolded him (but later admits that he is reminded of his own youth) and assigned him the task of delivering several letters to his contacts.

After returning home, Ezio found his distraught [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]] crying after discovering her boyfriend had been unfaithful. After obtaining his whereabouts, Ezio beat the man and warned him to stay away from his sister. Upon returning to the palazzo again, his little brother Petruccio asked Ezio to collect eagle feathers from the rooftops, as he was ill and couldn't leave the house or get out of bed. After a tiring search for feathers, Ezio's mother secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she patronized, [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a conversation, beginning a friendship between the two young men that would last throughout their adult lives.

===Arrest and execution of his family===
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 20-14-39-52.png|thumb|Ezio's Family being hung for treason.]]
{{Quote|I'll kill you for what you've done!|Ezio Auditore to Uberto Alberti after watching his family murdered, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
After completing his errands, Ezio returned home to find the house ransacked, his father and brothers missing and his mother and sister hiding. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the [[Palazzo della Signoria]], where his father and brothers were being held. Climbing the building and speaking to his father through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, to take everything out of it and to deliver a sealed letter to [[Uberto Alberti]], [[Lorenzo de' Medici|Lorenzo de' Medici's]] personal assistant and a close friend of the Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found the Assassin robes that he would wear for the next 23 years and the letter containing details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Alberti and was assured that his family would be released the following day when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence.

The next day, Ezio returned to the [[Piazza della Signoria]] to find Alberti presiding over the execution of the Auditores (watched over all the while by a [[Rodrigo Borgia|mysterious stranger]] who had been present with Alberti the previous night). Giovanni claimed his innocence, citing the information given to Alberti as evidence. But Alberti denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio's efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain, and he could only watch helplessly as his father and brothers were hung. When he attempted to charge the scaffold to avenge his kinsmen, Alberti ordered the city [[Guards|guards]] to murder him. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a [[Thieves|thief]], Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a [[Courtesans|brothel]], run by the sister of the [[Annetta|Auditore housemaid]], a courtesan named [[Paola]].

Paola (a member of the Assassins herself) agreed to assist Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an outlaw through [[pickpocketing]] and blending in crowds. She further directed Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair the [[Hidden Blade]] of the late Giovanni Auditore, but did not notice that Ezio was being watched. At Leonardo's workshop, a guard banged on the door, ordered Leonardo outside and tried to beat him to learn Ezio's whereabouts. Ezio realized something was wrong and crept up the guard, stabbing him from behind. After Leonardo fixed the blade, Ezio sought out and assassinated Alberti in the courtyard of the [[wikipedia:Basilicia of Santa Croce, Florence|Basilica of Santa Croce]], stabbing him multiple times in the heart before proudly shouting his name to everyone present, marking Alberti as his first assassination.

===Start as an Assassin===
[[File:Zw-sequence3-00014.png|thumb|left|220px|Ezio yells at the corpse of [[Vieri de' Pazzi]].]]
{{Quote|The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio, Ezio Auditore!|Ezio Auditore, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's [[Auditore Villa|villa]] in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] for shelter. During their travel to Monteriggioni, the three were accosted by [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, [[Mario Auditore|Mario]], and his [[Mercenaries]]. Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order, revealing that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were part of it. However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain to ensure his mother and sister's safety. Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of [[San Gimignano]], where Vieri de' Pazzi had been located, in the attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of continual assaults by his minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault, waiting until nightfall to make their way to Vieri de' Pazzi by killing guards patrolling near the city gates. After witnessing a brief meeting between [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] and Vieri, Ezio encountered and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and killing him after a brief duel. Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, but to no avail as Vieri chose to be snide even to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse until his uncle calmed him down and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.

===Killing the Pazzi===
{{Quote|The Pazzi were a venerable and potent family, reduced to rubble by one young assassin.|[[Rodrigo Borgia]], reflecting on the collapse of the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi family]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Zw-thepazziconspirators.png|thumb|200px|[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] and the fellow conspirators.]]
Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence to gather information from [[La Volpe]] and prevent the planned [[Pazzi]] [[wikipedia:Pazzi conspiracy|takeover]], as well as the deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and [[Guilani de' Medici]]. Arriving too late to save Guilani, Ezio managed to prevent the death of Lorenzo, the ruler of Florence, and restored his family's good name. However, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan and brought the city into a state of civil war. After learning the location of [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] at the Piazza della Signoria, Ezio chased him down and slew him, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape the city. Shortly afterwards, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.

Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, Ezio tracked down and killed [[Antonio Maffei]], [[Stefano da Bagnone]], [[Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli]] and [[Francesco Salviati]], extracting from each man information on Jacopo de' Pazzi's hiding place. Using the information, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theatre. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant, [[Emilio Barbarigo]]. After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Borgia revealed that he was aware of Ezio's presence. While Borgia and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Borgia's bodyguards, but he overpowered and killed them, before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.

===Venice===
{{dialogue|Emilio Barbarigo|The assassin is here, in Venezia?|Carlo Grimaldi|He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?|Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio minutes before the latter's assassination|Assassin's Creed II}}

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo and declared his success. Before leaving the city for [[Venice]], Ezio was granted a gift; a [[Outfits|Medici cape]], that would keep the city guards' attention from him. Ezio then made his way to Leonardo's workshop, only to find that he had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the [[Appennine Mountains]], Ezio accompanied him to the city of [[Forlì]], narrowly avoiding the Templar soldiers sent after them by Rodrigo Borgia.

Eventually arriving in Forlì, the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused passage without a pass. It was at this moment that the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's wetlands. Ezio swiftly hastened to her rescue and was able to row the woman ashore. The lady introduced herself as [[Caterina Sforza]] and coerced the dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice. Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by [[Alvise Da Vilandino|Alvise]] before Ezio began to seek a way into the Palazzo of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort proved to be in vain. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of [[thieves]] attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to subsequently aid the thief [[Rosa]], who had been shot through the leg with an arrow. After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the Venetian thieves guild, [[Antonio]], and together, they concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.

The plot was successful and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – [[Carlo Grimaldi]]. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], the Doge of Venice and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause. Overhearing another meeting between Borgia and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison the Doge and replace him with [[Marco Barbarigo]]. Returning to Antonio, he sought to find a way into the [[wikipedia:Doge's Palace|Palazzo Ducale]], the Doge's Palace, searching the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the [[Basilica di San Marco]]; but they were hampered at every turn. Returning to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked that only birds might get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's [[Flying Machine|flying machine]], which he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.

[[File:Ezio assassinates Carlo.jpg|thumb|Ezio assassinates Carlo Grimaldi.]]
After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Ezio the lift Leonardo's flying machine needed to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although he was too late to save the Doge. Carlo fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, but met his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice and was forced to flee the city guards. Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help, Ezio was directed to [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of [[Carnevale]], Ezio made his way to the brothel and began planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the [[Golden Mask|golden mask]] that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party. Ezio was successful but found that Marco's cousin, [[Silvio Barbarigo]] and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, [[Dante Moro]] intimidated and bribed the judges into denying him his prize. However, Ezio was successful in regaining the mask and managed to assassinate Marco, leaving the door open for [[Agostino Barbarigo|Agostino]], a Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to legitimately become Doge.

With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, liberating the mercenary leader, [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]], and his soldiers in the process. Having tracked the Templars down to the city's Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and his men, and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo. However, he was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to [[Cyprus]], although the reasons for this were unknown to Ezio.

===Induction into the Order===
[[File:Zw-ezio-seal.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio's receiving the Assassin's mark]]
{{Quote|It's been ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!|Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin|Assassin's Creed II}}

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty ninth birthday<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSagHiz6Ujo&feature=related</ref>, when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar soldier carrying a [[Piece of Eden]] disembarked from the ship and made his way to a Templar base in the city. Following the soldier, Ezio assassinated and impersonated the guard, carrying the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet" detailed in the [[Codex]] prophecy. Borgia responded, proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The battle was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar. On the backfoot, Borgia called upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had failed to show up.

At this very moment Mario Auditore, Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo d'Alviano appeared, driving off Borgia and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], it was revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the supposed "prophet", and that for the past decade they had all worked together to induct Ezio into the Assassins Order. That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the Order.

===The [[Battle of Forlì]]===
{{quote|Muori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale… Requiescat in Pace. (Die with your pride, for what it's worth… Rest in Peace.|Ezio Auditore to Ludovico Orsi|Battle of Forlì (DLC)}}
[[File:Assassins-creed-ii-dlc-screens-20091216010317106.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio overflying the city of Forli.]]
Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò, and traveled to Leonardo da Vinci's studio, hoping he could shed some light upon the strange artifact Borgia had dubbed "[[Piece of Eden|the Apple]]". Leonardo examined the unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist, and that its design was highly advanced despite its age. Briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange holographic images. De-activating the device, Niccolò announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]], protected by an ally of the Assassin's, Caterina Sforza. Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in [[Romagna]], just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by the Orsi brothers; [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] and [[Ludovico Orsi|Ludovico]].

As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside and opened the the gates, allowing them to continue their way to the Citadel. Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two of Caterina’s children, [[Ottaviano Riario|Ottaviano]] and [[Bianca Riario|Bianca]], were in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and begun attacking the Citadel. Repelling the attack, Ezio left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her two children.

[[File:Zw-bof7.png|thumb|left|250px|A blacking-out Ezio glimpses Savonarola]]
Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping was a distraction, which had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco Orsi and his remaining men. Retrieving the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness Ezio saw a [[Girolamo Savonarola|monk]] with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so.

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurridly explained to Caterina that the Apple had been stolen from him by a man in black. She recognized him for a monk and told Ezio to search for the monk at the church outside the city walls. There was no sign of the monk, but Ezio met with [[Brother O’Callahan]], who told him to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. An abbot there identified Ezio as Stefano de Bagnone's killer and ran away, but was intercepted, and, once convinced he was not about to die, gave Ezio the name of the four fingered monk: [[Girolamo Savonarola]].

===''The [[Assassins Creed II: Discovery|Spanish Inquisition]]''===
{{Quote|My name is Ezio Auditore da Firenze... It has been fifteen years since the Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, murdered my family and drove me into exile... Since that time I have suffered greatly but learned a great deal more- I am an Assassin, as my father and grandfathers were before me. Compelled by duty to my order, I have set aside my search for the Spaniard to recover an ancient artifact recently stolen from us. My thirst for vengeance is strong, but my responsibillity to the Assassins is stronger still.|Ezio Auditore, 1494|Assassins Creed II: Discovery}}
[[File:Ezio others.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio with Luis, Raphael, and Christoffa]]
While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by a Thief to meet Antonio at the Thieves' Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, [[Luis Santangel]]. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend [[Christoffa Corombo]], but Ezio expressed no interest. However, when he heard that Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's location, finding out that it was a trap. However, he managed to save Christoffa, who explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.

They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Christoffa and Luis. Luis informed Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, [[Tomas Torquemada]]. Thinking it his mission to rescue them, Ezio temporarily diverged from his goal to reobtain the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio went on to look for one of the contacts. When he arrived at the location, he met a man who called himself [[Raphael Sanchez]] and soon after revealed himself to be an Assassin. He informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and freed him. 
After Ezio's return, Raphael revealed that it was [[Gaspard Martinez]] who was ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio located Gaspard and found him, Torquemada and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin. Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin, and indirectly to Ezio, that Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain, because they were "non-believers" (in the Catholic religion). After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded and Gaspard was left unguarded. Ezio then met with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspard feigned ignorance and said that they "went away two centuries ago". He fell silently to Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of six other Assassins' names. 
After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael, informing the latter of the existence of the list. However, all the remaining Assassins were located in [[Zaragoza]].

Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, [[Pedro Llorente]], whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio found that Torquemada was also present. One of the Assassins was being tried, and after he refused to convert and confess, was killed. Ezio eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation and found out that Torquemada was under orders from Rodrigo Borgia to arrest the Assassins. He hurried to locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them where held captive inside some catacombs. The last was held inside a church. After securing their safety, Ezio killed Pedro Llorente. Returning to Raphael, he requested to return to Italy. However, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in Granada. Ezio complied, helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city and discovering along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin. Once his task was complete, Ezio was free to continue his quest for Savonarola.

===The [[Bonfire of the Vanities]]===
[[File:Assassins-Creed-II bonfire vanities.jpg|thumb|Ezio overlooking a plaza in Florence.]]
{{quote|There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else.|Ezio after Savanarola's defeat|Bonfire of the Vanities}}
After Lorenzo de’ Medici's death, Savonarola was able to easily take control over Florence with the Apple of Eden at his command. He taught the population of Florence that personal property and knowledge made the difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, he burned everything related to the Renaissance in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli wanted to put a stop to Savonarola's rule with the aid of their two comrades, [[Paola]] and [[La Volpe|Volpe]]. Ezio began eliminating the monk's brainwashed followers while Niccolò, Paola, and Volpe organized a riot in the city. Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the rioters formed an angry mob and went to the Palazzo Pitti, where Savonarola resided, demanding an end to the bonfires. Savanarola tried to use the Apple to quell the riot, but before he could, Ezio threw a knife at him, knocking the Apple out of his hand. In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was picked up by a guard in service to the Borgia (the Templars had also been trying, without success, to recover the Apple from Savonarola). Ezio followed him, killed him and recovered the Apple. Savonarola was then sentenced to be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned at the stake on the [[Piazza della Signoria]]. However, Ezio decided that no one should have to die in such agony. The Assassin leapt onto the execution platform and put Savonarola out of his misery. He then looked at the stunned mob and gave a speech to them, urging them to follow their own path and rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. He then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the answers hidden within the Apple.

===Battle with [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] and the Vault===
[[File:Ezio Rome.jpg|thumb|280px|left|Ezio battles his way to the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].]]
{{Quote|I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much – Requiescat in Pace, you bastard!|Ezio to [[Rodrigo Borgia]] during his first assassination attempt|Assassin's Creed II}}

The following year (1499), the Assassins came together once more at the Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using the two objects, they discovered the location of [[the Vault]] to be in [[Rome]], specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio traveled to Rome with a mission to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia.

Fighting his way along the entire length of the Passetto di Borgo, Ezio snuck into the Sistine Chapel and struck at Borgia from above. As he was about to deal the killing blow, Borgia surprised him by using the Staff to blast him away and drain the energy of those in the room. Since Ezio held the Apple, he was immune to the Staff's effects, and the two engaged in a duel. Ezio repeated history by using the same technique [[Al Mualim]] utilized in his duel against Altaïr in 1191, by creating multiple illusions of himself with the Apple. Ezio seemingly bested Borgia, but the Pope counterattacked and overcame him. Borgia took the Apple, stabbed Ezio in the abdomen and left him to die before fleeing into the Vault. However, Ezio's wounds were not mortal, and he was able to give pursuit. Outside the Vault, Ezio watched as Borgia tried in vain to open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Borgia in a fist fight, obtaining possession of both the Staff and the Apple, but refusing to take Borgia’s life, having realised the futility of revenge.

