Haytham Kenway

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"Order. Purpose. Direction. No more than that. It's your lot that means to confound with this nonsense talk of freedom. Time was, the Assassins professed a far more sensible goal, that of peace."

―Haytham Kenway to his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, concerning the Templars' goals.

Haytham Kenway (1725 - 1781) was the first Grand Master of the Templar Order of its Colonial Rite, from 1754 until his death.

Born to the Assassin Edward Kenway, Haytham was converted to the Templar cause early on by Reginald Birch. After being sent to America to locate a suspected First Civilization storehouse, Haytham remained and established a permanent Templar presence in the British colonies. Later on, he unknowingly fathered a son with the Mohawk woman Kaniehti:io, whom he had met in his original quest for the storehouse. As such, he was an ancestor to Desmond Miles.

Biography

Early life

Haytham was born in England in the year 1725, as the second child to the Assassin Edward Kenway and his second wife Tessa Kenway. Unbeknownst to him, Haytham was trained to become an Assassin by his father from an early age. Following an attack on his home in London when he was still young, Haytham was approached by the Grand Master of the Templar Order's British Rite, Reginald Birch, who was his father's senior property manager. Following this, he was given leave by his mother to be trained in Europe by Birch, who tutored him in the Templars' ways.

As a member of the Templar Order, Haytham became distant acquaintances with Edward Braddock, a fellow Templar and a soldier in the British Army. They both participated in the Siege of Bergen op Zoom, where Braddock's changing attitude became evident. After Braddock brutally murdered several innocents, the two had a falling out and Braddock left the Templar Order.

In the year 1754, Haytham attended the musical The Beggar's Opera, by John Gay, in the Theatre Royal in London. Although lamenting the fact that he had never been able to see the play through to the end, Haytham's true purpose there was to obtain "precursor" artifact from an attending patron and member of the Assassin Order. After obtaining the artifact and assassinating the owner, he fled the opera house and met once more with his co-conspirators. From there, he was chartered a ship to Boston, and ordered to locate a suspected First Civilization storehouse in the region; he would then set about organizing an official presence for the Templars in the New World.

Aboard the Providence

On the second day of his journey, Haytham partook in a fight with some of the crew members, Hector Graves being the main assailant. After defeating him and a man known as Quill, he was taken to the captain's quarters to speak with Samuel Smythe, the captain of the ship. There, he learned that some of the crew members were potentially planning a mutiny; Smythe reminded Haytham that such a revolt would rule out his ever reaching the Colonies, and so he agreed to investigate.

On the twenty-eighth day of his journey, Haytham sped up his investigation by request of the increasingly worried captain. After asking the cook and doctor about information regarding peculiar actions, he was referred to a man named James Fairweather. James told him that crew members had been gathering above deck and quietly conversing about things that he believed "boded ill". After a splashing sound was heard, Haytham went below deck and discovered that painted barrels had been thrown overboard.

On the thirty-third day of his journey, Haytham spoke with the captain about the marked barrels being thrown overboard on a daily basis, determining that they were a marker to leave a trail for another ship. Seconds later, a boat was sighted that attacked the Providence. Following this, the captain sent him below deck, where Haytham came into contact with Louis Mills. Mills revealed that he had been the one throwing the marked barrels overboard, and that he was in fact a member or associate of the Assassin Order; he had pursued Kenway once word of his defection and the murder in the Theatre Royal reached him. The two engaged in combat and Mills was struck down by Kenway.

Haytham returned above deck and forced Smythe to lead his ship into an approaching storm, so as to lose the pursuing vessel. During the storm, Haytham helped to secure the ships rigging before flying the foremast to quicken the ship. After lightning snapped the main mast and left James hanging from a rope, Haytham continued to quickly save the man just as the attacking ship had sunk, having also been struck by lightning.

On the seventy-second day, Haytham reached Boston, where he met his first assistant and recruit, Charles Lee, who gave him a short tour of the city. During the tour, Haytham met Benjamin Franklin, and discovered that some of his almanac's pages were missing. He also met his first partner, William Johnson, at the Green Dragon Tavern.

Gathering the colonial Templars

Now, effectively Grand Master of the Templar Order in the Colonies, Haytham's first aim was to unite his new partners so that they could locate the storehouse. After meeting Johnson, he learned that some of his work had been stolen in a robbery. Leaving to find Johnson's man, Thomas Hickey, who was also on his list of loyal Templars, Haytham searched for those responsible. After finding Hickey and receiving an explanation, Haytham, with the help of Charles and Thomas, infiltrated a mercenary fort and located the papers. Thomas and Haytham then killed the attacking soldiers while Charles carried the chest that contained Johnson's information.

