Library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 03:13, 25 May 2026

"A library hidden beneath the stones of Masyaf. A sanctum full of invaluable wisdom."

―Ezio Auditore regarding the library, 1511.^[src]

The library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad was a hidden chamber beneath the fortress of Masyaf. It was rumored to have contained hundreds of books and the wisdom gained from the Apple of Eden by the legendary Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. It was also said to be the hiding place of an extremely powerful weapon and of a means of locating the fabled Grand Temple, which caused the Assassins and Templars to take interest in the library during the Renaissance.

The library was guarded by a stone door that was described as "harder than steel." This door was engraved with Arabic script, an Assassin insignia, and five constellations as keyholes. The door could only be opened by placing the five Masyaf Keys in their respective places, along the stars of the constellation Aquila, "the eagle" that bears "Altair" as its brightest star.

History[edit | edit source]

Creation[edit | edit source]

"I see. This is not a library at all. It is a vault."

―Darim Ibn-La'Ahad, on the true nature of the library.^[src]

Sometime before 1257, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Mentor of the Levantine Assassins, had a library built under the gardens of Masyaf. When finally completed, the library was used to store all of the knowledge Altaïr had gained from studying the Apple. During the Mongol siege of Masyaf in 1257, Altaïr realized the danger of the fortress being overrun, and wished to keep the contents of his library out of the wrong hands.^[1]

As such, he had his son Darim bring several books with him to Alexandria, while others were given to Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, along with the five library keys, for the two to hide in Constantinople. Finally, on fleeing the returning Mongol troops, the Assassins abandoned their fortress. Only Altaïr himself remained, intending to leave the Apple locked safely within the library and "far from eager hands," until the time was right. After placing the Piece of Eden at the back of the library, he sat down to imprint his final moments into the sixth Isu Memory Seal in his hands and then passed away peacefully in his chair.^[2]

Search[edit | edit source]

"To achieve true peace, mankind must think and move as one body, with one master mind. The secrets in the Grand Temple will give us just that. And Altaïr will lead us there."

―Ahmet speaking of the Templars' intentions.^[src]

Sometime in 1509, Ezio Auditore discovered a letter that was written by his father Giovanni in 1458. In it, Giovanni spoke of Altaïr's library as a "sanctum full of invaluable wisdom," prompting Ezio to depart on a pilgrimage to Masyaf the following year, which would span many months. However, by that time, a Byzantine Templar force led by Leandros had already taken over the fortress, after having discovered the journal of Niccolò Polo, which also made mention of the library.^[2]

It took a year for them to discover the door, but by March 1511, three months after the discovery, the workers had not even managed to make a dent on the library's entrance. As the Templars in Constantinople frantically searched for the library's keys, Ezio arrived at Masyaf, only to be confronted and captured by Leandros' forces. After escaping his own execution, Ezio traveled to Constantinople, in a race to find the keys before the Templars and gain access to the library.^[2]

Over time, Ezio discovered that the Templars only wished to enter the library to discover the location of the Grand Temple, which they thought would allow them to achieve their ultimate goal of a New World Order. Finally, in early 1512, after several months and the deaths of Templars and Assassins alike, Ezio was able to secure all the keys to the library and return to Masyaf to open the entrance.^[2]

Entrance[edit | edit source]

Sofia: "What do you hope to find behind that door?"

Ezio: "Knowledge, above all else. Altaïr was a profound man and a prolific writer. He built this place as a repository for all his wisdom."

—Sofia Sartor and Ezio at the library entrance.^[src]

The same year, Ezio and Sofia Sartor reached the library entrance with the five keys. Using his gift to see both the correct placement and orientation of each of the keys, Ezio opened the stone door and entered the library. There, he found no books or wisdom, but only the skeleton of Altaïr, which had lain undisturbed for the past two hundred years, and used the sixth seal to witness the end of Altaïr's story. Though Ezio approached the Apple hidden in the library, he refused to touch it, saying that he had "seen enough for one life," the same words spoken by Altaïr centuries before.^[2]

As he abandoned his sword and Hidden Blades within the library, Ezio began to speak aloud to Desmond Miles, though he admitted that he did not know how the latter could hear him. He only hoped that Desmond would be able to answer the questions he had asked, and that he would "make all this suffering worth something in the end." After seeing a vision of his descendant, Ezio exited the library, leaving his life as an Assassin behind.^[2] Later in the 16th century, the Apple was retrieved from the library, and eventually came into the possession of Queen Elizabeth I.^[3]

Trivia[edit | edit source]

