Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order: Difference between revisions

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The Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order^[1] were a group of like-minded individuals who swore fealty to the Templar ideals. They predominated the Byzantine Empire before it was ceded to Ottoman control, and subsequently strived to dismantle the Ottoman Empire and revive the Byzantine Empire's predominance.

History

Formation

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 the underground city of Derinkuyu in Cappadocia, where the Byzantines' ultimate aim was to uproot the Ottoman Empire and retake control of Constantinople. For a time, however, they remained relatively quiet.^[2]

Search for the Masyaf Keys

Following the earthquake in Constantinople in 1509, Templars reappeared in the city under the Byzantine banner. Due to Sultan Bayezid II's disappearance from the city following the earthquake, the Byzantine Templars could easily integrate into the city and start their plans for taking over the Ottoman Empire, while operating from their headquarters in Derinkuyu.^[2] Initially led by Manuel Palaiologos, the Byzantine Templars quickly caught the eye of Prince Ahmet, Bayezid's son and supposed successor. Ahmet joined the Templar Order, and his youth and charisma allowed him to slip into the position of leader while Manuel was forced to become a second-in-command.^[1]

The Templars somehow recovered "The Secret Crusade", the journal of the Italian explorer and secret Assassin Niccolò Polo, from which they found out about the existence of the library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in Masyaf and the keys needed to open it. Ahmet placed Manuel Palaiologos in charge of the Masyaf expedition to find the Masyaf Keys throughout Constantinople, while Ahmet himself continued his plans to secure the Templars' power in the Empire.^[2]

By 1511, the Templars had managed to obtain one of the Masyaf Keys from underneath Topkapı Palace, and had taken full occupation of Masyaf. Without the other Keys in their possession, the Templars had resorted to digging their way into the library, with no success. In the winter of 1511, Ezio Auditore da Firenze arrived in Masyaf, also wanting to access the library. He was ambushed by Byzantine Templars led by Leandros, and was overpowered and captured. The Templars subsequently led him to Masyaf's watchtower, where he was to be hanged. At the very last moment, he fought back against Leandros, who was tying the noose around Ezio's neck. Ezio threw the noose around Leandros' neck instead, and Ezio jumped down to a scaffolding below. With no sign left of Ezio in the thick snowstorm that was brewing, Leandros instead decided to focus on other matters and was about to leave on a horse cart. Ezio gave chase, and jumped to a rope hanging on Leandros' cart, eventually procuring his own cart to keep up with his pursuit.^[2]

Leandros crashed Ezio's cart near Atlas Village in the mountains, and made his way into the village while sending the other Templars to deal with Ezio. However, the wounded Ezio made his way through the guards and into the village's center with some difficulty, coming to the area where Leandros had taken refuge. Leandros, sending more of his men at Ezio, was ultimately confronted and killed by Ezio on top of the village's watchtower, where Ezio took "The Secret Crusade" from him.^[2]

Struggle in Constantinople

In Constantinople, the Templars were still ever present, engaging in heavy combat with the Turkish Assassins, occupying numerous Assassin Dens throughout the city and searching for the secret locations in the city leading to the Masyaf Keys. The Templars discovered that two of the Masyaf Keys were located in the Yerebatan Cistern and the Forum of the Ox, but Ezio Auditore recovered the artifacts before the Templars could.^[2]

Ahmet personally devised a plan to have his nephew Prince Suleiman kidnapped at a feast in the Topkapı Palace, allowing Ahmet to "rescue" him and gain the Ottoman citizens' favor over his brother Selim for the Ottoman throne. However, Yusuf Tazim and the Turkish Assassins learned of the Templars' plan and plotted to stop their plan. With the help of Ezio Auditore, the Turkish Assassins—dressed as Italian minstrels—found and killed all of the Templars hidden amongst the party goers. Ahmet, whose Templar affiliation remained a secret, instead accused Tarik Barleti, the captain of the Janissaries, of being unable to stop the 'attack' of the Italian minstrels.^[2]

Some time later, Manuel journeyed to Constantinople to buy guns from the Tarik and the Janissaries for his forces in Cappadocia. Accompanied by the Turkmen renegade and Templar Shahkulu, Manuel inspected the weapons in the city's arsenal and successfully closed the deal before returning to Cappadocia. Tarik was assassinated by Ezio Auditore some time later on Suleiman's orders, after the two came to the wrong conclusion that he was in league with the Templars when in reality, he had been spying on the Templars in Cappadocia in order to thwart them. His death was quickly believed to have been orchestrated by Ahmet, damaging his public image.^[2]

