Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

2015-07-07T17:59:24Z

86.154.23.159: /* Bonfire of the Vanities */

{{Era|AC2|ACE}}
{{WP-REAL|Florence Cathedral}}
{{Landmarks Infobox
|image = SMDFDB.png
|description = Florence's largest and most famous cathedral.
|location = [[San Giovanni District]], [[Florence]], [[Italy]]
|dateconstructed = 1296 CE - 1887 CE
|functions = Cathedral
|features = [[Assassin Tombs|Assassin Tomb]] ([[Iltani]])
|appearance = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''}}
The '''Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore''', known also as the '''Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower''', and simply the '''Duomo''', is the largest cathedral in [[Florence]]. It has a free-standing campanile and had the largest dome built before the 19th century.

==History==
===Construction===
Although {{Wiki|Arnolfo di Cambio}} designed the church in 1296, construction on the dome did not start until the beginning of the 15th century. Once Cambio had died, none of the architects at that time had any idea how to construct such an enormous structure, since the use of buttresses was forbidden in Florence and mortar took several days to set.

However, {{Wiki|Filippo Brunelleschi}}, an architect who had lost an earlier bid to design the adjacent Baptistery doors, won a competition to build the dome, of which he outbid {{Wiki|Lorenzo Ghiberti}}, the same artist that he had lost to before. Filippo also invented machines to hoist bricks needed for the dome up to the workers, and was able to construct the entire dome without using centering. Using over four million bricks, Brunelleschi and his workers completed the dome in 1436.

In addition, Filippo won a second commission to build the lantern atop the dome, though he died in 1446 before its completion; it was said that the lantern supposedly contained holy relics. In truth, these were the sarcophagus and belongings of the famed [[Assassin]] [[Iltani]].

===Pazzi conspiracy===
In 1478, [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] and his brother, [[Giuliano de' Medici|Giuliano]], were attacked whilst attending High Mass, two years after [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]]'s death marked the outbreak of the [[Pazzi conspiracy]]. Giovanni's son, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], was amongst the crowd observing the [[House of Medici|Medici]] procession, and intervened when the Pazzi conspirators attempted to murder Lorenzo and Giuliano.

While Giuliano was ultimately killed before Ezio could help, the Florentine noble was still able to assist Lorenzo fend off the conspirators, most notably an enraged [[Francesco de' Pazzi]]. After the conspirators fled, unsuccessful in their mission, Ezio helped to lead Lorenzo to the safety of his home, the [[Palazzo Medici]].

===Bonfire of the Vanities===
In 1497, during the [[Bonfire of the Vanities]], one of [[Girolamo Savonarola]]'s lieutenants, a mesmerized [[Priest (Savonarola's lieutenant)|priest]], took to praying from the top of the basilica's dome. As the priest was transfixed in prayer, Ezio stealthily scaled the church and assassinated him.

Many years later, a 65 year old Ezio died peacefully in the shadow of the great cathedral.

==Trivia==
*The church's peak was the tallest point in ''Assassin's Creed II'', although it had to be scaled down for the game.
**The church's side-tower, the Campanile di Giotto, contained the tallest [[View Points|view point]] in ''Assassin's Creed II''.
*Missing from in front of the main entrance to the church was the {{Wiki|Florence Baptistery|Battistero di San Giovanni}}, which was built several hundred years before the events of the game. According to lead writer [[Corey May]], this was due to technical limitations brought about by the "many unique textures on the Duomo and [the] nearby [[Campanile di Giotto|bell tower]]."
*The facade was depicted as being partially incomplete, which was historically correct, though its design matched that of the current one, which was not built until the 19th century. The original facade was never completed, and was dismantled in 1587.
*A [[feathers|feather]] was located at the basilica's pinnacle height.
*The interior of the church was only accessible through entering the [[Assassin Tombs|Assassin Tomb]] of Iltani.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]'', Ezio Auditore died of a heart attack in 1524, on a bench located just outside the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore.

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
4604132759_3ef2f165ca.jpg|The Basilica's western facade
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore Panorama.png|A panorama of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
SantaMariaInt1.jpg|A panorama of the Basilica's interior
</gallery>

==Reference==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
[[Category:Landmarks in Florence]]
[[Category:Churches]]
[[Category:Assassin Tombs]]

Talal

2015-07-07T17:51:25Z

86.154.23.159: /* Death */

{{Era|AC|TSC|Templars|Good}}
{{Quote|Beggars, whores, addicts, lepers. Do they strike you as proper slaves? Unfit for even the most menial tasks? No. I took them not to sell, but to save! And yet you'd kill us all, for no other reason than it was asked of you.|Talal's final words to Altaïr, 1191.|Assassin's Creed}}
{{Character Infobox
|image = Talalpng.png
|birth = c. 1157
|death = 1191<br>[[Jerusalem]], {{Wiki|Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid Empire}}
|period = High Middle Ages
|affiliates = [[Saracens|Muslim Saracens]]<br>[[Templars]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''<br>''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''
|voice = [[Jake Eberle]]}}
'''Talal''' (c. 1157 – 1191) was a [[Slavery|slaver]] and a member of the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. He was one of [[Hunt for the Nine|nine men]] killed by the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] on his quest for redemption, upon the order of [[Rashid ad-Din Sinan|Al Mualim]], the [[Mentor]] of the [[Levantine Assassins]] during the [[Third Crusade]]. He was located in the rich district of [[Jerusalem]] where he had based his slave trading business.