{{Quote|Killing you won't bring my family back... I am done.|Ezio spares Borgia's life after defeating him|Assassin's Creed II}}

Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram of an individual naming herself "[[Minerva]]" and claiming to be one of "[[Those Who Came Before]]"; Ezio was further confounded when the hologram sought to speak to an unseen figure named [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]], before disappearing abruptly, leaving Ezio with many questions. After returning from Rome, Ezio sealed his Piece of Eden under the statue of Altaïr at the Villa Auditore.

== Personality and characteristics ==
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 19-22-34-26.png|thumb|left|286px|A young Ezio gets approached by a Florentine guard after protesting at his father’s and brothers’ execution.]]

{{quote|Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace.|Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace|Assassin's Creed II}}
Ezio was a young [[Florence|Florentine]] nobleman who lived during the 15th and 16th Century. Unlike his ancestor Altaïr, he was brought up without knowing of the Assassins' existence. A seducer of women and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills beyond his peers, save for his brother and father. He came from an affluent background and had many friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence. Forced to protect his [[Maria de' Mozzi|mother]] and [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]], Ezio became an [[Assassin]], exacting revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize both [[Florence]] and [[Venice]].

Quick to anger, Ezio often allowed his emotions to overcome him, going so far as to disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did manage to gain control of his anger, and by the time he had become a Master Assassin, could control it almost completely.

==Equipment and skills==
[[File:Ezio In Black by Invader Shi.jpg|thumb|250px|An older Ezio, assassinating two guards at once.]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was a highly skilled Assassin and a leader amongst the Order. A master of multiple skills, including theft, blending, armed and unarmed combat, stealth assassination techniques, free-running and long-distance combat, he was able to use a variety of weapons including two [[Hidden Blade|hidden blades]], the longsword, throwing knives and more. Born with the ability to use [[Eagle Vision]], Ezio could instinctively differentiate friend from foe.

An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities he visited in search of Codex pages and seals from the [[Secret Locations|six assassins tombs]] spread across northern Italy. The Codex pages allowed Leonardo di Vinci to upgrade his weaponry, including the addition of a wheel lock firearm and poison needle concealed beneath his left hidden blade.

By collecting the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the [[Altaïr's Armor|armor]] created by his ancestor, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. He also collected [[capes]] that helped him stay incognito. The only exception to this was the cape bearing the Auditore family crest, which made him easily recognizable, due to his family's history.

With the addition of the Bonfire of the Vanities DLC, Ezio gains the ability of the sprint jump. This move is performed by running towards flag posts placed on buildings in the Oltrarno district, and results in Ezio being propelled across distances he would not be able to cross with his normal jumping ability.

==Romantic life==
[[File:Zw-ezio-cristina.png|thumb|160px|left|Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.]]Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for womanizing. Throughout the course of Assassin's Creed II, Ezio shared romantic relationships of varying degrees with women throughout Italy.

At the beginning of the game, Ezio had a relationship with [[Cristina Vespucci]], a beautiful young Florentine woman. Ignoring Federico's plea to let Cristina rest, Ezio entered the young woman's room via the window and made love to her. It is the only interaction seen between the two characters in game, but the novel expands their story. When Ezio came back to Florence after two years, Cristina was married to one of her suitors, Manfredo d'Arzenta, even though she still loved Ezio. In 1486, Cristina and Manfredo travelled to Venice for the carnival. Posing as her husband, Ezio wrote her a letter asking her to come to the Rio Terra degli Ogniscanti. Cristina complied. As both wore carnevale masks, she did not recognise him until he kissed her. She then took off his mask and asked him how he dared kiss her like that, telling him she never wanted to see him again. When Ezio tried to understand, she explained that if he really loved her, he wouldn't simply have let Manfredo marry her. Several years later, [[Girolamo Savonarola]]'s men killed Cristina, deeply wounding Ezio.

[[File:Caterina Sforza and Ezio.jpg|thumb|Ezio helps Caterina Sforza.]]
While trying to find a way to Venice, Ezio first made a stop in [[Forlì]]. He could not initially board the ship to sail to Venice with Leonardo, but his fortunes changed after encountering [[Caterina Sforza]]. Caterina was stranded on a small island with no means of escape. Ezio rescued her, and she repaid the favor by granting him passage to Venice. She also told him that the next time he returned to Forli, it would "be her pleasure" to invite him. Afterwards, while sailing for Venice, Ezio told Leonardo that she was his future conquest and his type of woman. Leonardo then revealed Caterina's identity as the Countess of Forlì and said that seducing her would not be such a good idea, as she was a married woman. Ezio probably did not pursue a relationship with her as there is no record of romantic interaction historically or in-game.

[[File:Amelia and Ezio.jpg|thumb|left|Ezio seducing Amelia.]]
During a genetic memory known as "Horseplay", Ezio encountered a girl named [[Amelia]]. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends were discussing whether anyone could beat their record in a horseback riding race. Ezio took on the challenge, in return for an intimate encounter with Amelia, should he prove successful. It should be noted that although this is the only other sexual encounter other than Cristina the player witnesses during the events of the game, the memory is completely optional and ultimately has no effect on the storyline.

[[File:Rosa.jpg|thumb|Rosa faints into Ezio's arms.]]
When Ezio arrived in Venice for the first time, an unknown young woman unsuccessfully attempted to pickpocket him. Later the same day, Ezio witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempting to scale the Palazzo della Seta. The attempt ended in failure, and the girl was shot in the leg by an archer. Ezio intervened, defending her from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs and helping her to get to safety, learning in the process that her name was [[Rosa]], and that she was a member of the city's Thieves Guild. At first, Rosa's attitude towards Ezio was very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saved her, she became much more amenable. In the game, Rosa and Ezio are only seen flirting playfully from time to time. In the novel, they have a much more intimate relationship.

During Sequence 10, while trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio can be seen flirting with many of [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] [[Courtesans]]. After the CTF Challenge, when Ezio goes up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he is accompanied by a Courtesan, though it was not uncommon for an unwed man to take courtesans on "dates" during the Renaissance period. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio can be seen flirting with Sister Teodora, who invites several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio.

It is clear that Ezio had many encounters with various unnamed Florentine girls and courtesans before the beginning of the game. At the ending of the short film [[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]] Ezio is seen seducing an unknown girl, and at the beginning of the game, Ezio says to Vieri de' Pazzi that his sister seemed "quite satisfied with the handling he gave her earlier."

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Trivia==
[[File:Zw-ezioauditore.png|thumb|180px|Young Ezio]]
*The Italian name "Ezio" derives from the Greek word ''aetos'', which means "eagle", similar to Altaïr, whose name means "The Flying One".
*Ezio is 40 years old in 1499 (15 years older than Altaïr's age in 1191); the same age as his father upon his death in 1476.
*Ezio is the character whose physical appearance changes the most over the 23-year period of the game, others look mostly the same.
*If you move the camera to a certain angle, Ezio's face has barely aged, except for the beard, despite the fact that you played through 23 years of his life. His voice does deepen and mature over time, though, making him sound calmer and talk slower. He also appears to lose his tan over time probably due to the fact that he is in hiding through most of his life.
*Just like [[Altaïr]] and [[Desmond]], Ezio has a scar on his mouth, acquired after the mission "Boys Will Be Boys" during Sequence 1, when [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] throws a rock at his face.
*According to the Database, Ezio was expelled from his school at the age of 17 due to a link to some terrible crime, after which he "disappeared from history". This is likely referring to the supposed plot by the Auditore to overthrow the Medici. Anything after that wouldn't be public knowledge, so as far as recorded history is concerned, Ezio simply disappeared after the death of his father and brothers.
*Ezio has been seriously injured in battle twice. Both injuries were stab wounds to his lower abdomen. He was stabbed in the right side by Checco Orsi after retrieving the Apple of Eden from him, and in the left side by Rodrigo Borgia during their battle in the Sistine Chapel.

{{ACII}}
{{AC2D}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore, Ezio]]

Domenico Auditore

2010-05-26T21:40:28Z

74.78.85.234:

{{Era|AC2|Assassins}}
{{Character Infobox

|name = Domenico Auditore
|image = Wiki_noimage.jpg
|home = [[Venice|Venezia]], [[La Serenissima]]
|period = Italian Renaissance
|faction = [[Assassins]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' (mentioned only)
}}

'''Domenico Auditore''' was the great-great-grandfather of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]; a descendant of the [[Assassin]] [[Altaïr]], and forefather to yet another named [[Desmond Miles]]. He lived around the late 13th and 14th Centuries and was the founder of [[Auditore Family Villa|Auditore family Villa]] in the town of [[Monteriggioni]].

Following his death, Domenico Auditore was buried within the family crypt he had built in the city.

==Biography==

Domenico was raised in [[Venice]], Italy; subsequently becoming an apprentice sailor for an Adriatic based vessel when he was "barely old enough to walk", before carrying cargo for his father's patron – [[Marco Polo]]. One day, while looking for work in the harbor, he fell in love with a young woman, with whom he would maintain a relationship with whilst he continued to work as a sailor. Eventually, the two married, and a son was born.

One summer's afternoon, his patron called upon him; Domenico arrived to see both his father and an older man dressed in a "strange hooded cape" also there. Domenico's father revealed that he was an Assassin, and as such Domenico himself was destined to follow in his footsteps. The man in the hood – [[Dante Alighieri]] – would become his master. Dante would teach Domenico the ways of the Assassins, and in return Domenico would give him passage to [[wikipedia:Spain|Spain]].

Preparing for the journey, Domenico met with Dante many times, purchasing supplies and talking about important things such as life, love, honor and justice. He taught him that society was set up by its rulers to control the people, to stop them from thinking and seeing the truth. Then, Dante showed him the [[The Codex|Codex]] of [[Altaïr]], his forefather, that Marco Polo had acquired whilst visiting the court of Kublai Khan.

While returning to [[wikipedia:Ravenna|Ravenna]] to pick up his belongings, Dante died. Domenico went to announce the news to his father and patron, but before he could say a word, the two revealed that Dante had been murdered by the [[Knights Templar]]; they had been watching Dante and sought the Codex, which Dante was due to take to Spain. Domenico's father ordered him to leave immediately for Spain, telling him to take the Codex and his family with him. Marco Polo handed Domenico a small sheet of paper, bearing an Polo's own account number upon it, so that he might draw upon it when necessary.

He set sail the night with a ship filled with cargo to be sold in [[wikipedia:Barcelona|Barcelona]]. However, to avoid a coming storm, they were forced to take shelter in the harbour of [[wikipedia:Otranto|Otranto]]. During the night, Pirates under the employ of the Templars snuck aboard the vessel. Domenico didn't see them until they were already aboard the ship. He hid with his family in the hold, broke the codex into pages, and placed them into boxes and containers.

Finding Domenico and his family, the pirates found them, and demanded the codex. Domenico could tell that they were drunk, and told them that he had thrown it overboard. Two of them held him down, whilst the rest raped his wife, before throwing her overboard. They eventually threw both Domenico and his son aboard as well, before stealing the vessels cargo and sinking the ship. Domenico and his son reached the shore, and the next day happened upon the corpse of his wife, which had washed up on shore.

Travelling by land, the two made way to [[Florence]]. Using Messer Polo's account, which he had memorised, Domenico rented a small room for his son before travelling to Venice to meet with his father and patron. Journeying in disguise, Domenico discovered that they had already been killed; he returned to Florence the next day. With the account of Marco Polo in his possession Domenice took to studying the classics, taking vocal lessons and collecting treatises on architecture. Impersonating a noble at the Florentine court, he took the name of Auditore and was accepted as a part of the city's nobility.

In the year 1290, Domenico constructed what would become the Auditore Villa in Monteriggioni. He trained his son to become an Assassin; killer of the Knights Templar, just like he was.

In 1296, before his death, Domenico constructed the [[Auditore family Crypt]] within the city, leaving his memoirs engraved on stone plaques throughout.

==Trivia==
*While the in-game database claims that Domenico is Ezio's great-grandfather, Ezio's uncle [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] and the architect that helps the player rebuild Monteriggioni say that Domenico was Ezio's great-great-grandfather. It has been noted that the writer of the database, [[Shaun]], used an incomplete family tree from the British archives as his source, which led to his mistake.

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Domenico]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Domenico]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Domenico]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore, Domenico]]

Domenico Auditore

2010-05-26T21:38:33Z

74.78.85.234:

{{Era|AC2|Assassins}}
{{Character Infobox

|name = Domenico Auditore
|image = Wiki_noimage.jpg
|home = [[Venice|Venezia]], [[La Serrenisima]]
|period = Italian Renaissance
|faction = [[Assassins]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' (mentioned only)
}}

'''Domenico Auditore''' was the great-great-grandfather of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]; a descendant of the [[Assassin]] [[Altaïr]], and forefather to yet another named [[Desmond Miles]]. He lived around the late 13th and 14th Centuries and was the founder of [[Auditore Family Villa|Auditore family Villa]] in the town of [[Monteriggioni]].

Following his death, Domenico Auditore was buried within the family crypt he had built in the city.

==Biography==

Domenico was raised in [[Venice]], Italy; subsequently becoming an apprentice sailor for an Adriatic based vessel when he was "barely old enough to walk", before carrying cargo for his father's patron – [[Marco Polo]]. One day, while looking for work in the harbor, he fell in love with a young woman, with whom he would maintain a relationship with whilst he continued to work as a sailor. Eventually, the two married, and a son was born.

One summer's afternoon, his patron called upon him; Domenico arrived to see both his father and an older man dressed in a "strange hooded cape" also there. Domenico's father revealed that he was an Assassin, and as such Domenico himself was destined to follow in his footsteps. The man in the hood – [[Dante Alighieri]] – would become his master. Dante would teach Domenico the ways of the Assassins, and in return Domenico would give him passage to [[wikipedia:Spain|Spain]].

Preparing for the journey, Domenico met with Dante many times, purchasing supplies and talking about important things such as life, love, honor and justice. He taught him that society was set up by its rulers to control the people, to stop them from thinking and seeing the truth. Then, Dante showed him the [[The Codex|Codex]] of [[Altaïr]], his forefather, that Marco Polo had acquired whilst visiting the court of Kublai Khan.

While returning to [[wikipedia:Ravenna|Ravenna]] to pick up his belongings, Dante died. Domenico went to announce the news to his father and patron, but before he could say a word, the two revealed that Dante had been murdered by the [[Knights Templar]]; they had been watching Dante and sought the Codex, which Dante was due to take to Spain. Domenico's father ordered him to leave immediately for Spain, telling him to take the Codex and his family with him. Marco Polo handed Domenico a small sheet of paper, bearing an Polo's own account number upon it, so that he might draw upon it when necessary.

He set sail the night with a ship filled with cargo to be sold in [[wikipedia:Barcelona|Barcelona]]. However, to avoid a coming storm, they were forced to take shelter in the harbour of [[wikipedia:Otranto|Otranto]]. During the night, Pirates under the employ of the Templars snuck aboard the vessel. Domenico didn't see them until they were already aboard the ship. He hid with his family in the hold, broke the codex into pages, and placed them into boxes and containers.

