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

Rodrigo Borgia

2011-03-07T15:44:35Z

86.24.231.162: /* Later life and death */

{{Era|AC2|Brotherhood|Renaissance|bbook|Lineage|Templars}}
{{WPtargets}}
{{WP-REAL|Pope Alexander VI}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Rodrigo Borgia
|image = char_rodrigo.png
|imgdesc = Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI.
|birth = 1 January 1431 Xàtiva, Valencia, Crown of Aragon
|death = 18 August 1503 [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
|period = Italian [[Renaissance]] (15th Century)
|faction = [[House of Borgia]] [[Templars]] [[Papacy]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Ascendance]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|actor = [[Manuel Tadros]]
|voice = [[Manuel Tadros]]
}}
{{quote|He is Rodrigo Borgia, one of the most powerful men in all of Europe, and leader of the Templar Order.|[[Mario Auditore]]|Assassin's Creed II}}

'''Rodrigo Borgia''' (1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503), born '''Roderic Llançol''', later '''Roderic de Borja i Borja''', was a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[Cardinal]], and the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|leader]] of the [[Templars|Templar Order]] during the [[Italy|Italian]] [[Renaissance]]. He was elected as [[wikipedia:Pope|Pope]] from 1492 to 1503 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 of 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 y Escrivá and his wife and relative Isabel de Borja. His family name is written Llançol in Valencian and Lanzol in Spanish. Roderic was adopted into his mother's family name of Borja on the elevation of his maternal uncle Alonso de Borja, to the papacy as Calixtus III in 1455.<ref name="Wikipedia: Pope Alexander VI">''[[wikipedia:Pope Alexander VI|Wikipedia - Pope Alexander VI]]''</ref>

Roderic de Borja studied law at Bologna and after his uncle Calixtus III's election as Pope, was created successively bishop, cardinal and vice-chancellor of the church, nepotistic appointments characteristic of the age. He served in the Roman Curia under five Popes (his uncle plus 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" />

===Conspiracies===
[[File:Borgia lineage.jpg|thumb|left|Rodrigo Borgia hiding from Giovanni Auditore in Florence.]]
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.

====Milan====
Rodrigo devised a plan to kill [[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">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref>

One night in December of 1476, Borgia 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. Hidden behind a corner, he witnessed Giovanni capture one of his men, who later revealed the preplanned assassination of Galeazzo Sforza, who was a powerful ally of [[Lorenzo de' Medici]]. Giovanni attempted to prevent this, though unfortunately, he failed as he had arrived too late. Rodrigo's plan had succeeded, thus he began to devise his next scheme.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" />

====Giovanni Auditore====
[[File:tadros.jpg|thumb|Rodrigo walking in [[Rome]].]]
Giovanni Auditore learned that Borgia's plans would lead him to the city of [[Venice]], after looting a Venetian [[wikipedia:Ducat|ducat]] from Giovanni Lampugnani, one of Sforza's murderers. Once there, he intercepted a message from [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] and [[Silvio Barbarigo]] to their master, Rodrigo. After [[Uberto Alberti]] and [[Antonio Maffei|Father Maffei]] "failed" to decode the letter, the Medici and Alberti had Giovanni carry a copied version of the message to [[Rome]], in order to discover who was behind the plot. Upon arriving in the city, he gave the message to a man. In this manner, the letter was passed through various hands before meeting its final destination: Rodrigo. Rodrigo then left to see Pope Sixtus IV to obtain military support in order to conquer Florence. After gaining Sixtus' favor, Rodrigo headed out of [[Vaticano district|the Vatican]], and into the streets of Rome once more.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Lineage" />

Giovanni was still on Rodrigo's trail, and followed him all the way into [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter's_Basilica 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. 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, which hit 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:Rodrigolineage.png|thumb|left|Rodrigo Borgia.]]
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. The night before the trial of the [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]], Rodrigo was at Uberto's house. [[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|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore]], thus Ezio was proclaimed a wanted man. Years later, Rodrigo would state that Ezio's brothers did not need to die, but he had them killed anyway to make a point to the Assassins.