Learning that the research would not be of much use in the situation, Haytham went to find his other partners, beginning with Benjamin Church. After he visited Church's home, Haytham learned that there had been a raid, and that Church had been taken during it. He then continued to conduct an investigation with Charles, in which he eavesdropped on the conversations of Benjamin's neighbors. The first one informed Haytham that Church had been taken somewhere in north-eastern Boston. Following that, he went to the top of a church to view the rest of the city for other prospects. The second eavesdrop informed him of relatively nothing, and was a conversation between two British Regulars. The third, also a conversation between two Regulars informed Haytham that Church was in debt to someone, and that a man named "Cutter" was included in this group, planning to torture or kill Benjamin. The fourth, between two civilians, informed Haytham that the group that captured Church had taken him to the top of a hill, at a fort that had a doctor.

After obtaining this information, Haytham met with Charles once more to locate Church near to the water-front beside the fort, slipping by undetected to a locked door at the edge. Silently, he stole a key from one of the nearby Regulars and opened the door to the building. Entering with Lee, he found Church tied to a chair, surrounded by a few British Regulars, and being interrogated by a man named Silas Thatcher, who was in charge of the Southgate Fort. After Silas left, Lee and Haytham silently killed the soldiers and Cutter before freeing Church and going back to the Green Dragon Tavern.

Next, he went to retrieve another man on his list, John Pitcairn, from General Edward Braddock at the Copp's Hill Battery inside of Boston. After having sneaked in with the help of Lee, he located Pitcairn near the end of the battery, speaking with Braddock about mistakes. When Haytham attempted to take Pitcairn with him, Braddock refused, and sent him and Charles away. Later, he quickly tricked Braddock and his men into a dead end and slaughtered most of them, humiliating the General before stealing Pitcairn. Following this, Haytham took Pitcairn with him to the tavern and spoke with his partners.

After gathering his new co-conspirators, Haytham planned an infiltration on Southgate Fort, so that he could free the Native American slaves there in order to discover where the First Civilization storehouse was. Locating a convoy, he and his partners ambushed it, slaughtering all of the Regulars and dressing in their garb. Using the tactic of the Trojan horse, Haytham sneaked his men into the fort, freed the slaves within, killed the fort's general, and wounded Silas so that he could be shot by Church.

Search for the precursor storehouse

Six months after the death of Silas, Haytham had successfully had his partners track down a woman that they had freed in the attack, a native who had appeared to have some sort of command. In the snow, he located her by following tracks she had left behind, and chased her through the Frontier on the ground while she ran through the trees. When he finally caught up to her, they spoke about the 'key' and if she knew where the storehouse was. Telling him to meet her at a nearby hill, she left, and he eventually followed.

When he met her at the hilltop, she told him about soldiers in the nearby tavern that wished to drive her people away, and that they were led by Edward Braddock, the Bulldog. He suggested that they stop the soldiers, coming up with a plan to kill Braddock. After entering the tavern, he began eavesdropping on some regulars, which informed him of Braddock's plans to go on an 'expedition'. The second group of regulars he listened to informed him that Braddock was already at the 'advanced' camp, preparing to fight French soldiers. Just as he attempted to leave the tavern, he was brought into a bar-fight with some of the Regulars, making short work of them with a minor face injury. The woman, Kaniehti:io, quickly cleaned it for him. She then left, telling Haytham to meet her at the camp.

Haytham quickly followed, meeting the woman outside of the British campsite of Fort St. Mathieau while deep in the blizzard. Sneaking into a supply cart, he hid until entering the walls of the fort. After getting into the camp, Haytham silently went through the area, breaking the two cannons before starting to eavesdrop on a conversation between the young George Washington and a Regular officer. Listening, he learned that Braddock refused a truce to end the French and Indian War, and was rallying troops before he would take a trip to Fort Duquesne, and that a copy of the plans was inside of the Command Tent. Haytham quickly stole them and left the fort, taking them to Kaniehti:io and discussing a plan to ambush the soldiers beside the Allegheny(or Monongahela) river.

