Master Assassin: Difference between revisions
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{{Era|Assassins}} | {{Era|Assassins}} | ||
[[File:Aclogo.png|200px|thumb|The Assassin insignia]] | |||
[[File: | The title of '''Master Assassin''' is one of the highest attainable [[Assassin rank|ranks]] within the hierarchy of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]], and those who hold it are presumed to have reached the peak of their training as an Assassin. The rank garners a large amount of respect from other members within the Order and indicates individuals who possess uncommon skill and talent, most often in the arts of [[Social Stealth|stealth]] and [[assassination]]. | ||
The title of '''Master Assassin''' is one of the highest attainable [[ranks]] within the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]], and those who hold | |||
A Master Assassin is meant to embody [[the Creed]]: they have never harmed an innocent, always hid in plain sight, and never compromised the Brotherhood. | A Master Assassin is meant to embody [[the Creed]]: they have never harmed an innocent, always hid in plain sight, and never compromised the Brotherhood. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
===Origins with the Hidden Ones=== | |||
{{Main|Master}} | |||
The title originated from that of [[Master]], which was held by the most esteemed members of the Hidden Ones, the original incarnation of the Assassin Brotherhood. The earliest known Hidden One to become a Master was [[Hakor]], an [[Egyptian Brotherhood of Assassins|Egyptian Hidden One]] who lived during the 1st century BCE, around the same time as the brotherhood's formation.<ref name="Magas Codex">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[The Magas Codex]]</ref> | |||
During the era of the [[Roman Empire]], the [[Roman Hidden Ones]] operating in [[England|Britannia]] used the Latin title of ''Magister'', but it held the same meaning. Between the 2nd and 5th centuries CE, several Hidden Ones rose to attain the rank, including [[Eghan]], [[Khloe (Hidden One)|Khloe]], [[Marcellus]], [[Maya (Hidden One)|Maya]], [[Sebastos]], and [[Vitus]].<ref name="Brief History">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – [[A Brief History of the Hidden Ones]]</ref> | |||
The earliest known use of the Master Assassin title was in the mid-8th century, when the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Hidden One]] [[Li E]] attained the rank for his efforts in fighting against the [[Order of the Ancients]]' influence in [[China]].<ref name="ACD">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]''</ref> | |||
[[File:ACMirage Promotional Screenshot 7.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Roshan, Fuladh, and Basim, three Master Assassins of the Alamut Brotherhood]] | |||
During the mid-9th century, two Master Assassins of the [[Hidden Ones of Alamut|Alamut Brotherhood]], [[Roshan]] and [[Fuladh Al Haami]], sat on the [[Assassin Council|council]] that governed over the branch. Roshan later trained [[Basim Ibn Ishaq]], who also rose to attain the rank while fighting the Order of the Ancients in [[Baghdad]]. However, Roshan eventually left the Hidden Ones after disagreeing with [[Mentor]] [[Rayhan]] over how to handle the revelation of Basim's true nature as an [[Isu incarnation]].<ref name="ACMir">''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref> Basim himself would betray the Hidden Ones in 877 to pursue his own agenda and would become trapped in [[the Grey]] for centuries, losing his rank in the process.<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''</ref> | |||
In | ===Middle Ages=== | ||
In 1176, [[Umar Ibn-La'Ahad]] and his fellow Assassin [[Faheem Al-Sayf]] held the title of Master Assassin within the [[Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins|Levantine Brotherhood]]. However, Umar gave his life to spare the Brotherhood from a siege by Sultan [[Saladin]]'s forces, in retribution for an assassination gone wrong.<ref name="ACTSC">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''</ref> | |||
[[File:Mentor's keeper 12.png|thumb|250px|Al Mualim elevating Altaïr to the rank of Master Assassin]] | |||
In 1189, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] attained the rank of Master Assassin after saving the life of his Mentor, [[Al Mualim]], during a [[Templars|Templar]] attack on [[Masyaf]].<ref name="ACRev">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref> However, he lost it two years later, when he was demoted to a [[novice]] following his failure to obtain the [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]] beneath [[Solomon's Temple]], along with his arrogance and disregard of the Creed's tenets. Altaïr eventually regained this title through [[Hunt for the Nine|several assassinations]] in support of the [[Assassin-Templar War|Order's interests]], and held it during the assassinations of [[Robert de Sablé]] and Al Mualim.<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> Eventually he became Mentor of the Levantine Brotherhood, leading it until his death in 1257.<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
