Templars

"May the Father of Understanding guide us."

―Templar motto.

The Templars, also known as the Order of the Knights Templar, were a monastic military order-turned-corporate giant formed during the prehistoric era. The Templars sought to create a perfect world, although the means by which they sought to do so - through force and control - were questionable. Because of this, they were the sworn enemies of the Assassin Order, who believed that mankind should always have the ability to choose; to have free will, even if it means a flawed humanity. With these conflicting ideologies, the two groups have fought over the course of thousands of years for the control and fate of humanity.

History

Prehistory

The organization that would later be known as the Templar Order was likely founded by Cain, whose 'mark' was used as the Templars' crest. They quickly became the archenemies of the Assassins, who, as opposed to the Templars, fought to allow the people to retain free will.

Roman era

Infiltrating the SPQR

During the Roman era, the would-be Templars went under the alias "Senatus Populusque Romanus", ruling the Roman Empire. However, their rule was continually thwarted by the Assassin Order. A notable example of this was the plot against Gaius Julius Caesar, who was appointed as a dictator for life. Forty Assassins, most notably Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, had infiltrated Caesar's inner circle as senators. They actually planned to assassinate Caesar, a plan which they successfully executed on 15 March 44 BC.

Additionally, on 24 January 41, the Assassin Leonius stabbed Caligula with a dagger.

Crucifixion of Jesus

During the 1^st century, they found out that one of the Pieces of Eden, the Shroud, was in the hands of Jesus Christ. Wanting the Piece for their own purposes, the would-be Templars crucified Jesus in order to gain it.

Retrieving of the Ankh

Gracchus stabbing Aquilus.

By 259, the would-be Templars still had positions within the Roman Empire. However, during the same year, the Assassin Aquilus, guided by his father Lucius, had begun taking down a number of Templars, until he got to his third target: the Roman general Gracchus. Being given entrance to Gracchus' military tent, he confronted Aquilus with the information he had gathered on the Assassin's activities. Trying to prevent Aquilus from killing him, Gracchus stabbed Aquilus in the chest; however, the wound was not fatal, and the Romans were quickly attacked by Alamans.

Around this time, the Roman senator Caius Fulvus Vultur - a secret Templar - travelled to Lugdunum to meet with his old contact Lucius; at the same time, Aquilus was travelling home to Lugdunum, carrying with him the Ankh, an ancient artificat capable of reviving the dead which Aquilus retrieved from his Alaman cousin Accipiter. Lucius and Aquilus, both unaware of Vultur's affiliations, had Vultur stay in their home temporarily. The same night, Aquilus interrogated the Templar priest Faustin, whom Lucius suspected on having informed Gracchus. Simultaneously, Vultur betrayed Lucius, killing him and taking possession of the Ankh. Faustin revealed Vultur's ties to Aquilus, who rushed back home, only to father dead and the Ankh gone.

Middle Ages

Formation as a Knightly Order

In 1118, they removed themselves from the underground and founded themselves as a Knightly Order, the "Knights Templar". They operated in Troyes, France, and were led by Hugh de Payns.

In the 1129 Council of Troyes, the Order was officially recognized by the church, and in 1139, Pope Innocent II granted them diplomatic immunity in all provinces and territories and exemption from taxes. This allowed the faction to grow in numbers, strength and wealth quickly, and as they became a larger force, their responsibilities increased accordingly: the Order's many members were prominent figures in the second crusade.

Third Crusade

By 1191, the Templars had come under the leadership of Robert de Sable. The Templars joined in the Third Crusade that was waging in the Holy Land, and De Sable started secretly recruiting men on both sides of the war. Among these were Garnier de Naplouse, William of Montferrat and Sibrand on the Crusader side, and Tamir, Talal, Abu'l Nuqoud, Majd Addin and Jubair al Hakim on the Saracen side. Additionally, De Sable even managed to secretly recruit Al Mualim, the leader of the Assassins into his cause. These ten men found an Apple of Eden together in Solomon's Temple, and made a few discoveries with it.

