Eugénie de Montijo

Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick, 19th Countess of Teba, 16th Marchioness of Ardales (1826 – 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo and Eugenie of France, was Empress of France from her marriage to Napoleon III on 30 January 1853 until he was deposed on 4 September 1870.

The Templars tried to influence Eugenie for years, hoping to use her to sway French politics.

Biography

On 14 January 1858, the empress and her family survived an assassination attempt in Paris thanks to the efforts of Pierrette Arnaud, though the event seemed to make the emperor and empress even more authoritarian.

In 1869, Eugenie was the guest of honor for the inauguration of the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo, Egypt. Information intercepted by the Master Assassin Amira Benyamina suggested that the Templar Albert Hawkins would use the empress's presence at the opera to conduct some business with her, but he was assassinated by Pierrette before the two could meet. Upon discovering Hawkins' plan to bomb the opera house, Pierrette suspected that the Templar had hoped to save the empress, believing this would turn the French into a more authoritarian regime, as had been the case after the first assassination attempt years prior.

During the Franco-Prussian War, her husband Napoleon lost his authority as sovereign, and his empire fell with him. Eugenie was later escorted by the Assassins, who sent the British Assassin Simeon Price to find any safe passage out of Paris for the empress. Despite some delays, Eugenie safely escaped Paris and the Prussians' grasp.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Magus Conspiracy (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: The Engine of History – The Resurrection Plot