Sofia Sartor

"The more we learn about the world, the less we seem to know."

―Sofia Sartor, 1511.

Sofia Sartor (1476 - unknown) was a Venetian-Ottoman bookshop owner, and a literary enthusiast. Though born in the city of Constantinople, Sofia was forced to leave for Venice during 1499, when the Ottoman-Venetian war began.

Sofia eventually returned to her birthplace in 1507 to run a bookstore at the old Polo trading post. During 1511, she met the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the man who would eventually become her husband, and the father of their two children.

A polylingual, multicultural, and intelligent woman mature beyond her years, Sofia had a passion for literature, which fueled her decision to run her bookstore, in hopes of sharing the democratizing effect she felt in books with others.

Biography

Early life

Sofia was the daughter of a Venetian couple, and was born in 1476 in the city of Constantinople. She lived at the Venetian quarter of the city with her parents until the Ottoman-Venetian conflict began. At that time, most Venetians living within the city were in danger, forcing Sofia and her parents to flee to Italy in 1499.

In 1505, Sofia's father commissioned the German artist Albrecht Dürer to paint a portrait of her as a gift for her twenty-eighth birthday, offering any price to the artist. However, when the artist met Sofia, he refused any salary, and said that the opportunity to paint Sofia's likeness was payment enough.

Sofia later returned to Constantinople in 1507 to run the bookshop previously owned by her father, wanting to spread knowledge amongst the poor Ottoman people, and share her love for books with others.

Meeting Ezio

Sofia: "Who are you, messere (sir)?"

Ezio: "Only the most interesting man in your life."

—Sofia and Ezio, in Sofia's bookshop.

In 1511, Sofia returned to Constantinople from a trip to Rhodes, on the same boat as Suleiman I and Ezio Auditore, the Mentor of the Assassins. Unbeknownst to Sofia, the building of her bookshop had also once been the trading post of Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, who had founded the Turkish sect of the Assassin Order.

Ezio and Sofia, at the latter's bookshop.

Sofia later met Ezio Auditore, who was in the midst of searching for the Masyaf Keys. Suspecting the old Polo trading post to contain some information of the Keys' location, Ezio searched Sofia's shop, and found a hidden passageway that led to the Yerebatan Cistern. After returning, Ezio shared what he had found with Sofia: a map and one of the five Masyaf keys. The map he found included the location of rare books, which fascinated Sofia greatly.

Ezio believed that the books held clues as to where the other keys were. He then asked Sofia if she could help him deduce the location of the books by deciphering the map for him. Sofia agreed; in return, she asked to let her borrow the books from him once he was done with them. Ezio subtly agreed, before leaving her shop.

Locating the books

Sofia: "Ezio, what is this all about? You are not a scholar, that much is clear. Do you work for the church?"

Ezio: "Not the church, no. But I am a teacher... of a kind."

—Ezio and Sofia, about the former's occupation.

Sofia asking Ezio about his work.

Sofia took a break from her work and waited by the harbor to pick up a package of hers, but was unable to retrieve it due to the captain's papers being out of order. After scaring off a failing suitor, Ezio helped Sofia by infiltrating the ship, and successfully retrieving the package. Upon receiving the package from him, Sofia showed him the map it contained, and gave him the location of the first book, which Ezio set off to collect.

After some time, Ezio returned to Sofia's shop and showed her the book. At the time, Sofia's shop had just recently been broken into by a thief, who had managed to pilfer Dürer's painting of her, which she considered of great sentimental value. After learning this, Ezio left Sofia's shop to locate the painting in the nearby Grand Bazaar, and managed to retrieve it. After Ezio returned the painting, Sofia gave him the location of the next book, as well as subsequently asking him what his job was. Ezio told her that he was something a teacher, which she doubted. Ezio promised her that he would explain everything to her someday.

Ezio and Sofia sharing an intimate moment.

Ezio returned to Sofia's shop some time later, and stayed there to read a poem written by Dante Alighieri. Sofia then told him about her plan to leave for Adrianopoli within a few weeks to visit a new printing press, and tried to ask Ezio to act as her escort. He respectfully declined the offer, stating that he would love to, but his time was running short. Sofia understood, and proceeded to decipher the last code, though asked Ezio if he could wait another day, due to her having another errand to run.