In the early 13th century, [[William of Cassingham]], a member of the [[British Brotherhood of Assassins|English Brotherhood]], became a Master Assassin. However, during the [[First Barons' War]], he operated independently from the Brotherhood, because unlike his fellow Assassins, he supported the reign of King [[John, King of England|John]], viewing it as the lesser evil compared to baronial rule.<ref name="ACMem">''[[Assassin's Creed: Memories]]''</ref> | |||
By | In the early 14th century, [[Thomas de Carneillon]] held the rank of Master Assassin before becoming Mentor of the [[Parisian Brotherhood of Assassins|French Brotherhood]].<ref name="ACU">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref> | ||
===Renaissance=== | |||
In 1492, [[Aguilar de Nerha]] and [[María (Assassin)|María]] held the position of Master Assassins within the [[Spanish Brotherhood of Assassins|Spanish Brotherhood]]. Aguilar would later assume the mantle of Mentor,<ref name="Rebellion">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]''</ref> following his predecessor [[Benedicto]]'s death that same year.<ref>[[Assassin's Creed (film)|''Assassin's Creed'' film]]</ref> | |||
[[File:Ascension 5.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio Auditore being elevated from Master Assassin to Mentor]] | |||
Around 1500, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] obtained the rank, before rising to become Mentor of the [[Italian Brotherhood of Assassins|Italian Brotherhood]], following the [[liberation of Rome]] from the [[House of Borgia]]'s grasp.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref> Ezio's fellow Italian Assassins [[Lucas Bellini]] and [[Girolamo da Lucca]], who accompanied him on his travels from [[Rome]] to [[Spain]], also attained the rank at some point.<ref name="Rebellion"/> | |||
During the early 16th century, both [[Yusuf Tazim]], the leader of the [[Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins|Ottoman Brotherhood]], and [[Piri Reis]], the famed Ottoman cartographer and [[bomb]] specialist, were Master Assassins, as were two of Yusuf's lieutenants, [[Dogan]] and [[Kasim]].<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
[[Wang Yangming]], the Mentor of the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Brotherhood]] in the early 16th century, was a Master Assassin, as was [[Zhu Jiuyuan]], who briefly led the Chinese Assassins during Yangming's disappearance to escape the [[Great Rites Controversy]]. Jiuyuan's apprentice [[Shao Jun]] would later be elevated to this rank during her hunt of the [[Eight Tigers]], and eventually Mentor following Yangming's death in 1529.<ref name="ACCC">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]''</ref> | |||
During the mid-to-late 16th century, the Japanese Assassin [[Fujibayashi Tsuyu]], the leader of the [[Japanese Brotherhood of Assassins|Kakushiba ''ikki'']], held the title of Master Assassin.<ref name="ACSH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]''</ref> Two of her fellow Assassins, the [[ninja]] [[Momochi Sandayu]] and [[Hattori Hanzō]], also attained the rank.<ref name="ACSH"/><ref name="ACMem"/> | |||
===Age of Imperialism=== | |||
In the early 17th century, the Master Assassin [[Avicenne]] oversaw Assassin operations in southwest [[France]],<ref name="WotM ch 11">''[[Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Witches of the Moors]]'' – Chapter 11 - Margaux</ref> until her death in 1609 during an ambush by the [[Master Templar]] [[Pierre de Lancre]]'s forces.<ref name="WotM ch 15">''[[Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Witches of the Moors]]'' – Chapter 15 - Margaux</ref> By 1690, [[Maréchal]] was a Master Assassin of the French Brotherhood.<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
In the late 17th century, [[Thomas Stoddard]], a member of the British Brotherhood renowned for his skills as a tracker of [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], held the title of Master Assassin.<ref name="ACTBF">''[[Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics)|Assassin's Creed]] – [[Assassin's Creed Volume 1: Trial by Fire|Volume 1: Trial by Fire]]''</ref> | |||
In 1714, [[Duncan Walpole]], a Master Assassin of the British Brotherhood, secretly defected to the Templars. However, before he could meet with the [[West Indies Rite of the Templar Order|West Indies Templars]] in [[Havana]] to officially join the Order, he was killed by the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] in 1715. After Edward joined the Brotherhood and returned to England years later,<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref> he would come to attain the rank of Master Assassin.<ref name="ACS">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref> Edward's acquaintance [[Rhona Dinsmore]], a member of the [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|West Indies Brotherhood]] who led their [[Assassin bureau|bureau]] in Havana, also became a Master Assassin by 1751.<ref name="ACRog">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref> | |||
[[File:ACIII-Missingsupplies 1.png|thumb|250px|Ratonhnhaké:ton arguing with Achilles Davenport]] | |||
In the 18th century, [[Achilles Davenport]] was a Master Assassin and later Mentor of the [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Colonial Brotherhood]]. Following the [[Colonial Brotherhood purge|near complete collapse]] of the branch in 1763, Achilles removed himself from the Assassin affairs, but eventually returned to prominence as the Mentor of the Assassin [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]].<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref> Ratonhnhaké:ton himself obtained the rank at some point later in his life.<ref name="AC4"/> | |||
