Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in Western Asia located in the hills of the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea.
History[edit | edit source]
Antiquity[edit | edit source]
The city was founded sometime in the 19th century BCE. After being conquered several times, it was finally taken by David for the Kingdom of Israel. David's son Solomon succeeded him and built a temple which guarded the Ark of the Covenant.[1]
In 33 CE, after the Jewish preacher Jesus of Nazareth attracting the Order of the Ancients' unwanted attention for possessing a Shroud of Eden, they had him tortured and crucified in Jerusalem. The Order then acquired the Shroud, but mere days later, Jesus' disciples repossessed the Shroud and attempted to resurrect him, to no avail.[2][3]
Middle Ages[edit | edit source]
Muslim conquest[edit | edit source]
From at least 638 CE, Jerusalem has been occupied by numerous Muslim caliphates, including the Rashidun Caliphate, the Umayyad Caliphate and Fatimid Caliphate.[4] In 1096, Pope Urban II initiated the First Crusade with the objective of recovering the Holy Land from Muslim rule, including Jerusalem.[5] The Crusaders besieged by Crusaders in 1099, ending the 450-year Muslim rule and leading to the establishment of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.[6] Upon entering Jerusalem, the Crusaders brutally massacred the Muslim and Jewish occupants in the city,[7]
Crusades[edit | edit source]
In the early 12th century, the Templar Bernard de Clairvaux sent nine trusted men to find Solomon's Temple beneath Jerusalem. When these men returned nine years later, he reinvented the Order into a knightly organization. This organization became known as the Knights Templar, allowing the Templars to become public for the first time since their Order's founding.[8]
Jerusalem was the largest city in the Holy Land during the 12th century and housed exquisite mosques and cathedrals, which denoted the contrast of the cultures present. The city was under the control of Sultan Saladin and his Saracen army during the Third Crusade, while the Crusaders under King Richard I were vying heavily to take control of the holy city.[1]
In 1190, the Templars led by Lord Basilisk maintained a strong presence in Jerusalem, from where they searched for the Chalice, a powerful artifact rumored to be hidden in the Temple of Sand. The Master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, tasked with finding the Chalice by Al Mualim, traveled to Jerusalem after learning that Basilisk possessed of one of the Temple's keys, and met the local Assassin bureau's Rafiq Kadar, who informed him that Basilisk would be attending a party hosted by the king. After interrogating a man named Ayman, Altaïr discovered that the party would be taking place at Lacoeur's villa and proceeded to infiltrate the estate, where he confronted Basilisk. Besting the Templar leader in combat, Altaïr acquired his key and made his escape as the villa's guards were alerted to his presence.[9]
Before Altaïr could resume his quest, he was forced to deal with a group of Templars who had attacked and mortally wounded the Assassin Hazad, stealing his map that led to the Temple of Sand. Chasing the Templars through Jerusalem, Altaïr eventually confronted them at their tower headquarters, where he defeated the group's leader and his apprentice, reclaiming the stolen map.[10]
Following his journey to the Temple of Sand and the revelation that the Chalice was in fact a woman named Adha, Altaïr raced back to Jerusalem to find her before the Templars. Although he was too late to prevent his enemies from capturing Adha at Don Carvaggio's villa, he soon managed to rescue her after chasing the Templars across the city.[11] The pair then attempted to flee through the sewers, but during their escape, Adha informed Altaïr that the Templars had convinced Al Mualim's second-in-command, Harash, to defect to their cause. Troubled by the news, Altaïr set off to Alep to deal with Harash while Adha headed to Tyre, from where the pair planned to leave the Levant and sail across the Mediterranean Sea.[12]
By 1191, both the Assassins and Templars had learned that an Apple of Eden was hidden within a vault beneath the remains of Solomon's Temple and aimed to retrieve the artifact. A group of Templars led by their Grand Master Robert de Sablé and a team of Assassins composed of Altaïr and the brothers Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf infiltrated the vault at the same time,[13] and the resulting conflict led to Kadar's death and the severe wounding of Malik's arm. However, Malik was able to retrieve the Apple and bring it back to the Levantine Assassins' headquarters in Masyaf.[14]
Throughout the rest of the year, in order to redeem himself for his failure at Solomon's Temple,[15] Altaïr hunted down and assassinated several clandestine Templars who worked inside Jerusalem.[1] He did so with the help of Malik, who had become the Rafiq of the city's Assassin bureau. Among these Templars was Talal, a slave trader,[16] and Majd Addin, the regent of Jerusalem in Saladin's absence.[17] Ultimately, Altaïr also tried to take the life of Robert de Sablé during Majd Addin's funeral; however, he failed due to Robert having taken precautions and disguising his fellow Templar Maria Thorpe as himself to act as a decoy.[18]
When Altaïr, who by 1257 had become the Mentor of the Levantine Assassins, dispersed the Assassin Order from Masyaf,[19] they shifted their primary presence in the Levant to Jerusalem, working in secret.[20]
