Ada Lovelace

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (née Byron; 1815 – 1852), best known as Ada Lovelace, was an English mathematician, translator, and writer. The only child of poet Lord Byron and mathematician Lady Anne Byron, she was married to William King-Noel and had numerous children, including Annabella and Byron.

Biography

Early life

In her childhood years, Ada kept suffering from debilitating illnesses, which led to her health's deterioration. However, it never impeded her education and work ethic.

At some point, Ada was introduced to a young boy named Simeon Price, a gifted child from Ealing. As Lady Byron educated the boy, Ada and Simeon grew to become close and trusted friends. However, Ada eventually saw Simeon cast out as his loyalty to her costed him an education from her mother. After losing Price as a friend, she was dealt further personal issues, with the death and shame of her father and his immoral actions. In her twenties, she got married to William King-Noel and, within two years, gave birth to their children, Annabella and Byron.

Later life

Within her work, Ada corresponded with multiple scientific minds, and one of her collaborations came to be with a mysterious figure called the "Magus." However, from their letters, Ada discovered that their work was leading to a deadly invention and ceased communication with the Magus. In 1851, she attended the Great Exhibition and saw the act of Mazeppa being performed by the Aurora Equestrian Troupe's acrobat Pierrette Arnaud as its lead. However, Ada was soon surrounded by four thugs and almost kidnapped, but was luckily saved by Arnaud.

Ada was subsequently escorted by Arnaud back to her home, arriving there safely. Following this event, the countess and Arnaud began to develop a friendship over the next two years. This friendship led Arnaud to attend many social gatherings hosted by Ada and meet various artistic and scientific minds. However, Ada's health began to deteriorate as she soon became bed-ridden. Arnaud visited her, and Ada confided in her friend about her work and correspondence with the Magus. Asking for a favor, Ada gave Pierrette her notes and told her to find Simeon Price, who was thought to be dead but had actually deserted the army.

Death and legacy

In late 1852, Ana died from her illness. Her notes were entrusted to Arnaud and Price, who tried to decipher them and keep them away from both the Magus and the Templars. From a slight look, Arnaud was able to configure a piece of her notes to be about a possible artifact located in Bath.

Ada's workbook soon became an item of interest for the Templars, especially the Austrian Templar and Countess Konstanze von Visler, who sought to use the notes in the Templars' efforts to create the Engine of History. After learning it was buried with Elizabeth Siddal, the Templars had Charles Augustus Howell convince Siddal's husband Dante to exhume her grave, allowing them to take the workbook.

From Konstanze's readings, she managed to use one of Ada's prediction tables as a basis for the Engine, and even temporarily defected to the Brotherhood to learn the Assassins' methods and ideals for the table. After betraying them and rejoining the Templars, Konstanze enacted her first test of the Engine by manipulating the Assassins into blowing up the Eiffel Tower to frame them as terrorists.

Fortunately, from Pierrette's knowledge of Ada's workbook, she realized the Templars' plans and informed Spider Wallin, who in turn told Simeon of the Templars' plans. Moments before the Assassins could bomb the Eiffel Tower, Simeon and Spider managed to warn them to stop the explosion, foiling the Templars' master plan.

Behind the scenes

Ada was known for her work on Charles Babbage's proposed mechanical calculator, and she is often regarded as the first computer programmer. Additionally, Ada's cause of death was the result of uterine cancer.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Magus Conspiracy
• Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot (mentioned only)