List of Assassin's Creed characters

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The Assassin's Creed media franchise, which primarily consists of a series of open-world action-adventure stealth video games published by Ubisoft, features an extensive cast of characters in its historical fiction and science fiction-based narratives. The series also encompasses a wide variety of media outside of video games, including novels, comic books, board games, animated films, a live-action film, and an upcoming Netflix television series. The series features original characters intertwined with real-world historical events and figures, and is centered on a fictional millennia-old struggle for peace between the Assassin Brotherhood, inspired by the real-life Order of Assassins, who fight for peace and free will and embody the concept of chaos; and the Templar Order, inspired by the real-life Knights Templar, who desire peace through control over all of humanity, and embody the concept of order. A convention established by the first game involves the player experiencing the lives of these characters as part of a simulation played by a protagonist from the modern day, using technology known as the Animus developed by Abstergo Industries, a corporate front of the Templar Order in the modern era.

The first five games feature modern-day protagonist Desmond Miles, a direct descendant of their respective lead characters who are members of familial lines that had sworn an allegiance to the Assassins. By exploring his ancestors' memories, Desmond searches for powerful artifacts called "Pieces of Eden", which are connected to the Isu, a precursor race that created humanity to serve them and went extinct following a catastrophic event tens-of-thousands of years ago. However, they left behind clues to guide humanity to their technology, which could be used to prevent the same disaster from happening in the future. Following the events of Assassin's Creed III, Abstergo develops a more advanced version of the Animus technology called the Helix, which can explore the genetic memories of any historical individual using their DNA without relying on the user being a direct descendant of them. From Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag to Assassin's Creed Syndicate, the player assumes control of unnamed research analysts working for the entertainment branch of Abstergo or the Assassin Brotherhood; the analysts are intended to be the embodiment of the player in the Assassin's Creed universe.^[1] From Assassin's Creed Origins to Assassin's Creed Valhalla, the modern-day protagonist is Layla Hassan, an ambitious former Abstergo employee who developed a portable version of Animus technology and is eventually recruited to the Brotherhood.

This article describes major historical and fictional characters that appear in the video games and the 2016 live-action film adaptation. Most games tend to feature standalone or self-contained stories told within a fictionalized version of real-world historical civilizations, with at least one lead character from that setting and time period. However, some games are more interconnected than others, as is the case with the "Ezio Trilogy", consisting of Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations. These games feature interconnected characters and plot points, so to avoid listing a character multiple times, this article organizes character by their first or most significant appearance and describes their entire history there.

Desmond Miles
Assassin's Creed character
First game	Assassin's Creed (2007)
Created by	Ubisoft Montreal
Voiced by	Nolan North
Motion capture	Francisco Randez
In-universe information
Alias	The Reader
Significant other	Unnamed lover
Children	Elijah (son)
Relatives	William Miles (father) Unnamed mother Adam (ancestor) Aquilus (ancestor) Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (ancestor) Ezio Auditore da Firenze (ancestor) Edward Kenway (ancestor) Haytham Kenway (ancestor) Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor (ancestor)
Origin	Black Hills, South Dakota, United States
Nationality	American

Desmond Miles (13 March 1987 – 21 December 2012) is a fictional character from Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game series. He is the protagonist of five Assassin's Creed installments, with his journey uniting the frame story of the first five installments.^[2] Desmond has also appeared in smaller capacity in subsequent games in the series, as well as various spin-off media. He is voiced by actor Nolan North,^[3][4] and modeled after Canadian fashion model Francisco Randez.^[5] According to several video game journalists and authors, Desmond's character is meant to represent a form of transcendence symbolically from the necessity of the human body.^[2]