The Arabic script on the library door was written in the form of classical Arabic called "Fus'ha" (in Arabic, Fus'ha "فصحى" means the clear language, or the clearly spoken language), which read: إتق دم البرئ - لآ شيء مطلق بل الكل ممكن - إختبئ وسط الأزحام - إختبئ وسط الأزحام and نحن من إتمنك - لأ تخن من إتمنك.
- This translated to: "Revere the blood of the innocent - Nothing is absolute, everything is possible" - "Hide in the midst of the crowds - Hide in the midst of the crowds" and "We are the ones who have entrusted you - Do not betray our trust", which paraphrased the tenets and maxim of the Creed.
There is a keyhole where the library can be opened from the inside. It may be possible to open the door by using the sixth Masyaf key which Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad was holding.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Concept art of the library door
Concept art of Ezio entering the library
Concept art of the library's interior
Concept art of Ezio meeting Altaïr
The library door
The library door puzzle solved
The corridor leading to the library's main chamber
The hidden door at the back of the library
The main chamber of the library
The main chamber of the library
The hidden door opened
Altaïr storing the Apple
Altaïr finally resting after a lifetime of duty
Ezio kneeling by Altaïr's body
Ezio "speaking" with Desmond

Appearances[edit | edit source]

Assassin's Creed: Revelations (first appearance)
Assassin's Creed: Revelations novel
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice – Roma (indirect mention only)
Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game (mentioned only)

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 Assassin's Creed: Revelations
↑ Assassin's Creed II – Glyphs

[Secret_Crusade-1] Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade

[Revelations-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 Assassin's Creed: Revelations

