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Rodrigo Borgia

2011-12-10T23:39:02Z

75.173.200.196: /* Papal Rule */

{{Era|AC2|PL|Brotherhood|Renaissance|Bbook|Lineage|Ascendance|Templars}}
{{WPtargets}}
{{WP-REAL|Pope Alexander VI}}
{{quote|He is Rodrigo Borgia, one of the most powerful men in all of Europe, and leader of the [[Templars|Templar Order]].|[[Mario Auditore]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Rodrigo Borgia
|image = char_rodrigo.png
|imgdesc =
|birth = 1 January 1431 Xàtiva, Valencia, Crown of Aragon
|death = 18 August 1503 [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
|period = [[Renaissance]]
|faction = [[House of Borgia]] [[Templars]] [[Papacy]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Ascendance]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' {{mo}}
|actor = [[Manuel Tadros]]
|voice = [[Manuel Tadros]]}}
'''Rodrigo Borgia''' (1431 – 1503), born '''Roderic Llançol''', later '''Roderic de Borja i Borja''', was a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[Cardinals|Cardinal]], and the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|leader]] of the [[Templars|Templar Order]] during the [[Italy|Italian]] [[Renaissance]]. He was the father of [[Juan Borgia the Younger|Juan]], [[Cesare Borgia|Cesare]], [[Lucrezia Borgia|Lucrezia]], and [[Jofré Borgia]], and grandfather to [[Giovanni Borgia]].

Rodrigo was elected as [[Papacy|Pope]] from 1492 to 1503, and was known as '''Alexander VI'''. He was one of the most controversial of the Renaissance Popes, and his surname became synonymous for the corrupt standards of the Papacy in that era.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Roderic Llançol was born at Xàtiva in the Kingdom of Valencia, one of the component states of the Crown of Aragon, now Spain. His parents were Jofré Llançol i Escrivá, and his wife and relative Isabel de Borja. His family name is written Llançol in Valencian and Lanzol in Spanish. After the elevation of Roderic's maternal uncle Alonso de Borja to the Papacy as Calixtus III in 1455, Roderic was adopted into his mother's family name of Borja.<ref name="Wikipedia: Pope Alexander VI">''[[wikipedia:Pope Alexander VI|Wikipedia - Pope Alexander VI]]''</ref>

===As a Cardinal===
Roderic de Borja studied law at Bologna, and was made successively bishop, cardinal and vice-chancellor of the church, all of which were nepotistic appointments characteristic of the age. He served in the Roman Curia under five Popes (his uncle, Pius II, Paul II, Sixtus IV and Innocent VIII) and acquired much administrative experience, influence, and wealth, though not great power.<ref name="Wikipedia: Pope Alexander VI" />

By the time Rodrigo was under Pope Sixtus IV, he had become the Grand Master of the Templar Order. In this position, he aspired to unite all of Italy under the Templar banner. In doing so, he made plans to take down the leaders of Italy's main cities, and place his own men in power.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref>

===Assassination of Galeazzo Maria Sforza===
Rodrigo devised a plan to eliminate [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], the Duke of Milan, in which [[Giovanni Andrea Lampugnani]], [[Carlo Visconti]] and [[Gerolamo Olgiati]] would kill Sforza on the day of Santo Stefano.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" />

One night in December of 1476, Rodrigo was on his way to leave [[Florence]] accompanied by several of his men in the dark streets of the city. Suddenly, [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]], a member of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]], intercepted him. Rodrigo fled immediately as the Assassin battled his men.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" />

Hidden behind a corner, Rodrigo witnessed Giovanni capture one of his men, who later revealed the planned assassination of Galeazzo Sforza, who was a powerful ally of [[Lorenzo de' Medici]]. Giovanni attempted to prevent this, though he arrived too late to do so. Rodrigo's plan had succeeded, thus he began to devise his next scheme.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" />

===Auditore execution===
[[File:Tadros.jpg|thumb|250px|Rodrigo walking in Rome.]]
Giovanni Auditore learned that Rodrigo's plans would lead him to the city of [[Venice]], after looting a Venetian [[wikipedia:Ducat|ducat]] from Giovanni Lampugnani. Upon traveling there, he intercepted a message from [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] and [[Silvio Barbarigo]] to their master, Rodrigo.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