Collapse of Cappadocia

Manuel and Shahkulu returned to Derinkuyu in Cappadocia, where they continued building up the Byzantine army's strength and the capture and execution of numerous Ottomans.^[2]

Due to Ezio Auditore, who had trailed Manuel to Cappadocia, an Ottoman spy named Dilara was captured from Templar imprisonment. Consequently, Shahkulu gained the attention of Dilara and Ezio. Ezio jumped down and stabbed Shahkulu from on high, though Shahkulu resisted against Ezio and a fight ensued. Ultimately, Ezio killed Shahkulu and simultaneously stopped the torture and execution of the Ottoman spies in the city.^[2]

The Templars panicked when Ezio Auditore blew up the ammunition and armaments hidden inside the city, and Manuel Palaiologos tried to calm the city's citizens. Upon spotting Ezio, Manuel fled and sent the Templars to kill Ezio. The Templar soldiers proved no match for Ezio, and the Assassin confronted Manuel after the latter ran to a dead end on a jetty. Manuel was easily slain, and gave up his Masyaf Key to Ezio, cynical that he would survive long enough to enter the library. At that very moment, Ahmet arrived on the scene by boat, revealing his Templar affiliations and threatening to capture Ezio's love interest Sofia Sartor when Ezio did not give up the Masyaf Keys.^[2]

Fall of the Byzantines

Ahmet returned to Constantinople not too long afterwards, and sent a battalion of Templars to capture Sofia from her book shop. The book shop was guarded by Yusuf Tazim and other Assassins, though the Templars emerged victorious, killing Yusuf in the process. Upon discovering Yusuf's lifeless body, Ezio rallied the Assassins against Ahmet and the Templars, who had located themselves in the arsenal. When Ezio reached Ahmet, the latter explained that his death would prevent Ezio from knowing where Sofia was, and subsequently lectured Ezio that they both wanted peace and tried to convince him of the people's reluctance to acknowledge the truth. Unsuccessful in convincing the Assassin, Ahmet instead told Ezio to meet him at the Galata Tower with the Masyaf Keys.^[2]

Ahmet and a group of Templars waited for Ezio on the wall of Galata Tower, and demanded the Keys from Ezio upon his arrival, in exchange for Sofia, who was held by a Byzantine atop Galata Tower. However, Ahmet instead had Azize^[3] dressed in Sofia's clothing with a bag hidden over her head held by the Byzantine soldier, while the real Sofia was being hanged on a nearby plaza. Ahmet made his leave out of the city with the Masyaf Keys, and started his journey to Masyaf to open the library.^[2]

Ahmet and his Templar entourage were tailed by Ezio and Sofia, who was rescued by Ezio, and a chase on horse cart ensued. The other Templar horse carts were taken out by Ezio, only to be knocked off his own cart by Ahmet. Ahmet continued making his way forward, with Sofia driving their horse cart and Ezio hanging on to the cart with a parachute deployed. After a long chase through the mountains, Ahmet obliterated Sofia's cart. Ezio landed on a nearby hill and from there jumped onto Ahmet's cart, causing the two to fall off a cliffside.

Though initially fighting during their freefall, Ezio deployed another parachute to result his safe landing, while Ahmet held on to Ezio. They both safely landed, but showed signs of heavy fatigue. At that moment, Selim arrived with his army from battle with his father, and walked up to Ahmet. Revealing that he had been assigned as the next Sultan, Selim started choking Ahmet and threw him off a cliff to ensure that there would be no conflicts for succession. With Ahmet's death, the Byzantine Templars were ultimately dissolved.^[2]

Members

Allies

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide
↑ ^2.00 ^2.01 ^2.02 ^2.03 ^2.04 ^2.05 ^2.06 ^2.07 ^2.08 ^2.09 ^2.10 ^2.11 ^2.12 ^2.13 ^2.14 ^2.15 ^2.16 ^2.17 ^2.18 ^2.19 ^2.20 ^2.21 ^2.22 ^2.23 ^2.24 ^2.25 ^2.26 ^2.27 ^2.28 ^2.29 ^2.30 ^2.31 ^2.32 ^2.33 ^2.34 ^2.35 ^2.36 ^2.37 Assassin's Creed: Revelations
↑ Assassin's Creed: Revelations novel
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Assassin's Creed: Recollection