====Florence====
[[File:Burgerking.png|thumb|Rodrigo discussing the Pazzi Conspiracy.]]
In 1478, Rodrigo conspired to take down Lorenzo de' Medici, the leader of [[Florence]], and his brother [[Giuliano de' Medici|Giuliano]]. He left for Florence again, where he had a meeting with the Pazzi and a couple of other conspirators (who were formerly Lorenzo's allies) in a catacomb under the Basilica of [[Santa Maria Novella]]. There, 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">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

After Ezio thwarted the Templars in Florence, Rodrigo was to meet with the remaining conspirators in [[Tuscany]], where the Pazzi would ask for asylum with Rodrigo in either [[Venice]] or Rome. However, before the meeting could even commence, most of the conspirators were killed by Ezio, one by one. Only [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] actually made it to the meeting alive. There, Jacopo claimed that the blame rested with his nephew, [[Francesco de' Pazzi|Francesco]], 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, aided by an all-too-eager Emilio. Ignoring Jacopo's pleas for mercy, Rodrigo stabbed him in the neck, then called out to Ezio who had tailed Jacopo to the meeting. Sarcastically apologizing for killing Ezio's target for him, Rodrigo mocked Ezio, saying that he had been doing this for far longer than the novice Assassin. He ordered his men to kill Ezio and left without bothering to make sure the deed was done.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

====Venice====
[[File:Borgia_ingame_ac2.jpg|thumb|252px|Rodrigo in Venice.]] {{Template:Dialogue|Silvio|And what does the Spaniard have to say of this change of plan?|Carlo|He's here? From Roma?|Silvio and Carlo regarding Rodrigo's presence in Venice.}}
Soon after the Florentine attempt failed, Rodrigo was conducting his plans for Venice. In 1485, he met with [[Carlo Grimaldi]] and the [[House of Barbarigo|Barbarigos]] to murder the current Doge, [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], so that one of them could replace him and seize control of Venice. He chastised the Venetian Templars for making their own plans, rebuking them for their ''"inapt prattle" ''and arguing over who would be the new Doge after they took Venice. He appointed [[Marco Barbarigo]] as the next Doge.

During this meeting Marco questioned Rodrigo's presence, with Ezio in Venice, Rodrigo only replied that he felt he should be obligated to their plans. 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. While Ezio was [[Hunt in Venice|hunting the Barbarigos]] in Venice, Rodrigo was tracking the location of the [[Piece of Eden]] that [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] had once taken from the Templars.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Apple of Eden===
[[File:Ezio_and_Borgias_Confrontation_in_Venice.jpg|thumb|252px|Rodrigo and Ezio confront each other in Venice.]]
By 1486, he had found out that the Piece of Eden was hidden on [[Cyprus]], and thus sent a battalion of his men to retrieve it. Two years later, the men returned with the [[Sixth Apple|artifact]], and Rodrigo met with the guards who were to bring it to him. However, Ezio, disguised as the carrier of the artifact, attempted to kill Rodrigo. Rodrigo had expected the attack, and readied himself to deal with Ezio personally. The two began an intense battle, with Ezio ultimately emerging as the victor. Realizing he could not defeat Ezio alone, Rodrigo called in a supply of guards to overwhelm Ezio. 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 [[Orsi Brothers]] to retrieve it from Riario's city of [[Forlì]]. The Orsi discovered that Riario's wife, [[Caterina Sforza]], also had [[Sixth Apple|the Apple]], and thus they 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. Unfortunately for him, 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" />

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. 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, did not want anybody to find it before he could. Therefore, Rodrigo arranged a meeting with Christoffa in Venice. Christoffa's friend, [[Luis de Santángel]], suspected a trap and called for the aid of his fellow Assassin, Ezio. Ezio rushed to Christoffa's aid, succesfully rescuing him and thwarting Rodrigo's plans.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Discovery">''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''</ref>

===As the Pope===
[[File:Poestaff.jpg|thumb|Rodrigo during a Papal procession.]]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" />

With the Apple, Savonarola [[Bonfire of the Vanities|took control]] over Florence in 1494 after Lorenzo's death. 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,<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> causing the Borgia family to fall into a chaotic state upon losing track of the Apple.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