After [[Uberto Alberti]] and [[Antonio Maffei|Father Maffei]] "failed" to decode the intercepted letter, the [[House of Medici|Medici]] and Uberto sent Giovanni to carry a copied version of the message to [[Rome]], in order to discover who was behind the plot. After arriving in the city, he handed the message to a man. In this manner, the letter was passed through various hands before meeting its final destination: Rodrigo.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Rodrigo then left to see [[Sixtus IV|Pope Sixtus IV]] to obtain military support in order to conquer Florence. After gaining Sixtus' favor, Rodrigo headed out of the [[Vaticano District|Vatican]], and into the streets of Rome once more.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Giovanni was still on Rodrigo's trail at this point, and followed him all the way into [[Basilica di San Pietro|St. Peter's Basilica]]; however, there, he fell into an ambush set by Rodrigo. Rodrigo tried to offer Giovanni a position among the Templars, but the Assassin refused, stating that Rodrigo would be dead before he could see the Templars' fantasy become a reality.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

Disappointed, Rodrigo had his men attack Giovanni, but the Assassin routed all of them. Rodrigo, who had been watching from the sidelines, threw a [[Throwing knives|knife]] Giovanni's way, hitting him in the chest. Rodrigo then took the chance to flee the Basilica. Afterwards, he discussed the next step in his plan with his Templar brothers, and all agreed on one thing: to dispose of Giovanni Auditore.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage"/>

[[File:LMS_10_v.png|thumb|left|252px|Rodrigo giving orders to Uberto at the Auditore execution.]]
In order to get rid of Giovanni, Rodrigo conspired with Uberto Alberti and the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi family]]. After careful planning, the Templars were able to frame Giovanni for the crimes of treason, and had him and two of his sons arrested.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

The night before the trial of the [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]], Rodrigo was at Uberto's house. [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], Giovanni's remaining son, came by to give Uberto his father's letters that would prove him innocent. Ezio noticed Rodrigo behind Uberto, but paid no further attention to him. The following morning, Rodrigo attended the judgment and execution of Giovanni, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio Auditore]]. Years later, Rodrigo would tell Ezio that his brothers had not needed to die, but that he had them killed anyway to make a point to the Assassins.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"/>

===Pazzi Conspiracy===
{{Quote|Gentlemen. Tomorrow, a new sun rises over Firenze.|Rodrigo encouraging the Pazzi Conspirators.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Burgerking.png|thumb|250px|Rodrigo discussing the Pazzi Conspiracy.]]
In 1478, Rodrigo conspired to take down the leader of Florence, Lorenzo de' Medici, and his brother [[Giuliano de' Medici|Giuliano]]. Thus, Rodrigo left for Florence again, where he held a meeting with the [[Francesco de' Pazzi]], [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] and several conspirators in a catacomb under the Basilica of [[Santa Maria Novella]]. As the Pazzi confirmed their plan to Rodrigo, he reminded them to beware of the Assassins, and stated that the next day would be ''"a new dawn" ''for Florence<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

However, Ezio thwarted the Templars' attempted takeover in Florence and killed off the remaining conspirators Rodrigo was arranged to meet with in [[San Gimignano]], where the Pazzi originally intended to request asylum with Rodrigo in either Venice or Rome. However, Jacopo was the only one to arrive at the meeting and claimed that the blame for the failure rested with his nephew, for his impatience, and with [[Emilio Barbarigo]], for supplying the Pazzi troops with sub-standard weaponry. Enraged by Jacopo's sniveling excuses, Rodrigo lectured his subordinate on his failure, then stabbed him in the abdomen, aided by an eager Emilio.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Ignoring Jacopo's pleas for mercy, Rodrigo stabbed him a second time in the neck with his sword, then called out to Ezio who had tailed Jacopo to the meeting. Grabbed by Borgia guards suddenly, Ezio was brought into Rodrigo's sight. Sarcastically apologizing for killing Jacopo for him, Rodrigo mocked Ezio, saying that he had been doing this for far longer than the [[novice]] Assassin. He then ordered his men to kill him, and left without bothering to ensure the deed was done.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Venice Conspiracy===
{{Quote|I feel the need to involve myself more directly. The Pazzi disappointed us in Firenze. I pray you will not do the same.|Rodrigo, about personally attending the meeting.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:BoF 9.png|thumb|left|250px|Rodrigo on the [[Ponte di Rialto]] with the other Templars.]]
Soon after the Florentine attempt failed, Rodrigo returned his attention to conducting his plans for Venice. In 1485, he met with [[Carlo Grimaldi]] and the [[House of Barbarigo|Barbarigo family]] to plan the murder of the current Doge, [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], in order for them to seize control of Venice themselves. During the meeting, Rodrigo chastised the Venetian Templars for making their own plans, rebuking them for their ''"inane prattle"'' as they argued over who would be the new Doge after they took Venice. He then silenced their debates by appointing Marco Barbarigo as the next Doge.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