Finding Domenico and his family, the pirates found them, and demanded the codex. Domenico could tell that they were drunk, and told them that he had thrown it overboard. Two of them held him down, whilst the rest raped his wife, before throwing her overboard. They eventually threw both Domenico and his son aboard as well, before stealing the vessels cargo and sinking the ship. Domenico and his son reached the shore, and the next day happened upon the corpse of his wife, which had washed up on shore.

Travelling by land, the two made way to [[Florence]]. Using Messer Polo's account, which he had memorised, Domenico rented a small room for his son before travelling to Venice to meet with his father and patron. Journeying in disguise, Domenico discovered that they had already been killed; he returned to Florence the next day. With the account of Marco Polo in his possession Domenice took to studying the classics, taking vocal lessons and collecting treatises on architecture. Impersonating a noble at the Florentine court, he took the name of Auditore and was accepted as a part of the city's nobility.

In the year 1290, Domenico constructed what would become the Auditore Villa in Monteriggioni. He trained his son to become an Assassin; killer of the Knights Templar, just like he was.

In 1296, before his death, Domenico constructed the [[Auditore family Crypt]] within the city, leaving his memoirs engraved on stone plaques throughout.

==Trivia==
*While the in-game database claims that Domenico is Ezio's great-grandfather, Ezio's uncle [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] and the architect that helps the player rebuild Monteriggioni say that Domenico was Ezio's great-great-grandfather. It has been noted that the writer of the database, [[Shaun]], used an incomplete family tree from the British archives as his source, which led to his mistake.

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Domenico]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Domenico]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Domenico]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore, Domenico]]

Giovanni Auditore da Firenze

2010-05-26T21:29:04Z

74.78.85.234:

{{revamp}}
{{Era|AC2|Assassins|Ren}}
{{Character Infobox

|name = Giovanni Auditore da Firenze
|image = Zw-giovanniauditore.png
|imgdesc = Giovanni Auditore in the Animus Database.
|home = [[Florence|Firenze]], Repubblica Fiorientina
|birth = 1436
|death = 1476
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th century)
|faction = [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] [[Assassins]] [[House of Medici|Medici family]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|actor = [[Romano Orzari]]
|voice = [[Romano Orzari]]
}}

{{quote|I am Giovanni Auditore, and like my ancestors before me, I am an Assassin.|''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'''s headline
}}
'''Giovanni Auditore da Firenze''' was the husband of [[Maria Auditore]] father of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], [[Federico Auditore]], [[Petruccio Auditore]] and [[Claudia Auditore]]. He was a nobleman, working as a banker for the [[House of Medici|Medici]], but was truly an [[Assassin]]. He was raised and trained along with his brother [[Mario Auditore|Mario]] as an Assassin, and has been aware of the [[Templars|Templar Order]] for almost all of his life. He also knew of Ezio's ability: [[Eagle Vision]]. He was a descendant of [[Altair]] and an ancestor of [[Desmond Miles]]. He secretly trained his son, Federico, of the ways of an Assassin, even before the beginning of ''Lineage'', though Federico was unaware of it.

Giovanni is the main character of the ''Assassin's Creed'' world-based short film: ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage|Assassin's Creed: Lineage,]]'' where he is portrayed by [[Romano Orzari]].
==Biography==
===''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''===
[[File:Giovanniassassin.png|thumb|left|Giovanni Auditore, during his work as an Assassin.]]
Giovanni Auditore is a Florentine nobleman who lived in 15th century Italy; the Renaissance. He was also an Assassin, and a descendant of Altaïr. He serves for the powerful [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] and justice, however in 1476, a conspiracy plot to overthrow Lorenzo and the Medici family from their position. One night, hiding from his children, Giovanni is about to execute a mission for Lorenzo. In his secret chamber, hidden behind the hearth of the fireplace, Giovanni dons his Assassin's outfit and weapons, including an updated [[Hidden Blade]]. Before he leaves, he peeks in on his family having dinner, smiling as he makes eye contact with his wife, Maria. His teenage son, Ezio, spots the exchange, but says nothing. Giovanni presses a pressure panel on the fireplace mantel, which lowers the active hearth, revealing the chamber's entrance. From the chamber he exits through a long, dark passage way, emerging onto the rooftops.

He intercepts, in the dark streets of Florence, [[Rodrigo Borgia]] and three of his men. Rodrigo flees but Giovanni manages to capture one of his men. He brought him to Lorenzo, and the prisoner reveals through torture that the Duke of Milan, [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], will be assassinated in the church during the feast of Santo Stefano. Giovanni heads to Milan, but arrives too late as he sees through the crowds the assassination of Sforza. Despite his efforts to capture at least one of the murderers for interrogation, the killers are all dispatched by Giovanni and Sforza's vengeful guards. After his mission, Giovanni goes back home to see his family, and then meditates on the death of Sforza and its consequences.

Observing the [[wikipedia:Ducat|Ducat]] he looted from one of Sforza's murderers, he understands that his next quest will lead him to [[Venice]]. He immediately goes to the floating city, and infiltrates the [[Palazzo Ducale]]. There, he spies the conversation between the Barbarigo cousins. A messenger leaves the room he was watching, and is charged by [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] to deliver the message to [[Rome]]. Giovanni tails him by the rooftops and once he arrives in a quiet place, he attempts to assassinate him from above which fails, leading him to enter in combat against him. After a brutal fight, Giovanni manages to take the advantage. On top, and holding his Hidden Blade under the man's chin, he threatens to kill the messenger if he does not reveal his masters' plot. The man refuses, preferring to keep his secrets until death. He unexpectedly grabs onto Giovanni's wrist with both hands and drives the weapon into his own throat. Giovanni curses the messenger as a fool and takes the letter he was carrying. He then brings it to Lorenzo, but the letter is encrypted, and [[Uberto Alberti]] suggests Giovanni to take some rest while he gives it to be decoded by Father [[Antonio Maffei|Maffei]].

Once the letter is decoded, Uberto tells Maffei to keep quiet about the success of the letter's decoding, and sends him to bring Giovanni and Lorenzo. It is night in Florence; Giovanni tenderly kisses his wife Maria before leaving his home, under the peeping of their son Ezio (of which they are aware). Ezio asks him what a "banker" is doing so late at night out of his home. Giovanni replies with it being a ''"business call"''. Ezio insists that he wants to go with him, but Giovanni refuses as he affirms he is already helping him ''"more than he knows"''. Uberto pretends they weren't able to decode the letter, his tone blaming Maffei, and suggests to deliver an exact copy of the letter in order to find the leaders of the conspiracy. Giovanni accepts the mission as he knows where it must be delivered. Having been told by Lorenzo to find the conspirators and to show no mercy, Giovanni then leaves Florence for Rome.

Once he arrived in Rome, Giovanni gives the letter to a man. Then, it travels from hand to hand until arriving into its final destination: in the hands of Rodrigo Borgia. Rodrigo brings the message to Pope Sixtus IV at the Vatican and tries to persuade Sixtus to give military support for a scheme to remove [http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Lorenzo_Medici Lorenzo de' Medici], while not agreeing at first, he eventually accepts. Satisfied, Rodrigo leaves him and walks in the streets of Rome while being followed by Giovanni. He eventually notices his presence and manages to draw him into a church. Rodrigo proposes him to join his [[Knights Templar|side]], but Giovanni refuses. Rodrigo then leaves him to his men. Giovanni wins the intense combat where he loses his [[Hidden Blade]], but he eventually gets hit by a [[Throwing Knives|throwing knife]] from Rodrigo which injures him badly, luckily he is able to escape the attack and back in Florence, his wife treats his wound. She notes that the blade almost reached his heart. Giovanni is worried; he fears that the murder of Sforza was just the beginning of a conspiracy that will strike Florence. Federico, the eldest son suddenly warns his parents of the arrival of Father Maffei, with armed guards. Giovanni prefers to leave discreetly and tells his son to buy him some time. He lastly adds to Federico that as the oldest, it is his responsibility to protect the family in his absence. Federico is clearly disconcerted that the lives of his mother and siblings are on his shoulders, but accepts this. He goes down to answer the door. Giovanni manages to escape the house by the chamber's secret passage. While walking around the dark streets of Florence, he sees his son Ezio flirting with a girl. He smiles with fondness at the sight, and manages to disappear before his son could see him.

<blockquote>''{{quote|My dear sons, dark skies are rising over Florence and time is running low. The enemy is closer than I thought. Now, the final battle is about to unfold. Every man is mortal, every life bounds to an end but certain things will never change. Federico and Ezio, my sons, always remember: WE are the Auditore da Firenze and WE are Assassins.| Giovanni's monologue in the end of Lineage}}''</blockquote>

===''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''===
{{quote|Tu sei un Auditore. Sei un combattente. Perciò Combatti! (You are an Auditore, You are a fighter. So fight!)|Giovanni Auditore speaking to Ezio at his birth}}
Giovanni Auditore is first seen in ''Assassin's Creed II'' at Ezio's birth sequence in the [[Animus]] (1.0), in which he holds Ezio in his arms and remarks that he is a born fighter. After [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]] enters the [[Animus 2.0]], Giovanni is seen once again at the Auditore's house, in which he says he is proud that Ezio reminds him of himself when he was younger. Giovanni then gives Ezio two separate quests "Paperboy" and "Special Delivery". Soon after completing the quests, city guards take Giovanni and his sons, Federico and Petruccio, to prison, being accused of treason. Ezio, who fortunately wasn't captured, ventured to his father's cell window and learns that they are being detained in for answers of their imprisonment, but Giovanni instead tasks his son to find the hidden room inside his office (which hides his Assassin equipment) and take everything that he finds. Shortly after, Ezio arrives at where the execution takes place, [[Uberto Alberti]] declares Giovanni, Federico and Petruccio guilty of treason, therefore executed, becoming victims of a conspiracy. His execution drove Ezio into the life of a self-trained Assassin and Maria into silence.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]'', Ezio eventually goes back for the bodies of his father and brothers. He gives them a proper burial by cremating them and setting them adrift in boats down the river.

==Gallery==

<center><gallery>
File:Giovannilineage2.png|Giovanni in his usual clothes.
File:Giovanni lineage 1.png|Giovanni in the Assassin robe.
File:Giovanniac2ingame.jpg|Giovanni behind his desk, talking to Ezio
File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 20-14-39-52.png|Giovanni (center) moments before being executed with his sons
</gallery></center>

==Trivia==
*Giovanni's ring finger remains intact due to improvements to the "Hidden blade" and changes to the tactics and traditions of the Assassin order made by Altaïr after the events of the first game.
*Giovanni died before telling Ezio (as well as his youngest son, Petruccio and his daughter Claudia) of their assassin heritage which disappointed his brother, Mario. It is believed however, that he began training his eldest son Federico in secret, but couldn't actually get far enough to teach him any intermediate Assassin skills.
*Giovanni's close friendship with the Medicis began when Giovanni saved young Lorenzo's life from drowning.
*Giovanni knew about Ezio's Eagle vision, but it is unknown if he himself possessed this gift.
*While Ezio's Short Blade is next to his sword, Giovanni's Short Blade is kept on his leggings.
*Giovanni is never seen wearing actual Armor.
*Giovanni only ever seemed to carry two throwing knives at once, which is far less than any other Assassin shown using them.
*Giovanni leaves his assassin outfit behind for Ezio to find, however in the short-film '[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]', it does not have the 'Eagle's beak' on the hood; it is also missing several other details.

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore da Firenze, Giovanni]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore da Firenze, Giovanni]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr]]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

2010-05-26T21:25:42Z

74.78.85.234:

{{Era|AC2|AC2D|Assassins|Ren|Good}}
{{spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Ezio Auditore da Firenze
|image = Ezio.jpg
|imgdesc = A full portrait of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
|hideb =
|home = [[Florence|Firenze]], [[Wikipedia:Republic of Florence|Repubblica Fiorientina]]
|birth = 1459 A.D.
|death =
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|hidep =
|faction = [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] [[Assassins]]
|hider =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|actor = [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]]
|voice = [[Roger Craig Smith]]
}}
{{Quote|Nulla é reale, tutto é lecito.|Ezio Auditore, Rome, 1499|Assassin's Creed II}}
'''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''' (born 1459) was a Florentine noble during the Italian Renaissance, and unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers, an influential member of the [[Assassin's Order]]. A descendant of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and the ancestor to both [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Subject 16]], Ezio was unaware of his Assassin heritage until he was 17-years-old, when, following the murder of his [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|father]] and two brothers, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], Ezio fled from the Italian province of [[Florence]] - his hometown - and took refuge in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] in the Tuscan region at the [[Auditore Family Villa]].

After being mentored and trained by uncle, [[Mario Auditore]], Ezio proceeded on his quest of revenge against the Grandmaster of the [[Knights Templar]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who had ordered the executions of his father and two brothers. During his 23-year quest for revenge, Ezio managed to not only unite [[The Codex]] pages Altaïr wrote, for the first time since [[Domenico Auditore]], but also to save the cities of Florence and [[Venice]] from the Templars' wrath. Later still, Ezio was responsible for the rescue of [[Christoffa Corombo]], uncovering a Templar plot to discover the "New World".

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Eziolineagechess.png|thumb|left|A much younger Ezio, portrayed by [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]].]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was born in Florence in 1459 AD, the second son of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]] and [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria Auditore]]. Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury as a member of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance to the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. As a youth he was an apprentice to his father, a Florentine banker, presumably to learn the ropes of banking, so that he could become the leader of the Auditore bank.

At the beginning of [[Assassin's Creed II]] in the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and friends of the family got into a fight with [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his gang. Ezio single-handedly defeated several members of the opposing gang, but unfortunately, Vieri escaped the scene before Ezio could do anything to him. During the fight, Ezio was cut on the side of his mouth, so Frederico suggested that they visit the local doctor. After looting several people left unconscious from the fight, the two brothers ran across the rooftops to the [[Doctor]].

After the doctor had tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye of the brothers and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won and together the two looked out over the city. Realizing that they were nearby, Ezio travelled to the house of [[Cristina Vespucci]] and spent the night with her. Caught by Cristina's father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing guards before meeting with his father at the Palazzo Auditore. Giovanni scolded him (but later admits that he is reminded of his own youth) and assigned him the task of delivering several letters to his contacts.

After returning home, Ezio found his distraught [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]] crying after discovering her boyfriend had been unfaithful. After obtaining his whereabouts, Ezio beat the man and warned him to stay away from his sister. Upon returning to the palazzo again, his little brother Petruccio asked Ezio to collect eagle feathers from the rooftops, as he was ill and couldn't leave the house or get out of bed. After a tiring search for feathers, Ezio's mother secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she patronized, [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a conversation, beginning a friendship between the two young men that would last throughout their adult lives.