In 1499, Rodrigo was followed into the Vatican by Ezio, who tried to assassinate him. Ezio sneaked inside the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]] and seemingly assassinated Borgia. After Ezio finished speaking with Rodrigo, he left, only to see him 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. However, 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: [[Sixth Apple|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. However, [[File:Assassins-creed-2-rodrigo-borgia.jpg|thumb|left|Rodrigo with the [[The Staff|Staff of Eden]].]]Rodrigo tripped Ezio 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, which had been underneath Rome the whole time. Ezio tried to stop him, but he was lifted into the air by Rodrigo, unable to resist two combined Pieces of Eden.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Rodrigo stabbed Ezio with a dagger and left him to die on the floor of the Sistine Chapel, before escaping into the Vault. Though injured, Ezio eventually made his way to the Vault, where Rodrigo was furiously pounding the door to the inner chambers. Ezio dropped down into the pit where Rodrigo was, and challenged him to one last fist fight, with no more weapons, no more plots, and no more 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, in order to unify Italy under the Templars' 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 his 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===
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. Cesare controlled Rodrigo's armies, however, and carried out his plans without his father's consent.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

In 1501, Ezio infiltrated the [[Castel Sant'Angelo]] to assassinate both Rodrigo and Cesare, however, the former was not there and the latter left before Ezio had a chance to kill him. Later on, at [[Juan Borgia the Elder|Juan Borgia]]'s pagan party, Rodrigo spoke to Cesare and reprimanded him, only to have his son brush aside his concerns and remind him who was ''truly'' in charge.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

[[File:ACB Cesare Rodrigo.png|thumb|left|Rodrigo meeting with Cesare, moments before his death.]]
The following year, Rodrigo had grown heavily displeased with Cesare's ambition and entitlement, believing his son to be out of control. Fearing Cesare would jeopardise the balance of power he wished to maintain, Rodrigo decided his best option was to remove Cesare. To that end, he seized the Castel's supply of cantarella - the same poison that had been used for Doge Mocenigo - and poisoning a few apples for Cesare to unwittingly eat. However, Rodrigo's daughter [[Lucrezia Borgia|Lucrezia]] discovered the presence of the poison and warned Cesare about it before he could finish eating the rest of the apple. 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" />

=="Final words" - ''Assassin's Creed II''==
(First assassination attempt by Ezio)

'''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!''

(Second "death scene" with Rodrigo)

'''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|[[Heraldry|Coat of arms]] of the Borgia. Can be seen on Borgia's personal guards (in black with red striped outfit) with slightly different colors.]]
[[File:Papal Arms of Alexander VI.svg|thumb|[[Heraldry#Rodrigo Borgia|Papal arms]] of Alexander VI. Can be seen on the Papal Guards in [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]. ]]
*He was called "'''the Spaniard'''" by the Assassins, as he was of Spanish origin.
*As Ezio entered the Sistine Chapel to assassinate Borgia, he was proclaiming the Nicene Creed in Latin to the congregation. It is ironic, as the Nicene Creed confesses the wholeness of the Christian doctrine, in which Borgia later stated he did not believe.
* Although Ezio did not kill Borgia, he is listed as dead in the Animus' Conspirator Web after the player completes ''Assassin's Creed II'' and re-enters the [[Animus]]. This may be due to Ezio simply listing off Rodrigo as a target.
* In ''Assassin's Creed II'', 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. This might be to make Rodrigo appear more sinister. An example of this occurrence is when Ezio brings Uberto Alberti the conspiracy documents, and a hooded Rodrigo is seen standing behind Uberto briefly, where the red light appears.
* In a scene in ''Assassin’s Creed: Lineage'', he can be seen eating an apple, which is perhaps a hint at the Apple he later attempts to gain, as well as the poisoned apple that leads to his death in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood''.
* Rodrigo is the only assassination target Ezio has had to fight repeatedly in ''Assassin's Creed II'', and is also the most formidable fighter there.
* It is possible to kill Rodrigo while in the Sistine Chapel if you poison him. After this, you can wield the Staff of Eden, although you cannot use any of its powers.
* 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 in the game. The Pazzi, the Barbarigos and Carlo Grimaldi, for example, are shown at the table.
* He was the first Pope to be elected from a conclave in the Sistine Chapel.
* Sometimes, during the fight with Rodrigo in ''Assassin's Creed II'', he can be seen wielding a spear instead of the Staff.
* Rodrigo's fate differs in the novel, ''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]'', to 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.
** However, in the [[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|novelization of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'']], he survived this suicide attempt, and [[Mario Auditore]] suggested that he didn't take enough poison, or that he was faking.
* Rodrigo died in 1503 at the age of [[72]].

