Italian Brotherhood of Assassins

This article is about the Renaissance-era Assassin Brotherhood. You may be looking for the Brotherhood operating in Roman Antiquity.

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The Italian Brotherhood of Assassins was the Italian Guild of Assassins, existing since their formation during the latter half of the 13th century.

This guild was a successor of the Roman Hidden Ones, who operated throughout Italy and the Roman Empire. A notable guild was established in 1269 in Venice by the explorers Niccolò and Maffeo Polo on the order of the Levantine Mentor Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who wanted to expand the Brotherhood across the world.

In 1324, the headquarters of the guild was relocalized in the Tuscan city of Monteriggioni by the Assassin Domenico, who also founded the House of Auditore, which led the guild for over two centuries.

During the late 15th century, the Italian Assassins were mainly involved with taking down the corrupt Borgia family, the ruling body of the Templar Order during the Renaissance which tried to take control of every cities-states of Italy. One of their missions was also to recover Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's Codex and Pieces of Eden to secure the location of an Isu Vault and protect its countenance from the Templars.

In 1500, the guild knew a major setback from the Templars with the Siege of Monteriggioni, leading to the death of their leader Mario Auditore and the loss of an Apple of Eden. However, Mario's nephew, Ezio Auditore da Firenze rebuilt the guild in Rome, recruiting the oppressed citizens to fight the power of the Borgia. Through his leadership, the guild was stronger than ever, even operating across Europe and Asia and establishing the first guild in the New World. Breaking the power of the Borgia, the Italian Assassins led the entire Brotherhood to its pinnacle.

In 2000, like other guilds, the Italian Assassins were nearly wiped out during the Great Purge led by the Templar Order. One cell was still active in 2012, led by the Assassin Adriano Maestranzi in Florence before being eliminated by the Sigma Team.

History

Predecessor

Main article: Roman Hidden Ones

The presence of the Brotherhood in Italy can be traced back to 46 BCE, with the foundation of the Roman Hidden Ones by the Roman senators Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus and the Greco-Egyptian Amunet. Dedicated to protecting humankind's free will, on 15 March 44 BCE, they assassinated the dictator Gaius Julius Caesar who was also the leader of the Order of the Ancients.

The Hidden Ones grew with the Roman Empire and even survived its collapse in the 5th century CE. Their presence in Italy lasted until the 9th century CE before disappearing around the 12th century.

Foundation by the Polos

Altaïr passing his Codex to Niccolò Polo

In 1257, the Venetian explorers Niccolò and Maffeo Polo were invited to stay at the Assassins' fortress of Masyaf by Darim Ibn-La'Ahad, the son of Levantine Mentor Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. After training, the two became Assassins themselves, and the elderly Altaïr entrusted them to create Assassins Guilds as well as guarding his autobiographical Codex, the keys and books of his library.

When the Mongols eventually attacked, the Polo brothers left Masyaf but were attacked two days later, losing the Codex to the Mongols. Arriving in Constantinople in 1258, they were successful in creating an Assassin Guild. They also hid across the city four of the library keys, one in the Maiden's Tower, one under the Forum of the Ox, one under the Galata Tower, and one under the Imperial Palace. They hid the last key under their trading post with a map leading to books with clues for the other keys. In 1259, Niccolò and Maffeo journeyed to the Mongol Empire to retrieve the Codex but ultimately failed.

Marco Polo going to Asia

In 1269, the Polos returned to Venice, Italy, where they created an Assassins Guild, and Niccolò trained the latter's son Marco in the ways of the Assassins. The Polos made another journey to the Mongol Empire two years later, with Marco successfully retrieving the Codex, bringing it back to Italy in 1295.

Formation of the Auditore

Domenico watching over Venice

Marco Polo passed the Codex into the hands of fellow Assassin Dante Alighieri. The next year, Dante took on Domenico, the son of a fellow Assassin, as an apprentice, training him to follow him in his quest to hide the Codex in Spain.

In 1321, Dante was killed by the Templars, proving their continuing existence to the Assassins. Domenico was tasked to resume his mentor duty. During their journey to Spain, Domenico and his family were attacked by pirates employed by the Templars while being docked in Otranto. To prevent the Templars from recovering the Codex, Domenico broke it and spread its pages across several boxes. Domenico's wife was brutally abused and murdered by the pirates while Domenico and his son Renato were thrown into the sea, surviving the attack.

The Villa Auditore, headquarters of the Italian Assassin for over two centuries

In Venice, both Marco Polo and Domenico's father were killed by the Templars in 1324. Using Polo's money, Domenico temporarily settled in Florence, pretending to be part of the city's nobility by taking on the name Auditore. In 1327, Domenico bought and renovated a villa in Monteriggioni, which he named the Villa Auditore, which became the headquarters of the Italian Assassins for nearly two centuries.

Under his villa, Domenico built a Sanctuary, where he placed the Armor of Altaïr. To lock it up, he used six Assassin Seals which commemorated each important individual in the history of the Brotherhood: Darius, Iltani, Wei Yu, Amunet, Leonius and Qulan Gal. He hid the seals in shrines located in Florence, Venice, Forlì and San Gimignano. He also built under the city a crypt for his family, with writing about the true story of the Auditore family.

Renato Auditore ordering to hide the Shroud of Eden

Before dying, Domenico trained his son Renato to become an Assassin and hunt the Templars. In 1355, the Assassins stole a Shroud of Eden from the French Templar Geoffroy de Charny. Renato hid the artifact beneath the Villa.