During this meeting, Marco questioned Rodrigo's presence in Venice, as Ezio was also there, but Rodrigo only replied that he felt he should see out their plans personally, particularly after the failure of the Pazzi conspiracy. Warning the Venetian tyrants of the Assassin that ''"haunts"'' their city, he then made his departure from Venice to Rome, allowing them to carry out his plans.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

While Ezio was [[Hunt in Venice|hunting the Barbarigo]] in Venice, Rodrigo meanwhile tracked down the location of the [[Pieces of Eden|Piece of Eden]] that [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] had once taken from the Templars in 1191.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Shipping the Apple of Eden===
{{Quote|You claim not to be a believer. And yet, here you are... Don't you see him? The Prophet is already here... I AM the Prophet. Now give me the Apple.|Rodrigo upon confronting Ezio.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Play along 2.png|thumb|250px|Rodrigo and Ezio confront each other in Venice.]]
By 1486, Rodrigo had found out that the Piece of Eden he sought was [[Sixth Apple|the Apple]], which was hidden on [[Cyprus]]. He thus sent a battalion of his men to retrieve it. Two years later, the men returned to [[Arsenale di Venezia|L'Arsenale]] with the artifact, and Rodrigo met with the courier who was to deliver it to him.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

However, prior to this, Ezio had intercepted the delivery and had disguised himself as the carrier of the artifact, in order to kill Rodrigo. Rodrigo had expected the attack, and readied himself to deal with Ezio personally. The two exchanged a brief conversation, in which Rodrigo claimed himself to be the Prophet, who was said to be the only one who could open the fabled [[Vatican Vault|Vault]]. The two then began an intense battle, in which Ezio ultimately emerged as the victor.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Realizing that he could not defeat Ezio alone, Rodrigo called in a supply of guards to overwhelm him. Suddenly, many of Ezio's allies appeared, all of whom revealed themselves to be Assassins. They held off the guards to allow Ezio to re-challenge Rodrigo, who then escaped from them before Ezio could kill him.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

That same year, Rodrigo found out that the late [[Girolamo Riario]] had created a map marking where all the [[Codex]] pages could be found, thus he hired the [[House of Orsi|Orsi brothers]] to retrieve it from Riario's city of [[Forlì]]. The Orsi discovered that Riario's wife, [[Caterina Sforza]], also had the Apple, and thus laid [[Battle of Forlì|siege]] to the city and took the artifact by force, planning to present it to Rodrigo for an extra pay-off.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Unfortunately for Rodrigo, Ezio managed to kill both of the Orsi brothers, though the Apple eventually came into the hands of [[Girolamo Savonarola]], a later arch-enemy of Rodrigo.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Deceiving Torquemada===
{{Dialogue|Ezio|Rodrigo Borgia is an unbeliever like me, and yet you lavish him with favors.|Torquemada|Borgia is one of three Papal candidates this year. And he is as devoted to God as I am.|Ezio and Torquemada talking about Rodrigo.|Assassin's Creed II: Discovery}}
In 1491, Rodrigo fooled the Spanish Inquisitor General [[Tomás de Torquemada]] into capturing and killing Assassins in Spain. Tomás, who thought Rodrigo was as much as a believer of God as he was, blindly followed his orders.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''</ref>

At around this time, Rodrigo also found out about [[Christoffa Corombo]]'s plans to sail west; however he, knowing of the presence of the [[wikipedia:Americas|Americas]] and the treasures that lay there, wished to stop anyone from finding it before he could. Thus, Rodrigo arranged a meeting with Christoffa in Venice, and lay a trap for him there.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />

However, Christoffa's friend, [[Luis de Santángel]], was suspicious of the arrangement, and called for the aid of his fellow Assassin, Ezio. Ezio rushed to Christoffa's aid, successfully rescuing him from an assassin and thwarted Rodrigo's plans.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery" />

===Papal Rule===
{{Quote|The Spaniard, Rodrigo Borgia, has been elected Pope. He rules the Vatican and Rome as the Supreme Pontiff, Alexander VI! [...] The Conclave of Rome has only just ended - this month. The rumour is that Rodrigo simply bought most of the votes. Even [[Ascanio Sforza]], who was the most likely candidate standing against him, voted for him! Four mule-loads of silver was his bribe, they say.|[[Sister Teodora]] talking about Rodrigo becoming Pope.|Assassin's Creed: Renaissance}}
Rodrigo was elected Pope in 1492, and established his power in Rome. Rodrigo's true intent, however, was simply to get into [[Vatican Vault|the Vault that lay under the Vatican]], where he believed God rested.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

