Antonio de Magianis

Antonio de Magianis was a member of the Order of Assassins and leader of the Thieves guild in Venice during the late 15^th Century.

Biography

Born in 1443 to a poor family, Antonio lived with his father, a cobbler, and his mother, a maid for an upper-class family. As he aged, he increasingly developed a want for a richer life, but no matter how hard he studied, the schools would not accept him, and no matter how hard he worked he could not change his circumstances. Realizing that hard labor would not get him what he wanted, Antonio decided to steal it instead.

Eventually, Antonio found his way into the Order of Assassins, and subsequently set up the Thieves guild of Venice. Antonio and his fellow thieves consented only to theft of property from the largely immoral Venetian nobility, not ordinary citizens, making him something like an Italian Robin Hood. He considered his guild more of a "business" than a crime syndicate.

Lending a helping hand

Infiltrating the Palazzo

When Ezio Auditore da Firenze arrived in Venice and had help one of Antonio's thieves who were injured during the failed attempt at murdering Emilio Barbarigo. Antonio knew of Ezio's deeds through Florence and Tuscany and told him it was good work, if a little unrefined. Antonio also knew of Ezio's goal at killing Emilio but they would need to draw up new plans and get everything prepared. Antonio told Ezio that there were 3 traitors delivering information the Emilio and that they would need to be disposed of, Ezio agreed to do the deed and he killed the 3 traitors. Antonio waited for Ezio to complete their other duties, they were once again ready to attempt at assassinating Emilio. E

Antonio reflects on their failure at the Palazzo della Seta.

zio was to dispatch of archers patrolling the rooftops and once he was done, he met up with Antonio, Rosa and Ugo. Once Ezio had taken the life of Emilio and all the guards in the Palazzo della Seta were killed, Ezio and Rosa opened the door for Antonio. Antonio told his thieves to give back what Emilio had stolen from the people, he gave Ezio money for the role he performed in the killing. Ezio told Antonio that Emilio was talking with a man in which Antonio gave Ezio the name Carlo Grimaldi, Antonio asked what Ezio was up to in which he responded with he has a meeting to attend and then Ezio said goodbye and took his leave.

Infiltrating the Basilica

Ezio found out that Carlo Grimaldi planned to kill Giovanni Mocenigo and replace him with Marco Barbarigo. Ezio quickly went to Antonio and told him what the Templars planned. Antonio and Ezio sought a way into the Basilica di San Marco, they

File:AC2EzioAntonioRoof.jpg

Ezio and Antonio while looking for a way in to the Basilica.

looked at all the possible ways to get in and they could not find a way. Antonio exclaimed that it was hopeless and that only birds could get inside which gave Ezio the idea to seek out his friend Leonardo da Vinci. Antonio later visited Ezio and was introduced to Leonardo, Antonio told Ezio that Carlo had the poison and that they had to hurry if they were going to catch Carlo just in time. Leonardo didn't know how to extend the Flying Machine's flight duration, until he threw a piece of paper into the fireplace and then he knew how to extend the flight. Ezio had to clear some of the areas in Venice of guards and Antonio would send his men to make a sequence of fires spread across the city. Once Ezio had disposed of the guards and the fires had been lit, he met Antonio and Leonardo on a rooftop. Antonio hoped it would work because they were nearly out of time and then Ezio flew off with the flying machine.

Aiding in the Doge's Murder

Over time, Antonio and Leonardo had developed a mutual friendship and at one point Leonardo told Ezio the whereabouts of Antonio. Antonio was in the brothel called La Rosa Della Virtù (The Rose of Virtue) and Ezio was to seek out Teodora Contanto. Ezio arrived and took off his mask to reveal his identity to Antonio, he introduced Ezio to Sister Teodora and then discussed the plans to kill the new Doge, Marco Barbarigo. But before they discussed anything a man ran out after killing a courtesan and taking her money, Teodora sent Ezio to kill the man while Teodora and Antonio awaited Ezio's return. Once he had returned, while the girls mourned the loss of one of there own, Antonio discussed with Ezio and Teodora about killing the new doge and came to the conclusion that Ezio would try to win a golden mask which would grant him entry into the Doge's party. Ezio, Antonio and Teodora engaged in conversation along the walk to the area where the games to win the mask would be held and when they made it Ezio begun. Once Ezio was done, Teodora and Antonio knew of the bribe that was given to the judge by Silvio Barbarigo while Ezio was fighting Dante Moro. A courtesan came in telling them that Dante was heading for the party. Ezio insisted on killing Dante to get the mask but Antonio told him not to because Marco would cancel the party right away, he recommended stealing it instead. Ezio then left and Antonio waited for the news of the deed, once it was done, Ezio returned and Antonio admitted that he judged Ezio too readily.

Revealing his heritage

Ezio once again visited in hopes of finding Silvio and Dante, Antonio intro

Ezio meets with Antonio and Agostino.

duced Ezio to Marco's brother Agostino Barbarigo. Antonio told Ezio that Silvio and Dante had fled into Arsenale di Venezia. Ezio asked if the Agostino could make Silvio's men stand down but the council of still has to confirm his ascension. Ezio then wanted to build an army of his own in which Antonio told him to seek out Bartolomeo d'Alviano.

While Ezio was fighting Rodrigo Borgia for the Piece of Eden, the other assassins which included Antonio came to Ezio's aid. Together, the Assassins took down Rodrigo and his guards and though Rodrigo ran away, the Assassins had the Piece of Eden. Ezio did not know what all those people were doing there until Niccolò Machiavelli revealed to him that they were all Assassins. Ezio was given a map that lead to a tower and told to meet them that night for his initiation into the order. The ceremony was completed and Ezio was given a mark on his finger and it ended by all of the Assassins leaping off the tower.

Seeking Help

In 1491, Antonio was contacted by Luis Santangel, who was seeking protection for him and his friend Christoffa Corombo as they attempted to meet with Rodrigo Borgia in Venice. Antonio contacted Ezio and sought his aid in the matter. He then put them in contact with the Thieves' Guild in Barcelona before Ezio traveled there to battle the Templars.

The Assassins gaze at the Codex wall.

Creating a distraction

Antonio met with the Assassins at Monteriggioni in 1499 as they formulated a plan to prevent Rodrigo from accessing the Vault in Rome. Ezio used the power of the Apple to show the location of the vault on the map that was hidden underneath the codex pages. Once they found out it was in Rome, the other Assassins agreed to create distractions throughout Rome in order to give Ezio an opportunity to infiltrate the Capella Sistina.

Trivia

• The "courier disguise" in Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy is identical to Antonio's attire.

Notes and references

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