Teodora Contanto
- "I find that men are more... open, to religious change when it comes to women like me."
- ―Sister Teodora
Teodora Contanto (1450 - ?) was the leader of the Venetian courtesans and a member of the Assassin Order.[1]
Biography
Early life
Teodora Contanto was born into the Contanto family as a daughter of jewellery sellers. Teodora was apprenticed to her mother as a shop girl. Visitors to the shop noticed Teodora's beauty and charm, in 1462, one man buying diamond earrings for his wife, Margarita, noticed the twelve year old Teodora and left wishing he had never married. Five years later in 1467, court records show that on 26th of November she was caught having an affair with a married man and his wife had alerted the authorities. To avoid legal action her parents sent her to a convent as punishment to live out the rest of her days in peace and prayer. Later that year, Teodora entered the Santa Maria degli Angeli convent.[1]
Becoming a courtesan
However after five years, 1473, at the age of 23, Teodora grew tired of convent life due to her own personal beliefs. She left leaving a statement nailed to the door in which she talked about life as a nun being "earthly" and sterile. She concluded her letter with a brief description of her own belief "only in partnership with another can one truly enter the arms of God".[1]
Teodora opened La Rosa Della Virtù (The Rose of Virtue), a bordello situated in Venice's Dorsodoru district and staffed solely by former nuns. Although she was no longer a part of the Catholic Church, Teodora considered herself a nun, in her own brand of faith. Additionally, Teodora was somehow introduced to and inducted into the Assassin Order.[1]
Helping Ezio
In 1486, Teodora was introduced by fellow Assassin Antonio de Magianis to Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the son of another inducted Assassin called Giovanni Auditore da Firenze. Teodora guided Ezio in his objective to kill the Templar Doge Marco Barbarigo, by informing him that he could win a golden mask, which would grant him access to Marco's personal carnevale party. Ezio participated in the contest to win the mask, but, even though Ezio clearly won all the matches, the mask was given to Marco's bodyguard Dante Moro. Teodora and Antonio instructed Ezio to use Teodora's courtesans to distract Dante, which gave Ezio an oppurtinity to steal the mask. Ezio entered the party and met with Teodora, who offered her girls to help Ezio to stay out of the guards' sight, who had been informed of Ezio's presence. After Marco appeared, Ezio assassinated him and returned to La Rosa Della Virtù, where Teodora offered her girls' service to Ezio.[1]
Acquiring the Apple of Eden
Teodora, alongside the other Assassins who had guided Ezio before, met with Ezio again in 1488 after the latter's fight with the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Rodrigo Borgia. They revealed themselves to be Assassins, which was previously unknown by Ezio.[1]
Fate
La Rosa Della Virtù was burned in a fire in 1516 and Teodora's fate remained unknown.[1]
References