In 1494, with the death of Lorenzo de' Medici, and with the power of the Apple he had obtained, Savonarola [[Bonfire of the Vanities|took control]] over Florence. Rodrigo repeatedly sent his men to Florence in the hopes of acquiring the Apple, though he was unsuccessful. In 1498, Savonarola was assassinated by Ezio, causing the Borgia family to fall into a state of chaos upon losing track of the Apple.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

[[File:IBAL 4.png|thumb|250px|Rodrigo confronted by Ezio.]]
In 1499, Rodrigo was followed into the Vatican by Ezio for yet another assassination attempt. Ezio snuck into the [[Cappella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]], where Rodrigo was holding Mass, and attacked him from above. However, after turning to leave, Ezio witnessed Rodrigo rise from the ground and use his Piece of Eden, [[The Staff|the Papal Staff]], to strike down him and everyone else in the room.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Rodrigo was surprised to see that Ezio was able to resist the power of his Staff, as Ezio had brought his own Piece of Eden: the Apple that Altaïr had taken from [[Al Mualim]]. Ezio then summoned four clones of himself to assist in his battle against Rodrigo, eventually defeating him.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

However, Rodrigo knocked Ezio aside with the Staff, and snatched the Apple from his hands. He then combined it with the Staff to open up the door to The Vault, and as Ezio tried to stop him, Rodrigo lifted him into the air with the power of the two combined Pieces of Eden.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

[[File:IBAL 9.png|thumb|left|250px|Rodrigo lifting Ezio into the air.]]
As the Assassin hung helpless, Rodrigo stabbed Ezio with a dagger, and left him to die on the floor of the Sistine Chapel. Though injured, Ezio eventually followed Rodrigo to the Vault, and found the Pope furiously pounding upon the door to the inner chambers, which refused to open.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Ezio then dropped down into the pit where Rodrigo was, and challenged him to one last fist fight, with no more weapons, plots, or decoys. Rodrigo accepted, and the two had one last duel. During the battle, Rodrigo stated that he had never believed in the Bible or in God, and had only become Pope to gain access to the Staff and the Vault, and to unify Italy under Templar rule. Ezio defeated Rodrigo, holding the Pope at blade-point and telling him he was not the Prophet, and had never been.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Broken by this revelation and accepting defeat, Rodrigo told Ezio to kill him and put an end to it. However, Ezio refused, saying that killing him would not bring back his family. Additionally, the knowledge that he was not the Prophet, as he had believed, was an even sorer blow than anything else that Ezio could have thought of.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

When Rodrigo's son Cesare learned of this, he led a [[Fall of Monteriggioni|siege]] on [[Monteriggioni]], though without Rodrigo's approval, in order to reacquire the Apple of Eden and kill the last of the Assassins. By this time, Rodrigo was reduced to nothing but a figurehead, with Cesare ultimately taking over Rome.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

===Later life and death===
{{Quote|You risk upsetting the delicate balance of control we have worked so hard to tighten.|Rodrigo talking about the consequences of his son's actions.|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:In And Out2.jpg|thumb|250px|Rodrigo and Cesare talking at the pagan party.]]
Following his defeat in the Vault, Rodrigo had given up on fighting the Assassin Order and instead chose to preserve the balance of power in Rome he had managed to obtain. However, Cesare was eager to take over all of Italy, a plan that Rodrigo did not approve of. As the Captain General of the Papal armies, however, Cesare held control over Rodrigo's military, and was thus able to carry out his plans without his father's consent.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

In 1503, at [[Juan Borgia the Elder|Juan Borgia]]'s [[Incident at the Pagan Party|pagan party]], Rodrigo spoke to Cesare and reprimanded him, only to have his son brush aside his concerns and remind him of who was ''truly'' in charge.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

Later that year, Rodrigo had grown heavily displeased with Cesare's ambition and entitlement, believing his son to be out of control. Fearing Cesare would jeopardize his own balance of power, Rodrigo decided that his best option would be to remove Cesare.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

[[File:Apple.png|thumb|left|250px|Cesare killing his father.]]
To achieve this, he seized the Castel's supply of [[cantarella]] - the same poison that had been used for Doge Mocenigo - and poisoned a few apples for Cesare to unwittingly eat. However, Rodrigo's daughter Lucrezia discovered the presence of the poison, and warned Cesare about it before he could ingest enough to be mortally wounded.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