===Arrest and execution of his family===
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 20-14-39-52.png|thumb|Ezio's Family being hung for treason.]]
{{Quote|I'll kill you for what you've done!|Ezio Auditore to Uberto Alberti after watching his family murdered, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
After completing his errands, Ezio returned home to find the house ransacked, his father and brothers missing and his mother and sister hiding. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the [[Palazzo della Signoria]], where his father and brothers were being held. Climbing the building and speaking to his father through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, to take everything out of it and to deliver a sealed letter to [[Uberto Alberti]], [[Lorenzo de' Medici|Lorenzo de' Medici's]] personal assistant and a close friend of the Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found the Assassin robes that he would wear for the next 23 years and the letter containing details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Alberti and was assured that his family would be released the following day when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence.

The next day, Ezio returned to the [[Piazza della Signoria]] to find Alberti presiding over the execution of the Auditores (watched over all the while by a [[Rodrigo Borgia|mysterious stranger]] who had been present with Alberti the previous night). Giovanni claimed his innocence, citing the information given to Alberti as evidence. But Alberti denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio's efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain, and he could only watch helplessly as his father and brothers were hung. When he attempted to charge the scaffold to avenge his kinsmen, Alberti ordered the city [[Guards|guards]] to murder him. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a [[Thieves|thief]], Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a [[Courtesans|brothel]], run by the sister of the [[Annetta|Auditore housemaid]], a courtesan named [[Paola]].

Paola (a member of the Assassins herself) agreed to assist Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an outlaw through [[pickpocketing]] and blending in crowds. She further directed Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair the [[Hidden Blade]] of the late Giovanni Auditore, but did not notice that Ezio was being watched. At Leonardo's workshop, a guard banged on the door, ordered Leonardo outside and tried to beat him to learn Ezio's whereabouts. Ezio realized something was wrong and crept up the guard, stabbing him from behind. After Leonardo fixed the blade, Ezio sought out and assassinated Alberti in the courtyard of the [[wikipedia:Basilicia of Santa Croce, Florence|Basilica of Santa Croce]], stabbing him multiple times in the heart before proudly shouting his name to everyone present, marking Alberti as his first assassination.

===Start as an Assassin===
[[File:Zw-sequence3-00014.png|thumb|left|220px|Ezio yells at the corpse of [[Vieri de' Pazzi]].]]
{{Quote|The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio, Ezio Auditore!|Ezio Auditore, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's [[Auditore Villa|villa]] in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] for shelter. During their travel to Monteriggioni, the three were accosted by [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, [[Mario Auditore|Mario]], and his [[Mercenaries]]. Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order, revealing that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were part of it. However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain to ensure his mother and sister's safety. Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of [[San Gimignano]], where Vieri de' Pazzi had been located, in the attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of continual assaults by his minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault, waiting until nightfall to make their way to Vieri de' Pazzi by killing guards patrolling near the city gates. After witnessing a brief meeting between [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] and Vieri, Ezio encountered and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and killing him after a brief duel. Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, but to no avail as Vieri chose to be snide even to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse until his uncle calmed him down and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.

===Killing the Pazzi===
{{Quote|The Pazzi were a venerable and potent family, reduced to rubble by one young assassin.|[[Rodrigo Borgia]], reflecting on the collapse of the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi family]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Zw-thepazziconspirators.png|thumb|200px|[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] and the fellow conspirators.]]
Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence to gather information from [[La Volpe]] and prevent the planned [[Pazzi]] [[wikipedia:Pazzi conspiracy|takeover]], as well as the deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and [[Guilani de' Medici]]. Arriving too late to save Guilani, Ezio managed to prevent the death of Lorenzo, the ruler of Florence, and restored his family's good name. However, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan and brought the city into a state of civil war. After learning the location of [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] at the Piazza della Signoria, Ezio chased him down and slew him, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape the city. Shortly afterwards, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.

Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, Ezio tracked down and killed [[Antonio Maffei]], [[Stefano da Bagnone]], [[Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli]] and [[Francesco Salviati]], extracting from each man information on Jacopo de' Pazzi's hiding place. Using the information, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theatre. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant, [[Emilio Barbarigo]]. After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Borgia revealed that he was aware of Ezio's presence. While Borgia and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Borgia's bodyguards, but he overpowered and killed them, before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.

===Venice===
{{dialogue|Emilio Barbarigo|The assassin is here, in Venezia?|Carlo Grimaldi|He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?|Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio minutes before the latter's assassination|Assassin's Creed II}}

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo and declared his success. Before leaving the city for [[Venice]], Ezio was granted a gift; a [[Outfits|Medici cape]], that would keep the city guards' attention from him. Ezio then made his way to Leonardo's workshop, only to find that he had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the [[Appennine Mountains]], Ezio accompanied him to the city of [[Forlì]], narrowly avoiding the Templar soldiers sent after them by Rodrigo Borgia.

Eventually arriving in Forlì, the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused passage without a pass. It was at this moment that the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's wetlands. Ezio swiftly hastened to her rescue and was able to row the woman ashore. The lady introduced herself as [[Caterina Sforza]] and coerced the dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice. Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by [[Alvise Da Vilandino|Alvise]] before Ezio began to seek a way into the Palazzo of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort proved to be in vain. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of [[thieves]] attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to subsequently aid the thief [[Rosa]], who had been shot through the leg with an arrow. After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the Venetian thieves guild, [[Antonio]], and together, they concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.

The plot was successful and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – [[Carlo Grimaldi]]. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], the Doge of Venice and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause. Overhearing another meeting between Borgia and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison the Doge and replace him with [[Marco Barbarigo]]. Returning to Antonio, he sought to find a way into the [[wikipedia:Doge's Palace|Palazzo Ducale]], the Doge's Palace, searching the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the [[Basilica di San Marco]]; but they were hampered at every turn. Returning to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked that only birds might get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's [[Flying Machine|flying machine]], which he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.

[[File:Ezio assassinates Carlo.jpg|thumb|Ezio assassinates Carlo Grimaldi.]]
After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Ezio the lift Leonardo's flying machine needed to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although he was too late to save the Doge. Carlo fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, but met his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice and was forced to flee the city guards. Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help, Ezio was directed to [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of [[Carnevale]], Ezio made his way to the brothel and began planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the [[Golden Mask|golden mask]] that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party. Ezio was successful but found that Marco's cousin, [[Silvio Barbarigo]] and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, [[Dante Moro]] intimidated and bribed the judges into denying him his prize. However, Ezio was successful in regaining the mask and managed to assassinate Marco, leaving the door open for [[Agostino Barbarigo|Agostino]], a Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to legitimately become Doge.

With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, liberating the mercenary leader, [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]], and his soldiers in the process. Having tracked the Templars down to the city's Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and his men, and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo. However, he was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to [[Cyprus]], although the reasons for this were unknown to Ezio.

===Induction into the Order===
[[File:Zw-ezio-seal.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio's receiving the Assassin's mark]]
{{Quote|It's been ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!|Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin|Assassin's Creed II}}

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty ninth birthday<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSagHiz6Ujo&feature=related</ref>, when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar soldier carrying a [[Piece of Eden]] disembarked from the ship and made his way to a Templar base in the city. Following the soldier, Ezio assassinated and impersonated the guard, carrying the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet" detailed in the [[Codex]] prophecy. Borgia responded, proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The battle was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar. On the backfoot, Borgia called upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had failed to show up.

At this very moment Mario Auditore, Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo d'Alviano appeared, driving off Borgia and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], it was revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the supposed "prophet", and that for the past decade they had all worked together to induct Ezio into the Assassins Order. That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the Order.

===The [[Battle of Forlì]]===
{{quote|Muori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale… Requiescat in Pace. (Die with your pride, for what it's worth… Rest in Peace.|Ezio Auditore to Ludovico Orsi|Battle of Forlì (DLC)}}
[[File:Assassins-creed-ii-dlc-screens-20091216010317106.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio overflying the city of Forli.]]
Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò, and traveled to Leonardo da Vinci's studio, hoping he could shed some light upon the strange artifact Borgia had dubbed "[[Piece of Eden|the Apple]]". Leonardo examined the unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist, and that its design was highly advanced despite its age. Briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange holographic images. De-activating the device, Niccolò announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]], protected by an ally of the Assassin's, Caterina Sforza. Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in [[Romagna]], just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by the Orsi brothers; [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] and [[Ludovico Orsi|Ludovico]].

As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside and opened the the gates, allowing them to continue their way to the Citadel. Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two of Caterina’s children, [[Ottaviano Riario|Ottaviano]] and [[Bianca Riario|Bianca]], were in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and begun attacking the Citadel. Repelling the attack, Ezio left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her two children.

[[File:Zw-bof7.png|thumb|left|250px|A blacking-out Ezio glimpses Savonarola]]
Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping was a distraction, which had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco Orsi and his remaining men. Retrieving the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness Ezio saw a [[Girolamo Savonarola|monk]] with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so.

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurridly explained to Caterina that the Apple had been stolen from him by a man in black. She recognized him for a monk and told Ezio to search for the monk at the church outside the city walls. There was no sign of the monk, but Ezio met with [[Brother O’Callahan]], who told him to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. An abbot there identified Ezio as Stefano de Bagnone's killer and ran away, but was intercepted, and, once convinced he was not about to die, gave Ezio the name of the four fingered monk: [[Girolamo Savonarola]].

===''The [[Assassins Creed II: Discovery|Spanish Inquisition]]''===
{{Quote|My name is Ezio Auditore da Firenze... It has been fifteen years since the Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, murdered my family and drove me into exile... Since that time I have suffered greatly but learned a great deal more- I am an Assassin, as my father and grandfathers were before me. Compelled by duty to my order, I have set aside my search for the Spaniard to recover an ancient artifact recently stolen from us. My thirst for vengeance is strong, but my responsibillity to the Assassins is stronger still.|Ezio Auditore, 1494|Assassins Creed II: Discovery}}
[[File:Ezio others.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio with Luis, Raphael, and Christoffa]]
While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by a Thief to meet Antonio at the Thieves' Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, [[Luis Santangel]]. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend [[Christoffa Corombo]], but Ezio expressed no interest. However, when he heard that Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's location, finding out that it was a trap. However, he managed to save Christoffa, who explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.

They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Christoffa and Luis. Luis informed Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, [[Tomas Torquemada]]. Thinking it his mission to rescue them, Ezio temporarily diverged from his goal to reobtain the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio went on to look for one of the contacts. When he arrived at the location, he met a man who called himself [[Raphael Sanchez]] and soon after revealed himself to be an Assassin. He informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and freed him. 
After Ezio's return, Raphael revealed that it was [[Gaspard Martinez]] who was ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio located Gaspard and found him, Torquemada and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin. Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin, and indirectly to Ezio, that Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain, because they were "non-believers" (in the Catholic religion). After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded and Gaspard was left unguarded. Ezio then met with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspard feigned ignorance and said that they "went away two centuries ago". He fell silently to Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of six other Assassins' names. 
After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael, informing the latter of the existence of the list. However, all the remaining Assassins were located in [[Zaragoza]].

Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, [[Pedro Llorente]], whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio found that Torquemada was also present. One of the Assassins was being tried, and after he refused to convert and confess, was killed. Ezio eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation and found out that Torquemada was under orders from Rodrigo Borgia to arrest the Assassins. He hurried to locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them where held captive inside some catacombs. The last was held inside a church. After securing their safety, Ezio killed Pedro Llorente. Returning to Raphael, he requested to return to Italy. However, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in Granada. Ezio complied, helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city and discovering along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin. Once his task was complete, Ezio was free to continue his quest for Savonarola.

===The [[Bonfire of the Vanities]]===
[[File:Assassins-Creed-II bonfire vanities.jpg|thumb|Ezio overlooking a plaza in Florence.]]
{{quote|There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else.|Ezio after Savanarola's defeat|Bonfire of the Vanities}}
After Lorenzo de’ Medici's death, Savonarola was able to easily take control over Florence with the Apple of Eden at his command. He taught the population of Florence that personal property and knowledge made the difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, he burned everything related to the Renaissance in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli wanted to put a stop to Savonarola's rule with the aid of their two comrades, [[Paola]] and [[La Volpe|Volpe]]. Ezio began eliminating the monk's brainwashed followers while Niccolò, Paola, and Volpe organized a riot in the city. Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the rioters formed an angry mob and went to the Palazzo Pitti, where Savonarola resided, demanding an end to the bonfires. Savanarola tried to use the Apple to quell the riot, but before he could, Ezio threw a knife at him, knocking the Apple out of his hand. In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was picked up by a guard in service to the Borgia (the Templars had also been trying, without success, to recover the Apple from Savonarola). Ezio followed him, killed him and recovered the Apple. Savonarola was then sentenced to be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned at the stake on the [[Piazza della Signoria]]. However, Ezio decided that no one should have to die in such agony. The Assassin leapt onto the execution platform and put Savonarola out of his misery. He then looked at the stunned mob and gave a speech to them, urging them to follow their own path and rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. He then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the answers hidden within the Apple.

===Battle with [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] and the Vault===
[[File:Ezio Rome.jpg|thumb|280px|left|Ezio battles his way to the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].]]
{{Quote|I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much – Requiescat in Pace, you bastard!|Ezio to [[Rodrigo Borgia]] during his first assassination attempt|Assassin's Creed II}}

The following year (1499), the Assassins came together once more at the Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using the two objects, they discovered the location of [[the Vault]] to be in [[Rome]], specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio traveled to Rome with a mission to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia.

Fighting his way along the entire length of the Passetto di Borgo, Ezio snuck into the Sistine Chapel and struck at Borgia from above. As he was about to deal the killing blow, Borgia surprised him by using the Staff to blast him away and drain the energy of those in the room. Since Ezio held the Apple, he was immune to the Staff's effects, and the two engaged in a duel. Ezio repeated history by using the same technique [[Al Mualim]] utilized in his duel against Altaïr in 1191, by creating multiple illusions of himself with the Apple. Ezio seemingly bested Borgia, but the Pope counterattacked and overcame him. Borgia took the Apple, stabbed Ezio in the abdomen and left him to die before fleeing into the Vault. However, Ezio's wounds were not mortal, and he was able to give pursuit. Outside the Vault, Ezio watched as Borgia tried in vain to open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Borgia in a fist fight, obtaining possession of both the Staff and the Apple, but refusing to take Borgia’s life, having realised the futility of revenge.

{{Quote|Killing you won't bring my family back... I am done.|Ezio spares Borgia's life after defeating him|Assassin's Creed II}}

Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram of an individual naming herself "[[Minerva]]" and claiming to be one of "[[Those Who Came Before]]"; Ezio was further confounded when the hologram sought to speak to an unseen figure named [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]], before disappearing abruptly, leaving Ezio with many questions. After returning from Rome, Ezio sealed his Piece of Eden under the statue of Altaïr at the Villa Auditore.

== Personality and characteristics ==
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 19-22-34-26.png|thumb|left|286px|A young Ezio gets approached by a Florentine guard after protesting at his father’s and brothers’ execution.]]

{{quote|Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace.|Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace|Assassin's Creed II}}
Ezio was a young [[Florence|Florentine]] nobleman who lived during the 15th and 16th Century. Unlike his ancestor Altaïr, he was brought up without knowing of the Assassins' existence. A seducer of women and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills beyond his peers, save for his brother and father. He came from an affluent background and had many friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence. Forced to protect his [[Maria de' Mozzi|mother]] and [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]], Ezio became an [[Assassin]], exacting revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize both [[Florence]] and [[Venice]].