Renaissance[edit | edit source]
By the time that the Renaissance had begun spreading throughout Europe, the Mamluks ruled over Jerusalem. Unlike the Saracens, the Mamluks directly opposed the Assassins and attempted to erase their presence from within the city.[21]
In 1511, the Mamluks arrested the Levantine Assassins' leader Mujir in order to intimidate them, but their attempt failed when Mujir was rescued by a group of Ottoman Assassins sent from Constantinople by Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood.[21] With help from the Ottoman Assassins, Jerusalem eventually came under strong Assassin control and flourished as a result.[22]
Modern times[edit | edit source]
In 2012, part of the city functioned as a simulated training location for the second stage of the Animi Training Program, included within a system update. The simulation depicted the Dome of the Rock and its surrounding area, which, aside from the occasional building, largely consisted of tents and market stalls that sold various goods and produce. Decorative archways were a common sight. Jerusalem, like most of the simulated locations in the first and second stage, had two aesthetic variations. As such, it could be utilized during the day or at dusk.[23]
In 2020, a tablet was unearthed in Jerusalem bearing Isu script. A picture of the stone was sent to the Assassin Antony Henry, a linguist who had discovered a way to translate one of the Isu dialects into English. With this knowledge, he translated the text and found that it was a mournful Isu poem, before sending the information in a digital folder to Layla Hassan as she relived the genetic memories of the Viking Eivor Varinsdottir.[24]
Districts[edit | edit source]
Poor District[edit | edit source]
The Poor District of Jerusalem was the smallest of the city, with a large amount of alleyways and low buildings. Guards were fairly spread across the area, while the traffic moving through the streets was relatively clear.[1]
The main features of the district included a mosque, a southernmost church, and a synagogue. These were all places that were generally alive with activity and provided a good source for information, which was valuable for Altaïr during his assassination tasks.[1]
It was in this district that Altaïr tracked his target, Majd Addin, to an execution that he was performing in its eastern side. This section contained a platform that was set against the rocky outcrop and walls of the Dome of the Rock, along with several high buildings that overlooked the area.[1]
Middle District[edit | edit source]
The Middle District was a medium-sized district that was fairly spaced out with guards and civilians. The most significant landmarks in the district included the hospital and guard tower, situated near to the edge of the district, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in the bottom half of the district.[1]
Founded around 326 CE by Queen Helena, the church was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times during the Crusaders' occupation of Jerusalem in the 12th century. This district was also were the funeral of Majd Addin was held, in an area just behind the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here, Altaïr attempted the eliminate the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Robert de Sablé, but instead discovered he had been replaced by Maria Thorpe as a decoy.[1]
Rich District[edit | edit source]
The Rich District was easily the largest of the districts, dominating the city. Given its size, guards and civilians populated much of the area. The buildings were relatively high, with a number of climbable viewpoints.[1]
Several notable landmarks included the district's mosque, the markets that lined the border between the Jewish and Muslim quarters of the district, and Saint Anne's Church. However, the most prominent landmark in the district – and probably the entire city – was the Dome of the Rock.[1]
Completed in 691 CE, the Dome of the Rock was situated atop the Temple Mount, and was the one of the holiest sites in the Islamic faith. Underneath the Temple Mount was the ancient temple of King Solomon, where the Ark of the Covenant was located, along with the Apple of Eden recovered by Altaïr and the brothers Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf.[1]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Concept art of Jerusalem -
Concept art of Jerusalem's poor district -
Concept art of the Assassins' bureau in Jerusalem -
Concept art of a vendor in Jerusalem -
A map of Jerusalem -
Animus map of Jerusalem -
Altaïr looking out over the city from Solomon's Temple -
A view of the city and a Jerusalem cross -
A view of Jerusalem with the Dome of the Rock in the background
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles
- Assassin's Creed II (painting only)
- Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade
- Assassin's Creed: Revelations
- Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Unity (mentioned in Database entry only)
- Assassin's Creed film (painting only)
- Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (mentioned only)
- Shared History (mentioned only)
- Assassin's Creed: Mirage (mentioned only)
- Valley of Memory (mentioned only, as "al-Quds")
References[edit | edit source]
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de:Jerusalem es:Jerusalén fr:Jérusalem it:Gerusalemme pl:Jerozolima pt-br:Jerusalém ru:Иерусалим uk:Єрусалим zh:耶路撒冷