In the franchise, Desmond is a descendant of a long line of important characters, including Adam,^[6][7] Aquilus,^[8][9][10] Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad,^[11] Ezio Auditore da Firenze,^[12][13][14] Edward Kenway,^[15][16] Haytham Kenway,^[17][18][19] and Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor, most of whom were members of the Assassin Brotherhood, a fictional organization inspired by the real-life Order of Assassins that is dedicated to safeguarding peace and freedom.^[20][21][22] Born into the Brotherhood, Desmond is trained as an Assassin from a young age, but his desire to lead a normal life eventually prompts him to run away from home and cut ties with the Assassins. However, he is eventually kidnapped by the Templar Order, the Assassins' mortal enemies, who force him into a machine called the Animus that allows Desmond to experience the genetic memories of his ancestors.^[23][24] In doing so, the Templars hope to locate powerful artifacts called Pieces of Eden and enslave all of humanity. Desmond manages to escape and, after accepting his Assassin heritage, rejoins the Brotherhood to help them stop the Templars. In the process, he learns that he is destined to save humanity from an impending solar flare, and continues to explore his ancestors' memories to find the technology of a precursor race called the Isu, who were wiped out by a similar disaster.^[25][26]

Critical reception of the character has been mixed. Many reviewers and video game journalists criticized Desmond as a dull and uninteresting protagonist, whose story arc does not match the quality of the historical plots featured in each of the games, though more positive commentary focused on North's performance and Desmond's character development. The decision to have Desmond killed off in Assassin's Creed III also proved controversial, as both critics and players noticed a significant decrease in the importance of the series' modern-day storyline after his death. Nevertheless, Desmond is considered to be a significant part of the franchise's identity.^[27]

According to his voice actor Nolan North, the original plan for Desmond was that he would feature in six games, acquiring the skills of his Assassin ancestors to become "The Ultimate Assassin",^[28] and at some point would be able to time-travel between different time periods. North became greatly interested in the concept but was scrapped. Adding upon this, North commented that he saw Desmond as a boring protagonist who ultimately had no direction to go forward, describing the character as "a fork in the road". Desmond has been defined as a MacGuffin, namely that "he exists to move the story forward, but he provides little substance."^[2]

Following the release of Assassin's Creed III and the conclusion of Desmond's storyline, lead designer Steve Master said: "What we're trying to do is bring some finality to Desmond's story. To actually wrap up what you've opened and experienced with him." Jean Guesdon, the creative director of the series, later said that Desmond is an important character in the Assassin's Creed series, and that despite his death, he would continue to play an important role in the franchise.^[29]

In 2016, Michael Fassbender starred in and co-produced a film adaptation of the series, titled Assassin's Creed.^[30] Initially thought to be cast as Desmond, Ubisoft later stated that Fassbender would play a new character, named Callum "Cal" Lynch.^[31][32]

In the original Assassin's Creed, Desmond is introduced as a former Assassin leading a simple life as a bartender in New York City.^[2] In order to hide his identity, he lives under assumed names and uses only cash to protect himself. Despite this, he is eventually tracked down and captured by Abstergo Industries, a company used as a front by the modern-day Templar Order.^[2] Once inside Abstergo's facility in Rome, Desmond is forced to enter the Animus, a machine that allows him to relive the memories of his ancestors stored in his DNA.^[2] The Animus translates these memories into a three-dimensional environment, where Desmond retains some degree of control, but must remain synchronized with his ancestors' exact actions at any given moment or else he risks being kicked out of the Animus.^[2] Under the watch of Abstergo's lead scientist, Dr. Warren Vidic, and his assistant Lucy Stillman, Desmond is instructed to relive the memories of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (1165–1257; Syria), to help Abstergo find specific information they are looking for, which Vidic refuses to disclose.^[33][34]

After recovering the information sought by Abstergo—a map showing the locations of various Pieces of Eden, ancient artifacts of great power created by a Precursor race—Vidic's superiors order Desmond to be killed. Lucy's quick thinking saves him, as she persuades Vidic to keep him alive until they know he is of no further use. Upon returning to his room, Desmond, suffering from the "Bleeding Effect" due to prolonged exposure to the Animus, discovers he has gained one of Altaïr's abilities: Eagle Vision.^[35][36][37] This allows him to discern friend from foe and to read cryptic messages written on walls and floors by Subject 16, the previous Animus test subject that Lucy and Vidic occasionally mention.^[25]

