Cristina Vespucci
Cristina Vespucci (c. 1459 - 1494), was a well-known Florentine beauty and a favorite of painters, most notably Botticelli, who used her as a model for several of his paintings.[1]
Biography
Early life
Cristina Vespucci was born inFlorence, Italy, circa 1459.[1] From an early age, she caught the eyes of many boys who wanted to become intimate with her. One of those boys was Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who was encouraged to go speak with Cristina by his brother Federico. However, Cristina wasn't interested in him and walked away. Ezio, who wasn't used to being turned down by a women, followed Cristina to her home, where she was confronted by Vieri de' Pazzi, who asked her why she "hadn't spread her legs to [him] yet." After Cristina turned Vieri down he was about to sexually attack Cristina, when he was punched in the face by Ezio, who had come to Cristina's rescue. Cristina was thankful of Ezio's actions and so began a relationship between the two.[2][3]
Ezio visited Cristina quite frequently and was "unbelievably dexterous" as the guards were never able to catch him tresspassing.[1]
Middle years
Cristina was a bit responsible for starting her cousin Amerigo's career. Cristina attended a dinner party, where she had a conversation with Lorenzo de' Medici and Manfredo Soderini about her cousin. She exaggerated Amerigo's brilliance, saying: "Try Amerigo out. I bet after several years you'll have your shipping company named after him." Lorenzo, charmed by Cristina's beauty, took her advice to heart and several years later, Amerigo was the first to map out the New World and had it named after him.[1]
As of 1478, Cristina was engaged to be married to Manfredo Soderini. When Ezio returned to Firenze for the first time in two years, Christina was the first person he visited, and after a short talk she told him about her engagement, breaking Ezio's heart. After being informed of Manfredo being attacked by gamblers, Ezio rushes to save Cristina's fiance. After killing the gamblers, Ezio hangs Manfredo over a bridge and demands that he stops gambling and also asks him if he truly loves Cristina, to which Manfredo sincerely says yes. Ezio demands that he be a great husband to Cristina, or else he will hunt him down and kill him. Afterwards, Ezio returns to Cristina and kisses her, and tells her that he made sure of Manfredo being a good husband to her.
Eight years later in 1486 Venezia, she unexpectedly meets Ezio again and starts kissing him (believing him to be Manfredo). After finding out the truth, she yells at Ezio for kissing her because she is already married and hasn't seen Ezio for eight years. Christina tells Ezio that she loved him and would have rather married him but it is too late and tells him to never look for her again and leaves.[3]
Death
In 1494, Girolamo Savonarola took control of Florence after Lorenzo de' Medici's death. Savonarola claimed that all Renaissance material was evil and that they should go back to the medieval times, instigating the Bonfire of the Vanities.[1][3]
Savonarola's fanatics infiltrated the Palazzo d'Arzente to kill Manfredo Soderini. Manfredo tried to fend them off, but this was a vain effort as there were too many attackers. Cristina managed to run, but was caught up by the fanatics when Ezio, after hearing what happened from dying Manfredo, came for the rescue and killed all of them. However, Cristina was already mortally wounded in the frenzy, and died in Ezio's arms after telling him that she wished they could have had a second chance.[2]
Trivia
- In the novel Assassin's Creed: Renaissance, Cristina was said to be dead in the frenzy when Savonarola's men attacked Manfredo's house, which is contrary to what is shown in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
- Even though Christina was married for sixteen years, saw Ezio only for a few short minutes once every several years, she still loved him more Manfredo even just moments before she died.
References