By the late 18th century, the French Brotherhood was led by a Council, which consisted of four Master Assassins: [[Pierre Bellec]], [[Sophie Trenet]], [[Guillaume Beylier]] and [[Hervé Quemar]], with the Mentor [[Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau|Mirabeau]] presiding over them. [[Arno Dorian]], another notable member of the French Brotherhood, also attained the rank of Master Assassin at some point after being reinstated around 1794.<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
===Early modern era=== | |||
In the early 19th century, the Master Assassin [[Hamid (Amritsar)|Hamid]], who would later serve as the Mentor of the [[Indian Brotherhood of Assassins|Indian Brotherhood]], rescued a young {{Wiki|Kashmiri people|Kashmiri}} [[thief]] named [[Arbaaz Mir]] and inducted him into the Brotherhood.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' – [[Database: Hamid]]</ref> By the 1840s, Arbaaz would come to attain the rank of Master Assassin for his efforts in keeping various Pieces of Eden, most notably the [[Koh-i-Noor]], out of Templar hands.<ref name="ACCI">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]''</ref> | |||
[[File:ACS Somewhere That's Green 14.png|thumb|250px|left|Jayadeep Mir, Jacob and Evie Frye, three British Master Assassins]] | |||
Arbaaz's close friend [[Ethan Frye]], a member of the British Brotherhood based in [[Crawley]], also attained the position during this period.<ref name="Underworld">''[[Assassin's Creed: Underworld]]''</ref> Following Ethan's death from {{Wiki|pleurisy}} in 1868, his twin children [[Evie Frye|Evie]] and [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] worked with Arbaaz's son, [[Jayadeep Mir|Jayadeep]], to [[Liberation of London|liberate]] [[London]] from the influence of the Templars, who had held dominion in the city for over a century. This allowed the Brotherhood to rebuild its presence in London and led to Evie, Jacob, and Jayadeep becoming Master Assassins.<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
Around 1867, the French Assassin [[Henri Escoffier]] attained the rank of Master Assassin and left for [[Zürich]], [[Switzerland]], to establish [[Zurich Brotherhood of Assassins|his own Brotherhood]].<ref name="Resurrection ch 11">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot]]'' – Chapter 11</ref> His fellow Assassin [[Amira Benyamina]] also attained the rank at some point before 1869 and relocated to [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]], where she joined the local Assassin Council.<ref name="Resurrection ch 2">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot]]'' – Chapter 2</ref> By 1870, [[Michel Moulin]] had become a Master Assassin and the leader of the French Brotherhood.<ref name="Resurrection ch 11"/> In 1873, [[Pierrette Arnaud]] was elevated to the rank of Master Assassin by [[George Westhouse]] upon her return to England from Egypt.<ref name="Resurrection ch 22">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot]]'' – Chapter 22</ref> | |||
During the period between the 19th and 20th centuries, [[Nikolai Orelov]], a member of the [[Narodnaya Volya]] sect of the [[Russian Brotherhood of Assassins|Russian Brotherhood]], was a Master Assassin.<ref name="ACTF">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref> However, in 1918, Orelov abandoned the Brotherhood in order to rescue Princess [[Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia|Anastasia Nikolaevna]], whom the Russian Assassins intended to perform dangerous experiments on.<ref name="ACCR">''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]''</ref> | |||
===Contemporary era=== | |||
By 2015, the latest Assassin known to have held the position of Master Assassin was [[Galina Voronina]] of the Russian Brotherhood.<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
==Attire== | ==Attire== | ||
===Abbasid Caliphate=== | |||
The Hidden Ones of Alamut wore different colored sashes to indicate their rank, with Initiates sporting blue sashes while Master Assassins wore red sashes.<ref>''[[The Art of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' – Chapter 1: Characters</ref> In some instances, a member of the brotherhood may have received a new set of robes upon being promoted to the rank of Master, as was the case of Basim Ibn Ishaq.<ref name="ACMir"/> However, by the 870s, this practice was seemingly abandoned, with Basim and his apprentice [[Hytham]] wearing a pair of near-identical robes, except for the aforementioned sashes.<ref name="ACV"/> | |||
===Crusades=== | ===Crusades=== | ||
Like other Assassins of the Levantine Brotherhood, most Master Assassins possessed the eagle beak-like design upon their hoods, but their robes were generally longer, forming a bird-like "tail" that fluttered whenever they were in an area of strong wind. In addition, their leather belts were larger, their red sashes wider and longer, and they had permission to carry any weapon they desired.<ref name="AC" /> | Like other Assassins of the Levantine Brotherhood, most Master Assassins possessed the eagle beak-like design upon their hoods, but their robes were generally longer, forming a bird-like "tail" that fluttered whenever they were in an area of strong wind. In addition, their leather belts were larger, their red sashes wider and longer, and they had permission to carry any weapon they desired.<ref name="AC"/> | ||