Renaissance

The Auditore brothers

By 1454, the Brotherhood and Auditore House was led by Renato's great-grandsons Mario and Giovanni Auditore. This year, Mario defended Monteriggioni against the Florentine troops of Federico da Montefeltro. Discovering that the army wanted the Shroud hidden by his ancestor, Mario recovered the artifact and gave it to his brother to protect the city from further attacks. Giovanni entrusted the Shroud to other Assassins near Agnadello. During the following decades, both Monterrigioni and the villa fell in decadence due to wars and Mario focusing on other matters.

While Mario stayed in Monteriggioni, Giovanni moved to Florence where he founded a family with his wife Maria. Having four children, he trained his elder son Federico to become an Assassin while hiding the truth to his other children. In 1455, Giovanni saved the young Lorenzo de' Medici who drowned in the Arno. By doing this, he reinforced the alliance between the House of Medici and the Auditore, and so the Assassins.

In 1456, Giovanni defended in court Paola, the daughter of deceased Assassins. As she was accused of killing a guard who attacked her, Giovanni won the case on a self-defense plea. Afterward, Paola joined the Assassins and became the Madame of La Rosa Colta, the most well-connected brothel in Florence. At an uncertain time, the mysterious leader of the thieves' guild of Florence only known as La Volpe became an Assassin.

The Auditore brothers also tried to recover the Codex pages, Giovanni translating some of them and discovering a prophecy about something hidden in Italy. In 1458, Giovanni found the existence of the Library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and wrote to his brother about it.

Execution of the Auditore

During a night of December 1476, Giovanni Auditore attacked a group of Templars led by the Grand Master of the Italian Templars Rodrigo Borgia in Florence. The Grand Master fled the scene but Giovanni captured one of his henchmen. Bringing him to Lorenzo de' Medici to be tortured, he revealed that the Templars wanted to assassinate the Duke of Milan Galeazzo Maria Sforza to weaken the power of the Prince of Florence.

The Assassination of Galeazzo Maria Sforza

On 26 December, Giovanni arrived in the Basilica di Santo Stefano Maggiore in Milan but was too late to impeach the assassination of the Duke by the Templars Carlo Visconti, Gerolamo Olgiati and Giovanni Andrea Lampugnani. The Assassin tried to capture one alive but the Templars were killed by the Duke's bodyguards before he could interrogate them.

Finding a Ducat on Lampugnani's corpse, Giovanni continued his investigation in Venice, infiltrating the Palazzo Ducale. Eavesdropping a conversation between Templars, Giovanni confronted their courier who impaled himself with the Assassin's blade to not reveal any information. Finding a cryptic letter on his corpse, Giovanni delivered the letter to his friend the Gonfaloniere Uberto Alberti to uncover its message. As Alberti claimed it was impossible, the Assassin decided to deliver the letter himself in Rome.

Giovanni Auditore fighting Borgia's henchmen

In St. Peter's Basilica, Giovanni met Borgia, who proposed that he join the Templars. The Assassin refused and was attacked by Borgia's men. During the fight, Giovanni broke his Hidden Blade and was wounded by the Grand Master with a throwing knife. Giovanni survived but Borgia fled. Returning to Florence, Giovanni understood that a larger conspiracy was about to begin.

After these events, Giovanni made a list of the Templar conspirators and imprisoned Francesco de' Pazzi, a Templar banker who planned to assassinate Lorenzo de' Medici and capture Florence for the Templars. The Assassin wanted to expose the Templar conspiracy through a public trial. Wanting to inform Lorenzo, Giovanni tasked his son Ezio to deliver a letter to the Prince. When he met Alberti to discuss the trial, his son returned, informing them that Lorenzo was not in the city. After Giovanni tasked Ezio to deliver letters to his associates across the city, the Assassin was arrested for treason with Federico and his younger son Petruccio.

The execution of Giovanni Auditore with his sons by the Templars

Imprisoned in the tower of the Palazzo della Signoria, Giovanni received the visit of Ezio. He tasked him to recover all his affairs and the letter that could prove their innocence and to give it to Alberti. The next day, Giovanni discovered that his friend betrayed his family for the Templars. Before the Palazzo della Signoria, Giovanni and his two sons were condemned by the Gonfaloniere to death. As the Assassin cursed Alberti, he was hanged with his sons before the eyes of Ezio who fled the place as the Gonfaloniere branded him as a traitor.

After the death of Giovanni and his sons, Paola took care of his family, hiding his widow Maria and his daughter Claudia in her brothel. When Ezio revealed he wanted to kill Alberti, the Assassin decided to help him in his quest for revenge. During his stay at the brothel, she taught him stealth technics such as pickpocketing and blending. She later advised him to repair his father's Hidden Blade with the help of the inventor Leonardo da Vinci. When Ezio returned, Paola informed him that Alberti was at an art exhibition in the Basilica of Santa Croce. After Ezio killed the Gonfaloniere, Paola advised him to lower his notoriety before blessing him farewell.

Informal induction of Ezio Auditore

Mario training Ezio in combat

Near Monteriggioni, Mario Auditore and his mercenaries saved what remained of his brother's family from the Templar Vieri de' Pazzi and his men. After the Templar escaped, Mario welcomed his family to Monteriggioni and the villa. Discovering that his brother never told about the Brotherhood to Ezio, Mario revealed to his nephew the truth. During a year, Mario taught Ezio combat skills and secrets of the Brotherhood to convince him to take the place of his father in the search for the Codex pages. The city was also regularly attacked by Vierri's men during this period. When Ezio refused to join the Brotherhood to flee with his family to Spain, Mario angrily bid farewell to his nephew.