Robert de Sable leading the Templars to Masyaf.

When Robert de Sable and a few of his men went to retrieve it from the temple, though, their progress was delayed by a small group of Assassins consisting of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and the brothers Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf, who were sent by Al Mualim to retrieve the treasure. Despite Altaïr being routed, Kadar's death and Malik losing his arm, the artefact was brought into Assassin possession. This event prompted Robert to lead his men to an attack on the Assassins' fortress of Masyaf, but as soon as they arrived at the fortress gates, they were routed by a wave of falling tree logs.

Al Mualim sent Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad on a quest to take down the [other] Templars. One by one the Templars, spread throughout the cities of Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem, fell to Altaïr's blade, until he was assigned to take down Robert de Sable. De Sable had foreseen when his time would come, and assigned Maria Thorpe to impersonate him at Majd Addin's funeral, while Robert would ride for Arsuf; thrying to have the Crusaders and Saracens join forces against the Assassins. The Assassin fell for the trap, but quickly found out about Robert's true location. Robert and Altaïr engaged in a battle at Arsuf before Robert was successful in his plan, and Robert was defeated. Before dying, he revealed to Altaïr that the last Templar was his own master, and the Assassin rode off to his final target. After Altaïr killed Al Mualim, the Apple was ultimately lost to the Assassins.

Relocating to Cyprus

The Templars sailing to Cyprus.

Control of the Order fell to De Sable's successor, Armand Bouchart. Not too soon afterwards, Bouchart bought the island of Cyprus from King Richard I, which was formerly ruled by the secret Templar Isaac Comnenus. Planning to retrieve all the artefacts that were hidden in Templar Archive underneath Limassol, the Templars set sail from Acre to Cyprus in Fall of 1191.

The Templars quickly expanded their reach, starting with building strongholds in Limassol but rapidly taking control of Kyrenia as well. As the Templars used brute force to stay in control, the people formed a Resistance force that strived to route the Templars from Cyprus. Additionally, the Templars were followed by Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who had taken Maria Thorpe as a captive. Due to Altaïr's efforts, all of Bouchart's generals in Limassol and Kyrenia were assassinated, and the Templars began to lose grip of Cyprus.

Bouchart killed by Altaïr.

Despite the loss of many men, the Templars were successful in their objective, because while Altaïr was busy with removing Templar control in Kyrenia, the Templars had shipped out all of the artefacts in the Templar Archive underneath Limassol. After all the artefacts were shipped out, Bouchart found himself confronted by Altaïr in the Archive. The two faced off in a duel, but Bouchart too fell to Altaïr's blade.

Moving underground

By 1312, the Order had publicly disbanded. In reality, the Order continued to thrive, adopting a much more secretive position in world affairs.

In 1321, the Templars killed the Italian Assassin Dante Alighieri, making their existence known to the Assassins. Three years later, they also killed the Assassins Marco Polo and the father of Domenico Auditore.

Hundred Years' War

In 1337, the House of Plantagenet of England attacked the kingdom of France, ruled by the House of Valois. Around 1428, a French girl named Jeanne d'Arc, who had somehow obtained the Sword of Eden, joined the French front and lead the French to many victories. However, this caught the attention of the Templars, who had set their sights on the Piece of Eden she had in her possession. In 1430, Jeanne was captured and interrogated by the English, which caused her to lose the Sword to the Templars. In 1431, the Templars executed her by burning.

Renaissance

In the later half of the 15^th century, the Brotherhood had regained a stronger position of strength on the world stage, spreading deep into the Church and nobility of Italy. Under the command of Rodrigo Borgia, the Templars sought to unify northern Italy under their command, and regain the Apple of Eden which they knew to be buried in Cyprus.

Sforza assassination

Lampugnani kissing Sforza's hand.

