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 members of the Templar Order were able to seize control of the remnants of the Byzantine Empire. Now in command, the Templars set up their primary headquarters at Cappadocia. The Byzantines' ultimate aim was to uproot the Ottoman Empire and take control of Constantinople. For a some time, 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 Palaiologos, who possessed the last seal. Ezio killed Manuel and claimed the seal for himself. As he was about to leave, he noticed Ahmet on a ship with Byzantines and he revealed that he was the true mastermind behind the Masyaf expedition.

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.

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 until Ezio's arrival.

Trivia

• On the Animus interface radar, Byzantine soldiers appear as red dots.
• After game's completion, Byzantines are hardly ever found in Constantinople and only largely found in Cappadocia. However, those who remain in Constantinople are usually trying to demolish ziplines, often in four-men cells and usually in the Constantine district.
• Byzantines citizens and guards sometimes swear you in greek.In Cappadocia when a guard see you doing freerunning on rooftops they pray for you not to fall.

Gallery

• Leandros.
  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
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  Byzantine Gunman.
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  Byzantine Leader.