==Biography==
===The slaver of Jerusalem===
{{Quote|He traffics human lives, kidnapping Jerusalem citizens and selling them to slavery.|Altaïr about Talal.|Assassin's Creed}}
A former member of the [[Saracens|Saracen]] army, Talal returned to the holy city of Jerusalem, where he established a bandit gang made up of men whose loyalty to him was unquestioned. Operating out of an old warehouse, they soon became known for kidnapping men, women and children of all social stations and shipping them off to distant lands to be sold as slaves. Although the city guard was well aware of Talal's actions, they turned a blind eye in return for regular bribes from the bandits.

A master athlete, Talal's skill with the [[bow]] and the [[Swords and maces|sword]] were legendary. He had no problem fighting his enemies personally and took every opportunity to boast of his talents to anyone who would listen. Furthermore, he justified his involvement with the slave trade by noting that many of his captives were poor beggars, prostitutes and criminals, who he claimed would lead much better lives if they were given work and discipline.

===Death===
{{Quote|It seems I cannot help you, for you do not wish to help yourself. And I cannot allow my work to be threatened. You leave me no choice. You must die.|Talal speaking to Altaïr.|Assassin's Creed}}
Altaïr investigated Talal's movements within the rich district and discovered him to be within his slave warehouse. As soon as the Assassin entered the warehouse, Talal began taunting him.

He then situated his men to surround Altaïr, boasting that he had led the Assassin there. The Templar then ordered his men to kill the distressed man, and his orders were followed without question. Talal watched the fight, looking on in anticipation for the guards to defeat Altaïr. However, the Assassin overpowered the guards and defeated them.

[[File:AC1 Talal Death.png|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr assassinating Talal]]
Recognizing the danger he was in, Talal fled from his slave complex through a trapdoor in the ceiling. Altaïr immediately gave chase to his fleeing target, and pursued him in a long, agile chase across the rooftops and through the streets of Jerusalem.

Talal often looked over his shoulder during the chase and tried to convince his pursuer into sparing him. As Talal was occupied with this, he failed to notice a civilian woman carrying a number of clay jugs and collided with her, sending both tumbling to the ground. Before Talal could resume fleeing, Altaïr quickly closed the gap between them, and stabbed him with his [[Hidden Blade]].

As the woman fled in terror, Talal remarked that the people he had been selling were the most unfortunate people in Jerusalem, not good as slaves, and that rather than profiting from them, he had been trying to help them. He also remarked that he no longer believed in anything after death and that the people he had "rescued" had abandoned their beliefs as long as he had. Unable to speak anymore, Talal died in Altaïr's arms.

==Personality and characteristics==
[[File:AC1 Warehouse ambush.png|thumb|250px|Altaïr confronting Talal]]
Talal was not a man of high morals, locking up men and women against their will. He claimed and thought he did the right thing, stating the people he imprisoned to be mere beggars, whores, addicts and lepers who he was trying to save. He knew that his death would not get in the way of his Templar brothers' goals.

Like his fellow Templars, he had lost faith in God, claiming that not only he had been abandoned, but the people he took into his care as well, and he believed to be saving them. He was somewhat arrogant as well, believing that Altaïr would fail to defeat his men and even taunting Altaïr beforehand.

Talal usually carried a bow on his back, along with a quiver full of arrows. He also wore a sword sheathed in its scabbard, though he was more experienced with a bow and arrow. He wore a dark gray tunic with yellow stripes and plain white leggings. Talal also wore two vambraces on each wrist and had a large belt around him. He also had a goatee and had his hair braided flat against the back of his head. He was of average height and stature.

==Trivia==
*Talal was featured in the {{Wiki|Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3}} 2007 gameplay trailer, where Altaïr infiltrated the slave trader's den, before chasing and killing Talal.
*Talal was one of the [[assassination targets]] that could be stopped by [[vigilantes]] while escaping, the others being [[Sibrand]], [[Abu'l Nuqoud]] and [[Jubair al Hakim]].
*Talal's guards were still found in Jerusalem after his death.
*Talal is an Arabic name meaning "admirable" and "nice".

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
Talal clothing by Michel Thibault.png|Talal's model by [[Michel Thibault]]
AC 21.png|Talal in his warehouse
AC1 Talal memory corridor.png|Talal's final moments
</gallery>

==Reference==
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
{{AC}}
[[Category:1157 births]]
[[Category:1191 deaths]]
[[Category:Individuals]]
[[Category:Marksmen]]
[[Category:Slavers]]
[[Category:Saracens]]
[[Category:Templars]]

Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Talal