Enraged, Cesare promptly spat out what he had eaten, before shoving the remaining apple down Rodrigo's throat. Rodrigo perished before Ezio arrived to kill him, but Ezio nevertheless gave Rodrigo his final blessing at last.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

==Personality==
[[File:Rodriog Borgia ACII.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Rodrigo challenging Ezio in the Vatican vault.]]
Initially an ambitious middle-aged man, Rodrigo was intent, as Cesare later would be, on taking Italy in the name of the Templar Order and exterminating the Assassins. After becoming Pope, his obsession not only with conquering Italy but also of realizing what he believed to be his true calling as the Prophet intensified. He actively sought to take the Apple from Savonarola, as demonstrated when he sent battalions of Papal soldiers to Florence to take it.

After his duel with Ezio in the Vault, and the shattering revelation that he was not the Prophet, Rodrigo was reduced to being an empty shell, and instead of continuing to pursue his dreams of infinite power and the extermination of the Assassin Order, he focused on maintaining his monopoly over Rome.

{{-}}

==Final words==
After Ezio's first assassination attempt.

*'''Ezio:''' ''I thought... I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much...'' Requiescat in pace ''(Rest in peace), you bastard.''
*'''Rodrigo:''' ''I don't think so.''
 After Ezio's and Rodrigo's confrontation at the Vault.
*'''Rodrigo:''' ''You can't! You can't! It's MY destiny. MINE! I am the Prophet!''
*'''Ezio:''' ''You never were...''
*'''Rodrigo:''' ''Get it over with then.''
*'''Ezio''': ...''No. Killing you won't bring my family back... I'm done.'' Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito. Requiescat in pace. ''(Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in peace.)''

==Trivia==
[[File:Blason_famille_it_Borgia01_svg.png|thumb|The [[Heraldry|coat of arms]] of the Borgia, which can be seen on Rodrigo's personal guards (who wear black outfits striped with red).]]
*Rodrigo was called "the Spaniard" by the Assassins due his Spanish origins.
* During some of Rodrigo's appearances, a dim red lighting effect can be seen on Rodrigo's hood and upper body, even though there is no source for this light.
* Historically, Alexander VI (Spaniard) ordered the execution of Savonarola, the mad monk of Florence.
* In all of his appearances throughout the games he is seen wearing either a hood or a cap.
*In [[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]], while Ezio is disguised as a ministrel, he sings a song about Rodrigo before and after he became the Pope.

;Combat
*As Ezio enters the Sistine Chapel to assassinate Rodrigo, he is proclaiming the Nicene Creed in Latin to the congregation. Ironically, Borgia later states he does not believe the concept of the Nicene Creed, which confesses the wholeness of the Roman Catholic doctrine.
* It is possible to kill Rodrigo while in the Sistine Chapel if you [[Poison blade|poison]] him. After this, you can wield the Staff of Eden, although you cannot use any of its powers.
* Occasionally, during the fight with Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel, he can be seen wielding a spear instead of the Staff.
* Although Ezio did not kill Rodrigo, he is listed as dead in the [[Animus]]' Conspirator Web after the player completes the main memories of ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' and re-enters the Animus.

;Papacy
[[File:Papal_Arms_of_Alexander_VI.svg|thumb|Papal coat of arms of Alexander VI, which can be seen on his [[Papal Guard]].]]
* Rodrigo was the first Pope to be elected from a conclave in the Sistine Chapel.
* In Rodrigo's assassination target video, there is a scene with Rodrigo in his Papal robes standing next to his fellow Templars, who are seated at a table. This is impossible, because by the time Rodrigo became Pope, Ezio had killed all the other Templars present. The Pazzi, the Barbarigo and Carlo Grimaldi, for example, are shown at the table.
* In the assassination target video for the Orsi brothers set in 1488, in the [[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|''Battle of Forlì'' DLC]], Rodrigo is again shown in his Papal robes, even though he was elected Pope in 1492.
* Rodrigo appears only a few times in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' and never becomes aware of Ezio's presence.

;Death
[[File:Rborgia_portrait.jpg|thumb|Rodrigo Borgia's Portrait.]]
* Rodrigo's fate in the novel, ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]'', differs from that shown in ''Assassin's Creed II''. In the game, after Ezio defeated and spared him, Borgia was left alone to come to terms with his misery as Ezio entered the Vault. In the novel, however, when Ezio emerged from the Vault, Borgia committed suicide with poison. His last act was to ask Ezio what he saw in the Vault, to which Ezio replied ''"Nothing. No one,"'' leading Borgia to die believing everything he had done in life was for nothing.
**In the [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|novelization of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'']], however, Rodrigo evidently survives this suicide attempt, and Mario Auditore suggested that he had not taken enough poison, or that he had been faking.
* Rodrigo died in 1503 at the age of [[72]].