===Renaissance=== | ===Renaissance=== | ||
When the order retreated underground after the Levantine Brotherhood's [[Fall of Masyaf|supposed collapse]], a uniform guideline as to the attire of a Master Assassin no longer existed. The Master Assassins of the [[Renaissance]] in [[Europe]] were a small, underground group with broader access to knowledge and weapons. Most retained their [[freerunning]], [[Hidden Blade]]s and hooded traditions, though Master Assassins were the only ones permitted to wield dual Hidden Blades. <ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> | When the order retreated underground after the Levantine Brotherhood's [[Fall of Masyaf|supposed collapse]], a uniform guideline as to the attire of a Master Assassin no longer existed. The Master Assassins of the [[Renaissance]] in [[Europe]] were a small, underground group with broader access to knowledge and weapons. Most retained their [[freerunning]], [[Hidden Blade]]s and hooded traditions, though Master Assassins were the only ones permitted to wield dual Hidden Blades.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> | ||
As [[Assassin Dens]] were erected within [[Constantinople]], Ezio Auditore promoted several high-ranking Assassins to be Master Assassins who guarded the structures. These new Master Assassins would be trained specially by Ezio to be able to fulfill their role, and this extra training allowed them to hold the Dens against [[Templars|Templar]] [[Den Defense|attacks]].<ref name=" | As [[Assassin Dens]] were erected within [[Constantinople]], Ezio Auditore promoted several high-ranking Assassins to be Master Assassins who guarded the structures. These new Master Assassins would be trained specially by Ezio to be able to fulfill their role, and this extra training allowed them to hold the Dens against [[Templars|Templar]] [[Den Defense|attacks]].<ref name="ACRev"/> | ||
== | ==Known Master Assassins== | ||
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" heights="180"> | <gallery captionalign="center" position="center" heights="180"> | ||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Hakor]]<br>(c. 30 BCE)<ref name="ACV"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Eghan]]<br>(c. 164)<ref name="ACV"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[ | Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Khloe (Hidden One)|Khloe]]<br>(c. 211)<ref name="ACV"/> | ||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[ | Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Marcellus]]<br>(c. 383)<ref name="ACV"/> | ||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Maya (Hidden One)|Maya]]<br>(c. 423)<ref name="ACV"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Sebastos]]<br>(c. 423)<ref name="ACV"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Vitus]]<br>(c. 423)<ref name="ACV"/> | |||
ACD - Li E Fullbody colored render.png|[[Li E]]<br>(c. 755)<ref name="ACD"/> | |||
ACMirage DB Fuladh.png|[[Fuladh Al Haami]]<br>(9th century)<ref name="ACMir"/> | |||
ACMir Roshan render.png|[[Roshan]]<br>(until 860s)<ref name="ACMir"/> | |||
ACR | ACMirage Master Assassin Basim render.png|[[Basim Ibn Ishaq]]<br>(860s – 877)<ref name="ACV"/> | ||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Umar Ibn-La'Ahad]]<br>(until 1176)<ref name="ACTSC"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Faheem Al-Sayf]]<br>(c. 1176)<ref name="ACTSC"/> | |||
ACR Altair Render2.png|[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]<br>(1189 – 1257)<ref name="AC"/> | |||
William of Cassingham.png|[[William of Cassingham]]<br>(c. 1215 – 1257)<ref name="ACMem"/> | |||
ACU De Carneillon Render.png|[[Thomas de Carneillon]]<br>(c. 1307 – 1323)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
Maria ACF render.png|[[María (Assassin)|María]]<br>(until 1492)<ref name="Rebellion"/> | |||
ACMovie Aguilar full body render.png|[[Aguilar de Nerha]]<br>(c. 1492 – 1526)<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed DNA]]'' – Character profiles: Aguilar</ref> | |||
ACRB Lucas Bellini render.png|[[Lucas Bellini]]<br>(c. 1490s)<ref name="Rebellion"/> | |||
ACRB Girolamo da Lucca render.png|[[Girolamo da Lucca]]<br>(c. 1490s)<ref name="Rebellion"/> | |||
ACI-Ezio.png|[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]<br>(c. 1500 – 1513)<ref name="ACB"/> | |||
ACR Yusuf v.png|[[Yusuf Tazim]]<br>(c. 1509 – 1512)<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
Piri ReisRender.png|[[Piri Reis]]<br>(c. 1511)<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
Advanced Tactics 1.png|[[Kasim]]<br>(c. 1511)<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Castor]]<br>(until 1511)<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
On the defense 1.png|[[Dogan]]<br>(1512)<ref name="ACRev"/> | |||
ACCC Zhu Jiuyuan.jpg|[[Zhu Jiuyuan]]<br>(until 1524)<ref name="ACCC"/> | |||
ACCC Wang Yangming.png|[[Wang Yangming]]<br>(until 1529)<ref name="ACCC"/> | |||
ACCC-Shao Jun Render.png|[[Shao Jun]]<br>(c. 1526)<ref name="ACCC"/> | |||
ACSH InM - Tsuyu render.png|[[Fujibayashi Tsuyu]]<br>(c. 1560s)<ref name="ACSH"/> | |||
ACSH Momochi Sandayu.png|[[Momochi Sandayu]]<br>(c. 1560s – 1581)<ref name="ACSH"/> | |||