Under Rodrigo, the Templars sought to remove the Sforza family from power in Milan, thus destabilizing the city's relations with Florence. Their plan was to assassinate the Duke, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, on the Feast of Santo Stefano. Rodrigo, having made plans in Florence, left the city with a couple of henchmen, but was followed by Giovanni Auditore da Firenze, an Assassin. Rodrigo, frightened, left his henchmen to fight Giovanni while he made his escape. Giovanni managed to kill the henchmen, and take one captive. Giovanni brought this man to the Medici, were he was tortured by Lorenzo de' Medici and Uberto Alberti, who was secretly a Templar.

Having gathered enough information on their plans from Rodrigo's henchman, Giovanni hurried to Milan to prevent the Duke's assassination. However, the Templars Giovanni Andrea Lampugnani, Carlo Visconti and Gerolamo Olgiati killed the Duke when the church bell rang for the twelfth time. Visconti and Olgiati managed to escape, while Lampugnani was killed by a Sforza guard.

Auditore execution

Having been successful in their plan for Milan, the Templars switched their attention to the city of Florence. However, Florence's de facto ruler, Lorenzo de' Medici, was an ally of the Assassin Giovanni Auditore, and his family was a strong enemy of the Pazzi family; the Templars' main stronghold in Florence. In order to avoid further interventions from the Assassins, Giovanni Auditore and his two sons Federico and Petruccio were imprisoned in the Palazzo della Signoria, and they would be trialled by their former ally Uberto Alberti, who was corrupted by the Borgia.

The Templars executing the Auditore.

However, the Pazzi guards were unable to capture Giovanni's remaining son; Ezio. Nonetheless, Giovanni, Federico and Petruccio were hanged in front of the Palazzo della Signoria. Ezio, who had attended the execution, realized that his family had been betrayed by Alberti, and after escaping, began making preparations for his revenge. Not too soon afterwards, Ezio, using his father's equipment, killed Alberti during an exhibition of Verrocchio's latest work.

However, the Borgia, believing their problems with the Assassins were solved, continued with their plans to take down the Medici.

Pazzi Conspiracy

Over the next two years, the Templars, majorly the Pazzi family, continued their schemes for control over Florence. In 1478, Rodrigo met with Jacopo, Francesco and Vieri de' Pazzi in San Gimignano, discussing everyone's tasks in the conspiracy. However, Vieri was killed right after the meeting ended by Ezio, who had attacked the town alongside his uncle Mario and his mercenaries.

Francesco attacking Giuliano, with Bernardo in the back.

Nonetheless, the Templars continued their plans, again arranging a meeting underneath the Santa Maria Novella not too long after the former meeting. Rodrigo, who had received Pope Sixtus IV's blessing on the conspiracy on the condition that nobody was killed, was again present, and made the final preperations. The following Sunday, the Pazzi attacked the Medici when they arrived at the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore for High Mass; the event that would be known as the Pazzi Conspiracy. Francesco succesfully killed Giuliano de' Medici, stabbing him in the chest nineteen times, but the Pazzi Conspirators were only able to wound Lorenzo de' Medici, who was joined by Ezio Auditore in fighting off the Medici. With Ezio's help, Lorenzo managed to escape, but the Pazzi did not cease to cause trouble in the city. On Lorenzo's request, Ezio hunted Francesco de' Pazzi down and killed him.

Jacopo trying to reason with Rodrigo.

With the Templars routed from Florence, Jacopo and the other conspirators fled to San Simignano in Tuscany, where they had once again arranged to meet with Rodrigo in 1480. However, all four remaining Pazzi Conspirators - Bernardo Baroncelli, Antonio Maffei, Stefano da Bagnone and Antonio Maffei - all fell to Ezio's blade over the course of two years. Jacopo went to the meeting alone, where his failure and words angered Rodrigo; in the process, Jacopo was stabbed in the chest, nearly killing him. Sensing Ezio's presence at the meeting, Rodrigo sent his guards after the Assassin; nonetheless, Ezio was once again able to fend the guards off and put Jacopo out of his misery. With their plans for Florence thwarted by the lone Assassin, the Templars turned their attention to Venice.