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center">
Borgia lineage.jpg|Rodrigo Borgia hiding from Giovanni Auditore in Florence.
Rodrigo Borgia V.png|Rodrigo Borgia, before becoming Pope.
Borgia-Staff.jpg|Rodrigo as Pope Alexander VI wielding the Staff of Eden.
IBAL 9.png|Rodrigo fighting Ezio
IBAL 4.png|Ezio confronts Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACIID}}
{{ACBH}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borgia, Rodrigo}}
[[de:Rodrigo Borgia]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Lineage Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Renaissance Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Novel) Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Ascendance Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy Characters]]
[[Category:Templars]]
[[Category:Historical Characters]]
[[Category:Popes]]

Dante Moro

2011-12-10T23:34:06Z

75.173.200.196: /* Death */

{{Era|AC2|Renaissance |Templars}}
{{WPtargets}}
{{quote|I feel eyes on us.|Dante Moro to [[Marco Barbarigo]] in [[Venice]]}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Dante Moro
|image = Dante_Moro.png
|imgdesc =
|faction = [[House of Barbarigo]] [[Templars]]
|birth = 1460
|death = 1486
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''
|period = [[Renaissance]]}}

'''Dante Moro''' (1460–1486) was a member of the [[Templars|Templar Order]] and the personal bodyguard of [[Marco Barbarigo]]. He was previously the captain of the [[Venice|Venetian]] city [[Guards|guard]] and an heir to one of the most prestigious families in Venice.
==Biography==
===Betrayal===

Marco desired Dante's wife [[Carlotta Moro|Carlotta]], so he organized an attempt on Dante's life. Dante was stabbed three times in the body and once in the head with a [[knife]]. While he miraculously survived, Dante was left with severe brain damage and the mind of a child. Marco then tricked Dante into annulling the marriage - in Carlotta's presence - and becoming Marco's personal bodyguard.

===As a Templar Bodyguard===

On September 14th 1485, Dante, along with Marco, met with fellow Templars [[Silvio Barbarigo]], [[Carlo Grimaldi]], and [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in the [[Piazza di San Marco]] to discuss the plans to murder the [[Giovanni Mocenigo|Doge]]. Dante later met with Silvio at [[Carnevale]], where he fought [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] hand to hand to win a [[Golden Mask|golden mask]], yet Ezio's skills proved better, and Dante lost. However, Silvio cheated and the mask was awarded to Dante to prevent Ezio from entering Marco's private party, but Ezio managed to distract Dante long enough to [[pickpocketing|pickpocket]] the mask from him. Dante arrived at the party, along with other guards, and attempted to look for Ezio, but failed, resulting in Marco's death at Ezio's hand. After Marco's death, Silvio hired Dante, also as his bodyguard, and Dante subsequently helped his new master to occupy [[Arsenale di Venezia|L'Arsenale]].

===Death===

Ezio planned to kill Dante and Silvio, and helped a condottiero, [[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] attack L'Arsenale. During the attack, Dante fought against Bartolomeo and Ezio, however he was defeated. Silvio recalled Dante, who rushed to join him at the docks where they were to board a ship, however, Ezio assassinated the two before they could reach the ship. In his final moments, Dante disclosed to Ezio that they were meant to sail for [[Cyprus]], right before succumbing to his injuries.
====Letter from Carlotta====
After Dante's death, Ezio recovered a letter from Dante's ex-wife. It read:

''My love,'' 

''I wonder if ever the day will come when these words might make sense to you once more. I am sorry for what I've done - for what you and I have both become. Though we could not be together , just knowing you were near was enough. And now, with Marco dead, I may yet find a way for us to be joined again.'' 

''But do you even remember me? Or were the wounds too grave? Do my words stir- if not your memory, then your heart? It doesn't matter what they say- I know you're still in there, somewhere.'' 

''I will find a way, my love. To remind you. To restore you...'' 

''Love always,'' 

''Carlotta''

==Final words==
'''Ezio:''' ''What's happened here? Why the boats? I thought you sought the Doge's seat.''

'''Silvio:''' ''Just a distraction. We were meant to sail...''

'''Ezio:''' ''Sail where?''

'''Silvio:''' ''I'll never tell.''