A few months later, Haytham rallied his co-conspirators to met with Kaniehti:io near the edge of the river. After speaking with her, they waited in the planned hiding point for Braddock and his men to pass by. Creating a quick plan of deception, Haytham goes and assassinates one of the regulars, taking the man's outfit to hide within it and sneak up to Braddock's side. Witnessing Braddock kill one of his men, he waited a moment before riding close to the General. Following a failed attack from a French soldier, the Bulldog rode off and Haytham was forced to ride after him. When a tree fell before Braddock, the Bulldog fell back, allowing Haytham to catch up with him. Just as he was about to shoot, Washington killed the horse beneath him. To save him, Kaniehti:io tackled Washington from his horse, and Haytham rose to chase after Braddock again on foot. Haytham chased him until he was able to assassinate him, after which he took Braddock's ring from his finger and went with Kaniehti:io to the storehouse.

Reaching the storehouse, Haytham attempted to open the door with his key, unable to do so because it was the incorrect Piece of Eden. Then, he had a romantic moment with Kaniehti:io. Following this, he met with his co-conspirators again, plotting the future of the Templar Order in the Colonies, and inducting Lee as an official Templar. Later, he would have another moment with Kaniehti:io, which would lead to the birth of Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton.

Working with Connor

Many years later, in 1777, Haytham was in search of the former Templar Benjamin Church, who had deserted the Order before being sent to prison for treason against the Continental Army. Slightly outside of the Continental fort in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Haytham had tracked the traitor to a small church. After an investigation, he determined that he had reached them too late, but had stayed anyways to wait and see if someone would appear. To his surprise, Haytham had taken a leap onto his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, who he barely knew existed, instead of one of Church’s men. After a slight brawl with the Assassin, he revealed that he too was searching for Church, and Haytham stayed his blade.

Not long later, Connor had begun to track the location of Church’s mercenaries through the snow, while Haytham followed. When the two had found one of the men by a broken cart of Continental supplies and captured him, there was a quick interrogation that ended with Haytham shooting the man, much to the dismay of his son. Then, he ordered Connor to infiltrate the camp that they had discovered from the man while he secretly sneaked a different route, which ultimately led in his capture. Connor, who quickly came to the rescue, was left behind to kill the other soldiers, while Haytham went to make plans in New York.

A month later, when Connor had finally made his way to the city, Haytham led them atop the rooftops to where Church’s location had been. In one exchange, he revealed he had spared Connor out of ‘curiosity’, and that he was not so different from those that his son aided. They also spoke of their ideas of freedom, which he saw as an ‘invitation to chaos’. After reaching the gate to Church’s position, he allowed Connor to retrieve some sort of disguise, waiting at the rendezvous until his return.

When Connor did return, Haytham led them to the door, passing through with the permission of the guards. Exploring the Brewery, they had a conversation about Connor’s mother, in which Haytham learned of her passing. After Connor had given the blame to Charles Lee, Haytham denied it, saying that he had ordered against it and it was not possible. When they reached Church, Haytham set his accusations and sentenced the man to death, only to be surprised that the man was another in disguise, and they were being ambushed by the mercenaries. Making short work of them, there was a quick interrogation for Church’s position, which allowed them to discover that he was on his way for Martinique. Once more the interrogation led to death, when Haytham once more killed the victim at the end.

Following the murder, a second ambush began, causing barrels to explode and set the building to fire with the two inside. With Haytham leading the way, as well as going through a simpler route, they narrowly escaped the burning brewery by leaping through the locked door into the water below. Climbing onto the docks, they quickly formulated a plan to use the Aquila to catch up with Church, who was just over a day ahead of them.

Chasing Benjamin Church

Meeting Connor at a New York pier, in the far-eastern section of the city, Haytham boarded the ship for the journey to catch Church. By 1778, they had caught up somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, despite Haytham’s remarks that they were probably days behind because of the route choice. After a narrow crossing though the rocks, they approached ‘The Welcome’, Church’s initial escape ship, which was already abandoned. Following a quick examination, a smaller ship was noticed in the distance, fleeing away as it shot at the Aquila.

Quickly beginning to follow, Haytham and Connor’s crew went through the rocky passage, while the father repetitively heckled his son over imperfections he observed, claiming his superiority as well. After the smaller vessel passed through a narrow cliff-side area, the Aquila was forced to pass around the rocks, and was greeted on the other side by a British ‘Man o’ War’ and a few smaller ships firing at them with full force. Making short work of the smaller boats, Connor and Haytham had the crew fire chain shots at the ‘Man o’ War’, breaking the masts before they boarded the enemy ship.