ACM Hattori Hanzo render.png|[[Hattori Hanzō]]<br>(until 1596)<ref name="ACMem"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Avicenne]]<br>(c. 1609)<ref name="WotM ch 11"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Maréchal]]<br>(c. 1690)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
AC-Assassins Thomas Stoddard Fullbody render.png|[[Thomas Stoddard]]<br>(c. 1692)<ref name="ACTBF"/> | |||
AC4 Duncan Walpole render.png|[[Duncan Walpole]]<br>(until 1715)<ref name="AC4"/> | |||
Edward Render.png|[[Edward Kenway]]<br>(c. 1723 – 1735)<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
ACI-Nikolai.png|[[Nikolai Orelov]]<br>(c. 1917 – 1918)<ref name="ACTF" /> | ACRG Achilles render.png|[[Achilles Davenport]]<br>(c. 1746 – 1781)<ref name="AC3"/> | ||
ACS Galina Voronina render.png|[[Galina Voronina]]<br>(c. 2015)<ref name="ACS" /> | AC4 Rhona Dinsmore render.png|[[Rhona Dinsmore]]<br>(c. 1751)<ref name="ACRog"/> | ||
ACI-Connor.png|[[Ratonhnhaké:ton]]<br>(c. 1781)<ref name="AC4"/><ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACU Bellec Render.png|[[Pierre Bellec]]<br>(until 1791)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACU Mirabeau Render.png|[[Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau]]<br>(until 1791)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACU Trenet render.png|[[Sophie Trenet]]<br>(c. 1780s and 1790s)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACU Quemar render.png|[[Hervé Quemar]]<br>(c. 1780s and 1790s)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACU Guillaume Beylier.jpg|[[Guillaume Beylier]]<br>(c. 1780s and 1790s)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACU Arno Dorian render.png|[[Arno Dorian]]<br>(c. 1794)<ref name="ACU"/> | |||
ACCI Hamid.png|[[Hamid (Amritsar)|Hamid]]<br>(19th century)<ref name="ACCI"/> | |||
ACCI Arbaaz Mir Render.png|[[Arbaaz Mir]]<br>(c. 1841)<ref name="ACCI"/> | |||
ACCI Rescue (9).jpg|[[Ethan Frye]]<br>(until 1868)<ref name="Underworld"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Henri Escoffier]]<br>(c. 1867)<ref name="Resurrection ch 11"/> | |||
ACS Henry Green Render.png|[[Jayadeep Mir]]<br>(c. 1868)<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
ACS Evie Frye Render.png|[[Evie Frye]]<br>(c. 1868)<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
ACS Jacob Frye Render.png|[[Jacob Frye]]<br>(c. 1868)<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Amira Benyamina]]<br>(c. 1869)<!-- She became a Master Assassin between books 1 and 2 of the Engine of History series, so no precise dating exists --><ref name="Resurrection ch 2"/> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Mustafa Hussein]]<br>(c. 1869)<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot]]'' – Chapter 7</ref> | |||
Wiki noimage.jpg|[[Michel Moulin]]<br>(c. 1870)<ref name="Resurrection ch 11"/> | |||
ACTEH - Pierrete Arnaud.png|[[Pierrette Arnaud]]<br>(1873)<ref name="Resurrection ch 22"/> | |||
ACI-Nikolai.png|[[Nikolai Orelov]]<br>(c. 1917 – 1918)<ref name="ACTF"/> | |||
ACS Galina Voronina render.png|[[Galina Voronina]]<br>(c. 2015 – present)<ref name="ACS"/> | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
{{Scroll box|content= | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' {{1st}} | *''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' {{1st}} | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'' | ||
*[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' novel]] | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' | ||
*[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' novel]] | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Forsaken]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Black Flag]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brahman]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Memories]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics)|Assassin's Creed]] | *[[Assassin's Creed: Unity (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Unity'' novel]] | ||
*[[Assassin's Creed (Titan Comics)|''Assassin's Creed'' comic]] | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Underworld]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]'' | |||
*[[Assassin's Creed (film)|''Assassin's Creed'' film]] | |||
* ''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]'' {{c|as "Master" and "Magister"}} | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' | *''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' | ||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Fragments – The Witches of the Moors]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Golden City]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Shadows]]'' | |||
*''[[Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game]]'' | |||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:Assassin ranks]] | [[Category:Assassin ranks]] | ||
Latest revision as of 15:12, 22 November 2025
The title of Master Assassin is one of the highest attainable ranks within the hierarchy of the Assassin Order, and those who hold it are presumed to have reached the peak of their training as an Assassin. The rank garners a large amount of respect from other members within the Order and indicates individuals who possess uncommon skill and talent, most often in the arts of stealth and assassination.