''(Silvio dies)''

'''Dante:''' Cyprus'' is their destination. They want... they... want...''

''(Dante dies)''

'''Ezio:''' ''Non temete l'oscurità – accettate il suo abbraccio. Requiescant in Pace.'' (Fear not the darkness – but welcome it's embrace. Rest in Peace.)

==Trivia==
*Dante wields a Labrys axe, and fights much like a [[Brutes|Brute]].
*Despite [[Antonio de Magianis|Antonio]] telling you not to do so, the player will not be desynchronized from the memory if they kill Dante after stealing the mask from him, but he will still appear at the party later.
*If the player is confronted by Dante after stealing the mask, the player cannot kill him, nor disarm him (unless you use a Two-Handed weapon's Special Attack), even if his health bar is all the way down. This is also the case after the party where Marco is killed, him being located on a bridge nearby. The only way to defeat him is to make him fall in the water. Even if the player does so, in the next memories he will be alive.
*In the [[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance|novel]], Ezio shoots Dante in the face with the [[Hidden Gun|pistol]] on the deck of the Templar ship. The text of Carlotta's letter to Dante is reproduced in it, as well.
*Dante differs from the other assassination targets in the game, as he is not deliberately a Templar. Simple-minded, Dante would not be in control of his actions and therefore can not be held accountable for them. Assassinating him would therefore be breaking the first tenet of [[the Creed|The Creed]], but Ezio is not bound by the tenets until he is inducted into the order.
*Dante is the only assassination target not to have a portrait in [[Ezio's room]], probably because his brain damage makes him unaware of his actions and not really a Templar. As well, he was only a consequential casualty of Silvio's assassination.
*Dante is also the only assassination target to be younger than Ezio in ''Assassin's Creed II''.
*An easy way to kill Dante while on the boat is to walk onto the thin gangplank, and when he follows you, either drop into the water, or attack him until he falls in, killing him.
*The database entry for [[San Giobbe]] states that Dante was the only son of the Doge, Cristoforo Moro, who supposedly disowned him in 1468 after losing his title as Venetian Captain of the Guard. This would not be possible, as Dante would only have been eight years old in 1468. Also, when Dante was born, Cristoforo would have been nearly 70 years old.

==Gallery==

<center><gallery captionalign="left">
AC2FourTemplars.jpg|Dante at the Templar meeting in 1485.
File:Dantemoro.png|Dante at the Venetian carnevale.
File:AC2_S_061_Venice_Ezio_Fighting_Dante.jpg|Ezio fighting Dante.
Moro.jpg|Rendered model of Dante.
Dante animus.jpg
</gallery></center>

==Videos==
[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Marco Barbarigo and Dante Moro 4/9|thumb|left|300px|Database entry video]]

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[[de:Dante Moro]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets]]
[[Category:Templars]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Renaissance Characters]]

Sword of Altaïr

2011-12-10T23:06:45Z

75.173.200.196: /* Third Crusade */

{{Era|ACCH|AC|ACBL|AC2|ACB|ACR}}
[[File:Sword_of_Altairpng.png|right|250px]]
Through much of his life as an [[Assassins|Assassin]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] wielded a '''personal sword''' of significant power. The blade's guard was shaped like an eagle's wings, with the pommel in the shape of an eagle's head.

During the [[Renaissance]] in [[Italy]] and [[Constantinople]], another Assassin, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] also made use of the weapon.

==History==
===Third Crusade===
[[File:Kill2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Altaïr wielding his sword in combat.]]
Altaïr made use of his [[Swords and Maces|sword]] throughout most of his early life as an Assassin, using it with great skill and ease during missions such as the [[quest for the Chalice]].<ref name="Altaïr's Chronicles">''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''</ref>

By 1191, he instead began making use of a [[Old Syrian sword|Syrian sword]] with a curved blade and a golden hilt. However, this sword was taken from him after [[Al Mualim]] demoted him to the rank of [[novice]] for breaking all three tenants of [[the Creed|the Assassin's Creed]].<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>

During his progression back into the higher ranks, Altaïr started off with a basic sword similar to his personal one, though it lacked a cross guard. After he assassinated the first four of his [[Hunt for the Nine|nine assigned targets]], his personal sword was returned to him. He made use of it until the Syrian sword was granted to him again.<ref name="AC" />

===Renaissance===
[[File:Altairsword1.png|thumb|left|190px|Ezio wielding the Sword of Altaïr.]]
Ezio Auditore was able to purchase Altaïr's sword from the [[Blacksmiths|blacksmith]] of [[Monteriggioni]], and made use of it when he fought [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in the [[Sistine Chapel]].<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