Just as they were about to meet at the side, Haytham stole the wheel and rammed the Aquila into the opposing ship, following with a mighty leap to the other side as he fought his way to Church below decks. Quickly, Connor leaped over himself, bringing his crew with him to fight the mercenaries aboard. After killing the three officers on the upper deck, Connor made his way to the position of Haytham and Church. Haytham, giving a slight speech to his former co-conspirator, continued to violently beat the man near to death. Connor proceeded from there to end the man’s suffering after discovering the location of the Continental supplies, which lay on a nearby island awaiting pickup.

Final cooperation with Connor

After cooperating with his son to kill Church, a sort of alliance was formed between Haytham and Connor, uneasy however in the fact that the unity was so weak. In an effort to secure independence from Great Britain, Haytham began working with his son to deliver the final blows. When they met up after the assassination near Bowling Green, they began a mission to discover the Loyalist plans, striking to interrogate the officers around the ruins from New York's Great Fire. Climbing through the destroyed buildings, they made their way to a viewpoint above the higher ranking soldiers.

Determining after useless eavesdropping that a different attempt to gather information was needed, Haytham leapt down and proceeded to start a fight with the British Regulars. Connor, forced to help, went along to fight as well. Making relatively short work of the soldiers, Haytham and Connor quickly caught the officers against the wall, except one that managed to run off. While Connor went to chase him, Haytham took the others too his quarters in Fort George, interrogating them, and eventually killing them. After the return of the final officer, a final interrogation occurred, following with another death by Haytham’s hand, justified in his terms because the man would have told his command. Following the argument, Haytham made his way to the Continental fort in Valley Forge.

During the night, Connor also made his way to the fort, meeting with Haytham at the foot of the hill to George Washington’s command point. Following a short argument over what Connor favors, they proceeded up to meet with the Commander-and-Chief. As Connor warned him of the British plans, Haytham sneaked behind and discovered a letter ordering the attack on Connor’s village, Kanatahséton. Haytham then proceeded to educate Connor on the General’s plan, along with the information that the first attack in the Seven Years' War was also Washington’s work, causing him to cut ties with both of them. He claimed that Haytham had known all along, and that he had kept the information on purpose.

Death

"Too late he learned the truth of this - murdered by his own son. He gave his life as he lived it - in service to a dream we all share."

―Charles Lee at Haytham's funeral, 1782.

After Connor had completed assisting the French Armada at the Battle of the Chesapeake, he had convinced the Admiral to allow the use of five ships for the attack on Fort George. While they fired from New York Harbor from above, Connor sneaked below the area, through the underground tunnel network to reach Lee. Haytham, who still had a quartering in Fort George, had been working with his plans there with Lee prior to when the attack finally occurred. Believing danger for his co-conspirator's life and his plans, he sent Lee off in hopes that he would survive to continue on, while Haytham stayed to deal with the pest that was his son. Connor, who had been injured in an explosion, was struggling by the time he found his father instead of his original target. When Connor reached the most defended point, Haytham was waiting for him, starting a fight that had him with the obvious upper-hand. The odds were slightly evened when Connor managed to stab Haytham in the arm, and a grueling battle began, forcing Connor to use the environment to his advantage. Eventually, a small explosion led to them both dropping to the ground. Haytham reacted quickly and attempted to strangle Connor while belittling the nature of the Assassins and their creed against the Templars, but Connor quickly and fatally stabbed his father in the neck with the Hidden Blade, ending Haytham's life and rule as the Templar Grand Master.

Legacy

When he had reached the colonies, Haytham had successfully set up a Templar power in the region, which despite experiencing minor setbacks, took a powerful hold of the region in some ways. It was his work that influenced more growth of the Templar Order, helping to strengthen power even after his death. He also had a major impact on the Revolutionary War of America, and even the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War). His assassination of Edward Braddock had effects on the Royal Military, as well as the future Commander-and-Chief of the Continental Military, George Washington. In the Revolutionary War, his work in creating a Templar hold hurt both sides in battle, the most major being the Battle of Bunker Hill. Besides that, he was a large help in the Assassin Brotherhood, if by accident. Because his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, became an Assassin, the brotherhood in the Colonies was eventually rebuilt, piece by piece as the Templar hold diminished. In another way, the initial murder at the opera house was partly influential to Duncan Little joining the brotherhood, since the man had been his uncle. Besides that, he was also an ancestor of Desmond Miles, and helped Desmond to find the 'key' to the Grand Temple in a minor way through the Animus.