Quick to anger, Ezio often allowed his emotions to overcome him, going so far as to disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did manage to gain control of his anger, and by the time he had become a Master Assassin, could control it almost completely.

==Equipment and skills==
[[File:Ezio In Black by Invader Shi.jpg|thumb|250px|An older Ezio, assassinating two guards at once.]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was a highly skilled Assassin and a leader amongst the Order. A master of multiple skills, including theft, blending, armed and unarmed combat, stealth assassination techniques, free-running and long-distance combat, he was able to use a variety of weapons including two [[Hidden Blade|hidden blades]], the longsword, throwing knives and more. Born with the ability to use [[Eagle Vision]], Ezio could instinctively differentiate friend from foe.

An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities he visited in search of Codex pages and seals from the [[Secret Locations|six assassins tombs]] spread across northern Italy. The Codex pages allowed Leonardo di Vinci to upgrade his weaponry, including the addition of a wheel lock firearm and poison needle concealed beneath his left hidden blade.

By collecting the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the [[Altaïr's Armor|armor]] created by his ancestor, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. He also collected [[capes]] that helped him stay incognito. The only exception to this was the cape bearing the Auditore family crest, which made him easily recognizable, due to his family's history.

With the addition of the Bonfire of the Vanities DLC, Ezio gains the ability of the sprint jump. This move is performed by running towards flag posts placed on buildings in the Oltrarno district, and results in Ezio being propelled across distances he would not be able to cross with his normal jumping ability.

==Romantic life==
[[File:Zw-ezio-cristina.png|thumb|160px|left|Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.]]Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for womanizing. Throughout the course of Assassin's Creed II, Ezio shared romantic relationships of varying degrees with women throughout Italy.

At the beginning of the game, Ezio had a relationship with [[Cristina Vespucci]], a beautiful young Florentine woman. Ignoring Federico's plea to let Cristina rest, Ezio entered the young woman's room via the window and made love to her. It is the only interaction seen between the two characters in game, but the novel expands their story. When Ezio came back to Florence after two years, Cristina was married to one of her suitors, Manfredo d'Arzenta, even though she still loved Ezio. In 1486, Cristina and Manfredo travelled to Venice for the carnival. Posing as her husband, Ezio wrote her a letter asking her to come to the Rio Terra degli Ogniscanti. Cristina complied. As both wore carnevale masks, she did not recognise him until he kissed her. She then took off his mask and asked him how he dared kiss her like that, telling him she never wanted to see him again. When Ezio tried to understand, she explained that if he really loved her, he wouldn't simply have let Manfredo marry her. Several years later, [[Girolamo Savonarola]]'s men killed Cristina, deeply wounding Ezio.

[[File:Caterina Sforza and Ezio.jpg|thumb|Ezio helps Caterina Sforza.]]
While trying to find a way to Venice, Ezio first made a stop in [[Forlì]]. He could not initially board the ship to sail to Venice with Leonardo, but his fortunes changed after encountering [[Caterina Sforza]]. Caterina was stranded on a small island with no means of escape. Ezio rescued her, and she repaid the favor by granting him passage to Venice. She also told him that the next time he returned to Forli, it would "be her pleasure" to invite him. Afterwards, while sailing for Venice, Ezio told Leonardo that she was his future conquest and his type of woman. Leonardo then revealed Caterina's identity as the Countess of Forlì and said that seducing her would not be such a good idea, as she was a married woman. Ezio probably did not pursue a relationship with her as there is no record of romantic interaction historically or in-game.

[[File:Amelia and Ezio.jpg|thumb|left|Ezio seducing Amelia.]]
During a genetic memory known as "Horseplay", Ezio encountered a girl named [[Amelia]]. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends were discussing whether anyone could beat their record in a horseback riding race. Ezio took on the challenge, in return for an intimate encounter with Amelia, should he prove successful. It should be noted that although this is the only other sexual encounter other than Cristina the player witnesses during the events of the game, the memory is completely optional and ultimately has no effect on the storyline.

[[File:Rosa.jpg|thumb|Rosa faints into Ezio's arms.]]
When Ezio arrived in Venice for the first time, an unknown young woman unsuccessfully attempted to pickpocket him. Later the same day, Ezio witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempting to scale the Palazzo della Seta. The attempt ended in failure, and the girl was shot in the leg by an archer. Ezio intervened, defending her from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs and helping her to get to safety, learning in the process that her name was [[Rosa]], and that she was a member of the city's Thieves Guild. At first, Rosa's attitude towards Ezio was very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saved her, she became much more amenable. In the game, Rosa and Ezio are only seen flirting playfully from time to time. In the novel, they have a much more intimate relationship.

During Sequence 10, while trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio can be seen flirting with many of [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] [[Courtesans]]. After the CTF Challenge, when Ezio goes up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he is accompanied by a Courtesan, though it was not uncommon for an unwed man to take courtesans on "dates" during the Renaissance period. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio can be seen flirting with Sister Teodora, who invites several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio.

It is clear that Ezio had many encounters with various unnamed Florentine girls and courtesans before the beginning of the game. At the ending of the short film [[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]] Ezio is seen seducing an unknown girl, and at the beginning of the game, Ezio says to Vieri de' Pazzi that his sister seemed "quite satisfied with the handling he gave her earlier."

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Trivia==
[[File:Zw-ezioauditore.png|thumb|180px|Young Ezio]]
*The Italian name "Ezio" derives from the Greek word ''aetos'', which means "eagle", similar to Altaïr, whose name means "The Flying One".
*Ezio is 40 years old in 1499 (15 years older than Altaïr's age in 1191); the same age as his father upon his death in 1476.
*Ezio is the character whose physical appearance changes the most over the 23-year period of the game, others look mostly the same.
*If you move the camera to a certain angle, Ezio's face has barely aged, except for the beard, despite the fact that you played through 23 years of his life. His voice does deepen and mature over time, though, making him sound calmer and talk slower. He also appears to lose his tan over time probably due to the fact that he is in hiding through most of his life.
*Just like [[Altaïr]] and [[Desmond]], Ezio has a scar on his mouth, acquired after the mission "Boys Will Be Boys" during Sequence 1, when [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] throws a rock at his face.
*According to the Database, Ezio was expelled from his school at the age of 17 due to a link to some terrible crime, after which he "disappeared from history". This is likely referring to the supposed plot by the Auditore to overthrow the Medici. Anything after that wouldn't be public knowledge, so as far as recorded history is concerned, Ezio simply disappeared after the death of his father and brothers.
*Ezio has been seriously injured in battle twice. Both injuries were stab wounds to his lower abdomen. He was stabbed in the right side by Checco Orsi after retrieving the Apple of Eden from him, and in the left side by Rodrigo Borgia during their battle in the Sistine Chapel.

{{ACII}}
{{AC2D}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore, Ezio]]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

2010-05-26T21:24:17Z

74.78.85.234:

{{Era|AC2|AC2D|Assassins|Ren|Good}}
{{spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Ezio Auditore da Firenze
|image = Ezio.jpg
|imgdesc = A full portrait of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
|hideb =
|home = [[Florence|Firenze]], [[Wikipedia:Republic of Florence|Repubblica Fiorientino]]
|birth = 1459 A.D.
|death =
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|hidep =
|faction = [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] [[Assassins]]
|hider =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|actor = [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]]
|voice = [[Roger Craig Smith]]
}}
{{Quote|Nulla é reale, tutto é lecito.|Ezio Auditore, Rome, 1499|Assassin's Creed II}}
'''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''' (born 1459) was a Florentine noble during the Italian Renaissance, and unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers, an influential member of the [[Assassin's Order]]. A descendant of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and the ancestor to both [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Subject 16]], Ezio was unaware of his Assassin heritage until he was 17-years-old, when, following the murder of his [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|father]] and two brothers, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], Ezio fled from the Italian province of [[Florence]] - his hometown - and took refuge in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] in the Tuscan region at the [[Auditore Family Villa]].

After being mentored and trained by uncle, [[Mario Auditore]], Ezio proceeded on his quest of revenge against the Grandmaster of the [[Knights Templar]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who had ordered the executions of his father and two brothers. During his 23-year quest for revenge, Ezio managed to not only unite [[The Codex]] pages Altaïr wrote, for the first time since [[Domenico Auditore]], but also to save the cities of Florence and [[Venice]] from the Templars' wrath. Later still, Ezio was responsible for the rescue of [[Christoffa Corombo]], uncovering a Templar plot to discover the "New World".

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Eziolineagechess.png|thumb|left|A much younger Ezio, portrayed by [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]].]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was born in Florence in 1459 AD, the second son of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]] and [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria Auditore]]. Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury as a member of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance to the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. As a youth he was an apprentice to his father, a Florentine banker, presumably to learn the ropes of banking, so that he could become the leader of the Auditore bank.

At the beginning of [[Assassin's Creed II]] in the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and friends of the family got into a fight with [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his gang. Ezio single-handedly defeated several members of the opposing gang, but unfortunately, Vieri escaped the scene before Ezio could do anything to him. During the fight, Ezio was cut on the side of his mouth, so Frederico suggested that they visit the local doctor. After looting several people left unconscious from the fight, the two brothers ran across the rooftops to the [[Doctor]].

After the doctor had tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye of the brothers and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won and together the two looked out over the city. Realizing that they were nearby, Ezio travelled to the house of [[Cristina Vespucci]] and spent the night with her. Caught by Cristina's father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing guards before meeting with his father at the Palazzo Auditore. Giovanni scolded him (but later admits that he is reminded of his own youth) and assigned him the task of delivering several letters to his contacts.

After returning home, Ezio found his distraught [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]] crying after discovering her boyfriend had been unfaithful. After obtaining his whereabouts, Ezio beat the man and warned him to stay away from his sister. Upon returning to the palazzo again, his little brother Petruccio asked Ezio to collect eagle feathers from the rooftops, as he was ill and couldn't leave the house or get out of bed. After a tiring search for feathers, Ezio's mother secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she patronized, [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a conversation, beginning a friendship between the two young men that would last throughout their adult lives.

===Arrest and execution of his family===
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 20-14-39-52.png|thumb|Ezio's Family being hung for treason.]]
{{Quote|I'll kill you for what you've done!|Ezio Auditore to Uberto Alberti after watching his family murdered, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
After completing his errands, Ezio returned home to find the house ransacked, his father and brothers missing and his mother and sister hiding. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the [[Palazzo della Signoria]], where his father and brothers were being held. Climbing the building and speaking to his father through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, to take everything out of it and to deliver a sealed letter to [[Uberto Alberti]], [[Lorenzo de' Medici|Lorenzo de' Medici's]] personal assistant and a close friend of the Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found the Assassin robes that he would wear for the next 23 years and the letter containing details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Alberti and was assured that his family would be released the following day when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence.

The next day, Ezio returned to the [[Piazza della Signoria]] to find Alberti presiding over the execution of the Auditores (watched over all the while by a [[Rodrigo Borgia|mysterious stranger]] who had been present with Alberti the previous night). Giovanni claimed his innocence, citing the information given to Alberti as evidence. But Alberti denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio's efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain, and he could only watch helplessly as his father and brothers were hung. When he attempted to charge the scaffold to avenge his kinsmen, Alberti ordered the city [[Guards|guards]] to murder him. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a [[Thieves|thief]], Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a [[Courtesans|brothel]], run by the sister of the [[Annetta|Auditore housemaid]], a courtesan named [[Paola]].

Paola (a member of the Assassins herself) agreed to assist Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an outlaw through [[pickpocketing]] and blending in crowds. She further directed Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair the [[Hidden Blade]] of the late Giovanni Auditore, but did not notice that Ezio was being watched. At Leonardo's workshop, a guard banged on the door, ordered Leonardo outside and tried to beat him to learn Ezio's whereabouts. Ezio realized something was wrong and crept up the guard, stabbing him from behind. After Leonardo fixed the blade, Ezio sought out and assassinated Alberti in the courtyard of the [[wikipedia:Basilicia of Santa Croce, Florence|Basilica of Santa Croce]], stabbing him multiple times in the heart before proudly shouting his name to everyone present, marking Alberti as his first assassination.

===Start as an Assassin===
[[File:Zw-sequence3-00014.png|thumb|left|220px|Ezio yells at the corpse of [[Vieri de' Pazzi]].]]
{{Quote|The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio, Ezio Auditore!|Ezio Auditore, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's [[Auditore Villa|villa]] in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] for shelter. During their travel to Monteriggioni, the three were accosted by [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, [[Mario Auditore|Mario]], and his [[Mercenaries]]. Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order, revealing that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were part of it. However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain to ensure his mother and sister's safety. Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of [[San Gimignano]], where Vieri de' Pazzi had been located, in the attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of continual assaults by his minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault, waiting until nightfall to make their way to Vieri de' Pazzi by killing guards patrolling near the city gates. After witnessing a brief meeting between [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] and Vieri, Ezio encountered and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and killing him after a brief duel. Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, but to no avail as Vieri chose to be snide even to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse until his uncle calmed him down and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.

===Killing the Pazzi===
{{Quote|The Pazzi were a venerable and potent family, reduced to rubble by one young assassin.|[[Rodrigo Borgia]], reflecting on the collapse of the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi family]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Zw-thepazziconspirators.png|thumb|200px|[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] and the fellow conspirators.]]
Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence to gather information from [[La Volpe]] and prevent the planned [[Pazzi]] [[wikipedia:Pazzi conspiracy|takeover]], as well as the deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and [[Guilani de' Medici]]. Arriving too late to save Guilani, Ezio managed to prevent the death of Lorenzo, the ruler of Florence, and restored his family's good name. However, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan and brought the city into a state of civil war. After learning the location of [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] at the Piazza della Signoria, Ezio chased him down and slew him, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape the city. Shortly afterwards, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.

Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, Ezio tracked down and killed [[Antonio Maffei]], [[Stefano da Bagnone]], [[Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli]] and [[Francesco Salviati]], extracting from each man information on Jacopo de' Pazzi's hiding place. Using the information, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theatre. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant, [[Emilio Barbarigo]]. After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Borgia revealed that he was aware of Ezio's presence. While Borgia and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Borgia's bodyguards, but he overpowered and killed them, before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.

===Venice===
{{dialogue|Emilio Barbarigo|The assassin is here, in Venezia?|Carlo Grimaldi|He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?|Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio minutes before the latter's assassination|Assassin's Creed II}}

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo and declared his success. Before leaving the city for [[Venice]], Ezio was granted a gift; a [[Outfits|Medici cape]], that would keep the city guards' attention from him. Ezio then made his way to Leonardo's workshop, only to find that he had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the [[Appennine Mountains]], Ezio accompanied him to the city of [[Forlì]], narrowly avoiding the Templar soldiers sent after them by Rodrigo Borgia.

