Slavery

A slave auction in New York

Slavery is the subjugation of another person, to be bought and sold for forced labor. The First Civilization created humans to be their slaves, and the Assassins believe the Templars intend to return humanity to that state.

Practices

• Gladiators - In the Roman Empire, slaves like Anacletos were made to fight to the death for the amusement of citizens.
• Military - Janissaries and Mamluks were two military orders made up of Europeans enslaved as children and trained to serve their conquerors.
• Concubines - Jenny Kenway, half-sister of the Templar Haytham Kenway, was kidnapped in 1735 and sold into sexual slavery in Topkapı Palace.
• Eunuchs - These slave guards watched over concubines, and were castrated at a young age to discourage desiring them. After rescuing Jenny Kenway, Haytham's friend Jim Holden was captured and castrated. Haytham found him undergoing the process to turn him into a eunuch in Egypt, and killed the monks responsible.
• Placée brides - In French and Spanish colonies like New Orleans, a practice arose of white men selecting slaves for a form of "practice" marriage. Often though, they had children and opted to free their wives from slavery, as was the case with Philippe Olivier de Grandpré and Jeanne when she gave birth to their daughter Aveline.

History

The First Civilization controlled humanity with the Pieces of Eden. However, interbreeding led to the birth of hybrids like Adam and Eve, who were immune to the power of these devices, causing the Human-First Civilization War.

One of Talal's slaves

The ancient Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians, but they were liberated by the prophet Moses, who was armed with the Staff of Eden.

The Templar Talal ran a slave ring in Jerusalem during the Third Crusade, shipping beggars, whores and thieves to Garnier de Naplouse in Acre. Garnier experimented on these people, believing turning them into mindless slaves bettered their lives. The operation was scuppered when Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad assassinated both men.

During Borgia rule of Rome, Silvestro Sabbatini kidnapped men, women and children to be deported into slavery. Ezio Auditore da Firenze and his apprentices assassinated him and freed those he was keeping captive.

European powers like the British, French and Spanish enslaved Africans to work in their colonies in North America. In 1754, Silas Thatcher, an officer in the British Army, began enslaving members of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation, including Kaniehtí:io. Haytham and his band of Templar brothers freed the slaves and killed Silas to gain the natives' trust.

Haytham driving a slave convoy to infiltrate Thatcher's fortress

By 1758, François Mackandal had recruited many slaves from the French colony Saint-Domingue into the Assassins, and attempted to poison all of their white masters. However, he was betrayed and executed.

At the start of the American Revolutionary War, Lord Dunmore offered slaves belonging to Patriots freedom if they escaped and joined the British Army. George Davidson, a friend of Aveline, enlisted in Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment because of this proclamation.

In an alternate reality created by the Apple of Eden, King Washington enslaved the Kanien'kehá:ka, and later declared he would invade England and enslave its people.