[3] Assassin's Creed II – Glyphs

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Era|Revelations|Secret Crusade}}
+{{Era|Locations}}
-{{Spoilerhd}}
+{{Quote|A library hidden beneath the stones of Masyaf. A sanctum full of invaluable wisdom.|Ezio Auditore regarding the library, 1511.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
-{{Stub}}
+[[File:ACR Library Main Chamber 2.png|thumb|250px|Library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]
-{{Quote|A library hidden beneath the stones of Masyaf. A sanctum full of invaluable wisdom.|[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] regarding the library in 1511.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
+The '''library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad''' was a hidden chamber beneath the [[Forts|fortress]] of [[Masyaf]]. It was rumored to have contained hundreds of books and the wisdom gained from the [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]] by the legendary [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. It was also said to be the hiding place of an extremely powerful weapon and of a means of locating the fabled [[Grand Temple]], which caused the Assassins and [[Templars]] to take interest in the library during the [[Renaissance]].
-[[File:Library door v.png|thumb|200px|The library's entrance.]]
-'''Altaïr's library''' was a hidden library beneath the fortress of [[Masyaf]], rumored to contain hundreds of books abundant with wisdom gained from the [[Second Apple|Apple of Eden]] by the legendary [[Assassins|Assassin]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]. It was also said to be the hiding place of a powerful weapon, which caused the Assassins and the Templars to take interest in the library during the [[Renaissance]].<ref name="ACTSC">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''</ref><ref name="ACR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
+The library was guarded by a stone door that was described as "harder than steel." This door was engraved with Arabic script, an [[Assassin insignia]], and five constellations as keyholes. The door could only be opened by placing the five [[Masyaf Keys]] in their respective places, along the stars of the constellation [[Aquila (constellation)|Aquila]], "the eagle" that bears "{{Wiki|Altair}}" as its brightest star.
 ==History==
-===12th century===
+===Creation===
+{{Quote|I see. This is not a library at all. It is a vault.|Darim Ibn-La'Ahad, on the true nature of the library.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
-{{Template:Quote|I see. This is not a library at all. It is a vault.|[[Darim Ibn-La'Ahad]] upon realising the purpose of Altaïr's library.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}Sometime before 1257, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, [[Mentor]] of the [[Levantine Assassins]], had a library built over the gardens of Masyaf. When finally completed, the library was used to store all of the knowledge Altaïr had gained from studying the Apple.<ref name="ACTSC"/>
+Sometime before 1257, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, [[Mentor]] of the [[Levantine Assassins]], had a library built under the gardens of Masyaf. When finally completed, the library was used to store all of the knowledge Altaïr had gained from studying the Apple. During the [[Fall of Masyaf|Mongol siege]] of Masyaf in 1257, Altaïr realized the danger of the fortress being overrun, and wished to keep the contents of his library out of the wrong hands.<ref name="Secret Crusade">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''</ref>
-Hoping to keep the contents of his library out of the wrong hands, he had his son [[Darim Ibn-La'Ahad]] move all books and other sources of knowledge to a safe location when the Assassins abandoned Masyaf. Altaïr himself remained, locking himself in his library with the Apple, changing the function of the library to that of a vault.<ref name="ACTSC"/>
+[[File:Lost legacy 5.png|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr's final moments in his library]]
+As such, he had his son [[Darim Ibn-La'Ahad|Darim]] bring several books with him to [[Alexandria]], while others were given to [[Niccolò Polo|Niccolò]] and [[Maffeo Polo]], along with the five library keys, for the two to hide in [[Constantinople]]. Finally, on fleeing the returning Mongol troops, the Assassins abandoned their fortress. Only Altaïr himself remained, intending to leave the Apple locked safely within the library and "far from eager hands," until the time was right. After placing the Piece of Eden at the back of the library, he sat down to imprint his final moments into the sixth [[Isu]] [[Memory Seals|Memory Seal]] in his hands and then passed away peacefully in his chair.<ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
-The door to the library could only be opened by using the [[Masyaf Keys|keys]], which he had given to [[Niccolò Polo|Niccolò]] and [[Maffeo Polo]], who would hide them in [[Constantinople]].<ref name="ACTSC"/>
+===Search===
+{{Quote|To achieve true peace, mankind must think and move as one body, with one master mind. The secrets in the Grand Temple will give us just that. And Altaïr will lead us there.|[[Ahmet]] speaking of the Templars' intentions.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
-In a desire to keep the contents of his library safe from the hands of the Templars, Altaïr sealed it, only allowing its reopening through five separate [[Masyaf Keys|keys]]. During the Mongol [[Fall of Masyaf|siege]] of Masyaf, Altaïr left the keys in the possession of [[Niccolò Polo|Niccolò]] and [[Maffeo Polo]], who later hid them in [[Constantinople]].<ref name="ACTSC"/>
+Sometime in 1509, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] discovered a letter that was written by his father [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]] in 1458. In it, Giovanni spoke of Altaïr's library as a "sanctum full of invaluable wisdom," prompting Ezio to depart on a pilgrimage to Masyaf the following year, which would span many months. However, by that time, a [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] Templar force led by [[Leandros]] had already taken over the fortress, after having discovered the [[The Secret Crusade|journal of Niccolò Polo]], which also made mention of the library.<ref name="Revelations" />
-===16th century===
+[[File:The Wounded Eagle 11.png|thumb|250px|right|Ezio reading Niccolò Polo's journal, which describes the keys of the library]]