Eventually arriving in Forlì, the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused passage without a pass. It was at this moment that the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's wetlands. Ezio swiftly hastened to her rescue and was able to row the woman ashore. The lady introduced herself as [[Caterina Sforza]] and coerced the dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice. Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by [[Alvise Da Vilandino|Alvise]] before Ezio began to seek a way into the Palazzo of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort proved to be in vain. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of [[thieves]] attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to subsequently aid the thief [[Rosa]], who had been shot through the leg with an arrow. After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the Venetian thieves guild, [[Antonio]], and together, they concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.

The plot was successful and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – [[Carlo Grimaldi]]. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], the Doge of Venice and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause. Overhearing another meeting between Borgia and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison the Doge and replace him with [[Marco Barbarigo]]. Returning to Antonio, he sought to find a way into the [[wikipedia:Doge's Palace|Palazzo Ducale]], the Doge's Palace, searching the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the [[Basilica di San Marco]]; but they were hampered at every turn. Returning to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked that only birds might get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's [[Flying Machine|flying machine]], which he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.

[[File:Ezio assassinates Carlo.jpg|thumb|Ezio assassinates Carlo Grimaldi.]]
After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Ezio the lift Leonardo's flying machine needed to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although he was too late to save the Doge. Carlo fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, but met his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice and was forced to flee the city guards. Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help, Ezio was directed to [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of [[Carnevale]], Ezio made his way to the brothel and began planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the [[Golden Mask|golden mask]] that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party. Ezio was successful but found that Marco's cousin, [[Silvio Barbarigo]] and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, [[Dante Moro]] intimidated and bribed the judges into denying him his prize. However, Ezio was successful in regaining the mask and managed to assassinate Marco, leaving the door open for [[Agostino Barbarigo|Agostino]], a Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to legitimately become Doge.

With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, liberating the mercenary leader, [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]], and his soldiers in the process. Having tracked the Templars down to the city's Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and his men, and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo. However, he was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to [[Cyprus]], although the reasons for this were unknown to Ezio.

===Induction into the Order===
[[File:Zw-ezio-seal.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio's receiving the Assassin's mark]]
{{Quote|It's been ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!|Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin|Assassin's Creed II}}

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty ninth birthday<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSagHiz6Ujo&feature=related</ref>, when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar soldier carrying a [[Piece of Eden]] disembarked from the ship and made his way to a Templar base in the city. Following the soldier, Ezio assassinated and impersonated the guard, carrying the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet" detailed in the [[Codex]] prophecy. Borgia responded, proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The battle was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar. On the backfoot, Borgia called upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had failed to show up.

At this very moment Mario Auditore, Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo d'Alviano appeared, driving off Borgia and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], it was revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the supposed "prophet", and that for the past decade they had all worked together to induct Ezio into the Assassins Order. That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the Order.

===The [[Battle of Forlì]]===
{{quote|Muori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale… Requiescat in Pace. (Die with your pride, for what it's worth… Rest in Peace.|Ezio Auditore to Ludovico Orsi|Battle of Forlì (DLC)}}
[[File:Assassins-creed-ii-dlc-screens-20091216010317106.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio overflying the city of Forli.]]
Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò, and traveled to Leonardo da Vinci's studio, hoping he could shed some light upon the strange artifact Borgia had dubbed "[[Piece of Eden|the Apple]]". Leonardo examined the unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist, and that its design was highly advanced despite its age. Briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange holographic images. De-activating the device, Niccolò announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]], protected by an ally of the Assassin's, Caterina Sforza. Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in [[Romagna]], just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by the Orsi brothers; [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] and [[Ludovico Orsi|Ludovico]].

As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside and opened the the gates, allowing them to continue their way to the Citadel. Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two of Caterina’s children, [[Ottaviano Riario|Ottaviano]] and [[Bianca Riario|Bianca]], were in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and begun attacking the Citadel. Repelling the attack, Ezio left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her two children.

[[File:Zw-bof7.png|thumb|left|250px|A blacking-out Ezio glimpses Savonarola]]
Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping was a distraction, which had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco Orsi and his remaining men. Retrieving the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness Ezio saw a [[Girolamo Savonarola|monk]] with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so.

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurridly explained to Caterina that the Apple had been stolen from him by a man in black. She recognized him for a monk and told Ezio to search for the monk at the church outside the city walls. There was no sign of the monk, but Ezio met with [[Brother O’Callahan]], who told him to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. An abbot there identified Ezio as Stefano de Bagnone's killer and ran away, but was intercepted, and, once convinced he was not about to die, gave Ezio the name of the four fingered monk: [[Girolamo Savonarola]].

===''The [[Assassins Creed II: Discovery|Spanish Inquisition]]''===
{{Quote|My name is Ezio Auditore da Firenze... It has been fifteen years since the Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, murdered my family and drove me into exile... Since that time I have suffered greatly but learned a great deal more- I am an Assassin, as my father and grandfathers were before me. Compelled by duty to my order, I have set aside my search for the Spaniard to recover an ancient artifact recently stolen from us. My thirst for vengeance is strong, but my responsibillity to the Assassins is stronger still.|Ezio Auditore, 1494|Assassins Creed II: Discovery}}
[[File:Ezio others.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio with Luis, Raphael, and Christoffa]]
While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by a Thief to meet Antonio at the Thieves' Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, [[Luis Santangel]]. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend [[Christoffa Corombo]], but Ezio expressed no interest. However, when he heard that Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's location, finding out that it was a trap. However, he managed to save Christoffa, who explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.

They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Christoffa and Luis. Luis informed Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, [[Tomas Torquemada]]. Thinking it his mission to rescue them, Ezio temporarily diverged from his goal to reobtain the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio went on to look for one of the contacts. When he arrived at the location, he met a man who called himself [[Raphael Sanchez]] and soon after revealed himself to be an Assassin. He informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and freed him. 
After Ezio's return, Raphael revealed that it was [[Gaspard Martinez]] who was ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio located Gaspard and found him, Torquemada and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin. Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin, and indirectly to Ezio, that Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain, because they were "non-believers" (in the Catholic religion). After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded and Gaspard was left unguarded. Ezio then met with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspard feigned ignorance and said that they "went away two centuries ago". He fell silently to Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of six other Assassins' names. 
After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael, informing the latter of the existence of the list. However, all the remaining Assassins were located in [[Zaragoza]].

Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, [[Pedro Llorente]], whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio found that Torquemada was also present. One of the Assassins was being tried, and after he refused to convert and confess, was killed. Ezio eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation and found out that Torquemada was under orders from Rodrigo Borgia to arrest the Assassins. He hurried to locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them where held captive inside some catacombs. The last was held inside a church. After securing their safety, Ezio killed Pedro Llorente. Returning to Raphael, he requested to return to Italy. However, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in Granada. Ezio complied, helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city and discovering along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin. Once his task was complete, Ezio was free to continue his quest for Savonarola.

===The [[Bonfire of the Vanities]]===
[[File:Assassins-Creed-II bonfire vanities.jpg|thumb|Ezio overlooking a plaza in Florence.]]
{{quote|There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else.|Ezio after Savanarola's defeat|Bonfire of the Vanities}}
After Lorenzo de’ Medici's death, Savonarola was able to easily take control over Florence with the Apple of Eden at his command. He taught the population of Florence that personal property and knowledge made the difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, he burned everything related to the Renaissance in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli wanted to put a stop to Savonarola's rule with the aid of their two comrades, [[Paola]] and [[La Volpe|Volpe]]. Ezio began eliminating the monk's brainwashed followers while Niccolò, Paola, and Volpe organized a riot in the city. Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the rioters formed an angry mob and went to the Palazzo Pitti, where Savonarola resided, demanding an end to the bonfires. Savanarola tried to use the Apple to quell the riot, but before he could, Ezio threw a knife at him, knocking the Apple out of his hand. In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was picked up by a guard in service to the Borgia (the Templars had also been trying, without success, to recover the Apple from Savonarola). Ezio followed him, killed him and recovered the Apple. Savonarola was then sentenced to be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned at the stake on the [[Piazza della Signoria]]. However, Ezio decided that no one should have to die in such agony. The Assassin leapt onto the execution platform and put Savonarola out of his misery. He then looked at the stunned mob and gave a speech to them, urging them to follow their own path and rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. He then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the answers hidden within the Apple.

===Battle with [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] and the Vault===
[[File:Ezio Rome.jpg|thumb|280px|left|Ezio battles his way to the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].]]
{{Quote|I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much – Requiescat in Pace, you bastard!|Ezio to [[Rodrigo Borgia]] during his first assassination attempt|Assassin's Creed II}}

The following year (1499), the Assassins came together once more at the Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using the two objects, they discovered the location of [[the Vault]] to be in [[Rome]], specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio traveled to Rome with a mission to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia.

Fighting his way along the entire length of the Passetto di Borgo, Ezio snuck into the Sistine Chapel and struck at Borgia from above. As he was about to deal the killing blow, Borgia surprised him by using the Staff to blast him away and drain the energy of those in the room. Since Ezio held the Apple, he was immune to the Staff's effects, and the two engaged in a duel. Ezio repeated history by using the same technique [[Al Mualim]] utilized in his duel against Altaïr in 1191, by creating multiple illusions of himself with the Apple. Ezio seemingly bested Borgia, but the Pope counterattacked and overcame him. Borgia took the Apple, stabbed Ezio in the abdomen and left him to die before fleeing into the Vault. However, Ezio's wounds were not mortal, and he was able to give pursuit. Outside the Vault, Ezio watched as Borgia tried in vain to open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Borgia in a fist fight, obtaining possession of both the Staff and the Apple, but refusing to take Borgia’s life, having realised the futility of revenge.

{{Quote|Killing you won't bring my family back... I am done.|Ezio spares Borgia's life after defeating him|Assassin's Creed II}}

Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram of an individual naming herself "[[Minerva]]" and claiming to be one of "[[Those Who Came Before]]"; Ezio was further confounded when the hologram sought to speak to an unseen figure named [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]], before disappearing abruptly, leaving Ezio with many questions. After returning from Rome, Ezio sealed his Piece of Eden under the statue of Altaïr at the Villa Auditore.

== Personality and characteristics ==
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 19-22-34-26.png|thumb|left|286px|A young Ezio gets approached by a Florentine guard after protesting at his father’s and brothers’ execution.]]

{{quote|Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace.|Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace|Assassin's Creed II}}
Ezio was a young [[Florence|Florentine]] nobleman who lived during the 15th and 16th Century. Unlike his ancestor Altaïr, he was brought up without knowing of the Assassins' existence. A seducer of women and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills beyond his peers, save for his brother and father. He came from an affluent background and had many friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence. Forced to protect his [[Maria de' Mozzi|mother]] and [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]], Ezio became an [[Assassin]], exacting revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize both [[Florence]] and [[Venice]].

Quick to anger, Ezio often allowed his emotions to overcome him, going so far as to disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did manage to gain control of his anger, and by the time he had become a Master Assassin, could control it almost completely.

==Equipment and skills==
[[File:Ezio In Black by Invader Shi.jpg|thumb|250px|An older Ezio, assassinating two guards at once.]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was a highly skilled Assassin and a leader amongst the Order. A master of multiple skills, including theft, blending, armed and unarmed combat, stealth assassination techniques, free-running and long-distance combat, he was able to use a variety of weapons including two [[Hidden Blade|hidden blades]], the longsword, throwing knives and more. Born with the ability to use [[Eagle Vision]], Ezio could instinctively differentiate friend from foe.

An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities he visited in search of Codex pages and seals from the [[Secret Locations|six assassins tombs]] spread across northern Italy. The Codex pages allowed Leonardo di Vinci to upgrade his weaponry, including the addition of a wheel lock firearm and poison needle concealed beneath his left hidden blade.

By collecting the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the [[Altaïr's Armor|armor]] created by his ancestor, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. He also collected [[capes]] that helped him stay incognito. The only exception to this was the cape bearing the Auditore family crest, which made him easily recognizable, due to his family's history.

With the addition of the Bonfire of the Vanities DLC, Ezio gains the ability of the sprint jump. This move is performed by running towards flag posts placed on buildings in the Oltrarno district, and results in Ezio being propelled across distances he would not be able to cross with his normal jumping ability.

==Romantic life==
[[File:Zw-ezio-cristina.png|thumb|160px|left|Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.]]Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for womanizing. Throughout the course of Assassin's Creed II, Ezio shared romantic relationships of varying degrees with women throughout Italy.

At the beginning of the game, Ezio had a relationship with [[Cristina Vespucci]], a beautiful young Florentine woman. Ignoring Federico's plea to let Cristina rest, Ezio entered the young woman's room via the window and made love to her. It is the only interaction seen between the two characters in game, but the novel expands their story. When Ezio came back to Florence after two years, Cristina was married to one of her suitors, Manfredo d'Arzenta, even though she still loved Ezio. In 1486, Cristina and Manfredo travelled to Venice for the carnival. Posing as her husband, Ezio wrote her a letter asking her to come to the Rio Terra degli Ogniscanti. Cristina complied. As both wore carnevale masks, she did not recognise him until he kissed her. She then took off his mask and asked him how he dared kiss her like that, telling him she never wanted to see him again. When Ezio tried to understand, she explained that if he really loved her, he wouldn't simply have let Manfredo marry her. Several years later, [[Girolamo Savonarola]]'s men killed Cristina, deeply wounding Ezio.

[[File:Caterina Sforza and Ezio.jpg|thumb|Ezio helps Caterina Sforza.]]
While trying to find a way to Venice, Ezio first made a stop in [[Forlì]]. He could not initially board the ship to sail to Venice with Leonardo, but his fortunes changed after encountering [[Caterina Sforza]]. Caterina was stranded on a small island with no means of escape. Ezio rescued her, and she repaid the favor by granting him passage to Venice. She also told him that the next time he returned to Forli, it would "be her pleasure" to invite him. Afterwards, while sailing for Venice, Ezio told Leonardo that she was his future conquest and his type of woman. Leonardo then revealed Caterina's identity as the Countess of Forlì and said that seducing her would not be such a good idea, as she was a married woman. Ezio probably did not pursue a relationship with her as there is no record of romantic interaction historically or in-game.

[[File:Amelia and Ezio.jpg|thumb|left|Ezio seducing Amelia.]]
During a genetic memory known as "Horseplay", Ezio encountered a girl named [[Amelia]]. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends were discussing whether anyone could beat their record in a horseback riding race. Ezio took on the challenge, in return for an intimate encounter with Amelia, should he prove successful. It should be noted that although this is the only other sexual encounter other than Cristina the player witnesses during the events of the game, the memory is completely optional and ultimately has no effect on the storyline.

[[File:Rosa.jpg|thumb|Rosa faints into Ezio's arms.]]
When Ezio arrived in Venice for the first time, an unknown young woman unsuccessfully attempted to pickpocket him. Later the same day, Ezio witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempting to scale the Palazzo della Seta. The attempt ended in failure, and the girl was shot in the leg by an archer. Ezio intervened, defending her from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs and helping her to get to safety, learning in the process that her name was [[Rosa]], and that she was a member of the city's Thieves Guild. At first, Rosa's attitude towards Ezio was very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saved her, she became much more amenable. In the game, Rosa and Ezio are only seen flirting playfully from time to time. In the novel, they have a much more intimate relationship.