Personality and characteristics

"You're still possessed of Virtue. To help an old lout like myself..."

―Benjamin Franklin to Haytham Kenway, 1755.

From the beginning, Haytham was very focused on his beliefs, every action concerning his Templar mindset. After learning that he would be unable to enter the storehouse, he grew quite concerned on setting up a power for the Templars in the Colonies.

As a young man, Haytham acted as a member of authority, slightly conceited in some ways, evident by his ignoring lower class civilians. When in the company of people closer to what he believed to be his level of intelligence, he was quite kind and well-mannered. Occasionally, he would make a small joke, but in most situations he was relatively serious.

When he was older, he had still been relatively unchanged as he was in his younger years. At this time, he was shown to be a more irrational and impulsive individual, forcing people to do the dirty work and jumping into situations he knew he would make another person finish. Haytham had also become much more cruel in some ways, killing many innocents and acting quite violent with prisoners, especially. In the company of his son, though, his hardened demeanor softened in some ways, or he made an attempt to be nice without displaying too much emotion. Shortly before his death, he became more fatherly towards his son in an attempt to kindle a relationship with him.

Equipment and skills

"I am an expert swordsman. And I am skilled in the business of death. I take no pleasure in my skill. Simply, I am good at it."

―Haytham, describing his lethal prowess.

Haytham was a capable freerunner, able to stealthily climb the inside of an opera house and the buildings of Colonial America with little effort. He was also an avid planner, able to quickly come up with infiltration techniques that could cripple a group. As well as that, he was an intelligent speaker and a master of both deception and stealth. He also possessed two Hidden Blades as well as the rare ability of Eagle Vision. Other weapons he used included a sword, flintlock pistol, musket, and skilled hand-to-hand combat.

Final Words

• Connor: Surrender, and I will spare you.
• Haytham: Brave words for someone about to die.
• Connor: You fare no better!
• Haytham: Even when your kind appears to triumph ... Still we rise again. And do you know why? It is because the Order is born of a realization. We require no creed. No indoctrination by desperate old men. All we need is that the world be as it is. And THIS is why the Templars will never be destroyed.

Connor managed to stab Haytham in the neck with the Hidden Blade.

• Haytham: Don't think I have any intention of caressing your cheek and saying I was wrong. I will not weep, and wonder what might have been. I'm sure you understand. Still, I'm proud of you in a way. You have shown great conviction, strength, courage, all noble qualities. I should have killed you long ago.
• Connor: Goodbye Father.

Trivia

• Haytham's name is connected with an eagle, continuing the eagle motif set by Aquilus, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Aveline de Grandpré and Nikolai Orelov.
• Like some of Desmond's ancestors, the meaning of Haytham's name relates to his character:
  • "Haytham" is an Arabic name meaning "young eagle."
  • "Kenway" is an Old English name meaning "brave royal fighter."
• Haytham has an eagle symbol on his jacket's left cuff, and what appears to be a broken, rusted Assassin insignia on his right bracer.
• Haytham is the first playable Templar in the Assassin's Creed series, and the first playable ancestor to wear a hat instead of the symbolic white hood of the Assassins, the second being Aveline de Grandpré.
• Haytham is the only known Templar who is capable of using Eagle Vision.
• He is the second known ancestor of Desmond to be a Templar, the other being Maria Thorpe. Contrary to Maria, Haytham was an Assassin first and then joined the Templars, while Maria left the Templars for the Assassins.
• Haytham's Hidden Blades are unlike those of previous ancestors, being shorter and closer to his wrists.
• Haytham is the third known Templar to perform a Leap of Faith, others being Francesco de' Pazzi and Vali cel Tradat.
• The interactions between Haytham and Connor show similarities to William and Desmond Miles, specifically concerning personality and conversations.
• Haytham is one of few Templars to use some form of hidden blade.

Gallery

• 
  Haytham speaking with Samuel Smythe, captain of The Providence.
• Haytham with Benjamin Church after the death of Silas Thatcher.
  Haytham with Benjamin Church after the death of Silas Thatcher.
• Haytham about to kill Edward Braddock.
  Haytham about to kill Edward Braddock.
• Haytham inducting Charles Lee into the Templar Order.
  Haytham inducting Charles Lee into the Templar Order.
• Character concept art of Haytham Kenway.
  Character concept art of Haytham Kenway.

References

• Assassin's Creed III