He continued to use it as he escaped the [[Vaticano District|Vatican]] with his uncle [[Mario Auditore|Mario]]. During the [[House of Borgia|Borgia]]'s [[Fall of Monteriggioni|attack on Monteriggioni]] however, he did not have time to re-equip it, and was lost in the rubble of the [[Villa Auditore|Villa]], along with much of his armor and other weapons.<ref name="Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

Some time after establishing his [[Assassins Guild]] in [[Rome]], he was able to recover the sword again after completing all five [[Guild Challenges#Assassins Guild|Assassin's Guild challenges]], and he made use of it during the [[Siege of Viana|siege of Viana]].<ref name="Brotherhood" />

Though it is unknown what happened to the sword during Ezio's [[Pilgrimage to Masyaf|travels]] to [[Masyaf]] and Constantinople, he only began using it again some time after allying himself with the [[Turkish Assassins|Ottoman Assassins]], after completing the third series of the [[Assassin's Creed: Revelations Guild Challenges|Assassin's Guild Challenges]].<ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>

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==Trivia==
===Appearance===
[[File:ACBSwordAltaïr.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The Sword of Altaïr in the [[Animus]] menu screen.]]
*The sword's picture at the blacksmiths shows its hilt wrapped in leather; however, the weapon itself does not have any leather wrapping.
**This is amended in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', where the leather wrapping is shown even while wielding it.
*The sword's appearance is slightly altered in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'', with the hilt shown to be shorter, and turning from a bronzed color to completely silver.
*This sword is shorter compared to the other longswords Ezio can use, with the entire sword being only a little longer than the length of his arm. Despite this, Altaïr's sword is still the strongest weapon available.

===Usage===
[[File:Masyaf-guards-swordofaltair.png|thumb|180px|A Masyaf guard with the sword.]]
*All the [[Masyaf]] guards in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' are shown to wield this sword.
*The [[guards]] in Rome are seen wielding a sword similar to the Sword of Altaïr.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', many if not all of the enemy guards can be seen wielding a sword similar to the Sword of Altaïr.
*During the memory "[[Follow The Money]]" in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', a guard draws and raises a sword identical to Altaïr's, in order to threaten [[Egidio Troche]].
**Later in the same memory, a [[Papal Guard]] can also be seen with a similar sword.
*[[Apprentices|Assassin apprentices]] gain a sword that resembles the Sword of Altaïr upon reaching the [[Ranks|rank]] of ''Assassino''.

===Other===
*Though Altaïr's sword is considered the best sword in ''Assassin's Creed II'' and ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', the Old Syrian sword (which was among the cheapest weapons in ''Assassin's Creed II'') is the best sword in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.
*The Sword of Altaïr can be found in the "[[Moloch|The Bull]]" stage of ''Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines'', as an ornament in the [[Kantara Castle]]'s Great Hall.
*After buying the Sword of Altaïr, it may occasionally be randomly replaced with the common sword. To properly acquire it if this occurs, simply go to the Villa's weapon rack and re-equip it.
*It is unknown why the sword is available from the Monteriggioni blacksmith, since the sword (being Altaïr's personal weapon) would be assumed to be available together with [[Armor of Altaïr|his armor]] once it was unlocked.
*During the [[Cristina Memories]] in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', all memories in which Ezio has a sword in his sheath (starting at "[[Best Man]]"), he has the sword of Altaïr equipped. This contradicts the ''Assassin's Creed II'' timeline, where the sword was only available for purchase from Sequence 9.
[[File:Altair AlMualim.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Altaïr using his personal weapon in Masyaf.]]
*On completion of the third set of the Assassins Guild [[Guild Challenges|challenges]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' and obtaining the Sword of Altaïr for Ezio, it also appears during the Masyaf Keys memories, replacing the Syrian sword.
*In ''Revelations'', the Sword of Altair no longer displays maximum stats, being replaced in that function by [[Yusuf Tazim]]'s [[Yusuf's Turkish Kijil|kijil]], which is unlocked by playing through the Master Assassin side missions. Altair's sword now has 5 damage, 3 speed, and 4 deflect.
*The sword of Altaïr is an artifact to be recovered in ''[[Assassin's Creed Revelations: Path to Revelations]]'', bearing the description ''"Holding his weapon in my hands is enough to make me relive adventures of this legendary grand master."''

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==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Weapons]]
[[Category:Weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines Weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles Weapons]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Revelations Weapons]]