Taking over Venice

The Barbarigos meeting with Rodrigo Borgia.

By 1480 in Venice, Emilio Barbarigo was attempting to unite all the merchants in Venice's commercial district under his banner. Despite failed attempts from the city's Thieves Guild, Emilio was assassinated in 1486 by Ezio Auditore. A meeting between Carlo Grimaldi, Silvio Barbarigo, Marco Barbarigo, Dante Moro and Rodrigo Borgia took place soon afterwards, discussing their plans for Venice. They decided that they would kill the Doge, Giovanni Mocenigo, that same night, and Marco Barbarigo would take his place. In fact, the plan to take the Doge's seat was a plan to distract the Assassin from the Templars' real objective: retrieving the Apple of Eden from Cyprus.

Ezio Auditore, who had eavesdropped on the meeting, quickly devised a strategy to prevent the killing of Mocenigo and used Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine to infiltrate the Doge's residence, the Palazzo Ducale. However, Ezio was too late to prevent the Doge from being poisoned, but he managed to kill Carlo Grimaldi, who was responsible for the Doge's death.

Marco had taken the position of Doge, never to come out to prevent the Assassin from having an opportunity to kill him. However, during Carnevale, Marco was obliged to show himself to the people at his personal party. Ezio had managed to obtain entry to the party, and as soon as Marco showed himself, the Assassin struck.

The Templar boats setting sail from the Arsenal.

Due to the Assassin's efforts, the Venetian Templars had to rely on Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro. They had hired a group of mercenaries to strengthen their forces, and positioned themselves in the Arsenal of Venice, fighting with Venice's Mercenaries Guild led by Bartolomeo d'Alviano. Ezio Auditore joined forces with Bartolomeo, and together they managed to draw Silvio and Dante away from their troops. Without any protection, the two attempted to flee to their boat inside the Arsenal to sail to Cyprus, but they were killed by Ezio before they could set sail. Other boats had already managed to set sail, though, and were on their way to Cyprus.

Quest for the Apple

The Apple being given to the courier.

Despite the Templars facing "complications" on Cyprus, the Templar boat returned to Venice in 1488. A Templar courier was assigned to bring the Apple to a Templar guardpost, from where the Apple would be escorted to Rodrigo Borgia. However, Ezio killed the guard assigned to carry the Apple, and put on his uniform; impersonating him. After the escort had reached Rodrigo, its members were killed by Ezio and the latter faced off in a fight with Rodrigo. Ezio was later joined by other members of the Assassin Order, and Rodrigo made his escape, leaving the Apple behind.

With the Apple in the hands of the Assassins, the Templars approached the Orsi brothers – Ludovico and Checco – to obtain a map detailing the location of the Codex pages from the wife of the Templar Girolamo Riario – Caterina Sforza. Invading Forlì, the Orsi brothers demanded the map, and the Apple in exchange for the lives of Sforza's children. The brothers were rebuked, and assaulted the Rocca di Ravaldino. Together with the city guards, the Assassins Ezio Auditore and Niccolò Machiavelli held off the assault, although a second succeeded in claiming the Apple briefly when Ezio Auditore left to kill Ludovico. After Ezio had returned successfully, he chased after Checco and assassinated the latter, taking the Apple with him.

Control over the Papacy

Despite the loss of the Apple, Rodrigo was ultimately unfazed. In 1491, he became a candidate in the Papal conclave and fooled the Spanish Inquisitor General Tomás de Torquemada into following his orders. Much of these orders involved annihilating the Assassins Guild in Barcelona, Spain, with Rodrigo claiming they were heretics. Rodrigo also made attempts to thwart Christoffa Corombo's journey to the New World, and planning to make the Templars journey there. However, all of these plans were thwarted again by Ezio Auditore, who had sailed to Spain.

In 11 August 1492, Rodrigo had become Pope Alexander VI after having bribed most of the cardinals. Being the head of the Christian church, the Templars became the most powerful force in Europe and based their headquarters in Rome. As the Pope, Rodrigo had access to the Papal Staff, which was in reality the Staff of Eden.