Ezio asked what the errand was, which she said was to pick up white tulips. Ezio told her that he would get the flowers, to which she agreed in exchange for the information Ezio sought. After picking the flowers, Ezio met with Sofia at a park near Hagia Sophia, where she had arranged food and drink for them to share. Afterwards, Sofia gave Ezio the location of the final book.

Abduction

Ezio: "I did not mean to drag you into this. I am sorry."

Sofia: "You are not responsible for the actions of other men."

—Sofia and Ezio, after Sofia's rescue.

Ezio supporting Sofia after rescuing her.

After her return from Adrianopoli, Sofia continued her business while under the protection of Yusuf Tazim, who kept watch over her at the behest of Ezio. In March of 1512, Sofia's store was attacked by the Byzantine Templars under the orders of the Ottoman Prince Ahmet. The Templars kidnapped Sofia, and killed Yusuf in the process.

Returning from Cappadocia and learning of Yusuf's death, Ezio led the local Assassins to Constantinople's arsenal to look for Sofia and avenge Yusuf. After negotiating with Ahmet, Ezio agreed to trade the Masyaf keys for Sofia's safety. During the exchange at Galata Tower, Sofia was held by a Byzantine at the top of the tower, merely inches away from falling.

Sofia and Ezio leaving the city to chase after Ahmet.

After giving up the keys, Ezio hurriedly made his way to Sofia, though he found out the lady to actually be Azize, an Assassin apprentice, who had been set merely as a decoy. Ezio looked for Sofia from the top of the tower, and found her being choked to death by one of the Byzantines in a nearby courtyard.

Ezio immediately left the tower and rescued Sofia. Helping her recuperate, Ezio apologized for dragging Sofia into his business, though Sofia remarked that he was not responsible for his enemies' action. Before she could ask who they were, Sofia was dragged off with Ezio onto a carriage, and the two left the city to chase after Ahmet and the keys.

Chasing Ahmet

Sofia: "You did the right thing, Ezio. This is not your fight."

Ezio: "But where does one end, and the next begin?"

—Sofia and Ezio, after Selim's intervention.

Ezio and Sofia chased after Ahmet through the countryside. After dealing with two of the Byzantines' carriages, Sofia nearly fell after their own carriage collided with a wall. When Ezio tried to rescue her, he slipped and fell to the back of the carriage, barely holding onto a rope. After Ezio tied a parachute to the rope and deployed it, he managed to take to the air, and Sofia recovered enough to gain control of the carriage.

Sofia stopping Ezio from killing Prince Selim.

Despite the constant road obstacles and detours, Sofia managed to catch up to Ahmet, though her carriage was destroyed in the chase. Unscathed, Sofia bade Ezio go on his own from there. After defeating Ahmet, Ezio retrieved the Masyaf keys, but in the midst of their confrontation, Selim I, Ahmet's brother and the newly named Sultan, intervened and threw Ahmet off of a cliff.

Sofia later met up with Ezio, just as Selim was introducing himself. When Selim banished Ezio from his city, the Assassin moved to attack him, but Sofia managed to hold him back. Just as Selim left, Sofia told Ezio that what he had done was the right thing, and the two left for Masyaf.

Journey to Masyaf

Sofia: "You had better come out of there alive."

Ezio: "I plan to."

—Sofia and Ezio, just after opening the door to Altaïr's library.

Sofia and Ezio, before the latter enters Altaïr's library.

Climbing to the old Assassin fortress at Masyaf, Sofia and Ezio discussed the history of the Assassins - how Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad had restored the Order, and whether Ezio ever regretted living as an Assassin. Sofia comforted Ezio when he spoke about finally retiring from the Order, saying that he would not fall far should he let that past life go. At that point, they arrived at the door of Altaïr's library.

With Sofia assisting him by giving her insight about the possible solution for using the keys, Ezio managed to unlock the door. Sofia then asked Ezio to come back out alive, and waited for him outside of the library. After Ezio's return, they both left the fortress, and travelled to Rome.

Settling down

Sofia with Ezio, observing their children.

Ezio and Sofia were married in Venice after returning to Constantinople to ensure the future of Sofia's bookshop, which was turned into both an archive for the Assassins, and a bookshop run by Azize. Sofia and Ezio then returned to Italy and traveled to Rome, where she met her sister-in-law, Claudia.