-By 1511 both the Templars and Assassins sought the five keys to discover the weapon locked within the library. The Assassin [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] was able to recover all of the keys, and subsequently opened the library to discover its contents. It held no books, scrolls or weapons as Ezio had previously thought; instead, he found only the remains of Altaïr himself, tightly holding a sixth and final [[memory seal]], and the [[Second Apple|Masyaf Apple]] hidden in the background.<ref name="ACR"/>
+It took a year for them to discover the door, but by March 1511, three months after the discovery, the workers had not even managed to make a dent on the library's entrance. As the Templars in Constantinople frantically searched for the library's keys, Ezio arrived at Masyaf, only to be confronted and captured by Leandros' forces. After escaping his own execution, Ezio traveled to Constantinople, in a race to find the keys before the Templars and gain access to the library.<ref name="Revelations" />
+Over time, Ezio discovered that the Templars only wished to enter the library to discover the location of the Grand Temple, which they thought would allow them to achieve their ultimate goal of a [[New World Order]]. Finally, in early 1512, after several months and the deaths of Templars and Assassins alike, Ezio was able to secure all the keys to the library and return to Masyaf to open the entrance.<ref name="Revelations" />
+===Entrance===
+{{Dialogue|Sofia|What do you hope to find behind that door?|Ezio|Knowledge, above all else. Altaïr was a profound man and a prolific writer. He built this place as a repository for all his wisdom.|Sofia Sartor and Ezio at the library entrance.|Assassin's Creed: Revelations}}
+[[File:Message 2.png|thumb|250px|left|Ezio within Altaïr's library]]
+The same year, Ezio and [[Sofia Sartor]] reached the library entrance with the five keys. Using [[Eagle Vision|his gift]] to see both the correct placement and orientation of each of the keys, Ezio opened the stone door and entered the library. There, he found no books or wisdom, but only the skeleton of Altaïr, which had lain undisturbed for the past two hundred years, and used the sixth seal to witness the end of Altaïr's story. Though Ezio approached the Apple hidden in the library, he refused to touch it, saying that he had "seen enough for one life," the same words spoken by Altaïr centuries before.<ref name="Revelations" />
+As he abandoned his [[sword]] and [[Hidden Blade]]s within the library, Ezio began to speak aloud to [[Desmond Miles]], though he admitted that he did not know how the latter could hear him. He only hoped that Desmond would be able to answer the questions he had asked, and that he would "make all this suffering worth something in the end." After seeing a vision of his descendant, Ezio exited the library, leaving his life as an Assassin behind.<ref name="Revelations" /> Later in the 16th century, the Apple was retrieved from the library, and eventually came into the possession of Queen [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[Glyphs]]</ref>
+==Trivia==
+*The Arabic script on the library door was written in the form of classical Arabic called "Fus'ha" (in Arabic, Fus'ha "فصحى" means the clear language, or the clearly spoken language), which read: '''إتق دم البرئ - لآ شيء مطلق بل الكل ممكن''' - '''إختبئ وسط الأزحام - إختبئ وسط الأزحام''' and '''نحن من إتمنك - لأ تخن من إتمنك'''.
+**This translated to: "Revere the blood of the innocent - Nothing is absolute, everything is possible" - "Hide in the midst of the crowds - Hide in the midst of the crowds" and "We are the ones who have entrusted you - Do not betray our trust", which paraphrased the tenets and maxim of [[the Creed]].
+*There is a keyhole where the library can be opened from the inside. It may be possible to open the door by using the sixth Masyaf key which Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad was holding.<br />
 ==Gallery==
+<gallery captionalign="center" widths="180" position="center">
+Door to Masyaf Library Concept.JPG|Concept art of the library door
+Altairs Library Entrance Concept.JPG|Concept art of Ezio entering the library
+Altairs Library Concept.JPG|Concept art of the library's interior
+Ezio meets Altair by Gilles Beloeil.jpg|Concept art of Ezio meeting Altaïr
+ACR Masyaf Library Door.png|The library door
+ACR Masyaf Library Door Puzzle Solved.png|The library door puzzle solved
+ACR Library Corridor.png|The corridor leading to the library's main chamber
+ACR Library Hidden Door.png|The hidden door at the back of the library
+ACR Library Main Chamber.png|The main chamber of the library
+ACR Library Main Chamber Center.png|The main chamber of the library
+ACR Library Hidden Door 2.png|The hidden door opened
+Lost legacy 3.png|Altaïr storing the Apple
+Altair finally rests - ACR.png|Altaïr finally resting after a lifetime of duty
+Lost legacy 6.png|Ezio kneeling by Altaïr's body
+Message 3.png|Ezio "speaking" with Desmond
+</gallery>
-<center><gallery captionalign="left">
+==Appearances==
-GrandMasterAltair.png|Altaïr at the library entrance.
+*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' {{1st}}
-Altairs Library Concept.JPG|Concept art by [[Martin Deschambault]].
+*[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' novel]]
-Door to Masyaf Library Concept.JPG|Concept art of the library door.
+*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice]] – [[Roma (expansion pack)|Roma]]'' {{Imo}}
-Altairs Library Entrance Concept.JPG|Concept art of Ezio entering the library.
+*''[[Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game]]'' {{Mo}}
-Ezio meets Altair by Gilles Beloeil.jpg|Concept art of Ezio meeting Altaïr by [[Gilles Beloeil]].
-.jpg
-</gallery></center>
-==Trivia==
-*In the upper and lower area of the door there is some Arabic script written in the form of ancient Arabic Poetry. They read: '''إتق دم البرئ - لآ شيء مطلق بل الكل ممكن''' - '''إختبئ وسط الأزحام - إختبئ وسط الأزحام''' and '''نحن من إتمنك - لأ تخن من إتمنك'''. This translates to: "Revere the blood of the innocent - Nothing is absolute, everything is possible" - "Hide in the midst of the crowds - Hide in the midst of the crowds" and "We are the ones who have entrusted you - Do not betray our trust". Those passages mirror the tenets and the maxim of [[The Creed|the Creed]], as said by [[Rashid ad-Din Sinan|Al Mualim]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'': Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent - Nothing is true, everything is permitted - Hide in plain sight - Never compromise the Brotherhood.
 ==References==
 {{Reflist}}
 {{ACR}}
 [[Category:Masyaf]]
-[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Revelations Locations]]
+[[Category:Libraries]]
+[[Category:Assassin Brotherhood]]