Nicholas Biddle

2017-06-18T21:23:38Z

87.97.63.209:

{{Era|AC3|Templars}}
{{WP-REAL|Nicholas Biddle (naval officer)}}
{{Character Infobox
|image = AC3 Nicholas Biddle render.png
|birth = 10 September 1750<br>[[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], {{Wiki|British America}}
|death = 17 March 1778 (aged 27)<br>[[The Bahamas]], [[Caribbean Sea]]
|affiliates = [[Royal Navy]] {{c|1770 – 1773}}<br>[[Templars]]
*[[Colonial Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Rite]] {{c|1773 – death}}<br>[[Continental Navy]] {{c|1775 – death}}
|voice = [[Fred Tatasciore]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''|database = [[Database: Nicholas Biddle|Nicholas Biddle]]}}
'''Nicholas Biddle''' (1750 – 1778) was one of the first captains of the [[Continental Navy]] during the [[American Revolutionary War]], and a member of the [[Colonial Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Rite]] of the [[Templars|Templar Order]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
Nicholas was born in [[Philadelphia]] in the year 1750 to William Biddle and Mary Scull. At the age of thirteen, he journeyed on a voyage to the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], during which he was stranded on a desert island for two months. In 1770, Biddle joined the British [[Royal Navy]], where he served as a junior officer. During his time working for the British Crown, Biddle met [[Robert Faulkner]].

Later, while in [[Martha's Vineyard]], Biddle was talking with [[Benjamin Church]], who intended to recruit him into the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. As the meeting progressed, Biddle first encountered [[Ratonhnhaké:ton|Connor]], an [[Assassins|Assassin]], where he quickly exchanged an insult with Faulkner, before the developing argument was cut short by [[Amanda Bailey]].

In 1775, Biddle resigned his commission to join the Continental Navy at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Following this, Biddle was given command of a [[schooner]] vessel, the ''[[Franklin]]'', and patrolled the naval convoy routes.

===Reign of the East Coast===
Biddle devised a plan with his Templar co-conspirators in the British Navy, ultimately aiming to strengthen and expand the Continental Navy under his command for the Templar cause. Biddle sent Templar [[ships]] to attack merchant vessels in Martha's Vineyard and to occupy [[Fort Phoenix]], despite its lack of strategic value.

From there, Biddle pleaded and tricked the [[Continental Congress]] into believing that the British Navy was a threat to the Colonial coast. As a result, the Congress commissioned more ships for the Continental Navy, and by 1776, the Congress made Biddle the captain of a frigate, the ''[[USS Randolph|Randolph]]''.

Biddle continued patrolling the Colonial coast and naval trade routes while orchestrating British attacks with his Templar co-conspirators. The ''Randolph'' attacked [[Nantucket]], claiming it was a British Loyalist post when it had actually sided with the Continental Army, in an attempt to further convince the Congress that more ships were needed. Biddle also planned to boost his reputation and service record in order to be promoted to the rank of Admiral over the entire Continental Navy fleet.

Soon after, the ''Randolph'' was assigned to escort ''[[La Belladonna]]'', a [[French Navy|French ship]] providing aid to the Continental war drive. However, the ''Randolph'' abandoned ''La Belladonna'' to be attacked and seized by Templar ships.

[[File:ACIII-Frenchinvolvement 10.png|thumb|250px|left|Biddle aboard the ''Randolph'']]
The ''[[Aquila]]'', captained by Connor, came to ''<nowiki>La Belladonna'</nowiki>''s defense before the ships attacked. The two vessels then destroyed the formation of Templar ships, while Biddle observed the battle safely from a distance.

In 1778, in order to remove Connor as a threat to his plans, Biddle patrolled the Caribbean coast, successfully luring the ''Aquila'' into a trap. In this encounter, the ''Randolph'' attacked the ''Aquila'' with the aid of two ''Men-of-War''. However, the ''Aquila'' destroyed the ''Men-of-War'' and successfully disabled the ''<nowiki>Randolph'</nowiki>''s mast with a single broadside of chained cannonballs.

Following this, Connor and the ''<nowiki>Aquila'</nowiki>''s crew boarded and attacked the ''Randolph'', during which Connor confronted Biddle on the quarterdeck, causing both crews to cease fighting and watch as the two captains dueled, with Biddle furiously vowing to make Connor suffer for the damage dealt to the ''Randolph''.

===Death===
{{Quote|Wait. Let the Randolph die with me. Don't take her as a prize. Please. Please. I want no quarter, just to sink with my ship.|Biddle's final words to Connor.|Assassin's Creed III}}
[[File:ACIII-Biddlehideout 5.png|thumb|250px|Biddle dueling Connor]]
At first, Connor gained the upper hand, until Biddle fired a shot at a gunpowder keg, causing both of them to fall below deck. The two soon continued their duel, with Connor emerging victorious and wounding Biddle. While dying, Biddle justified his actions by claiming that he benefited and empowered the Continental Navy. He rebuked the Assassins, calling Connor a fool for not understanding or accepting his goals.

With his final words, Biddle asked Connor not to take the ''Randolph'' as a prize, instead allowing him to die and sink with his ship. Connor granted this request and left, igniting several barrels of gunpowder behind him, destroying the ''Randolph''.

==Personality and characteristics==
Biddle was a capable, experienced, brave and proud individual, which showed itself in his nautical achievements. He also viewed himself as a "man of vision", and was ambitious, charismatic and arrogant to the point that he saw himself as becoming Admiral of the entire Continental Navy.

Because of this, Biddle was a well admired and respected captain; not only did he lead successful campaigns, he kept morale and his crew's efficiency high by fairly sharing the spoils of victory, not through corporal punishment. Rather than allow his ship to be captured, he convinced Connor to let him sink with his ship.

==Trivia==
*Out of all the Templar portraits in the [[Davenport Homestead]] manor, Biddle's was not crossed out after his death.
*Despite the fact that Biddle's portrait appeared on the wall in the cellar when Connor was first shown it, he failed to recognize him at [[Martha's Vineyard]].
*While Biddle's assassination did not take place within the main storyline of ''Assassin's Creed III'', the naval sequence in which he featured was required for the full [[synchronization]] of Connor's memories.
*Biddle's first vessel was a schooner, the ''Franklin'', which had been named after [[Benjamin Franklin]].
*Historically, Biddle died off the coast of [[Barbados]], while in the game his death occured in [[the Bahamas]].
*When Connor is fighting Biddle, Biddle remarks at how Mr. Kenway will reward him greatly for ridding him of the Assassin. However, historically Biddle died on March 17, 1778. Connor and [[Haytham Kenway|Haytham's ]]alliance did not end until June 17, 1778, three months later.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180" spacing="small" position="center" captionalign="center">
ACIII-HardWay 6.png|Connor confronting Church and Biddle
ACIII-HardWay 7.png|Amanda Bailey breaking up Faulkner and Biddle's argument
ACIII-Biddlehideout 6.png|Biddle firing at a powder keg
ACIII-Biddlehideout 7.png|Biddle's final moments
</gallery>

==Reference==
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''
{{AC3}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biddle, Nicholas}}
[[Category:1750 births]]
[[Category:1778 deaths]]
[[Category:Individuals]]
[[Category:Americans]]
[[Category:Captains]]
[[Category:Privateers]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel]]
[[Category:Continental Army]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Templars]]
[[Category:Colonial Templars]]

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Nicholas Biddle