Later, Mario and his mercenaries prepare to attack San Gimignano, a city controlled by the Templars in Tuscany. Before the assault, they were joined by Ezio who wanted to help Mario. Infiltrating the city, Mario and his mercenaries launched the attack while Ezio eavesdropped on a conversation between Borgia and the House of Pazzi, discovering a Templar's plot against Florence. After Ezio killed Vieri and showed disrespect to his corpse, Mario corrected his nephew teaching him to give the last rites to his targets.

In Monteriggioni, Ezio resolved to kill every single Templar responsible for the death of his family and resume the search for the Codex pages. Mario tasked his nephew to invest in the reparation of Monteriggioni and tasked Claudia to work as the financial accountant of the town. Mario also showed the Sanctuary to Ezio and asked him to find the seals. Secretly, Mario decided to train his nephew through Assassins who would hide their affiliation to let Ezio find the truth himself.

Pazzi Conspiracy

Main article: Pazzi conspiracy

La Volpe showing to Ezio Santa Maria Novella hidden entrance

In April 1478, La Volpe discovered that a Templar reunion would take place under the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella. The Assassin lured Ezio to him, sending one of his thieves to steal his purse. Meeting the young man, he shared his information with Ezio while testing his parkour skills. After a race, the Assassin showed Ezio the secret entrance of the Basilica to spy on the Templar meeting. Later, la Volpe met up again with Ezio who informed him that the Templars planned to assassinate Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother Giuliano, which would allow them to take power in Florence. The Assassin informed Ezio of the repercussions if Lorenzo died, encouraging the young man to act.

On 26 April, Ezio prevented the murder of Lorenzo and killed Francesco de' Pazzi, leading to the escape of the co-conspirators.When Ezio returned to Monteriggioni, he gave Mario Codex pages translated by Da Vinci. They uncovered a part of the prophecy related to a Prophet and two Pieces of Eden. With no other information, Mario furthered Ezio's training while his mercenaries searched the Templar's conspirators across Tuscany.

With the mercenaries' help, Ezio localized and killed the Templars Antonio Maffei, Francesco Salviati, Bernardo Baroncelli and Stefano da Bagnone. He even mercifully finished Jacopo de' Pazzi who was stabbed by Borgia for his failure of the conspiracy. These actions made the Medici powerful allies of the Assassins for many years.

Venetian Conspiracy

Main article: Venetian Conspiracy

In Venice, the Italian Assassins had some agents at the Head of several factions of the city to fight the Templar House of Barbarigo. Antonio de Magianis was the leader of the thieves' guild and recruited some of its members such as Perina di Bastian and Rosa as Assassins. Sister Teodora Contanto founded her own religious sect in La Rosa della Virtù, a brothel in the Dorsoduro district. The condottiero captain Bartolomeo d'Alviano led the mercenaries of the city through his barrack in the Castello District.

Antonio de Magianis and his thieves working with Ezio Auditore

By 1481, de Magianis fought the Templar merchant Emilio Barbarigo who sought to unite every merchant of the city under his banner, using coercion and the guards to silence opposition. The Assassin launched an attack on Barbarigo's palazzo but failed, and many thieves were captured as a result. Ezio, who wanted to kill the Templar for his involvement in his father's death, helped the thief to rebuild the guild and also improved his climbing skills with Rosa.

On 11 September 1485, the thief guild infiltrated the Palazzo della Seta as guards while Ezio killed Barbarigo. De Magianis took the palace as his new headquarters for the guild. Three days later, the Assassin helped Ezio to find a way to infiltrate the Palazzo Ducale to prevent the assassination of the Doge Giovanni Mocenigo by the Templar Carlo Grimaldi. As the only way to enter the place was by the air, de Magianis tasked his thieves to ignite fires through the city, helping Ezio to use Da Vinci Flying Machine to infiltrate the palace. Ezio killed Grimaldi but arrived too late to prevent the death of the Doge.

Antonio, Teodora and Ezio during the Carnevale

During the Carnavalle of 1486, Antonio de Magianis and Teodora Contanto received the visit of Ezio who planned to kill the Templar Marco Barbarigo who became Doge. The Madam advised Ezio to participate in Carnevale games to win a Golden Mask to enter the Doge's party, but the Templars rid the game and gave the mask to Marco's bodyguard Dante Moro. However, Contanto sent her courtesans to distract Moro while Ezio stole the mask and infiltrated the party. As his target was on a ship, Contanto suggested Ezio use his Hidden Gun during the fireworks, leading to the Doge's death. Later, Marco's brother, Agostino Barbarigo, an Assassins' ally, took his role as Doge.

In July, Bartolomeo d'Alviano and his mercenaries attacked the Arsenale di Venezia which was under the control of the Templar Silvio Barbarigo. As the place was too well guarded, the Assassin was captured with his men. Later, de Magianis informed Ezio to search for the help of d'Alviano if he wanted to kill Silvio. Ezio freed the Assassin and his men before planning to attack the Arsenale. The Assassin sent Ezio positioning his troops across the district to attack the guards and force Silvio to open the Arsenale's gates to send reinforcement. While d'Alviano and his men attacked the guards, Ezio killed Silvio and Moro who tried to flee on a ship. In his last breath, Moro revealed that the Templars searched for a hidden object in Cyprus.