Sofia was also with Ezio when he made the announcement of his retirement as Mentor, and passed the leadership of the Italian Assassins to Lodovico Ariosto. By this time, Sofia was pregnant with their daughter Flavia.

By 1519, the family settled down in a villa in Tuscany, thanks to the money from Sofia's bookshop. Sofia gave birth to both Flavia, and her son Marcello by October of 1513.

Sofia was present during a visit from a friend of the family, Niccolò Machiavelli, who told Ezio of their friend Leonardo da Vinci's failing health, with whom Ezio and Niccolò went to stay until the artist's death.

In 1524, while Sofia took Marcello to visit Claudia in Rome, Ezio had an encounter with a Chinese Assassin named Shao Jun. Despite Ezio's discourteous welcome, Sofia told Jun that she should stay, seeing that she had come a long way just to meet Ezio. After a day passed, Jun's enemies discovered her at the villa, and Ezio sent Sofia and their children to stay with Niccolò until the conflict was resolved.

Sofia with Flavia and Ezio in Florence.

After the dispute was settled, Sofia left to buy groceries with Flavia and Ezio, who had just finished his writings. After sitting Ezio down by a nearby bench, Sofia and Flavia bought some groceries at a local stall. After a short while, the mother and daughter would see Ezio lying still, having quietly passed away. Distraught, Sofia and Flavia rushed over to Ezio, as did the other intrigued civilians of Florence.

Before Ezio died, he left a letter addressed to Sofia at his study, the writings that he had been keeping himself busy with. The letter detailed Ezio's last thoughts; the reflection on the life he led, and how the love he felt for Sofia was the driving force that had kept him alive.

Personality

"She is a diligent woman, full of passion and vigor, and I enjoy her company immensely."

―Ezio, describing Sofia to Claudia in a letter.

Sofia was a hard-working woman, mature beyond her age. She often engaged with intellectual individuals that she considered her equal in terms of intelligence. Whenever in business, she detested casual banter, though her intellect and sense of humor outmatched any perceived coldness.

Sofia intrigued by a rare book.

She was often intrigued and interested by the mysterious and ancient, such as the lost books listed on the Polo's map, and the Masyaf key that Ezio showed her. She also had a deep appreciation for most architectural structures, literature, and art. She was also very affectionate and romantic, as seen with her plan for Ezio at the park near Hagia Sophia.

She was most passionate when it came to literature, a love further expanded after the invention of the printing press. She visited other countries to learn more about books and the printing press, and discovered much about the materials used in bookbinding, as well as several notable authors and literary works. She had a thirst for knowledge, and a desire to spread what she knew and loved about books to the people of the Ottoman Empire.

Trivia

• "Sofia" is a name of Greek origin, meaning "wisdom."
• Art Director Raphael Lacoste based her appearance an Albrecht Dürer painting, Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman. Co-artist Jeff Simpson commented that Lacoste was very adamant about the idea.
• Sofia's database article states that she was born some time in 1476. However, the Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia says that she was born in 1473.
  • The database also mentions that the Ottoman-Venetian conflict began in 1499, while the Encyclopedia states that it began in 1498.
• Sofia was born on the same year when Giovanni, Federico, and Petruccio Auditore were all executed.
• In her database article image, Sofia is seen wearing a differently colored dress from her in-game one.
• Concept art and early images of Sofia depict her with bright orange hair, while her in-game model shows her with darker-colored hair.
  • However, her hair color in Assassin's Creed: Embers is still depicted as orange.
• Dürer's painting of Sofia can be seen hung on the living room wall of Ezio's and Sofia's villa in Embers. However, it appears much larger compared to its size in Assassin's Creed: Revelations.
• Upon acquiring all obtainable books, there is a cutscene that can be initiated upon returning to Galata headquarters, which involves Sofia coming to make a delivery, and asking Ezio about his "students."

Gallery

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  Concept art of Sofia.
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  Dürer's portrait of Sofia.
• Sofia in her bookstore.
  Sofia in her bookstore.
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  Ezio's first encounter with Sofia.
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  Duccio trying to flirt with Sofia.
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  Sofia and Ezio examining Niccolò Polo's map.
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  Ezio showing Sofia one of the Masyaf keys.
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  Sofia with Flavia.