==Database entry==

<center>[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Rodrigo Borgia 3/9|400px]]</center>

{{-}}

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACIID}}
{{ACBH}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borgia, Rodrigo}}
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Lineage Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Ascendance Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters]]
[[Category:Templars]]
[[Category:Historical Characters]]

Battle of Forlì

2010-10-18T21:57:36Z

86.24.231.162: /* Shelter in the Wetlands */

{{WPtimeline}}
{{Battle

|prev = [[Hunt in Venice]]
|next = [[Spanish Inquisition]]
|name = Battle of Forlì
|image = [[File:Battle for forli.jpg|335px]]
|date = 1488
|place = [[Romagna]], [[Italy]]
|result = Orsi Brothers death.

The Apple is taken by Savonarola.

Retaking of Forlí by Sforza
|side1 = [[Templars]]
|side2 = [[Assassins]] & [[Caterina Sforza]]'s city guard
|commanders1 = *[[Checco Orsi]]
*[[Ludovico Orsi]]
|commanders2 = *[[Niccolò Machiavelli]]
*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]
|forces1 = Unspecified numbers of:
*Militia
*Brutes
*Agiles
*Seekers
*Elites
*Leaders
|forces2 = Unspecified numbers of:
*Forlì militia
*Forlì brutes
*Forlì leaders
*Forlì seekers
*Forlì archers
|casual1 = Unknown
|casual2 = Unknown
|civilian = Unknown numbers
}}

{{youmay|the event|the [[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|downloadable content]]}}

The '''Battle of Forlì''' was a major military conflict between the [[Knights Templar|Templar]] forces of [[Rodrigo Borgia]], commanded by the [[House of Orsi|Orsi brothers]], and those loyal to [[Caterina Sforza]], Countess of Forlì, in the year 1488.

==Shelter in the Wetlands==
After procuring the [[First Apple|Apple of Eden]] from Templar hands in the city [[Venice]], and the induction of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]] into the [[Assassin's Order]], Ezio, [[Mario Auditore]] and [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] met with the inventor [[Leonardo da Vinci]] in hopes that he might be able to shed some light upon the nature of the artifact. Leonardo knew little more than the assassins' themselves. After inadvertently witnessing the Apple's power, and realizing that if the artifact fell in the wrong hands, the results could prove disastrous, Mario thought it best to hide the apple within the city of [[Forlì]], where a powerful ally of the assassin's reigned; [[Caterina Sforza]], an old acquaintance of Ezio.

Accompanied by Machiavelli, Ezio met up with Caterina, who was surprised to hear Ezio's allegiances. Escorted by the city [[Guards|guards]], Caterina, Machiavelli and Ezio make their way to the city. As they did, Caterina talked about her rise to power, reminiscing about the death of [[Girolamo Riario|her husband]] by the hands of the [[House of Orsi|Orsi brothers]]. Ezio offered his condolences, but Caterina informed him that her husband's death was her doing, stating that she hired the Orsi herself, much to Ezio's surprise.

As they made their way towards the city however, they found the people fleeing from the advancing forces of an unknown force. When Caterina asked one of the fleeing civilians who was attacking, she was given the name of [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] and [[Ludovico Orsi]], the ones she hired to kill her husband, has now invaded and taken control of much of the city. Fearing the worst, Caterina made her way to the city, but was blocked from entry, for the city gates was locked. Ezio asked if there was another way into the city, to which Caterina confirms.

She told Ezio to swim under the city drain, and open the gates once he is inside. As he made his way into the city, Caterina was throwing insults to the Orsi brothers, shouting and screaming at the top of her lungs. After making his way through the city, avoiding the open conflict, Ezio managed to open the gates for Caterina and her militia.

