Carlo Grimaldi

Carlo Grimaldi (1445 - September 14, 1485) was a Templar and a government official. He was close to Doge Giovanni Mocenigo of Venice, though he plotted to kill him. He was also a member of the Venetian Great Council, or the Council of Ten.

Biography

Early Life

Carlo was a political animal since childhood, longing for power through government and authority. He was lucky to know the Doge of Venice and worked hard to improve his relationship with him. Upon his leaving of his palace in Monaco, Carlo discovered the secret of Ignazio Contarini's daughter; she wished to marry the son of a servant, completely against her fathers' wishes.

Carlo used this information to trick the couple into attempting an escape with a boat that night. Unfortunately for the girl and her alleged lover, Grimaldi was waiting for them with a few hired men and Ignazio. The son was killed, the daughter recaptured and Carlo was given high recommendations by Ignazio to the Doge. The Doge gave him a position in the Council of Ten.

True Colours

Grimaldi went to meet with Emilio Barbarigo in the Palazzo della Seta during the time period of 1485, bearing news of the Templars' worst enemy. Emilio was very surprised to hear of Ezio Auditore's arrival in Venice, to the exasperation of his fellow Templar. After informing Emilio of a meeting to be held in Campo San Stefano, Carlo Grimaldi left with his men, avoiding death quite accidentally. Emilio was assassinated after this conversation.

Carlo went on to meet Marco Barbarigo, Silvio Barbarigo, Silvio's simple servant Dante Moro and the grandmaster Templar Rodrigo Borgia. The group conversed as they travelled through the streets of Venice, discussing the need to murder the current Doge and the individual that would be chosen to take his place. Rodrigo reprimanded his men for thinking selfishly, as he would be the one to choose the next Doge.

After this secret gathering, Carlo left to attempt to persuade the Doge to join the Templar cause. The Doge was resistant to his pleas of danger and a pretended want for his safety.

Death

Carlo: "Never mind them. It's the Assassin you should be worried about."

Emilio: "Why? Is...is he in Venezia?"

Carlo: "He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?!"

—Carlo warning Emilio Barbarigo of the presence of Ezio Auditore, 1485.

Once sure of his failure to recruit the Doge, Grimaldi arranged a meeting with him in the Palazzo Ducale, feigning interest in a game of chess. Ezio swooped into the building on Leonardo da Vinci's Flying Machine, dashing into the room and declaring Carlo a traitor. Unfortunately it was too late; the Doge had drunk wine poisoned with cantarella, and he began to die almost immediately.

Carlo fled the scene, shouting to his men that the Assassin had killed the Doge. Ezio kept pace with him and eventually assassinated his target in the courtyard.

Personality and characteristics

Carlo was a manipulative man but also very strategic, once he had killed Doge Mocenigo, he fled and blamed it on the Assassin which showed signs of strategy since everyone believed it, but by doing this, he sacrificed himself to the Assassin's blade. He managed to slip the poison into the wine of the Doge so he obviously had gained acceptance from the Doge himself, his chef's and more. He had to manipulate people who had trusted him to gain his place in the Council of Ten and in the end, resulted in the loss of a life.

Final Words

Carlo's death

Ezio: It takes one Assassin to kill another, it seems.

Carlo: We kill thinking it's best for us, do we not, Messer Ezio?

Ezio: I do this not for myself. Compio questo sacrificio per il bene superiore. (I make this sacrifice for the greater good.) Requiescat in Pace (Rest in peace).

Trivia

• Carlo did in fact die on the 14th of September in 1485, because he was killed shortly after Doge Mocenigo died on that day, and that was the date when in real life Giovanni Mocenigo died.
• The fictional character Carlo comes from the real House of Grimaldi that still rules over Monaco today.
• Carlo's death was featured in the E3 demo, but greatly differed from the one in the released game. Carlo's assassination was during Carnevale, in place of Marco Barbarigo's. The death of the Doge of Venice was also excluded, and an extra scene with Carlo and a guard was added; the guard running to Carlo, screaming about Ezio's Flying Machine, with Carlo replying, "Coward! The Devil is not the one you need to fear. Tell him hello for me!" He then stabbed the guard in the chest, continuing "I know you're here, Assassin! Show yourself, or are you afraid?"
• According to the Animus database's filter, Carlo was not a Templar (despite plotting with them). However, when viewing the portraits of Ezio's victims in his room of the Villa Auditore, Carlo's portrait says that he was a Templar.
• At the time of his death, Carlo would have been around 40 years old (the same age as Ezio during the end of the game), yet he appears to be much older, with features such as gray hair/beard, whereas Ezio only grew facial hair at 40.
• Before assassinating Emilio Barbarigo, if you use Eagle Vision on Carlo, he will be shown in red although you have not yet learned that he is a Templar.
• When you proceed to assassinate Emilio Barbarigo, it is possible for you to assassinate him while he is still talking to Carlo. If this happens, after the death scene Carlo will still be present briefly before disappearing from view.

Video

300px|Carlo's Database Video