Byzantine Empire

The Byzantines were the predominantly Greek-speaking citizens and supporters of the Byzantine Empire.

History

Templar infiltration

During the early 16th century after the Templars were driven from Italy by the Assassins, the Templars were able to seize control of the remnants of the Byzantines. Now in control of the Byzantine remnants, the Templars set up their primary headquarters at Cappadocia. The Byzantines then aimed to uproot the Ottomans and take control of Constantinople. For a while, however, they remained relatively quiet.

Masyaf

By 1509, the Templars became aware of the five seals of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. In 1509, after the earthquake in Constantinople, the Templars discovered one of the seals under Topkapı Palace, as the entrance to the seal's chamber had been opened by the earthquake. Following this discovery, the Byzantine Templars became more active and militant in their desire to retake Constantinople and find the remaining four seals. Shortly afterwards, this seal passed into the possession of the de facto Byzantine Emperor, the Templar in charge of the hunt for the seals, Manuel Palaiologos. By the beginning of 1511, a Byzantine Templar captain named Leandros had occupied the region surrounding Masyaf, where the library which the seals opened was located, though by May 1511, the region had been cleansed of Templars by the Mentor of the Italian Assassins, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who had had a major role in the fall of the Italian Templars, and was visiting Masyaf to learn more of the Assassin Order. By May 1511, the Templars were searching the Forum of the Ox and the Yerebatan Cistern in Constantinople for seals, though they were beaten to both of these seals by Ezio, who had also begun hunting the seals.

Constantinople

As the Templars plotted to overthrow the Ottomans, many Byzantine soldiers were present in Constantinople by mid-1511. These soldiers rivaled the Constantinople Assassins Guild, and by May, had seized all of the Assassin Dens for themselves, except two, one in Galata, and one in the Imperial District, near the Grand Bazaar. Shortly after Ezio's arrival in the city in May 1511, the Templars launched an attack on both of the remaining dens, though they were routed at Galata, they managed to take the den at the Grand Bazaar, though this was a temporary victory, as the Assassins retook the den not much later. Over the 11 months after his arrival in the city, Ezio retook the dens, one by one, and severely weakened the Templars, until, in March 1512, Ezio left for Cappadocia, in search of Manuel, who possessed the last seal.

Cappadocia

During the early 16th century, the Templars set up their headquarters in Cappadocia, after being driven from their previous base in Rome by the Assassins. There, the Templars set up prisons and instated themselves as the rulers of the city, filling the streets with Byzantine Templars.

The Templar in charge of the Masyaf expedition, Manuel Palaiologos, resided in Cappadocia for some time after his family lost their hold on the Byzantine throne. He, along with his bodyguard and fellow Templar, Shahkulu, governed much of the city and held power within its walls.

The two also negotiated the purchase of armaments for their Templars with the Captain of the Janissaries, Tarik Barleti, in 1511, though this was a trick, as Barleti sent them guns that didn't work, and attempted to ambush the Templars in Cappadocia, though was foiled by the Templars who captured his men.

In March 1512, Ezio arrived in Cappadocia in search of Manuel Palaiologos, who possessed the last seal, and began by trying to find Tarik Barleti's spies, finding one, a woman named Dilara. Dilara explained that the Templars had captured the others a week before his arrival. Ezio then left Dilara, only to later overhear a pair of Byzantine guards discussing another of the spies who had just been captured - one who matched Dilara's description.

Ezio infiltrated the Cappadocian prison, overhearing a meeting between Manuel Palaiologos and Shahkulu. He also overheard a guard say that the key to Dilara's cell was in the possession of a guard named Nikolos, who was in the market. Ezio quickly stole the key and returned, freeing Dilara, who saw the horror the Shahkulu had commited: several of her fellow spies were dead, piled in a corner, surrounded by pools of blood. Blinded by fury at the atrocity commited, Dilara strode away, angrily proclaiming that she would kill Shahkulu herself.

Ezio managed to find Dilara near the chapel, watching the crowd gathering in the courtyard of the building from a nearby rooftop. Soon, Shahkulu emerged from the chapel and gleefully began beating one of Dilara's associates, Janos, to death. Ezio silently killed the gunmen stationed around the chapel courtyard, before attempting to kill Shahkulu himself. At first, he seemed to have succeeded, but Shahkulu grabbed Ezio's throat and began to strangle him, laughing maniacally. Again, Ezio attempted to kill him with his Hidden Blade, stabbing the renegade in the shoulder. Shahkulu gurgled, seeming to die, but simply threw Ezio aside, stood and drew his sword.

After defeating Shahkulu in combat, and finally killing him, Ezio told Dilara of his plan; he was going to go to the Templar armoury, and destroy the guns the Templars had purchased from Tarik. Though the guns did not work the gunpowder in them was real. Therefore, if Ezio tried to destroy the guns, he would cause an explosion, in turn causing a fire, which as Dilara pointed out, would cause complete chaos, which Ezio would utilise to find Manuel.

Ezio caused the explosion, and saw that Manuel had emerged from hiding on the other side of the city, and was speaking, attempting to calm his people. However, Manuel spotted Ezio's approach, and fled. Ezio managed to avoid Manuel's guards, and pursued the old man into the underground docks. After arguing over the Templar philosophy, the two drew their swords, though Ezio defeated the older and fatter Manuel with ease. In his death throes, Ezio managed to get Manuel to give him the final seal.

Trivia

• The Byzantines, on the radar, show up as red dots while the Ottomans show as yellow.
• After story completion, Byzantines are hardly ever found in Constantinople and are only largely found in Cappadocia. However, when those who remain in Constantinople are found, they would be seen trying to demolish ziplies, often in four-men cells and usually in the Constantine district.

Gallery

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  Byzantine soldiers with one of their Templar masters, Leandros.
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  Artwork.
• An example of a 16th century Byzantine soldier.
  An example of a 16th century Byzantine soldier.
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  Heir to the Byzantine throne, Manuel Palaiologos
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  Byzantine Militia
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  Byzantine Varangian
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  Byzantine Almogavar