In the late 1490s, Rodrigo learned that the Apple had come into the possession of the monk Girolamo Savonarola, who had just become the ruler of Florence. Aiming to get the Apple back in their possession, the Borgia sent continuous waves of soldiers to Florence. However, the bodies kept being sent back, and the Borgia were disappointed when Savonarola was executed without them having the Apple in their possession.

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Rodrigo confronted by Ezio in the Vatican.

In 1499, the leading Assassins in Italy travelled to Rome to distract the Borgia guards, while Ezio travelled along the Passetto di Borgo to St. Peter's Cathedral. Once inside, the Assassin lunged at Rodrigo Borgia while he was proclaiming the Nicene Creed in Latin to the congregation. Rodrigo shoved the Assassin away, and a fight ensued with Rodrigo using the Staff and Ezio using the Apple. The power of the Staff was able to overpower Ezio, and after Rodrigo stabbed Ezio in the abdomen, he entered the Vault underneath the Sistine Chapel. Rodrigo wasn't able to enter the Vault, though, as only the "Prophet" could do it. Rodrigo was soon faced by Ezio again, and Rodrigo was beaten in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike Ezio's other targets, Rodrigo was not killed as Ezio could not find a reason to do so. As Ezio entered the Vault, Rodrigo fled back to safety.

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Cesare Borgia in Monteriggioni.

Five days afterwards, Rodrigo's son Cesare, who had slowly begun to take control over the Templar Order, laid siege to the Assassins' and Auditore's headquarters of Monteriggioni. In the process, the Templars captured Caterina Sforza, executed Mario Auditore, shot Ezio Auditore and obtained the Apple of Eden. After Monteriggioni lay in ruins, the Borgia returned to Rome victorious.

As control over the Templars slowly shifted to Cesare, he strived to take over all of Italy, and later Europe. As the Templars were ruling the church, individuals such as King Louis XII of France, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and King Manuel I of Portugal all answered to the Borgia. Meanwhile, Cesare planned to strengthen his army with war machines created by Leonardo da Vinci, who had been forced into serving the Borgia. With his army, Cesare quickly conquered various states in he Italy.

However, Ezio Auditore had moved to Italy and started rebuilding the Assassin Brotherhood there. In Cesare's absence, Ezio destroyed the war machines and the Assassins killed most of Cesare's high-ranking generals, including his personal banker Juan Borgia and the French general Octavian de Valois. Control over Rome became lost to the Templars, and their plans couldn't be executed. Returning home from war, Cesare found all his support gone and his funds cut off.

Routing from Italy

Cesare Borgia killing Pope Alexander VI.

On 18 August 1503, Rodrigo, who had began to see Cesare as a threat, met with his son in the papal apartments of the Castel Sant'Angelo. There, he placed a bucket with poisoned apples on the table, and as planned Cesare took a bite from one of them. However, Cesare's sister Lucrezia had found out about Rodrigo's intentions and entered the room to warn her brother. Furious, Cesare shoved the remaining apple down Rodrigo's throat, asking him where the Apple was simultaneously. However, Rodrigo died and Cesare obtained the Apple's location after threatening his sister. Ezio Auditore entered the room after Cesare left, and also got the Apple's location from Lucrezia. Both Cesare and Ezio raced to the Apple, though the latter got to it faster. With the Apple, Ezio exterminated most of Cesare's remaining followers and Cesare himself was arrested on orders of Pope Julius II.

Cesare, who had become the sole ruler of the Templars, was able to escape his imprisonment in the Castel Sant'Angelo. He tried to escape by boat, but was captured by Ezio once again. The Pope had Cesare transferred to Castillo de la Mota, Aragon in Spain in 1504; a location that only the Pope was aware of.