Recovering and lost of the Apple of Eden

As the years came, other individuals were inducted into the Brotherhood. The Roman Lucas Bellini followed the footsteps of his parents and became an Assassin. In Florence, the seamstress Elena Niccolini was inducted into the Brotherhood after she was recommended by Claudia Auditore who was one of her patrons. Also in Florence, the Brotherhood inducted Grazia, a former Templar Inquisitor who wanted to atone for the atrocious acts she did for the Order. Perotto Calderon was inducted into the Brotherhood and became the mentor of the Venetian Francesco Vecellio. By 1488, the 19-year-old Florentine Niccolò Machiavelli became an Assassin and led the mercenaries in his hometown.

Initiation of Ezio Auditore

On 25 July 1488, an Assassins group composed of Mario, Paola, La Volpe, Machiavelli, de Magianis, Contanto, and d'Alviano went to Venice to verify the Codex's prophecy about the Prophet's arrival. In the Arsenale, Mario saw the Templars arriving with an Apple of Eden they found. The Assassin ambushed Rodrigo Borgia as he received the Piece of Eden, joining forces with Ezio who infiltrated the guards to confront his family murderer. After a fight, the Grand Master escaped but the Assassins obtained the Apple. They revealed to Ezio their true allegiance and explained that Ezio was the Prophet they waited for. After this, Ezio was officially inducted into the Brotherhood.

Later, Machiavelli, Mario, and Ezio brought the Apple to Leonardo Da Vinci to study the artifact. After Ezio activated it showing disturbing knowledge, the Assassins decided to hide the Apple in Forlì, a city controlled by their ally Caterina Sforza. When Ezio and Machiavelli met the countess, the city was attacked by the mercenary brothers Ludovico and Checco Orsi who were hired by Borgia to recover Girolamo Riario's map of the Codex pages.

The Assassins succeeded to enter in the Rocca di Ravaldino and defended it against the besiegers. After the battle, the Orsis who had captured Sforza's children bargained for their life in exchange for the map and the Apple. While Ezio saved the children and killed Ludovico, Machiavelli failed to protect the Apple against Checco. Ezio tracked the mercenary and killed him but was stabbed by his target in the process. While Ezio was losing consciousness, he saw a monk with a missing finger taking the Apple.

Found by Sforza guards, the Assassin was brought to Forlì where he was nursed by the countess. When Ezio regained consciousness, he decided to find the monk. Before his departure, Sforza gave Ezio her late husband's map, which helped the Assassin complete the Codex Wall. The Assassin investigated the monasteries of Romagna and uncovered the identity of the monk: Girolamo Savonarola. As the monk studied in Florence, Ezio decided to return to his hometown to search the Apple, a task which took him a decade.

With the years, Ezio became more involved in the Brotherhood. Around 1490, he went to Florence and recruited Girolamo da Lucca, known as the Ghost of Florence for his deadly skills. Girolamo accepted the offer.

Working with the Spanish Brotherhood

Ezio and Antonio meeting Luis de Santángel

In 1491 in Venice, Antonio de Magianis met Luis de Santángel, the finance minister of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who asked him to protect the Genoese explorer Christoffa Corombo who was about to meet Rodrigo Borgia as the Templar was interested in financing his exploration. De Magianis tasked Ezio Auditore to halt his research of the Apple to accomplish the mission. The Assassin protected Corombo as the meeting was a trap to kill him.

Later, De Santángel tasked Auditore to take back Corombo's atlas as the Templars occupied their hostel. Auditore recovered the book and gave it to De Santángel and Corombo who were about to return to Spain. Before leaving, De Santángel warned Auditore that the Assassins in Spain were hunted by the Spanish Inquisition. Auditore decided to stop the search Apple of Eden to save his Spanish brethren. He assembled a group of Italian Assassins, among them Lucas Bellini, Girolamo de Lucca and Niccolò Machiavelli. Ezio also received support from his uncle Mario and his mercenaries and brought his sister Claudia to serve as an accountable for the Spanish Brotherhood.

Arriving in Barcelona, Ezio began an uneasy alliance with the former French Assassin and adventurer Helene Dufranc after she stole his sword. After this misadventure, Ezio went to the local Thieves' Guild which served as the Assassins headquarters in the city. Entering the building, the Assassin found it empty but was ambushed by guards of the Inquisition. Fleeing by the catacombs, Ezio met the Assassin Raphael Sanchez who was also the treasurer of Queen Isabella I of Castile.

File:AC2D - Gaspar death.jpg

Ezio killing Gaspar Martínez

The two Assassins worked together and hunted the man responsible for the purge in the city, the Inquisitor Gaspar Martinez. Ezio killed Martinez who thought that the Assassins were merely heretics. As an Assassin was about to be executed in an auto-da-fé, Ezio saved him. When Ezio showed Sanchez a list he found on Martinez, the Spanish Assassin recognized the names of six of his brethren from Zaragoza. The two Assassins went to the city to save them and discover who hunted them.

In Zaragoza, Ezio tracked the calificador Pedro Llorente. Infiltrating his tribunal, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Llorente and the Grand Inquisitor Tomas Torquemada and discovered that Borgia informed the Inquisition about the Assassins. Ezio witnessed the execution of one of the Assassins but succeeded in saving the five others. Later, Ezio killed Llorente who was oblivious of the Templar implication in the Inquisition. While Ezio was ready to return to Italy, Sanchez convinced him to stay to unravel a Templar conspiracy in Granada.