[Encyclopedia-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide

[ACRV-2] 2.00 ^2.01 ^2.02 ^2.03 ^2.04 ^2.05 ^2.06 ^2.07 ^2.08 ^2.09 ^2.10 ^2.11 ^2.12 ^2.13 ^2.14 ^2.15 ^2.16 ^2.17 ^2.18 ^2.19 ^2.20 ^2.21 ^2.22 ^2.23 ^2.24 ^2.25 ^2.26 ^2.27 ^2.28 ^2.29 ^2.30 ^2.31 ^2.32 ^2.33 ^2.34 ^2.35 ^2.36 ^2.37 Assassin's Creed: Revelations

[ACRV_novel-3] Assassin's Creed: Revelations novel

[RE-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Assassin's Creed: Recollection

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 ==History==
 ===Formation===
-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 [[Derinkuyu]] in Cappadocia, where the Byzantines' ultimate aim was to uproot the Ottoman Empire and retake control of Constantinople. For a time, however, they remained relatively quiet.<ref name="ACRV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
+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 the underground city of [[Derinkuyu]] in Cappadocia, where the Byzantines' ultimate aim was to uproot the Ottoman Empire and retake control of Constantinople. For a time, however, they remained relatively quiet.<ref name="ACRV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
 ===Search for the Masyaf Keys===
-Following the {{Wiki|1509 Istanbul earthquake|earthquake}} in [[Constantinople]] in 1509, Templars reappeared in the city under the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] banner. Due to Sultan [[Bayezid II]]'s disappearance from the city following the earthquake, the Byzantine Templars could easily integrate into the city and start their plans for taking over the [[Ottoman Empire]], while operating from their headquarters in the underground city of [[Derinkuyu]] in the region of {{Wiki|Cappadocia}}.<ref name="ACRV"/> Initially led by [[Manuel Palaiologos]], the Byzantine Templars quickly caught the eye of Prince [[Ahmet]], Bayezid's son and supposed successor. Ahmet joined the Templar Order, and his youth and charisma allowed him to slip into the position of leader while Manuel was forced to become a second-in-command.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>
+Following the {{Wiki|1509 Istanbul earthquake|earthquake}} in [[Constantinople]] in 1509, Templars reappeared in the city under the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] banner. Due to Sultan [[Bayezid II]]'s disappearance from the city following the earthquake, the Byzantine Templars could easily integrate into the city and start their plans for taking over the [[Ottoman Empire]], while operating from their headquarters in Derinkuyu.<ref name="ACRV"/> Initially led by [[Manuel Palaiologos]], the Byzantine Templars quickly caught the eye of Prince [[Ahmet]], Bayezid's son and supposed successor. Ahmet joined the Templar Order, and his youth and charisma allowed him to slip into the position of leader while Manuel was forced to become a second-in-command.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>
 The Templars somehow recovered "[[The Secret Crusade]]", the journal of the Italian explorer and secret Assassin [[Niccolò Polo]], from which they found out about the existence of the [[library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] in Masyaf and the [[Masyaf Keys|keys]] needed to open it. Ahmet placed Manuel Palaiologos in charge of the Masyaf expedition to find the Masyaf Keys throughout Constantinople, while Ahmet himself continued his plans to secure the Templars' power in the Empire.<ref name="ACRV"/>
 [[File:The Wounded Eagle 3.png|thumb|250px|Leandros giving instructions to the Templars]]
-By 1511, the Templars had managed to obtain one of the Masyaf Keys from underneath [[Topkapı Palace]], and had taken full occupation of Masyaf. Without the other Keys in their possession, the Templars had resorted to digging their way into the library, with no success. In the winter of 1511, Ezio Auditore da Firenze arrived in Masyaf, also wanting to access the library. He was ambushed by Byzantine Templars led by [[Leandros]], and was overpowered and captured. The Templars subsequently led him to Masyaf's watchtower, where he was to be hanged. At the very last moment, he fought back against Leandros, who was tying the noose around Ezio's neck. Ezio threw the noose around Leandros' neck instead, and Ezio jumped down to a scaffolding below. With no sign left of Ezio in the thick snowstorm that was brewing, Leandros instead decided to focus on other matters and was about to leave on a horse cart. Ezio gave chase, and jumped to a rope hanging on Leandros' cart, eventually procuring his own cart and chasing Leandros.<ref name="ACRV"/>