==Defending the Citadel==
{{quote|Caterina! Caterina Sforza! I know you're in there! I have something you may want back... Are you missing any children?|Checco Orsi, addressing Caterina}}

[[File:BOF.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The Orsi brothers leading the Templar attack]]

Ezio, together with Machiavelli and Caterina, made their way to the citadel, and fought off the Templar invasion, managing to retain both the Apple and the Codex map. As her militia rested, Caterina went on to check on her children. Making her way home, she saw two of her children, [[Ottaviano Riario|Ottaviano]] & [[Bianca Riario|Bianca]], missing. The servant informed her that the two were playing outside during the attack, and feared the worst. Before Caterina can speak, the guards that were posted on the city walls informed them of the Orsi's reinforcement.

Preparing for combat, Ezio, Caterina and Machiavelli fought off the invaders as they made their way into the citadel. After fending off most of the attackers, Caterina heard some very familiar voices. Looking outside the citadel, Caterina spotted the [[House of Orsi|Orsi Brothers]], who made their statement. [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] informed her that her children was with them. The two was also surprised to see Ezio, and introduced themselves to the assassin. Caterina demanded her children to be free, to which the Orsi acknowledged, stating that they will be free once Caterina hands over her husband's map.

Caterina refused to give the map, and even went as far as to say that the Orsi can have her children, stating that she has "the instrument to make more". Figuring that Caterina would change her mind, Orsi gave her some more time to think about the deal. After this, the brothers and their men leave the area.

Caterina cried out of concern for her children. Ezio told Caterina that he can't let her make the sacrifice. Caterina told him that their will be no sacrifices. Ezio was then tasked by her to rescue her children. Before leaving, Ezio gives Caterina the Apple of Eden. After this, Ezio leaves to rescue Caterina's children.

==Dealing with the Orsi==
{{quote|The Maestro gains his prize, because of me...|Ludovico Orsi's last words after Ezio slays him}}

[[File:Assassins-creed-2-forli-2.jpg|thumb|left|Ezio assassinating Checco Orsi on horseback]]With two of Sforza's children still in Orsi hands, Ezio was tasked with the liberation. The assassin 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 the Orsi brother, and liberated Ottaviano, though not before learning that the distraction of the captured siblings had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. Hurrying back to the citadel, Ezio learned that Ludovico's jeering had been true, and that Checco had acquired the Apple; Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed the remaining Orsi brother.

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 monk with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so. The battle was over, and the city remained within the hands of Caterina Sforza.

==The Hunt for the Monk==
In the battle's aftermath, Forlì [[guards]] scouring the area found [[Ezio]], barely alive. They brought him back to the city, where Caterina [[File:62550_orig.jpg|thumb|Ezio waking up after being stabbed by Checco Orsi]]personally nursed him back to health. When Ezio regained consciousness, he told her what had happened, and she suggested that he head for an abbey in the wetlands where he might find some clues to the monk's identity, and also gave Ezio the map, since he would need to find it to find the remaining [[The Codex|Codex pages]] in order to find [[the Vault]]. With that, Ezio thanked Caterina for her help, and departed.

Ezio headed to the abbey, where he found an Irish priest, [[Darby O’Callahan|Brother O'Callahan]] being roughed up by Borgia thugs. After helping the priest defeat his attackers, Ezio inquired as to the identity of the monk with the missing finger. O'Callahan replied that he didn't know, but suggested that Ezio might gain more information at [[Abbazia di San Mercuriale|the abbey within Forlì]].

Returning to the city, Ezio went to the Abbey and was about to make inquiries when one of the priests present recognized him as [[Stefano da Bagnone]]'s killer nine years previous. The man fled, but Ezio caught up and tackled him. Ezio managed to convince the monk that Stefano's death had been justified, since Ezio only slew those who deserved death, then asked for the identity of the monk. The priest identified the monk as Brother [[Girolamo Savonarola|Savonarola]], but insisted that he had retired to a hermitage. Ezio replied that Savonarola had left and asked where he might have gone; the priest suggested he might have returned to the place where he studied; [[Santo Spirito]], in [[Florence|Firenze]]. Armed with this knowledge, Ezio departed Forli to travel to Florence.
[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II events]]
[[Category:Major Events]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II DLC]]