Between Zaragoza and Granada, Ezio infiltrated a church in Castile and eavesdropped on a meeting between Torquemada and the Templar Ojeda. He discovered that they planned to use the Dogs of the Lord to recover artifacts. Ezio reported his discoveries to the Spanish Assassins María and Aguilar de Nerha. To rebuild the Spanish Brotherhood, they installed a new headquarters in an abandoned fortress in Sierra de Cazorla. Maria worked with the Italian Assassins for a time while Aguilar recruited apprentices. Machiavelli inducted into the Spanish Brotherhood the French Knight Jean Delacroix as he was smeared by the Templars in France.

On the road to Granada, Ezio and Sanchez met again Dufranc who planned to ambush the Templar financer the Cygnet. As the death of the Templar could jeopardize their mission, Ezio saved the Cygnet before the French rogue could kill him.

Arriving in Granada, Ezio and Sanchez split up to stop Templar guards who attacked villagers around the city. Later, Ezio joined Sanchez and De Santángel who revealed his Assassin allegiance to Ezio. The Spanish Assassins explained that they wanted to stop the Granada War but that a Templar spy fed Emir Muhammad XII with false information on the conflict. Ezio eavesdropped on the spy and discovered that the Templar intentionally prolonged the war. After killing the spy, Ezio reported to the Spanish Assassins who understood that the Templars wanted the war to continue to prevent the Spanish Kingdoms to finance Corombo' westward expedition, permitting the Order to set their own expedition.

The Assassins and Christoffa Corombo at the Fall of Granada

Then, Sanchez tasked Ezio to convince the emir to surrender to stop the war. Ezio infiltrated Alhambra and killed a Templar who kept Muhammad XII hostage. The emir accepted to surrender Granada and Ezio opened the gate of the city. During the negotiation between the Emir and the Spanish Kingdoms, the Templars manipulated Spanish soldiers to sack and burn the city but Ezio killed the rampaging guards. As the order was restored in the city, Sanchez explained to Ezio that the Assassins wanted to finance Corombo's expedition as he would discover new lands thanks to his atlas.

Even after the Treaty of Granada in November 1491, the Inquisition tracked heretics in the city. Ezio saved civilians and stealthily killed the Inquisitor Juan de Marillo to prevent further repression. Later, Corombo left the city as Queen Isabella refused to finance his expedition. De Santángel convinced the Queen by financing half of the project but discovered that the Templars set up a trap to kill the explorer on his way to France. Ezio saved Corombo and informed him of the good news before escorting him to Granada.

On 2 January 1492, Ezio met again Dufranc who informed her that the Templars planned to kill Queen Isabella during the capitulation ceremony. The two worked together to stop the Templars and save the Queen. Discovering Dufranc's Assassin past, Ezio tried to restore her to the Brotherhood, but she refused even if she respected him.

Ezio confronting Tomás de Torquemada

In August, as Corombo began his journey, Ezio decided to return to Italy to resume his track of the Apple of Eden. Bidding farewell to De Santángel in his home at Zaragoza, Ezio saw soldiers of the Inquisition trying to kill De Santángel. Ezio killed them and ran to Sanchez's palace, saving the Assassin from the Inquisition. With the blessing of the two Spanish Assassins, Ezio infiltrated Torquemada's palace to kill him. As Ezio confronted to understand if his target was a Templar, the Grand Inquisitor blocked him with a portcullis and fled the palace. Meeting with De Santángel and Sanchez, Ezio informed them of his failure but reassured them by saying that Torquemada's death would only escalate the turmoil in Spain. Ezio bid farewell to the two Assassins before leaving Spain.

The Italian Assassins returned to their country but their experiences with their Spanish brethren established a close friendship between the two brotherhoods, each branch sending Assassins when needed.

In the Spring of 1493, Ezio Auditore discovered that the Templars returned to Florence, influencing the local merchants and officials, while those against them disappeared. As Auditore requested support from Assassins in Italy and Europe to investigate the matter, Perina di Bastian and Corvo Antonelli went to Florence. Antonelli confronted directly the Templars but was captured and imprisoned with the missing merchants. When di Bastian discovered a note implicating Bonacolto Contarini in the conspiracy, the burglar met Spanish Assassins who answered Auditore's request.

Working together, the Assassins freed Antonelli and the merchant who were sold as slaves. Antonelli confirmed that Contarini was the Templars behind this. After the Spanish Assassins killed three of Contarini's lieutenants, they regrouped with the two Italian Assassins to attack the Templar. While Antonelli attacked the guards and di Bastian scouted the area, the Spanish Assassins infiltrated the place and killed Contarini, ending the Templar threat on Florence.

Hindering Borgia's court

By late 1492, as Rodrigo Borgia was elected pope under the name of Alexander VI, the Assassins decided to watch closely the Grand Master. Bartolomeo d'Alviano moved to Rome, installing barracks in the Campagna District. While managing the arenas and Fight Clubs of the city, the Assassin inducted the gladiator Corvo Antonelli in the Brotherhood.

Around 1492, the Brotherhood inducted Tosca Yayal-Ricci, a wandering mercenary in Florence who fought the Templars after they killed her partner Sofia Yayal.

In 1496, d'Alviano allied with his cousin of the House of Orsini to fight the Borgias as they tried to claim their lands. During the battle, the Assassin defended the last three fortresses against the pope's son, Cesare Borgia. In the last moment, d'Alviano was saved by the reinforcement of his cousin Carlo Orsini, permitting him to fight back the Templars, wounding Cesare's face. During the Siege of Bracciano, d'Alviano defended the city against the troops of Rodrigo's elder son Juan. A year later, the Templars launched an assault against d'Alviano, the Assassin survived but his wife Bartolomea Orsini was killed.