Assassin's Creed II continues from where the first game left off, as Desmond escapes from the Abstergo facility with the help of Lucy, revealed to be an undercover Assassin. After being taken to the Assassins' hideout, Desmond meets the rest of Lucy's team—historian Shaun Hastings and technician Rebecca Crane—and enters the Animus 2.0, built by Rebecca, to be quickly trained as an Assassin via the Bleeding Effect. Desmond begins reliving the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze (1459–1524; Italy), his ancestor from the Renaissance, in order to graft his skills and abilities onto himself.^[38] After successfully navigating Ezio's early memories, Desmond is extracted from the Animus to avoid the mental degradation that Subject 16 suffered as a consequence of the Bleeding Effect. Soon after, Desmond involuntarily relives a memory of Altaïr while outside of the Animus, as a result of the Bleeding Effect.^[25]

After spending more time in Animus 2.0, Desmond begins to adjust to his newly developed skills and becomes a master freerunner and expert fighter, just like his ancestors. The last segment of Ezio's memories brings an astonished Ezio and Desmond to a futuristic chamber underneath the Sistine Chapel, where they are met by a hologram of Minerva, a member of the Precursor race known as the Isu that created humanity and the Pieces of Eden. Minerva addresses Desmond by name, knowing that he is reliving Ezio's memories, and talks about a cataclysm which wiped out most of her race thousands of years ago, and which is set to occur again by the end of that year, if Desmond does not prevent it. Desmond is then pulled from the Animus as Abstergo discovers the Assassins' hideout, forcing the team to escape to a new hideout.^[25]

In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Desmond, Lucy, Shaun, and Rebecca arrive at Monteriggioni, where they set up a safe house in the Villa Auditore's sanctuary. Desmond re-enters the Animus 2.0 to continue reliving Ezio's memories and discover what he did with the Apple of Eden he had obtained, hoping to use the artifact to defeat the Templars and stop the cataclysm Minerva warned him about. After learning Ezio hid the Apple under the Colosseum, Desmond and the other Assassins head there to retrieve it. Desmond takes the Apple, but through it another Isu named Juno takes control of his body and forces him to stab Lucy, saying that she would have betrayed him if he allowed her to accompany him any further. Desmond then falls into a coma and is placed back into the Animus by two unknown Assassins in a bid to preserve his consciousness.^[25]

In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Desmond awakens within the Black Room, a safe mode area for the Animus. In the Black Room's Animus Island, he meets the digital construct of Subject 16, Clay Kaczmarek, who tells Desmond that he must find a "Synch Nexus", a memory that links him with Altaïr and Ezio, so that the Animus can reintegrate his shattered subconscious and awaken him from his coma. While in this state, Desmond can hear conversations between Shaun, Rebecca, and his father, William Miles, who are concerned about his state, and access five memory sequences that detail his own life prior to his abduction by Abstergo. In these sequences, Desmond reminisces of his time on "the Farm", where he grew up in secrecy among other Assassins, and his father's harsh training, which prompted him to run away on his 16th birthday, due to not wanting to live the life his parents had chosen for him. Eventually, he moved to New York, where he got a job at a high-end bar, but always regretted not being able to properly say goodbye to his parents. Following his abduction, he blamed himself for not taking his parents' warnings and training more seriously. In the present, Desmond realizes that his easiest days are now behind him and finally accepts his role as an Assassin.^[25]