+By 1511, the Templars had managed to obtain one of the Masyaf Keys from underneath [[Topkapı Palace]], and had taken full occupation of Masyaf. Without the other Keys in their possession, the Templars had resorted to digging their way into the library, with no success. In the winter of 1511, Ezio Auditore da Firenze arrived in Masyaf, also wanting to access the library. He was ambushed by Byzantine Templars led by [[Leandros]], and was overpowered and captured. The Templars subsequently led him to Masyaf's watchtower, where he was to be hanged. At the very last moment, he fought back against Leandros, who was tying the noose around Ezio's neck. Ezio threw the noose around Leandros' neck instead, and Ezio jumped down to a scaffolding below. With no sign left of Ezio in the thick snowstorm that was brewing, Leandros instead decided to focus on other matters and was about to leave on a horse cart. Ezio gave chase, and jumped to a rope hanging on Leandros' cart, eventually procuring his own cart to keep up with his pursuit.<ref name="ACRV"/>
 Leandros crashed Ezio's cart near [[Atlas Village]] in the mountains, and made his way into the village while sending the other Templars to deal with Ezio. However, the wounded Ezio made his way through the guards and into the village's center with some difficulty, coming to the area where Leandros had taken refuge. Leandros, sending more of his men at Ezio, was ultimately confronted and killed by Ezio on top of the village's watchtower, where Ezio took "The Secret Crusade" from him.<ref name="ACRV"/>
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 In Constantinople, the Templars were still ever present, engaging in heavy combat with the [[Turkish Assassins]], occupying numerous [[Assassin Dens]] throughout the city and searching for the secret locations in the city leading to the Masyaf Keys. The Templars discovered that two of the Masyaf Keys were located in the [[Yerebatan Cistern]] and the [[Forum of the Ox]], but Ezio Auditore recovered the artifacts before the Templars could.<ref name="ACRV"/>
-Ahmet personally devised a plan to have his nephew [[Suleiman I|Prince Suleiman]] kidnapped at a feast in the Topkapı Palace, allowing Ahmet to "rescue" him and gain the Ottoman citizens' favor over his brother [[Selim I|Selim]] for the Ottoman throne. However, [[Yusuf Tazim]] and the Turkish Assassins found out about the Templars' plan and plotted to stop their plan. With the help of Ezio Auditore, the Turkish Assassins - dressed as Italian minstrels - found and killed all of the Templars hidden amongst the party goers. Ahmet, of whom no one was aware of his Templars affiliations, instead accused [[Tarik Barleti]], the captain of the [[Janissaries]], from being unable to stop the 'attack' of the Italian minstrels.<ref name="ACRV"/>
+Ahmet personally devised a plan to have his nephew [[Suleiman I|Prince Suleiman]] kidnapped at a feast in the Topkapı Palace, allowing Ahmet to "rescue" him and gain the Ottoman citizens' favor over his brother [[Selim I|Selim]] for the Ottoman throne. However, [[Yusuf Tazim]] and the Turkish Assassins learned of the Templars' plan and plotted to stop their plan. With the help of Ezio Auditore, the Turkish Assassins—dressed as Italian minstrels—found and killed all of the Templars hidden amongst the party goers. Ahmet, whose Templar affiliation remained a secret, instead accused [[Tarik Barleti]], the captain of the [[Janissaries]], of being unable to stop the 'attack' of the Italian minstrels.<ref name="ACRV"/>
 [[File:TAG 1.png|thumb|left|250px|Manuel and Shahkulu making the deal with Tarik]]
-Some time later, Manuel journeyed to Constantinople to buy guns from the Tarik and the Janissaries to arm the Templars in Cappadocia with them. Accompanied by the Turkmen renegade and Templar [[Shahkulu]], Manuel inspected the weapons in the city's [[Harbor of Theodosius|arsenal]] and successfully closed the deal before returning to Cappadocia. Tarik was assassinated by Ezio Auditore some time later on Suleiman's orders, after the two came to the wrong conclusion that Tarik was in league with the Templars; Tarik had instead been spying on the Templars in Cappadocia in order to thwart them. Tarik's death was quickly believed to be conducted by Ahmet, damaging his public image.<ref name="ACRV"/>
+Some time later, Manuel journeyed to Constantinople to buy guns from the Tarik and the Janissaries for his forces in Cappadocia. Accompanied by the Turkmen renegade and Templar [[Shahkulu]], Manuel inspected the weapons in the city's [[Harbor of Theodosius|arsenal]] and successfully closed the deal before returning to Cappadocia. Tarik was assassinated by Ezio Auditore some time later on Suleiman's orders, after the two came to the wrong conclusion that he was in league with the Templars when in reality, he had been spying on the Templars in Cappadocia in order to thwart them. His death was quickly believed to have been orchestrated by Ahmet, damaging his public image.<ref name="ACRV"/>
 ====Collapse of Cappadocia====