The Assassins sent Perotto Calderon as a courier to spy on Borgia court, intercepting letters while his apprentice Francesco Vecellio delivering his reports. However, Calderon fell in love with Lucrezia Borgia, the pope's daughter, and when she became pregnant and gave birth to their deformed son Giovanni in 1498, Perotto was imprisoned. The Assassin escaped, and to save his son's life, went to Agnadello to use the Shroud of Eden. Calderon was forced to kill his brothers who protect the Piece of Eden to heal his son. Deemed as a traitor to the Brotherhood, Calderon was killed by a group of Assassins, with Vecellio among them. After his death, some Assassins, like Rinaldo Vitturi left the Brotherhood due to the misuse of the Shroud, while his son Giovanni was sent to be raised by Cesare who claimed to be the father of the child.

Bonfire of Vanities

Main article: Bonfire of the Vanities

In late 1494, Ezio Auditore returned to Florence to track Girolamo Savonarola who had the Apple of Eden. The Assassin saved a monk who was harassed by Borgia's guards and discovered he was Girolamo's cousin, Marcello. The monk said to the Assassin that his cousin was in Venice and Auditore followed the trail. Arriving in Venice, Auditore was welcomed by Teodora Contando who advised him to interrogate a herald preaching for Savonarola. Pretending to be a follower, Auditore was forced to blow his cover as the mob attacked Piero de' Medici, Lorenzo's son who was exiled from Florence. After killing Savonarola's followers, Piero informed Auditore that the monk returned to Florence.

The Assassins during the revolt against Savonarola

In February 1497, Ezio returned to Florence, where Girolamo Savonarola used the Apple to control the city's leaders. Ezio, Paola, La Volpe, and Machiavelli started a revolt against Savonarola's rule. Ezio killed the lieutenants and the other Assassins led the population against Savonarola. On 8 April 1498, Ezio retrieved the Apple after Savonarola was arrested by the mob. A month later, just before Savonarola was about to be burned alive in public, Ezio killed the monk with his blade to end his suffering. Before the population, Ezio demanded the crowd to follow their own free will, and not anyone else like Savonarola, the Medici, or himself. This speech inspired Savonarola's follower Domenico to join the Brotherhood.

Confrontation in Rome

By 1499, the Assassins collected all of the Codex pages in Monteriggioni. Mario and Ezio Auditore received the visit of Paola, La Volpe, Niccolò Machiavelli, Antonio de Magianis, Teodora Contanto, and Bartolomeo d'Alvinano. Using the Apple of Eden with the Codex's map, they discovered that the vault was under the Sistine Chapel in Rome and that the Papal Staff was the second Piece of Eden to open the vault. To ensure that Ezio would infiltrate the Vatican, the Assassins planned to bring chaos to the city as a diversion, d'Alvinano mobilizing his mercenaries while La Volpe took the head of the Roman thieves.

As the mercenaries needed supplies, a group of Assassins went to Naples with Claudia Auditore to retrieve a cache of munition hidden by her father. As they found it empty, the group met Piero, an associate of La Volpe, who informed them that it was probably Armilia Guardato, a long rival of the Auditore. The Assassins and Claudia infiltrated her henchmen's stronghold in the hills below Vesuvius. Inside the fortress, they met the leader of the bandit, Il Bruto who made a deal to spare his life. He revealed that Guardato allied with the Templars to control Naples and gave her location. The Assassins stormed the hideout, killing Guardato and recovering the weapons.

On 28 December, Ezio infiltrated the Sistine Chapel and tried to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia to recover the Staff. The Pope denied using the power of the artifact. Ezio used the Apple to overcome his enemy but the Assassin was defeated by the Grand Master who took the Apple and stabbed him. After losing consciousness, Ezio confronted the pope in a fistfight before the vault. Defeating the Templar, Ezio spared his life after realizing that killing him would not solve anything.

Using the two Pieces of Eden, the Assassin entered the vault and met a strange being by the name of Minerva, an individual of the First Civilization. As Ezio tried to understand what was happening, she warned someone named Desmond Miles that soon, a catastrophic event would wipe out civilization just like in the past, and that he was the only one who could save the world. After this, a bewildered Ezio left the vault and tried to recover the Staff but the artifact was locked. Joined by Mario, the Assassins escaped the city with the Apple.

Liberation of Rome

Main article: Liberation of Rome

Destruction of Monteriggioni by Cesare's army

In Monteriggioni, Ezio informed the Assassins and his family of what he found in the vault and the fact that he spared Rodrigo, which Machiavelli considered as a mistake and left the Villa. Enraged by the Assassin victory, Cesare Borgia, Rodrigo's son, rallied his army and attacked Monteriggioni. The attack was short but fierce, and the Templars managed to reclaim the Apple of Eden, kill Mario Auditore, and capture Caterina Sforza. Wounded during the battle, Ezio decided to go to Rome to retrieve the Apple and avenge the attack but fell unconscious during the travel. Niccolò Machiavelli found him and sent him to Margherita dei Campi, to be healed.

