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{{Era|Templars|Assassins}}
{{Era|Templars|Assassins}}
{{WP-REAL}}
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{{Assassify}}
[[File:Zw-codex-15.png|thumb|The image of Codex Page 15 showing the map of Cyprus and the drawing in the corner.]]
[[File:Zw-codex-15.png|thumb|The image of Codex Page 15 showing the map of Cyprus and the drawing in the corner.]]
'''Cyprus''' is a small [[wikipedia:Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] island, and features in ''Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines''. It places two major cities: [[Limassol]] and [[Kyrenia]]. It was ruled by [[Isaac Comnenus]], until [[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]] conquered it and sold it to the [[Templars|Templar Order]]. Some time later, the island was sold by the Templar Order to Guy de Lusignan, the King of [[Jerusalem]], thereby creating the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Cyprus|Kingdom of Jerusalem on Cyprus]] (Cyprus was also where the Templar archive was located in ''Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines'' until it was destroyed, with most of the archive moved to an unknown location).
'''Cyprus''' is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Originally a Templar stronghold, the island became a battleground between the [[Assassins]] and the [[Templars]] in the late 12th century. The [[Templar Archive]] was located on the island in the city of [[Limassol]] until its relocation in 1191. Cyprus was also the location of the [[Sixth Apple|Sixth Apple of Eden]] from the early 13th century until 1488, when it was recovered by the [[Templars]] and transferred to [[Italy]].


==''Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines''==
==History==
After King Richard the Lionheart defeated [[Isaac Comnenus]], he claimed the island of Cyprus for his own. Soon after though, he sold the island to the new [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master of the Knights Templar]], [[Armand Bouchart]]. Armand's reason for buying this island was just because there was a sacred archive that held sacred artifacts that he wanted in his possession. Armand sent his men to Cyprus, where he made his way to the archive and shipped all the artifacts out of the place. [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], now [[Grand Master of the Assassin Order]] killed him, other major Templar leaders, and located the Archive. His action lead to the Cypriots liberation from the Templars.
===Templar conquest===
Formerly ruled by the Greeks and the [[Roman Empire]], the island was controlled by the [[Byzantine Empire]] from 395 until 1191. The Templars also operated in secret on Cyprus for nearly a decade prior to 1191, establishing a hidden Templar Archive underneath [[Limassol Castle]] with the help of [[Isaac Comnenus]], a Templar and the ruler of Cyprus. At the height of the [[Third Crusade]] in 1191, Comnenus angered [[Richard I of England|Richard I]], leading Richard to overthrow Comnenus and seize control of Cyprus. While Richard initially used Cyprus in his war against the [[Saracens]], the Templars convinced him a few months later to sell the island back their [[Templars|Order]], as they worried that his forces would discover their Archive.<ref name=Bloodlines>''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>


==''Assassin's Creed II''==
Headquartering themselves in Limassol Castle, the Templars began taking an unusually active role in governing the island, imposing harsh and arbitrary new laws to subdue the restless population. Residents began staying within their homes for fear of suffering abuse at the hands of the Templars, leaving the streets of Limassol and Kyrenia devoid of all but Templar patrols and a few civilians. At the same time, the Templars attempted to win over the population through charitable donations and the building of churches. As the citizens of Cyprus became more restless of Templar brutality against them, a Resistance against Templar rule began to take shape.<ref name=Bloodlines/>
When [[Ezio Auditore de Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] assassinated [[Dante Moro]], Dante told him that the Templars were planning to go to Cyprus. In truth, they went there to recover a [[Pieces of Eden|Piece of Eden]]. Two years later, the Templars returned to [[Venice]] with the [[Sixth Apple|Apple of Eden]] and Ezio fought [[Rodrigo Borgia|the Spaniard]] to recover the Apple, in the process finding out about all the other [[Assassins]]. Also, the contents of the fifteenth page of Altaïr's [[Codex]] depicts a map of the island of Cyprus, accompanied with a drawing of a galleon and Cyprus scribbled on a scroll. This again refers to Altaïr's conquest in Cyprus due to these Codex pages holding his recollections. Altaïr also said in the Codex that the island was "first theirs, now ours", meaning that the Assassins had taken control of Cyprus.
 