In 1506, Cesare was freed from La Mota by Micheletto Corella, and together they rode to Valencia. There, Cesare started to raise an army, operating from the Lone Wolf Inn. Ezio, who had used the Apple to track Cesare, destroyed Cesare's encampment and twelve ships together with Niccolò Machiavelli. Cesare blamed Micheletto for the attack, and the latter attempted to strangle Cesare. Cesare gained the upper hand during the struggle, though, and shot Micheletto. Without any men, Cesare made his escape to the Kingdom of Navarre, ruled by his brother-in-law John III.

Ezio about to throw Cesare off the castle walls.

In March 1507, John III appointed Cesare to lead his forces during the Siege of Viana. During the battle, Cesare was once again faced by Ezio, who used the Apple to locate Cesare. Cesare made his escape towards the castle, but was ultimately confronted by Ezio atop the walls of Viana Castle. After being defeated, Cesare got thrown off the castle walls by Ezio. With Cesare's death, the Templars were no longer led by the Borgia and their quest to conquer Italy and the rest of Europe was at an end.

Infiltrating the Byzantine Empire

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Templars at Masyaf in 1511.

Having been routed from Italy, the Templars moved their headquarters to the underground city of Cappadocia and took control of the remnants of the Byzantine Empire; the successor of the Roman Empire. With this growing army, the Templars planned to take control of Constantinople. Secondly, the Templars had seized Masyaf and aimed to gather the five seals that were needed to unlock the fortress' library. In the process, the Templars managed to gain control of several parts of Constantinople and came into the possession of one seal; however, their process was once again delayed by Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who had come to Constantinople with the same motives as the Templars.

Modern times

War of Currents

The three leaders of American industry, in Florida.

By the 19th century, the Templars had established a major foothold in the American industry, with important figures such as Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone being Templars themselves.

During the late 1880s, Edison, who had created a direct current (DC) for electric power distribution, became an adversary of Nikola Tesla, his former employee who had created an alternating current (AC). Jealous of Tesla's more efficient invention, the Templars began to spread propaganda slandering Tesla, like electrocuting an elephant with AC electricity on public television. Additionally, Edison contacted his associate J.P. Morgan, who was financing Tesla, informing him of Tesla's intentions to make electricity free to all people and telling him to cut off financing Tesla. Eventually, the Templars' efforts worked in their favor and DC elecriticy was distributed across the globe.

During the early 20th century, Ranny Olds and Henry Ford devloped and popularized the assembly line, a manufacturing process, to control both capitalists and workers.

Russian Revolution

During the late 19th century, the Templars had gained control over the Russian Empire, as Alexander II was a member of the Order. However, the Assassins also were influential here as they had formed an organization known as the Narodnaya Volya (People's Will), striving to overthrow the Tsarist rule. After three assassination attempts, the Assassins were successful and Alexander II died after being wounded by a bombing, and power shifted to his son Alexander III.

Tsar Alexander III throwing the Staff to Nikolai Orelov.

However, Alexander III himself became a member of the Templar Order and the Imperial staff was found to be the Staff of Eden. With a Piece of Eden at their command, the Templars resumed their rule over the Russian Empire. In 1888, the Assassin Nikolai Orelov was sent to assassinate Alexander III while travelling from the Crimea to Petrograd. Orelov infiltrated the train, and engaged in a fight with Alexander, causing the train to derail; this event would be known as the Borki train disaster. Orelov was no match for the Tsar's physical abilities, however, and Alexander decided to give the Assassin an advantage by throwing the Staff of Eden to him. Still the Assassin was no match for the Tsar, and it was only when the Tsar's family arrived that he yielded.

Alexander III died in 1894 of kidney failure (which was caused by the stab wound in his kidney of Orelov's hidden blade) His son Nicholas II gained control over the Empire, and the Templar Grigori Rasputin infiltrated Nicholas' close circle by "miraculously" healing his son. After being close enough, Rasputin replaced the Staff of Eden with a replica, taking the real artefact to a Templar research station in Tunguska.

The Tunguska explosion.