After Ezio regained consciousness, Margherita gave him a new set of robes and equipment offered by Niccolò and informed Ezio that Niccolo wanted to see him. The two Assassins planned to take the Apple and kill Rodrigo and his son. With the help of La Volpe, Bartolomeo d'Alviano and Claudia, who took leadership of the courtesans of Rome, the Assassins had a strong network in Rome. In 1501, Ezio went to Castel Sant'Angelo, to find the Apple and kill his targets, but could only save Caterina.

Understanding that the Borgia power was based on Rome, Ezio decided to induct new apprentices into the Brotherhood, recruited from the population of the city, and attack Cesare's lieutenants and allies such as the Cento Occhi, the Followers of Romulus and the French army led by Octavian de Valois. He created a group of Assassins, led by Francesco Vecellio, which through Italy sabotaged Cesare power, killing his allies and protecting individuals who could oppose against Cesare. They also convinced Rinaldo and other former Assassins to rejoin the Brotherhood. Ezio also sent recruits around Europe and Asia to perform missions, as well as helping other Assassin branches in Barcelona, Calicut, Constantinople and Paris against the Templars, helping rulers in England and the Holy Empire or installing new guilds across Europe.

The Italian Brotherhood in Rome

In August 1503, the Assassins managed to destroy Cesare's defenses and his War Machines, thwarting Cesare's plans for invasion, and cutting off his funds by killing Juan Borgia as well as the support of the French army with the death of Octavian de Valois. The Assassins found also a key that opened one of the doors in the Castel Sant'Angelo. After Claudia was inducted to the Brotherhood and Ezio became the Mentor of the Brotherhood, Cesare returned to Rome to use the Apple to reverse the situation. As his father refused to give him the Apple and learning that he tried to poison him, Cesare killed his father in a rage. Ezio found the Apple and used it against the remnants of Borgia forces at the end of the year. In December 1503 Cesare was imprisoned by the new Pope, Julius II, who became an ally for the Assassins.

Cesare tried to escape but Ezio stopped him and Cesare was sent to a prison in Spain. The Assassins fought the Borgia's diehards who stayed in Rome. In 1506, Cesare escaped from his prison and rallied an army to conquer Spain, Rome and Italy. Ezio Auditore followed him to Valencia and Viana, where he eventually managed to kill Cesare while he led a siege against a castle. After Cesare's death, the Templars in Italy were eradicated, allowing the Assassins to gain more power and influence, as well as acquiring more allies.

Post-Borgia period

After the destruction of the Templars in Italy, Ezio formed stronger ways of communication for the Assassins from Sicily to Venice and created standardized training methods for new recruits.

Francesco Vecellio leaving a wounded Niccolò di Pitigliano

In 1509, Bartolomeo d'Alviano fought in the Battle of Agnadello to protect the Shroud against the army of Louis XII of France. Bartolomeo was captured and his cousin, Niccolò di Pitigliano, took the artifact for himself. In 1510, Francesco Vecellio tracked Niccolò in Lonigo, created a revolt against the condottiero. With a team of Assassins, Francesco stroke the manor, mortally wounded Niccolò and took the Shroud for the Brotherhood.

During these more peaceful times, Ezio Auditore left for Masyaf to search for Altaïr's library. During his absence, Claudia led the Assassins and contacted Desiderius Erasmus, the Mentor of the Northern European Assassins, who was concerned about the work of Martin Luther which could trouble the peace in Europe. Upon Ezio's return, he decided to retire and appointed Lodovico Ariosto as the new Mentor.

In 1519, Giovanni Borgia, the son of Perotto Calderon and Lucrezia Borgia, who became an Assassin, went to Mexico with the troops of Hernán Cortés to find a Piece of Eden, a Crystal Skull which was used by the Aztecs for sacrifices. During the Night of Sorrows, Giovanni stole the artifact and brought it to Bombastus. Later in 1527, Giovanni was sent to Paris to search the second half of the Book of Abraham, which contained occult knowledge. Giovanni, with Maria Amiel, took the second half and discovered Pythagorean symbols. The two lovers went to the Temple of Pythagoras and contacted an individual from the First Civilization, Consus.

Modern times

By 2012, an Assassin cell led by Adriano Maestranzi operated in Florence. That year, Adriano would frequently correspond with Assassin leader William Miles. On 5 September 2012, Adriano tracked down William's son, Desmond, who had been captured and taken to Rome by the Templars and called William for further instructions. Adriano offered to rescue Desmond with his team but was stopped by William who assured him that his mole in Abstergo Industries would keep Desmond safe.

As William's team attempted to flee Italy, Harlan Cunningham, a member of the Italian cell, received a text from William on 16 October, telling him that the Templars were onto them and that they were going into hiding. On 25 October, Harlan was again contacted by William, who asked for his assistance in escaping Italy. At 9:51 am on 27 October, Harlan led an ambush on Abstergo's tactical Delta Team, killing several of the Templar agents and allowing William's team to escape from the Templars' tail. Harlan sent William a text at 10:38 am, informing him that they only lost one Assassin in the skirmish and that one of the Templars had "lost it" during the battle.

After William's team had entered the Grand Temple, Adriano learned that the Templars were attempting to hack into the Assassins' systems to track their location. On 27 November, he sent an e-mail to William stating that he had decided a "hostile takeover" was in order, and had his cell prepare for a raid on the Abstergo headquarters in Rome.

On 28 November 2012, at 5:08 pm, Harlan sent a message to William from the Provincial road SP11 in Italy, informing him that they had infiltrated the Abstergo campus and killed four hackers along with some guards, and destroyed their servers, which meant Abstergo could not track William. After returning to the safe house in Florence on 29 November, Harlan discovered that he or another member of the cell had been tracked back to the base. He sent a message to William at 10:42 pm, informing him that an attack was imminent, but that Adriano was refusing to leave.