A Master Assassin is meant to embody the Creed: they have never harmed an innocent, always hid in plain sight, and never compromised the Brotherhood.
History[edit | edit source]
Origins with the Hidden Ones[edit | edit source]
- Main article: Master
The title originated from that of Master, which was held by the most esteemed members of the Hidden Ones, the original incarnation of the Assassin Brotherhood. The earliest known Hidden One to become a Master was Hakor, an Egyptian Hidden One who lived during the 1st century BCE, around the same time as the brotherhood's formation.[1]
During the era of the Roman Empire, the Roman Hidden Ones operating in Britannia used the Latin title of Magister, but it held the same meaning. Between the 2nd and 5th centuries CE, several Hidden Ones rose to attain the rank, including Eghan, Khloe, Marcellus, Maya, Sebastos, and Vitus.[2]
The earliest known use of the Master Assassin title was in the mid-8th century, when the Chinese Hidden One Li E attained the rank for his efforts in fighting against the Order of the Ancients' influence in China.[3]
During the mid-9th century, two Master Assassins of the Alamut Brotherhood, Roshan and Fuladh Al Haami, sat on the council that governed over the branch. Roshan later trained Basim Ibn Ishaq, who also rose to attain the rank while fighting the Order of the Ancients in Baghdad. However, Roshan eventually left the Hidden Ones after disagreeing with Mentor Rayhan over how to handle the revelation of Basim's true nature as an Isu incarnation.[4] Basim himself would betray the Hidden Ones in 877 to pursue his own agenda and would become trapped in the Grey for centuries, losing his rank in the process.[5]
Middle Ages[edit | edit source]
In 1176, Umar Ibn-La'Ahad and his fellow Assassin Faheem Al-Sayf held the title of Master Assassin within the Levantine Brotherhood. However, Umar gave his life to spare the Brotherhood from a siege by Sultan Saladin's forces, in retribution for an assassination gone wrong.[6]
In 1189, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad attained the rank of Master Assassin after saving the life of his Mentor, Al Mualim, during a Templar attack on Masyaf.[7] However, he lost it two years later, when he was demoted to a novice following his failure to obtain the Apple of Eden beneath Solomon's Temple, along with his arrogance and disregard of the Creed's tenets. Altaïr eventually regained this title through several assassinations in support of the Order's interests, and held it during the assassinations of Robert de Sablé and Al Mualim.[8] Eventually he became Mentor of the Levantine Brotherhood, leading it until his death in 1257.[7]
In the early 13th century, William of Cassingham, a member of the English Brotherhood, became a Master Assassin. However, during the First Barons' War, he operated independently from the Brotherhood, because unlike his fellow Assassins, he supported the reign of King John, viewing it as the lesser evil compared to baronial rule.[9]
In the early 14th century, Thomas de Carneillon held the rank of Master Assassin before becoming Mentor of the French Brotherhood.[10]
Renaissance[edit | edit source]
In 1492, Aguilar de Nerha and María held the position of Master Assassins within the Spanish Brotherhood. Aguilar would later assume the mantle of Mentor,[11] following his predecessor Benedicto's death that same year.[12]
Around 1500, Ezio Auditore da Firenze obtained the rank, before rising to become Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood, following the liberation of Rome from the House of Borgia's grasp.[13] Ezio's fellow Italian Assassins Lucas Bellini and Girolamo da Lucca, who accompanied him on his travels from Rome to Spain, also attained the rank at some point.[11]
During the early 16th century, both Yusuf Tazim, the leader of the Ottoman Brotherhood, and Piri Reis, the famed Ottoman cartographer and bomb specialist, were Master Assassins, as were two of Yusuf's lieutenants, Dogan and Kasim.[7]
Wang Yangming, the Mentor of the Chinese Brotherhood in the early 16th century, was a Master Assassin, as was Zhu Jiuyuan, who briefly led the Chinese Assassins during Yangming's disappearance to escape the Great Rites Controversy. Jiuyuan's apprentice Shao Jun would later be elevated to this rank during her hunt of the Eight Tigers, and eventually Mentor following Yangming's death in 1529.[14]
During the mid-to-late 16th century, the Japanese Assassin Fujibayashi Tsuyu, the leader of the Kakushiba ikki, held the title of Master Assassin.[15] Two of her fellow Assassins, the ninja Momochi Sandayu and Hattori Hanzō, also attained the rank.[15][9]