During Sequence 10, while trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio can be seen flirting with many of [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] [[Courtesans]]. After the CTF Challenge, when Ezio goes up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he is accompanied by a Courtesan, though it was not uncommon for an unwed man to take courtesans on "dates" during the Renaissance period. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio can be seen flirting with Sister Teodora, who invites several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio.

It is clear that Ezio had many encounters with various unnamed Florentine girls and courtesans before the beginning of the game. At the ending of the short film [[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]] Ezio is seen seducing an unknown girl, and at the beginning of the game, Ezio says to Vieri de' Pazzi that his sister seemed "quite satisfied with the handling he gave her earlier."

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Trivia==
[[File:Zw-ezioauditore.png|thumb|180px|Young Ezio]]
*The Italian name "Ezio" derives from the Greek word ''aetos'', which means "eagle", similar to Altaïr, whose name means "The Flying One".
*Ezio is 40 years old in 1499 (15 years older than Altaïr's age in 1191); the same age as his father upon his death in 1476.
*Ezio is the character whose physical appearance changes the most over the 23-year period of the game, others look mostly the same.
*If you move the camera to a certain angle, Ezio's face has barely aged, except for the beard, despite the fact that you played through 23 years of his life. His voice does deepen and mature over time, though, making him sound calmer and talk slower. He also appears to lose his tan over time probably due to the fact that he is in hiding through most of his life.
*Just like [[Altaïr]] and [[Desmond]], Ezio has a scar on his mouth, acquired after the mission "Boys Will Be Boys" during Sequence 1, when [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] throws a rock at his face.
*According to the Database, Ezio was expelled from his school at the age of 17 due to a link to some terrible crime, after which he "disappeared from history". This is likely referring to the supposed plot by the Auditore to overthrow the Medici. Anything after that wouldn't be public knowledge, so as far as recorded history is concerned, Ezio simply disappeared after the death of his father and brothers.
*Ezio has been seriously injured in battle twice. Both injuries were stab wounds to his lower abdomen. He was stabbed in the right side by Checco Orsi after retrieving the Apple of Eden from him, and in the left side by Rodrigo Borgia during their battle in the Sistine Chapel.

{{ACII}}
{{AC2D}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore, Ezio]]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

2010-05-26T21:20:58Z

74.78.85.234:

{{Era|AC2|AC2D|Assassins|Ren|Good}}
{{spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Ezio Auditore da Firenze
|image = Ezio.jpg
|imgdesc = A full portrait of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
|hideb =
|home = [[Florence|Firenze]], [[Wikipedia:Republic of Florence|Republic of Florence]]
|birth = 1459 A.D.
|death =
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|hidep =
|faction = [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]] [[Assassins]]
|hider =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|actor = [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]]
|voice = [[Roger Craig Smith]]
}}
{{Quote|Nulla é reale, tutto é lecito.|Ezio Auditore, Rome, 1499|Assassin's Creed II}}
'''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''' (born 1459) was a Florentine noble during the Italian Renaissance, and unbeknownst to most historians and philosophers, an influential member of the [[Assassin's Order]]. A descendant of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and the ancestor to both [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Subject 16]], Ezio was unaware of his Assassin heritage until he was 17-years-old, when, following the murder of his [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|father]] and two brothers, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], Ezio fled from the Italian province of [[Florence]] - his hometown - and took refuge in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] in the Tuscan region at the [[Auditore Family Villa]].

After being mentored and trained by uncle, [[Mario Auditore]], Ezio proceeded on his quest of revenge against the Grandmaster of the [[Knights Templar]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who had ordered the executions of his father and two brothers. During his 23-year quest for revenge, Ezio managed to not only unite [[The Codex]] pages Altaïr wrote, for the first time since [[Domenico Auditore]], but also to save the cities of Florence and [[Venice]] from the Templars' wrath. Later still, Ezio was responsible for the rescue of [[Christoffa Corombo]], uncovering a Templar plot to discover the "New World".

==Biography==
===Early life===
[[File:Eziolineagechess.png|thumb|left|A much younger Ezio, portrayed by [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]].]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was born in Florence in 1459 AD, the second son of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]] and [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria Auditore]]. Until the age of 17, Ezio lived a life of luxury as a member of the Florentine noble class, unaware of his father's allegiance to the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. As a youth he was an apprentice to his father, a Florentine banker, presumably to learn the ropes of banking, so that he could become the leader of the Auditore bank.

At the beginning of [[Assassin's Creed II]] in the year 1476, Ezio, his older brother [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and friends of the family got into a fight with [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his gang. Ezio single-handedly defeated several members of the opposing gang, but unfortunately, Vieri escaped the scene before Ezio could do anything to him. During the fight, Ezio was cut on the side of his mouth, so Frederico suggested that they visit the local doctor. After looting several people left unconscious from the fight, the two brothers ran across the rooftops to the [[Doctor]].

After the doctor had tended to his wound, a church nearby caught the eye of the brothers and Federico suggested a race. Ezio won and together the two looked out over the city. Realizing that they were nearby, Ezio travelled to the house of [[Cristina Vespucci]] and spent the night with her. Caught by Cristina's father the morning after, Ezio fled from a group of pursuing guards before meeting with his father at the Palazzo Auditore. Giovanni scolded him (but later admits that he is reminded of his own youth) and assigned him the task of delivering several letters to his contacts.

After returning home, Ezio found his distraught [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]] crying after discovering her boyfriend had been unfaithful. After obtaining his whereabouts, Ezio beat the man and warned him to stay away from his sister. Upon returning to the palazzo again, his little brother Petruccio asked Ezio to collect eagle feathers from the rooftops, as he was ill and couldn't leave the house or get out of bed. After a tiring search for feathers, Ezio's mother secured his services in picking up some paintings from a young artist that she patronized, [[Leonardo da Vinci]]. On the walk home, Leonardo struck up a conversation, beginning a friendship between the two young men that would last throughout their adult lives.

===Arrest and execution of his family===
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 20-14-39-52.png|thumb|Ezio's Family being hung for treason.]]
{{Quote|I'll kill you for what you've done!|Ezio Auditore to Uberto Alberti after watching his family murdered, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
After completing his errands, Ezio returned home to find the house ransacked, his father and brothers missing and his mother and sister hiding. Learning that city guards had been ordered to arrest Giovanni and all of his sons, Ezio made his way to the [[Palazzo della Signoria]], where his father and brothers were being held. Climbing the building and speaking to his father through his cell window, Ezio was instructed to find a chest hidden in his office, to take everything out of it and to deliver a sealed letter to [[Uberto Alberti]], [[Lorenzo de' Medici|Lorenzo de' Medici's]] personal assistant and a close friend of the Auditore family. Doing so, Ezio found the Assassin robes that he would wear for the next 23 years and the letter containing details of a plot against the city of Florence and the Auditore family. Ezio brought the incriminating documents to Alberti and was assured that his family would be released the following day when the information was presented as evidence of their innocence.

The next day, Ezio returned to the [[Piazza della Signoria]] to find Alberti presiding over the execution of the Auditores (watched over all the while by a [[Rodrigo Borgia|mysterious stranger]] who had been present with Alberti the previous night). Giovanni claimed his innocence, citing the information given to Alberti as evidence. But Alberti denied any knowledge of such information. Ezio's efforts to prevent the execution were ultimately in vain, and he could only watch helplessly as his father and brothers were hung. When he attempted to charge the scaffold to avenge his kinsmen, Alberti ordered the city [[Guards|guards]] to murder him. At the urging of one of Giovanni's friends, a [[Thieves|thief]], Ezio fled the Piazza della Signoria and sought shelter in a [[Courtesans|brothel]], run by the sister of the [[Annetta|Auditore housemaid]], a courtesan named [[Paola]].

Paola (a member of the Assassins herself) agreed to assist Ezio in his quest for vengeance, teaching him how to survive in the city as an outlaw through [[pickpocketing]] and blending in crowds. She further directed Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci to repair the [[Hidden Blade]] of the late Giovanni Auditore, but did not notice that Ezio was being watched. At Leonardo's workshop, a guard banged on the door, ordered Leonardo outside and tried to beat him to learn Ezio's whereabouts. Ezio realized something was wrong and crept up the guard, stabbing him from behind. After Leonardo fixed the blade, Ezio sought out and assassinated Alberti in the courtyard of the [[wikipedia:Basilicia of Santa Croce, Florence|Basilica of Santa Croce]], stabbing him multiple times in the heart before proudly shouting his name to everyone present, marking Alberti as his first assassination.

===Start as an Assassin===
[[File:Zw-sequence3-00014.png|thumb|left|220px|Ezio yells at the corpse of [[Vieri de' Pazzi]].]]
{{Quote|The Auditore are not dead! I'm still here! Me! Ezio, Ezio Auditore!|Ezio Auditore, 1476|Assassin's Creed II}}
Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's [[Auditore Villa|villa]] in the town of [[Monteriggioni]] for shelter. During their travel to Monteriggioni, the three were accosted by [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, [[Mario Auditore|Mario]], and his [[Mercenaries]]. Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order, revealing that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were part of it. However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain to ensure his mother and sister's safety. Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of [[San Gimignano]], where Vieri de' Pazzi had been located, in the attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of continual assaults by his minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault, waiting until nightfall to make their way to Vieri de' Pazzi by killing guards patrolling near the city gates. After witnessing a brief meeting between [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] and Vieri, Ezio encountered and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and killing him after a brief duel. Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, but to no avail as Vieri chose to be snide even to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse until his uncle calmed him down and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.

===Killing the Pazzi===
{{Quote|The Pazzi were a venerable and potent family, reduced to rubble by one young assassin.|[[Rodrigo Borgia]], reflecting on the collapse of the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi family]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Zw-thepazziconspirators.png|thumb|200px|[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] and the fellow conspirators.]]
Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence to gather information from [[La Volpe]] and prevent the planned [[Pazzi]] [[wikipedia:Pazzi conspiracy|takeover]], as well as the deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and [[Guilani de' Medici]]. Arriving too late to save Guilani, Ezio managed to prevent the death of Lorenzo, the ruler of Florence, and restored his family's good name. However, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan and brought the city into a state of civil war. After learning the location of [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] at the Piazza della Signoria, Ezio chased him down and slew him, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape the city. Shortly afterwards, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.

Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, Ezio tracked down and killed [[Antonio Maffei]], [[Stefano da Bagnone]], [[Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli]] and [[Francesco Salviati]], extracting from each man information on Jacopo de' Pazzi's hiding place. Using the information, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theatre. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant, [[Emilio Barbarigo]]. After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Borgia revealed that he was aware of Ezio's presence. While Borgia and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Borgia's bodyguards, but he overpowered and killed them, before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.

===Venice===
{{dialogue|Emilio Barbarigo|The assassin is here, in Venezia?|Carlo Grimaldi|He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?|Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio minutes before the latter's assassination|Assassin's Creed II}}

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo and declared his success. Before leaving the city for [[Venice]], Ezio was granted a gift; a [[Outfits|Medici cape]], that would keep the city guards' attention from him. Ezio then made his way to Leonardo's workshop, only to find that he had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the [[Appennine Mountains]], Ezio accompanied him to the city of [[Forlì]], narrowly avoiding the Templar soldiers sent after them by Rodrigo Borgia.

Eventually arriving in Forlì, the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused passage without a pass. It was at this moment that the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's wetlands. Ezio swiftly hastened to her rescue and was able to row the woman ashore. The lady introduced herself as [[Caterina Sforza]] and coerced the dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice. Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by [[Alvise Da Vilandino|Alvise]] before Ezio began to seek a way into the Palazzo of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort proved to be in vain. Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of [[thieves]] attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to subsequently aid the thief [[Rosa]], who had been shot through the leg with an arrow. After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the Venetian thieves guild, [[Antonio]], and together, they concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.

The plot was successful and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – [[Carlo Grimaldi]]. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], the Doge of Venice and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause. Overhearing another meeting between Borgia and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison the Doge and replace him with [[Marco Barbarigo]]. Returning to Antonio, he sought to find a way into the [[wikipedia:Doge's Palace|Palazzo Ducale]], the Doge's Palace, searching the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the [[Basilica di San Marco]]; but they were hampered at every turn. Returning to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked that only birds might get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's [[Flying Machine|flying machine]], which he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.

[[File:Ezio assassinates Carlo.jpg|thumb|Ezio assassinates Carlo Grimaldi.]]
After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Ezio the lift Leonardo's flying machine needed to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although he was too late to save the Doge. Carlo fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, but met his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice and was forced to flee the city guards. Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help, Ezio was directed to [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of [[Carnevale]], Ezio made his way to the brothel and began planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the [[Golden Mask|golden mask]] that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party. Ezio was successful but found that Marco's cousin, [[Silvio Barbarigo]] and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, [[Dante Moro]] intimidated and bribed the judges into denying him his prize. However, Ezio was successful in regaining the mask and managed to assassinate Marco, leaving the door open for [[Agostino Barbarigo|Agostino]], a Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to legitimately become Doge.

With his quest nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, liberating the mercenary leader, [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]], and his soldiers in the process. Having tracked the Templars down to the city's Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and his men, and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo. However, he was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to [[Cyprus]], although the reasons for this were unknown to Ezio.

===Induction into the Order===
[[File:Zw-ezio-seal.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio's receiving the Assassin's mark]]
{{Quote|It's been ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!|Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin|Assassin's Creed II}}

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty ninth birthday<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSagHiz6Ujo&feature=related</ref>, when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar soldier carrying a [[Piece of Eden]] disembarked from the ship and made his way to a Templar base in the city. Following the soldier, Ezio assassinated and impersonated the guard, carrying the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet" detailed in the [[Codex]] prophecy. Borgia responded, proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The battle was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar. On the backfoot, Borgia called upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had failed to show up.

At this very moment Mario Auditore, Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo d'Alviano appeared, driving off Borgia and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins. With the arrival of [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], it was revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the supposed "prophet", and that for the past decade they had all worked together to induct Ezio into the Assassins Order. That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the Order.

===The [[Battle of Forlì]]===
{{quote|Muori col tuo orgoglio, per quanto vale… Requiescat in Pace. (Die with your pride, for what it's worth… Rest in Peace.|Ezio Auditore to Ludovico Orsi|Battle of Forlì (DLC)}}
[[File:Assassins-creed-ii-dlc-screens-20091216010317106.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio overflying the city of Forli.]]
Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò, and traveled to Leonardo da Vinci's studio, hoping he could shed some light upon the strange artifact Borgia had dubbed "[[Piece of Eden|the Apple]]". Leonardo examined the unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist, and that its design was highly advanced despite its age. Briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange holographic images. De-activating the device, Niccolò announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]], protected by an ally of the Assassin's, Caterina Sforza. Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in [[Romagna]], just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by the Orsi brothers; [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] and [[Ludovico Orsi|Ludovico]].

As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside and opened the the gates, allowing them to continue their way to the Citadel. Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two of Caterina’s children, [[Ottaviano Riario|Ottaviano]] and [[Bianca Riario|Bianca]], were in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and begun attacking the Citadel. Repelling the attack, Ezio left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her two children.