In 1908, Orelov obtained the station's location and, together with a group of other Assassins, was sent to destroy the artefact. While the Assassins killed the Templars inside and secured the station, their ally Nikola Tesla sent a bolt of electricity from the USA, causing the station to explode and the Staff to be scattered into pieces; known commonly as the Tunguska explosion. Rasputin somehow managed to obtain one of those pieces and used it to hypnotize and control the Imperial family. Rasputin himself was later killed by the Assassins, and the Templars lost control over Russia.

The Russian Imperial family was overthrown during the Russian Revolution, and power shifted to Vladimir Lenin, an ally of the Assassins and leader of the newly formed Soviet Union. Unbeknownst to them, Lenin's subordinate Joseph Stalin was secretly a Templar and took over control of the Soviet Union after Lenin's death.

Founding Abstergo Industries

Abstergo Industries logo.

In 1937, the Templars founded Abstergo Industries, a secret company aiming to control capitalists and workers and neutralize communism. The Templars, who had previously created the capitalistic economic system, hoped to control the people through owning capitalistic companies, as opposed to having people own the companies. The company would go on to control a lot of corporations and organisations, including the Ford Motor Company, NASA, the CIA and BP.

World War II

In the late 1930s, Adolf Hitler, a secret Templar, began to take over political control over Germany. After having assumed full control, Hitler used an Apple of Eden to form Nazi Germany and hypnotize the population to join his cause. With this newfound support, Hitler began to declare "war" on Germany's neighbouring countries, quickly conquering them. A worldwide war - World War II - soon erupted, but the entire war was a Templar plot to keep the people in control.

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The Big Three at the Yalta Conference.

While the entire war was overseen by the Templars, the world was split between two forces. On one side of the war stood the Axis, primarily led by Hitler and Benito Mussolini. On the other side stood the Allied forces, led by the Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin; the Big Three.

On 30 April 1945, Hitler shot his own double inside his Führerbunker to make the people believe he had died, while the real Hitler planned to take the Apple of Eden and meet with Churchill. However, an Assassin had been biding his time outside the Führerbunker, and assassinated Hitler before the latter could make the meeting.

Overthrowing governments

During the 1950s and 1970s, Abstergo Industries heavily involved themselves with opening up the markets to capitalism.

In 1953, the Templars orchestrated the overthrowing of Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, to make the constitutional monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi into an autoritarian one. The Shah, SAVAK and Sha'baan Ja'fari terrorized citizens and protected capitalist oil interests, which Mossadegh wanted to go to the people.

Abstergo planned the 1954 coup d'etat against Guetemalan president Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán.

JFK assassination and Apollo 11

In the 1960s, the Templars sought to obtain an Apple of Eden that was located on the Moon. However, President John F. Kennedy, who also had an Apple of Eden in his possession, did not share the Templars' motives and thus the Templars planned to get rid of Kennedy.

JFK in his car, moments before the assassination.

On 22 November 1963, Kennedy was planned to drive around Dallas, Texas, and the Templars appointed William Greer as his driver, while Lee Harvey Oswald would be the primary assassin and Abraham Zapruder the secondary assassin. Oswald shot Kennedy with several bullets, while Greer grabbed the Piece of Eden in the confusion. Moments afterwards, the Templars made a "phantom" appear on the hill in the background to cause more chaos. After Kennedy's death, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, who was also a secret Templar, became President of the United States.

On 20 July 1969, the Templar organization NASA had sent the Apollo 11 to the Moon to obtain the Apple of Eden, which turned out to be a successful mission.

Dissolving communism

During the late 20th century, Abstergo made plans to stand up to communism in several countries, being successful in overthrowing several communistic governments.

They planned the 1973 coup d'etat against Chilean president Salvador Allende, who had gained much popularity with the people and wanted the people to own Chile's corporations. Abstergo removed Allende and replaced him with general Augusto Pinochet, who installed a military Junta. The Templars promised the Chilean capitalists to ensure the Junta remained in power, they would transfer all corporate debt to Argentinia.