When the Animus begins to delete Animus Island to get rid of excess data. Clay sacrifices himself to prevent Desmond from being deleted, but not before transferring his own genetic memories onto him. Eventually, Desmond is able to reach the Synch Nexus, which allows him to communicate with the Isu Jupiter, who directs him to find the Grand Temple so that he may use the technology inside to save humanity from the solar flare set to hit the Earth in several weeks. Following this, Desmond awakens from his coma to find Shaun, Rebecca, and William next to him, and simply states that he knows what they have to do.^[39]

The Lost Archive downloadable content for Revelations expands upon Desmond's time in the Black Room, as he involuntarily experiences Clay's memories prior to the latter's death. Through these memories, he learns that Lucy was in fact a double agent for the Templars, and that his escape from Abstergo was staged as part of "Project Siren." In reality, Vidic had ordered Lucy to extract Desmond to a place where he would feel safe so that he would willingly enter the Animus and facilitate the search for Ezio's Apple of Eden, which Abstergo planned to send to space via satellite in an effort to enslave humanity. However, this plan came to a halt when Juno forced Desmond to kill Lucy.^[25]

In Assassin's Creed III, Desmond arrives at the Grand Temple, located in a cave system in New York, and accesses it using Ezio's Apple of Eden. With the help of his father and friends, Desmond relives the memories of his ancestors Haytham Kenway (1725–1781; Kingdom of Great Britain) and Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor (1756–unknown; Colonial America) using the new Animus 3.0,^[2] hoping to find the Key to the Temple's Central Vault, where the solution to stopping the solar flare is located. During his breaks in-between Animus sessions, Desmond explores the Temple and speaks with Juno, who tells him more of her race's history and their failed attempts to survive the Great Catastrophe. The Assassins also search for Isu batteries to power the Grand Temple and allow them to access the Central Vault, with Desmond being sent to retrieve them due to his superior skills. Desmond successfully retrieves two batteries from Manhattan and São Paulo, where he has run-ins with the Templar Daniel Cross, dispatched by Abstergo to capture him. As the date of the solar flare approaches, William volunteers to retrieve the final battery so Desmond can locate the Key, but is captured by Abstergo and taken to their Rome facility in an attempt to get Desmond to surrender his Apple of Eden. Instead, Desmond storms the facility to rescue his father, killing Cross and Warren Vidic and reconciling with William in the process.^[25]

After retrieving the Key, Desmond and his allies enter the Central Vault, discovering a pedestal. The holograms of Minerva and Juno then appear, with the former warning Desmond not to touch the pedestal, as it would kill him and release Juno, who was imprisoned in the Temple to prevent her from conquering humanity. In response, Juno shows Desmond a vision of what will happen if the solar flare hits the Earth: although Desmond will become a messiah-like figure to other survivors and will be revered as a god after his death, future generations will manipulate his legacy for their personal gain. After several moments of consideration, Desmond decides to release Juno, believing humanity has a better chance at fighting her than rebuilding society after the solar flare. As the others leave the Temple, Desmond touches the pedestal, which frees Juno and activates a protective shield around the Earth that stops the solar flare, at the cost of his own life.^[25]

Despite his death, Desmond remains a powerful asset for the Templars and Assassins in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Shortly after his death, an Abstergo recovery team was sent to collect samples from his body for their new Sample 17 Project. His DNA is stored in Abstergo Entertainment's servers, where a crew of analysts is tasked with reliving his copied genetic memories and learning about his ancestors. One of them, the player character, is tasked with reliving the memories of Edward Kenway (1693–1735; Wales), Haytham Kenway's father and Connor's grandfather. While this is ostensibly to gather data for a feature film about Edward's life, in reality Abstergo seeks to find the Observatory, an Isu site hosting an advanced tracking device and several vials of Isu blood samples.^[25] During their research, the player character steals and sends back to the Assassins several recordings left by Desmond detailing his initial doubts of leaving the Farm, his acceptance of the role he had been chosen to play, and his love for his parents. Because Abstergo can now collect anyone's genetic memories without having to use blood-related analysts, his body gives Abstergo full knowledge about his family life.^[25]