Age of Imperialism[edit | edit source]
In the early 17th century, the Master Assassin Avicenne oversaw Assassin operations in southwest France,[16] until her death in 1609 during an ambush by the Master Templar Pierre de Lancre's forces.[17] By 1690, Maréchal was a Master Assassin of the French Brotherhood.[10]
In the late 17th century, Thomas Stoddard, a member of the British Brotherhood renowned for his skills as a tracker of Pieces of Eden, held the title of Master Assassin.[18]
In 1714, Duncan Walpole, a Master Assassin of the British Brotherhood, secretly defected to the Templars. However, before he could meet with the West Indies Templars in Havana to officially join the Order, he was killed by the pirate Edward Kenway in 1715. After Edward joined the Brotherhood and returned to England years later,[19] he would come to attain the rank of Master Assassin.[20] Edward's acquaintance Rhona Dinsmore, a member of the West Indies Brotherhood who led their bureau in Havana, also became a Master Assassin by 1751.[21]
In the 18th century, Achilles Davenport was a Master Assassin and later Mentor of the Colonial Brotherhood. Following the near complete collapse of the branch in 1763, Achilles removed himself from the Assassin affairs, but eventually returned to prominence as the Mentor of the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton.[22] Ratonhnhaké:ton himself obtained the rank at some point later in his life.[19]
By the late 18th century, the French Brotherhood was led by a Council, which consisted of four Master Assassins: Pierre Bellec, Sophie Trenet, Guillaume Beylier and Hervé Quemar, with the Mentor Mirabeau presiding over them. Arno Dorian, another notable member of the French Brotherhood, also attained the rank of Master Assassin at some point after being reinstated around 1794.[10]
Early modern era[edit | edit source]
In the early 19th century, the Master Assassin Hamid, who would later serve as the Mentor of the Indian Brotherhood, rescued a young Kashmiri thief named Arbaaz Mir and inducted him into the Brotherhood.[23] By the 1840s, Arbaaz would come to attain the rank of Master Assassin for his efforts in keeping various Pieces of Eden, most notably the Koh-i-Noor, out of Templar hands.[24]
Arbaaz's close friend Ethan Frye, a member of the British Brotherhood based in Crawley, also attained the position during this period.[25] Following Ethan's death from pleurisy in 1868, his twin children Evie and Jacob worked with Arbaaz's son, Jayadeep, to liberate London from the influence of the Templars, who had held dominion in the city for over a century. This allowed the Brotherhood to rebuild its presence in London and led to Evie, Jacob, and Jayadeep becoming Master Assassins.[20]
Around 1867, the French Assassin Henri Escoffier attained the rank of Master Assassin and left for Zürich, Switzerland, to establish his own Brotherhood.[26] His fellow Assassin Amira Benyamina also attained the rank at some point before 1869 and relocated to Cairo, Egypt, where she joined the local Assassin Council.[27] By 1870, Michel Moulin had become a Master Assassin and the leader of the French Brotherhood.[26] In 1873, Pierrette Arnaud was elevated to the rank of Master Assassin by George Westhouse upon her return to England from Egypt.[28]
During the period between the 19th and 20th centuries, Nikolai Orelov, a member of the Narodnaya Volya sect of the Russian Brotherhood, was a Master Assassin.[29] However, in 1918, Orelov abandoned the Brotherhood in order to rescue Princess Anastasia Nikolaevna, whom the Russian Assassins intended to perform dangerous experiments on.[30]
Contemporary era[edit | edit source]
By 2015, the latest Assassin known to have held the position of Master Assassin was Galina Voronina of the Russian Brotherhood.[20]
Attire[edit | edit source]
Abbasid Caliphate[edit | edit source]
The Hidden Ones of Alamut wore different colored sashes to indicate their rank, with Initiates sporting blue sashes while Master Assassins wore red sashes.[31] In some instances, a member of the brotherhood may have received a new set of robes upon being promoted to the rank of Master, as was the case of Basim Ibn Ishaq.[4] However, by the 870s, this practice was seemingly abandoned, with Basim and his apprentice Hytham wearing a pair of near-identical robes, except for the aforementioned sashes.[5]
Crusades[edit | edit source]