After the assassination of [[Grand Master of the Templar Order]] [[Robert de Sable]] by the [[Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], [[Armand Bouchart]] became the new Grand Master and ordered a retreat of the Templars in [[Israel]] to Cyprus. Altaïr, now serving as the Assassin Order's [[Grand Master of the Assassin Order|Grand Master]], pursued them to Limassol.<ref name=Bloodlines/>
 
===Resistance and liberation===
{{Main|Hunt on Cyprus}}
Arriving in Limassol, Altaïr heard rumors of a Templar Archive on Cyprus, which he believed might contain knowledge and artifacts as powerful as the Apple. He began to track down the Archive, while at the same time helping the fledgling local Resistance. His assassination of [[Fredrick|Fredrick the Red]], the head of the Templar guard in Limassol, lead Bouchart to give all Templar soldiers immunity from any crime committed while attempting to discover Fredrick's murderer. However, fearing for his life after learning of Altaïr's presence on the island, Bouchart retreated to [[Kyrenia]], with Altaïr in pursuit.<ref name=Bloodlines/>
 
Upon arriving in Kyrenia, Altaïr was asked by [[Barnabas]], a resistance leader, to kill [[Jonas]], a resistance member collaborating with the Templars. Jonas' death sparked a riot in Kyrenia due to his respected status in Cypriot society. Altaïr later learns that Jonas' death and the riot were an act of subterfuge by the Templars, as the real Barnabas had been executed before his arrival and impersonated by a [[Templar agent]].<ref name=Bloodlines/>
 
Altaïr continued his search for the Archive, in the process of which he prevented the execution of several resistance members and assassinated key Templars in Kyrenia, including [[Moloch]] and his sons [[Shalim]] and [[Shahar]]. As a result, the Templars soon fled Kyrenia for the safety of Limassol, liberating the city.<ref name=Bloodlines/>
 
Following the Templars back to Limassol, Altaïr learned that the Templars had begun an even harsher crackdown in the city, arresting people at will in hopes of weakening the Resistance. In addition, the Templars began a propaganda campaign against Altaïr, accusing him of treason against the resistance. While Altaïr put a halt to the Templar's repression by assassinating several Templar captains, he later found himself surrounded by a mob of civilians accusing him of treason. He was forced to use the [[Apple of Eden]] in his possession to convince the crowd of his innocence and rally them against Bouchart and the Templars, leading to a full-scale revolt.<ref name=Bloodlines/>
 
With the help of ex-Templar [[Maria Thorpe]], Altaïr infiltrated the Templar Archive underneath Limassol Castle, only to find that the Archive had been moved during his time in Kyrenia. He killed Bouchart before escaping the collapsing Archive.<ref name=Bloodlines/> Altaïr later wrote in his [[Codex]] that Cyprus eventually came under control of the Assassins.<ref name=AC2>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> In 1193, he and Maria held their wedding on the island in Limassol.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''</ref>
 
===Hiding place of the Apple===
At some later point, Altaïr sealed the [[Sixth Apple]] in a well-hidden treasury on Cyprus, where it remained hidden from both the Assassins and the Templars for several centuries.<ref name=AC2/> By 1486, the Grand Master of the Templars [[Rodrigo Borgia]] discovered the location of the Apple and dispatched a fleet of ships to Cyprus to recover it. After two years, the fleet located the Apple and removed it from Cyprus, taking it back to [[Venice]].<ref name=AC2/>


==Cities==
==Cities==
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</gallery>
</gallery>


 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACB}}
{{ACB}}
[[Category:Countries]]
[[Category:Countries]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines Locations]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines Locations]]

Revision as of 15:03, 9 July 2011


The image of Codex Page 15 showing the map of Cyprus and the drawing in the corner.

Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Originally a Templar stronghold, the island became a battleground between the Assassins and the Templars in the late 12th century. The Templar Archive was located on the island in the city of Limassol until its relocation in 1191. Cyprus was also the location of the Sixth Apple of Eden from the early 13th century until 1488, when it was recovered by the Templars and transferred to Italy.

