Silvio Barbarigo
Silvio Barbarigo (1435–1486), sometimes called "Il Rosso", was the cousin of Marco Barbarigo, a government official, and a Templar. He was a state inquisitor of Venice and jealous of the power his relatives commanded and was somehow related to Emilio Barbarigo.
Biography
Early life
- "Silvio was introduced to politics when his father was cut out of the inheritance. From then on, Silvio worked for his uncle, his father's killer."
- ―Part of Silvio's database entry.[src]
Silvio was born in Venice as one of the Barbarigo family and was introduced to violence and greed at a very early age. His Barbarigo uncle killed Silvio's father in order to gain more power over the family's wealth. As the father of Silvio's familial branch was dead, he was forced to live with the murderous uncle in the man's palazzo. This proved to be the uncle's mistake, and Silvio quickly became a trusted advisor of the wealthy man and sank his claws deeper into the family affairs with every passing day.
Silvio discovered a plot against his uncle, soon to be instigated by the Soranzo family. In order to prevent their conspiracy against the Barbarigos, he invited the family to an Easter celebration and planned for their meal to be eaten on the balcony as the family's children played in the courtyard. As he began the feast with a toast to their health, the archers placed in strategic points behind the courtyard windows began to fire on the Soranzo family. The Soranzos never plotted against the Barbarigo family again.
After a period of ten years, Silvio decided to exact revenge on the traitorous uncle for his wealth and his actions against Silvio's father. He convinced his mother and sister to kill him that night. Silvio easily persuaded any curious bystanders that the man had died in bed and took over the luxurious palazzo for his own.
Aiding the Templars
- Carlo: "Yes, myself, in person. I'm concerned that you don't trust me."
- Silvio: "As am I. Perhaps he'll arrive with the others. Walk with me."
- —Silvio and Carlo in Venice.[src]
In 1485, Silvio was present at a meeting with the Templars Carlo Grimaldi, Marco Barbarigo, Dante Moro and Rodrigo Borgia outside of the Palazzo Ducale in order to plot the assassination of the Doge of Venice, Giovanni Mocenigo. Silvio was given the task of acquiring a suitable poison for the murder of the Doge and replied that a particular poison called cantarella would be adequate for their needs. He left the meeting as Rodrigo disbanded it on the Ponte di Rialto, their departure masked by a sudden flock of pigeons.
Silvio reappeared during the Carnevale, in which he had his bodyguard Dante take part in the many contests held and ultimately won the Golden Mask. He did so by cheating Ezio Auditore da Firenze out of his fair prize, bribing the judges and recieving the mask for Dante. This mask guarranteed the individual wearing it entry into Marco Barbarigo's private Carnevale party.
Ezio stole the mask from Dante and entered the party, assassinating Marco with his new Hidden Gun. After this dramatic event, Silvio hired a small army of mercenaries to capture L'Arsenale, Dante Moro leading them into battle. They took over the location and began attempting to convince Assassin mercenaries to defect to the Templar side.
Death
- Silvio: "Don't you see what's happened?"
- Dante: "No."
- Silvio: "Of course not, slow as you are. We've been betrayed! The ship has sailed - without us! And now the Assassin approaches. Perhaps there's still time for us to escape. If not to the island, at least away from here..."
- —Dante and Silvio in panic.[src]
Once alerted of the previous events, mercenaries poured into L'Arsenale and fought viciously with the Barbarigo-bought guards, pounding them with axes and brute strength. Ezio Auditore noticed that his mercenary ally Bartolomeo d'Alviano was fighting with Dante Moro, a man with unsurpassable strength in battle. Bartolomeo was losing to Dante until Ezio came to his friend's aid and forced Dante to flee to the gates.
Silvio taunted Ezio as he fought the men blocking the Assassin forces from defeating the corrupt official, claiming that Ezio had no idea what the Apple was capable of and threatening the sanctity of his mother and sister. Unfortunately for Silvio, Dante was once again defeated, and the two men fled for a boat that had been planned as their escape from Venice.
Upon arrival at the docks, Silvio realized that their ship had already left in a cowardly betrayal by his fellow Templars. He had nowhere left to run and was assassinated alongside his faithful bodyguard. Deciding that there was no reason for loyalty to the Templars any longer, they revealed that the destination for the ship was Cyprus. They died before they could reveal any further information.
With the deaths of the last Templars in Venice, L'Arsenale and Venice itself could enjoy peace and tranquility for a long time.
Final Words
Ezio: What's happened here? Why the boats? I thought you sought the Doge's seat.
Silvio: Just a distraction. We were meant to sail...
Ezio: Sail where?
Silvio: I'll never tell.
(Silvio dies)
Dante: Cyprus is their destination. They want....they....want...
(Dante dies)
Ezio: Non temete l'oscurità - accettate il suo abbraccio. Requiescat in Pace. (Fear not the darkness - but welcome it's embrace. Rest in Peace.)
Trivia
- In Assassin's Creed: Lineage, Silvio Barbarigo is portrayed by Harry Standjofski in a minor appearance – he is only heard talking with Marco Barbarigo and seen at the end of the film during the Templar meeting.
- In the novel Assassin's Creed: Renaissance, Ezio guts him with the Hidden Blade.
Video
thumb|300px|left|Database entry.
Gallery
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Carlo and Silvio talking.
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Silvio's death.