Like other Assassins of the Levantine Brotherhood, most Master Assassins possessed the eagle beak-like design upon their hoods, but their robes were generally longer, forming a bird-like "tail" that fluttered whenever they were in an area of strong wind. In addition, their leather belts were larger, their red sashes wider and longer, and they had permission to carry any weapon they desired.[8]
Renaissance[edit | edit source]
When the order retreated underground after the Levantine Brotherhood's supposed collapse, a uniform guideline as to the attire of a Master Assassin no longer existed. The Master Assassins of the Renaissance in Europe were a small, underground group with broader access to knowledge and weapons. Most retained their freerunning, Hidden Blades and hooded traditions, though Master Assassins were the only ones permitted to wield dual Hidden Blades.[32]
As Assassin Dens were erected within Constantinople, Ezio Auditore promoted several high-ranking Assassins to be Master Assassins who guarded the structures. These new Master Assassins would be trained specially by Ezio to be able to fulfill their role, and this extra training allowed them to hold the Dens against Templar attacks.[7]
![Hakor (c. 30 BCE)[5]](/wiki/File:Wiki_noimage.jpg)
![Li E (c. 755)[3]](/wiki/File:ACD_-_Li_E_Fullbody_colored_render.png)
![Fuladh Al Haami (9th century)[4]](/wiki/File:ACMirage_DB_Fuladh.png)
![Roshan (until 860s)[4]](/wiki/File:ACMir_Roshan_render.png)
![Basim Ibn Ishaq (860s – 877)[5]](/wiki/File:ACMirage_Master_Assassin_Basim_render.png)
![Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (1189 – 1257)[8]](/wiki/File:ACR_Altair_Render2.png)
![William of Cassingham (c. 1215 – 1257)[9]](/wiki/File:William_of_Cassingham.png)
![Thomas de Carneillon (c. 1307 – 1323)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_De_Carneillon_Render.png)
![María (until 1492)[11]](/wiki/File:Maria_ACF_render.png)
![Aguilar de Nerha (c. 1492 – 1526)[33]](/wiki/File:ACMovie_Aguilar_full_body_render.png)
![Lucas Bellini (c. 1490s)[11]](/wiki/File:ACRB_Lucas_Bellini_render.png)
![Girolamo da Lucca (c. 1490s)[11]](/wiki/File:ACRB_Girolamo_da_Lucca_render.png)
![Ezio Auditore da Firenze (c. 1500 – 1513)[13]](/wiki/File:ACI-Ezio.png)
![Yusuf Tazim (c. 1509 – 1512)[7]](/wiki/File:ACR_Yusuf_v.png)
![Piri Reis (c. 1511)[7]](/wiki/File:Piri_ReisRender.png)
![Kasim (c. 1511)[7]](/wiki/File:Advanced_Tactics_1.png)
![Dogan (1512)[7]](/wiki/File:On_the_defense_1.png)
![Zhu Jiuyuan (until 1524)[14]](/wiki/File:ACCC_Zhu_Jiuyuan.jpg)
![Wang Yangming (until 1529)[14]](/wiki/File:ACCC_Wang_Yangming.png)
![Shao Jun (c. 1526)[14]](/wiki/File:ACCC-Shao_Jun_Render.png)
![Fujibayashi Tsuyu (c. 1560s)[15]](/wiki/File:ACSH_InM_-_Tsuyu_render.png)
![Momochi Sandayu (c. 1560s – 1581)[15]](/wiki/File:ACSH_Momochi_Sandayu.png)
![Hattori Hanzō (until 1596)[9]](/wiki/File:ACM_Hattori_Hanzo_render.png)
![Thomas Stoddard (c. 1692)[18]](/wiki/File:AC-Assassins_Thomas_Stoddard_Fullbody_render.png)
![Duncan Walpole (until 1715)[19]](/wiki/File:AC4_Duncan_Walpole_render.png)
![Edward Kenway (c. 1723 – 1735)[20]](/wiki/File:Edward_Render.png)
![Achilles Davenport (c. 1746 – 1781)[22]](/wiki/File:ACRG_Achilles_render.png)
![Rhona Dinsmore (c. 1751)[21]](/wiki/File:AC4_Rhona_Dinsmore_render.png)
![Ratonhnhaké:ton (c. 1781)[19][10]](/wiki/File:ACI-Connor.png)
![Pierre Bellec (until 1791)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_Bellec_Render.png)
![Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau (until 1791)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_Mirabeau_Render.png)
![Sophie Trenet (c. 1780s and 1790s)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_Trenet_render.png)
![Hervé Quemar (c. 1780s and 1790s)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_Quemar_render.png)
![Guillaume Beylier (c. 1780s and 1790s)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_Guillaume_Beylier.jpg)
![Arno Dorian (c. 1794)[10]](/wiki/File:ACU_Arno_Dorian_render.png)
![Hamid (19th century)[24]](/wiki/File:ACCI_Hamid.png)
![Arbaaz Mir (c. 1841)[24]](/wiki/File:ACCI_Arbaaz_Mir_Render.png)
![Ethan Frye (until 1868)[25]](/wiki/File:ACCI_Rescue_(9).jpg)
![Jayadeep Mir (c. 1868)[20]](/wiki/File:ACS_Henry_Green_Render.png)
![Evie Frye (c. 1868)[20]](/wiki/File:ACS_Evie_Frye_Render.png)
![Jacob Frye (c. 1868)[20]](/wiki/File:ACS_Jacob_Frye_Render.png)
![Pierrette Arnaud (1873)[28]](/wiki/File:ACTEH_-_Pierrete_Arnaud.png)
![Nikolai Orelov (c. 1917 – 1918)[29]](/wiki/File:ACI-Nikolai.png)
![Galina Voronina (c. 2015 – present)[20]](/wiki/File:ACS_Galina_Voronina_render.png)