During the 1990s, Margaret Thatcher, a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and a secret Templar, contacted Boris Yeltsin, informing him that Mikhail Gorbachev, the head of the Soviet Union, did not bear the company's interest at heart. Yeltsin, also a secret Templar, stood up against communism, causing Gorbachev to lose popularity. In December 1991, Yeltsin unseated Gorbachev and became President of the Russian Federation. His protégé and fellow Templar, Vladimir Putin, followed in his footsteps.

Animus Project

Vidic experimenting on Subject 4.

In the late 20th century, Abstergo began abducting people of Assassin descent to use them as subjects for their Animus Project. In 1985, they captured a young American boy of Assassin descent who was named Subject 4; codename Daniel Cross. Doctor Warren Vidic used a "working prototype" capable of mimicking a Piece of Eden to plant an impulse into Cross' brain that would make him subconciously infiltrate the Assassin Order and, when given the opportunity, kill the Order's Mentor. After the operation was successful, Cross was sent into the outside world.

In 2000, the Templars and Assassins both struggled for control over the United States due to the Presidentorial election. The candidate George W. Bush was used as a puppet by the Templars, while Al Gore was backed by the Assassins. However, before the eventual election took place, Daniel Cross had successfully infiltrated the Assassin Order and killed the Mentor, and Cross returned to Abstergo's Phildelphia facility. The Templars had obtained the locations of all the Assassin camps due to Cross' visits being in his memories, forcing the Assassins to operate in small teams, and the Templars had gained the upper hand in the election.

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Desmond held captive by Abstergo Industries.

By September of 2012, sixteen test subjects had been "retired" before the company succeeded with the seventeenth – Desmond Miles, a descendant of both Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

Upon being captured by Abstergo, and for seven days, Desmond Miles was forced to relive the genetic memories of his ancestor Altaïr in order to reach one specific memory the Templars were seeking. The memory that was valuable to Abstergo registered the moment his ancestor found a holographic map containing the locations of all Pieces of Eden scattered across the world. With the information they had long sought in hand, the Templars set about gathering the remaining Pieces to ensure "absolute peace", although they soon found themselves in a race against the Assassin Order to obtain the Pieces first. They planned to send a satellite with a Piece mounted on it into orbit, with the launch scheduled on December 21, 2012.

Ideals and goals

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A Templar during the Third Crusade.

The existence of the Templars became known to the public in 1129, when its military order was founded to counter the greatly increasing threat against the Holy Land by the Saracens, and to protect the city of Jerusalem. Over time, the Templars began to believe it within their power to unite the world in peace.

Their system of belief changed greatly upon the discovery of the Pieces of Eden; they began to speculate that God was a myth and this led the Order to become atheistic, although they publicly maintained the pretense of following the Christian ways so as to not lose the support of the Church.

Realizing the power that the Pieces of Eden held over man, the Templars began to seek out the artifacts. In 1191, Robert de Sable, then the Grand Master of the Order, personally sought the fabled Apple of Eden, buried in the catacombs beneath Solomon's Temple. The theft of the piece of Eden by the Order of Assassins brought the two great powers into a sustained conflict with one another, ending with the death of Armand Bouchart in Limassol. Despite this setback, the Order maintained its belief in creating a world of peace through manipulation of the Pieces of Eden.

By their reasoning, with no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no reason to oblige notions of morality or ethics: the end always justified the means, no matter how heinous those means were. They thought that only this life was important, rather than preparing for a thought-to-be nonexistent next life. With so many lower class people kept in line by the promise of an afterlife, and so many upper class men blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world; one of lasting peace, no matter what the cost. However, not all Templars are comfortable with this idea and many are simply unaware of the atrocities committed in the name of the greater good. Some, such as Maria Thorpe, choose to leave the Templar Order after realizing what the Templars do. Others are silenced before they are able to escape.

As time progressed, the Templars interest in the Pieces of Eden became more about seeking the power and domination that the artifacts offered. Their goals changed as they sought to control and unify the entire world using the Pieces of Eden to create a "New World Order".