The following morning, at 6:27 am, a Templar strike team led by Juhani Otso Berg attacked the hideout. Once they reached the inner sanctum where Adriano was located, he used a bomb to blow up the hideout, killing himself alongside most of the Templar strike team, save for Berg himself. The explosion also destroyed the Assassins' files, preventing their contents from falling into Templar hands. Harlan, the only Assassin survivor, fled to Bologna, and, on 1 December at 12:20 pm, sent a message to William informing him of what happened, and that he was "going dark". William responded by telling him to stay strong.

Appearances

Generally, the robes worn by the Italian Apprentices hearkened back to those worn by the Levantine Assassins, being white and accompanied by a red sash around the waist. If the Apprentice attained the rank of Assassin he or she would be given white Assassin robes, similar to those of Ezio's own.

A few prominent Assassins within the Italian Brotherhood eschewed the more traditional attire; among these were the Mentor Niccolò Machiavelli, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, Claudia Auditore, Paola, Antonio de Magianis, Teodora Contanto, La Volpe and Rosa.

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  Male Assassin
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  Female Assassin
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  Masked Assassin with level 1 Armor
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  Masked Assassin with level 2 Armor
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  Masked Assassin with level 3 Armor
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  Masked Assassin with level 4 Armor
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  Assassin with level 1 Armor
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  Assassin with level 2 Armor
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  Assassin with level 3 Armor
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  Assassin with level 4 Armor
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  Female Assassin with level 1 Armor
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  Female Assassin with level 2 Armor
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  Female Assassin with level 3 Armor
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  Female Assassin with level 4 Armor

Techniques

An Apprentice being inducted as an Assassin

The Italian Assassins were trained in stealth, combat, pickpocketing, blending and parkour and used most of the tactics created by the Levantine Brotherhood. The Apprentices started off with only a hidden blade, but could acquire armor and more weapons as they gained experience. They could also obtain the hidden gun, and were allowed to carry crossbows after attaining the rank of Assassin. The Italian Assassins used a variety of weapons, like swords, maces, heavy weapons, crossbows, poisons, throwing knives, bow and arrows, and daggers.

Members

Middle Ages

• Dante Alighieri
• Domenico Auditore
• Domenico Auditore's father
• Renato Auditore
• Niccolò Polo
• Maffeo Polo
• Marco Polo

Renaissance

• Alif
• Bartolomeo d'Alviano
• Corvo Antonelli
• Lodovico Ariosto (Mentor; 1513)
• Claudia Auditore da Firenze
• Ezio Auditore da Firenze (Mentor; 1503 – 1513)
• Federico Auditore da Firenze
• Giovanni Auditore da Firenze
• Maria Auditore da Firenze
• Mario Auditore
• Alessandra d'Avanzago
• Cristina d'Avanzago
• Perina di Bastian
• Beatrice
• Lucas Bellini
• Pietro Bembo
• Giovanni Borgia
• Perotto Calderon (betrayed)
• Baldassare Castiglione
• Luciano Cavazza
• Cavazza's sister
• Clara
• Claudio
• Teodora Contanto

• Dariâ (Persian Brotherhood)
• Domenico
• Cipriano Enu
• Ridolfo Fioravant
• Giulia
• Grazia
• Girolamo da Lucca
• Niccolò Machiavelli (Mentor; 1500 – 1503)
• Antonio de Magianis
• Bastiano da Mezzo
• Elena Niccolini
• Paola
• Rosa
• Pietro Antonio Solari
• Lo Sparviero
• Hiram Stoddard (British Brotherhood) (deserted)
• Tessa Varzi
• Francesco Vecellio
• Vincenzo
• Rinaldo Vitturi (deserted)
• La Volpe
• Tosca Yayal-Ricci

Post-Renaissance

• Fabrizzio Auditore

Modern Times

• Adriano Maestranzi
• Harlan Cunningham (American Brotherhood)

Allies and puppets

Renaissance

• Uberto Alberti
• Pantasilea Baglioni
• Margherita dei Campi
• Fiora Cavazza
• Nicolaus Copernicus
• Christopher Columbus (Spanish Brotherhood)
• Julius II
• Shao Jun (Chinese Brotherhood)
• Leo X
• Lorenzo de' Medici
• Aguilar de Nerha (Spanish Brotherhood)
• Maria (Spanish Brotherhood)

• Piero de' Medici
• Michelangelo
• Fabio Orsini
• Luis de Santángel (Spanish Brotherhood)
• Sofia Sartor
• Caterina Sforza
• Solari
• Egidio Troche
• Leonardo da Vinci

World War II

• Eddie Gorm (British Brotherhood)

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Lineage (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed II
• Assassin's Creed II: Discovery
• Assassin's Creed: Renaissance
• Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
• Assassin's Creed: Ascendance
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Embers (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations novel
• Assassin's Creed III (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Initiates
• Assassin's Creed: Memories
• Assassin's Creed: Identity
• Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed Volume 3: Homecoming
• Assassin's Creed: Rebellion (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Reflections
• Assassin's Creed: Origins (as the Roman Hidden Ones)
• Assassin's Creed: Origins comic (as the Roman Hidden Ones)
• Assassin's Creed: Blade of Shao Jun (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood of Venice
• Assassin's Creed: The Last Quest of Leonardo da Vinci