[[File:Zw-bof7.png|thumb|left|250px|A blacking-out Ezio glimpses Savonarola]]
Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping was a distraction, which had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco Orsi and his remaining men. Retrieving the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness Ezio saw a [[Girolamo Savonarola|monk]] with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so.

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurridly explained to Caterina that the Apple had been stolen from him by a man in black. She recognized him for a monk and told Ezio to search for the monk at the church outside the city walls. There was no sign of the monk, but Ezio met with [[Brother O’Callahan]], who told him to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì. An abbot there identified Ezio as Stefano de Bagnone's killer and ran away, but was intercepted, and, once convinced he was not about to die, gave Ezio the name of the four fingered monk: [[Girolamo Savonarola]].

===''The [[Assassins Creed II: Discovery|Spanish Inquisition]]''===
{{Quote|My name is Ezio Auditore da Firenze... It has been fifteen years since the Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, murdered my family and drove me into exile... Since that time I have suffered greatly but learned a great deal more- I am an Assassin, as my father and grandfathers were before me. Compelled by duty to my order, I have set aside my search for the Spaniard to recover an ancient artifact recently stolen from us. My thirst for vengeance is strong, but my responsibillity to the Assassins is stronger still.|Ezio Auditore, 1494|Assassins Creed II: Discovery}}
[[File:Ezio others.jpg|thumb|250px|Ezio with Luis, Raphael, and Christoffa]]
While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by a Thief to meet Antonio at the Thieves' Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, [[Luis Santangel]]. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend [[Christoffa Corombo]], but Ezio expressed no interest. However, when he heard that Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Christoffa's location, finding out that it was a trap. However, he managed to save Christoffa, who explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Christoffa in the gardens district.

They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Christoffa's atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Christoffa and Luis. Luis informed Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, [[Tomas Torquemada]]. Thinking it his mission to rescue them, Ezio temporarily diverged from his goal to reobtain the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio went on to look for one of the contacts. When he arrived at the location, he met a man who called himself [[Raphael Sanchez]] and soon after revealed himself to be an Assassin. He informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and freed him. 
After Ezio's return, Raphael revealed that it was [[Gaspard Martinez]] who was ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio located Gaspard and found him, Torquemada and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin. Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin, and indirectly to Ezio, that Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain, because they were "non-believers" (in the Catholic religion). After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded and Gaspard was left unguarded. Ezio then met with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspard feigned ignorance and said that they "went away two centuries ago". He fell silently to Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of six other Assassins' names. 
After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael, informing the latter of the existence of the list. However, all the remaining Assassins were located in [[Zaragoza]].

Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, [[Pedro Llorente]], whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio found that Torquemada was also present. One of the Assassins was being tried, and after he refused to convert and confess, was killed. Ezio eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation and found out that Torquemada was under orders from Rodrigo Borgia to arrest the Assassins. He hurried to locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them where held captive inside some catacombs. The last was held inside a church. After securing their safety, Ezio killed Pedro Llorente. Returning to Raphael, he requested to return to Italy. However, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in Granada. Ezio complied, helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city and discovering along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin. Once his task was complete, Ezio was free to continue his quest for Savonarola.

===The [[Bonfire of the Vanities]]===
[[File:Assassins-Creed-II bonfire vanities.jpg|thumb|Ezio overlooking a plaza in Florence.]]
{{quote|There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else.|Ezio after Savanarola's defeat|Bonfire of the Vanities}}
After Lorenzo de’ Medici's death, Savonarola was able to easily take control over Florence with the Apple of Eden at his command. He taught the population of Florence that personal property and knowledge made the difference between the rich and the poor. Therefore, he burned everything related to the Renaissance in the Bonfire of the Vanities.

Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli wanted to put a stop to Savonarola's rule with the aid of their two comrades, [[Paola]] and [[La Volpe|Volpe]]. Ezio began eliminating the monk's brainwashed followers while Niccolò, Paola, and Volpe organized a riot in the city. Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the rioters formed an angry mob and went to the Palazzo Pitti, where Savonarola resided, demanding an end to the bonfires. Savanarola tried to use the Apple to quell the riot, but before he could, Ezio threw a knife at him, knocking the Apple out of his hand. In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was picked up by a guard in service to the Borgia (the Templars had also been trying, without success, to recover the Apple from Savonarola). Ezio followed him, killed him and recovered the Apple. Savonarola was then sentenced to be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned at the stake on the [[Piazza della Signoria]]. However, Ezio decided that no one should have to die in such agony. The Assassin leapt onto the execution platform and put Savonarola out of his misery. He then looked at the stunned mob and gave a speech to them, urging them to follow their own path and rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. He then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the answers hidden within the Apple.

===Battle with [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] and the Vault===
[[File:Ezio Rome.jpg|thumb|280px|left|Ezio battles his way to the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]].]]
{{Quote|I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much – Requiescat in Pace, you bastard!|Ezio to [[Rodrigo Borgia]] during his first assassination attempt|Assassin's Creed II}}

The following year (1499), the Assassins came together once more at the Villa Auditore, with the Piece of Eden and the completed Codex in hand. Using the two objects, they discovered the location of [[the Vault]] to be in [[Rome]], specifically, beneath the Vatican. Unfortunately, Rodrigo Borgia had become Pope in 1492, although Mario believed he had only done so to gain access to the Papal Staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. Undeterred, Ezio traveled to Rome with a mission to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia.

Fighting his way along the entire length of the Passetto di Borgo, Ezio snuck into the Sistine Chapel and struck at Borgia from above. As he was about to deal the killing blow, Borgia surprised him by using the Staff to blast him away and drain the energy of those in the room. Since Ezio held the Apple, he was immune to the Staff's effects, and the two engaged in a duel. Ezio repeated history by using the same technique [[Al Mualim]] utilized in his duel against Altaïr in 1191, by creating multiple illusions of himself with the Apple. Ezio seemingly bested Borgia, but the Pope counterattacked and overcame him. Borgia took the Apple, stabbed Ezio in the abdomen and left him to die before fleeing into the Vault. However, Ezio's wounds were not mortal, and he was able to give pursuit. Outside the Vault, Ezio watched as Borgia tried in vain to open it. Laying down his arms, Ezio challenged and defeated Borgia in a fist fight, obtaining possession of both the Staff and the Apple, but refusing to take Borgia’s life, having realised the futility of revenge.

{{Quote|Killing you won't bring my family back... I am done.|Ezio spares Borgia's life after defeating him|Assassin's Creed II}}

Entering the Vault, Ezio stood in shock as he was confronted by a hologram of an individual naming herself "[[Minerva]]" and claiming to be one of "[[Those Who Came Before]]"; Ezio was further confounded when the hologram sought to speak to an unseen figure named [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]], before disappearing abruptly, leaving Ezio with many questions. After returning from Rome, Ezio sealed his Piece of Eden under the statue of Altaïr at the Villa Auditore.

== Personality and characteristics ==
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 19-22-34-26.png|thumb|left|286px|A young Ezio gets approached by a Florentine guard after protesting at his father’s and brothers’ execution.]]

{{quote|Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in Pace.|Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace|Assassin's Creed II}}
Ezio was a young [[Florence|Florentine]] nobleman who lived during the 15th and 16th Century. Unlike his ancestor Altaïr, he was brought up without knowing of the Assassins' existence. A seducer of women and a playful man, Ezio possessed acrobatic skills beyond his peers, save for his brother and father. He came from an affluent background and had many friends until the deaths of his father and brothers drove him out of Florence. Forced to protect his [[Maria de' Mozzi|mother]] and [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|sister]], Ezio became an [[Assassin]], exacting revenge on the conspirators who had betrayed his family and plotted to seize both [[Florence]] and [[Venice]].

Quick to anger, Ezio often allowed his emotions to overcome him, going so far as to disrespect the corpse of Vieri de' Pazzi just after his death. However, Ezio did manage to gain control of his anger, and by the time he had become a Master Assassin, could control it almost completely.

==Equipment and skills==
[[File:Ezio In Black by Invader Shi.jpg|thumb|250px|An older Ezio, assassinating two guards at once.]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze was a highly skilled Assassin and a leader amongst the Order. A master of multiple skills, including theft, blending, armed and unarmed combat, stealth assassination techniques, free-running and long-distance combat, he was able to use a variety of weapons including two [[Hidden Blade|hidden blades]], the longsword, throwing knives and more. Born with the ability to use [[Eagle Vision]], Ezio could instinctively differentiate friend from foe.

An explorer, throughout his quests, Ezio scoured the cities he visited in search of Codex pages and seals from the [[Secret Locations|six assassins tombs]] spread across northern Italy. The Codex pages allowed Leonardo di Vinci to upgrade his weaponry, including the addition of a wheel lock firearm and poison needle concealed beneath his left hidden blade.

By collecting the six tomb seals, Ezio gained access to the [[Altaïr's Armor|armor]] created by his ancestor, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. He also collected [[capes]] that helped him stay incognito. The only exception to this was the cape bearing the Auditore family crest, which made him easily recognizable, due to his family's history.

With the addition of the Bonfire of the Vanities DLC, Ezio gains the ability of the sprint jump. This move is performed by running towards flag posts placed on buildings in the Oltrarno district, and results in Ezio being propelled across distances he would not be able to cross with his normal jumping ability.

==Romantic life==
[[File:Zw-ezio-cristina.png|thumb|160px|left|Ezio and Cristina kissing in her room.]]Ezio was known for his good looks, flirtatious nature and predisposition for womanizing. Throughout the course of Assassin's Creed II, Ezio shared romantic relationships of varying degrees with women throughout Italy.

At the beginning of the game, Ezio had a relationship with [[Cristina Vespucci]], a beautiful young Florentine woman. Ignoring Federico's plea to let Cristina rest, Ezio entered the young woman's room via the window and made love to her. It is the only interaction seen between the two characters in game, but the novel expands their story. When Ezio came back to Florence after two years, Cristina was married to one of her suitors, Manfredo d'Arzenta, even though she still loved Ezio. In 1486, Cristina and Manfredo travelled to Venice for the carnival. Posing as her husband, Ezio wrote her a letter asking her to come to the Rio Terra degli Ogniscanti. Cristina complied. As both wore carnevale masks, she did not recognise him until he kissed her. She then took off his mask and asked him how he dared kiss her like that, telling him she never wanted to see him again. When Ezio tried to understand, she explained that if he really loved her, he wouldn't simply have let Manfredo marry her. Several years later, [[Girolamo Savonarola]]'s men killed Cristina, deeply wounding Ezio.

[[File:Caterina Sforza and Ezio.jpg|thumb|Ezio helps Caterina Sforza.]]
While trying to find a way to Venice, Ezio first made a stop in [[Forlì]]. He could not initially board the ship to sail to Venice with Leonardo, but his fortunes changed after encountering [[Caterina Sforza]]. Caterina was stranded on a small island with no means of escape. Ezio rescued her, and she repaid the favor by granting him passage to Venice. She also told him that the next time he returned to Forli, it would "be her pleasure" to invite him. Afterwards, while sailing for Venice, Ezio told Leonardo that she was his future conquest and his type of woman. Leonardo then revealed Caterina's identity as the Countess of Forlì and said that seducing her would not be such a good idea, as she was a married woman. Ezio probably did not pursue a relationship with her as there is no record of romantic interaction historically or in-game.

[[File:Amelia and Ezio.jpg|thumb|left|Ezio seducing Amelia.]]
During a genetic memory known as "Horseplay", Ezio encountered a girl named [[Amelia]]. During this encounter, Amelia and two of her friends were discussing whether anyone could beat their record in a horseback riding race. Ezio took on the challenge, in return for an intimate encounter with Amelia, should he prove successful. It should be noted that although this is the only other sexual encounter other than Cristina the player witnesses during the events of the game, the memory is completely optional and ultimately has no effect on the storyline.

[[File:Rosa.jpg|thumb|Rosa faints into Ezio's arms.]]
When Ezio arrived in Venice for the first time, an unknown young woman unsuccessfully attempted to pickpocket him. Later the same day, Ezio witnessed the woman and a group of thieves attempting to scale the Palazzo della Seta. The attempt ended in failure, and the girl was shot in the leg by an archer. Ezio intervened, defending her from Emilio Barbarigo's thugs and helping her to get to safety, learning in the process that her name was [[Rosa]], and that she was a member of the city's Thieves Guild. At first, Rosa's attitude towards Ezio was very aggressive and unfriendly, but after he saved her, she became much more amenable. In the game, Rosa and Ezio are only seen flirting playfully from time to time. In the novel, they have a much more intimate relationship.

During Sequence 10, while trying to acquire the Golden Mask, Ezio can be seen flirting with many of [[Sister Teodora|Sister Teodora's]] [[Courtesans]]. After the CTF Challenge, when Ezio goes up to accept the Golden Mask as his prize for victory, he is accompanied by a Courtesan, though it was not uncommon for an unwed man to take courtesans on "dates" during the Renaissance period. After assassinating Marco Barbarigo and seeking sanctuary in the brothel, Ezio can be seen flirting with Sister Teodora, who invites several of her girls to "comfort" Ezio.

It is clear that Ezio had many encounters with various unnamed Florentine girls and courtesans before the beginning of the game. At the ending of the short film [[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]] Ezio is seen seducing an unknown girl, and at the beginning of the game, Ezio says to Vieri de' Pazzi that his sister seemed "quite satisfied with the handling he gave her earlier."

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Trivia==
[[File:Zw-ezioauditore.png|thumb|180px|Young Ezio]]
*The Italian name "Ezio" derives from the Greek word ''aetos'', which means "eagle", similar to Altaïr, whose name means "The Flying One".
*Ezio is 40 years old in 1499 (15 years older than Altaïr's age in 1191); the same age as his father upon his death in 1476.
*Ezio is the character whose physical appearance changes the most over the 23-year period of the game, others look mostly the same.
*If you move the camera to a certain angle, Ezio's face has barely aged, except for the beard, despite the fact that you played through 23 years of his life. His voice does deepen and mature over time, though, making him sound calmer and talk slower. He also appears to lose his tan over time probably due to the fact that he is in hiding through most of his life.
*Just like [[Altaïr]] and [[Desmond]], Ezio has a scar on his mouth, acquired after the mission "Boys Will Be Boys" during Sequence 1, when [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] throws a rock at his face.
*According to the Database, Ezio was expelled from his school at the age of 17 due to a link to some terrible crime, after which he "disappeared from history". This is likely referring to the supposed plot by the Auditore to overthrow the Medici. Anything after that wouldn't be public knowledge, so as far as recorded history is concerned, Ezio simply disappeared after the death of his father and brothers.
*Ezio has been seriously injured in battle twice. Both injuries were stab wounds to his lower abdomen. He was stabbed in the right side by Checco Orsi after retrieving the Apple of Eden from him, and in the left side by Rodrigo Borgia during their battle in the Sistine Chapel.

{{ACII}}
{{AC2D}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Ezio]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore, Ezio]]