History

Templar conquest

Formerly ruled by the Greeks and the Roman Empire, the island was controlled by the Byzantine Empire from 395 until 1191. The Templars also operated in secret on Cyprus for nearly a decade prior to 1191, establishing a hidden Templar Archive underneath Limassol Castle with the help of Isaac Comnenus, a Templar and the ruler of Cyprus. At the height of the Third Crusade in 1191, Comnenus angered Richard I, leading Richard to overthrow Comnenus and seize control of Cyprus. While Richard initially used Cyprus in his war against the Saracens, the Templars convinced him a few months later to sell the island back their Order, as they worried that his forces would discover their Archive.[1]

Headquartering themselves in Limassol Castle, the Templars began taking an unusually active role in governing the island, imposing harsh and arbitrary new laws to subdue the restless population. Residents began staying within their homes for fear of suffering abuse at the hands of the Templars, leaving the streets of Limassol and Kyrenia devoid of all but Templar patrols and a few civilians. At the same time, the Templars attempted to win over the population through charitable donations and the building of churches. As the citizens of Cyprus became more restless of Templar brutality against them, a Resistance against Templar rule began to take shape.[1]

After the assassination of Grand Master of the Templar Order Robert de Sable by the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Armand Bouchart became the new Grand Master and ordered a retreat of the Templars in Israel to Cyprus. Altaïr, now serving as the Assassin Order's Grand Master, pursued them to Limassol.[1]

Resistance and liberation

Main article: Hunt on Cyprus

Arriving in Limassol, Altaïr heard rumors of a Templar Archive on Cyprus, which he believed might contain knowledge and artifacts as powerful as the Apple. He began to track down the Archive, while at the same time helping the fledgling local Resistance. His assassination of Fredrick the Red, the head of the Templar guard in Limassol, lead Bouchart to give all Templar soldiers immunity from any crime committed while attempting to discover Fredrick's murderer. However, fearing for his life after learning of Altaïr's presence on the island, Bouchart retreated to Kyrenia, with Altaïr in pursuit.[1]

Upon arriving in Kyrenia, Altaïr was asked by Barnabas, a resistance leader, to kill Jonas, a resistance member collaborating with the Templars. Jonas' death sparked a riot in Kyrenia due to his respected status in Cypriot society. Altaïr later learns that Jonas' death and the riot were an act of subterfuge by the Templars, as the real Barnabas had been executed before his arrival and impersonated by a Templar agent.[1]

Altaïr continued his search for the Archive, in the process of which he prevented the execution of several resistance members and assassinated key Templars in Kyrenia, including Moloch and his sons Shalim and Shahar. As a result, the Templars soon fled Kyrenia for the safety of Limassol, liberating the city.[1]

Following the Templars back to Limassol, Altaïr learned that the Templars had begun an even harsher crackdown in the city, arresting people at will in hopes of weakening the Resistance. In addition, the Templars began a propaganda campaign against Altaïr, accusing him of treason against the resistance. While Altaïr put a halt to the Templar's repression by assassinating several Templar captains, he later found himself surrounded by a mob of civilians accusing him of treason. He was forced to use the Apple of Eden in his possession to convince the crowd of his innocence and rally them against Bouchart and the Templars, leading to a full-scale revolt.[1]

With the help of ex-Templar Maria Thorpe, Altaïr infiltrated the Templar Archive underneath Limassol Castle, only to find that the Archive had been moved during his time in Kyrenia. He killed Bouchart before escaping the collapsing Archive.[1] Altaïr later wrote in his Codex that Cyprus eventually came under control of the Assassins.[2] In 1193, he and Maria held their wedding on the island in Limassol.[3]

Hiding place of the Apple

At some later point, Altaïr sealed the Sixth Apple in a well-hidden treasury on Cyprus, where it remained hidden from both the Assassins and the Templars for several centuries.[2] By 1486, the Grand Master of the Templars Rodrigo Borgia discovered the location of the Apple and dispatched a fleet of ships to Cyprus to recover it. After two years, the fleet located the Apple and removed it from Cyprus, taking it back to Venice.[2]

Cities

Trivia

  • At the end of Sequence 11 in Assassin's Creed II, it is hinted that there were Assassins on Cyprus.

Gallery

References