In 2015, during the events of Assassin's Creed Syndicate, a boy named Elijah is brought by his mother to an Abstergo clinic in New York City. Abstergo analysts discover that the boy shares exactly the same patrilineal lineage of Desmond, indicating that he may have been unknowingly conceived by him a few years after his escape from the Farm. On top of that, it is also revealed that the boy is a Sage, the reincarnation of a member of the Isu species. An Abstergo researcher proposes to kidnap the boy and conduct vivisection on him. Another researcher, Isabelle Ardant, opposes the idea, stating that it would be better to abduct the boy when he is older and place him in the Animus for 50 years so that Abstergo can study his lineage.^[25]

In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, it is revealed that when Desmond sacrificed himself to save the Earth, only his physical form was killed, as his consciousness was transported into a computer simulation created by the Isu known as "The Grey." During his time there, Desmond forgot his original identity and was transformed into a being of pure light called The Reader, whose task is to analyze various branching timelines to determine ways of preventing future cataclysms. In 2020, the Assassin Layla Hassan enters the Grey in an attempt to slow the magnetism of the global aurora borealis device, which was activated by Desmond when he died. Here, Layla meets the Reader and shows him more possibilities and calculations based on timelines he had not explored. Layla then decides to stay in the Grey and help the Reader explore more timelines, allowing her mortal body to die.^[26]

Additionally, the player can find and listen to two audio logs of Desmond on Layla's computer, recorded shortly before his death. In the first, he talks about his life as an Assassin and his lack of choice in the matter, which he finds ironic given the Brotherhood's advocation for free will. He also expresses his belief that the Assassins have become more dogmatic and stagnant in time, as most have stopped thinking about the actual meaning of the Creed; despite this, he still believes in the Assassins' cause and considers that people sometimes need limitations. In the second log, Desmond talks about his ancestors and how he feels overwhelmed after having relived so many different lives in a short time span, as well as how he doesn't consider himself special for being descended from the Isu, believing that anyone can join the Assassins and make a difference in the world.^[26]

Desmond received mixed reviews from critics,^[40] primarily due to his uneven characterization and development.^[41] He was voted the 20th top character of the 2000s by Game Informer readers.^[42] PlayStation Universe rated him as one of the PlayStation 3's worst characters, saying: "While voiced admirably by the ubiquitous Nolan North, it's impossible to shake the feeling of pure monotony when stepping into Desmond's shoes when all you want to do is hop back in time and stab people in the face."^[43]

The significance of Desmond as an atypical video game protagonist and as a character study on posthumanism is analyzed by Aubrie Adams in the 2017 publication 100 Greatest Video Game Characters.^[2] Adams commented that as his mind travel through time and experiences the memories of his ancestors, aided by the technological innovations of science fiction plot devices like the Animus, his body appears to have become increasingly unnecessary throughout the franchise. From this view, the technology that enables him to transcend the biological limitations of his frail body taps into a cultural zeitgeist that desire the idea of extending life throughout technology.^[44] Adams cited the character's continued presence in the storylines of later games in spite of his apparent death in Assassin's Creed III, along with fan theories and official in-game lore which confirm the persistence of his consciousness in the virtual environment, which is indicative of his conclusive change into a posthuman character who transcended his trivial need for a physical form.^[45]

Adams highlighted the significance of the introduction of Desmond as a character during a time period when white hypermasculine player characters were the norm in the video game industry, emphasizing in particular his depiction as a subdued protagonist who is psychologically complex, and of an ambiguous ethnicity as the result of his diverse ancestral heritage.^[44] The story arc in the early Assassin's Creed titles centered around Desmond, where his identity gradually evolves from a blank state who subsumes the characteristics and skills of others into a highly skilled Master Assassin, is also marked by his evolving individuality as he comes to terms with his shifting personal identity and acceptance that he is part of a lineage that is bigger than the sum of its parts.^[44] Adams commented that there is a compelling depth to Desmond as character but only if players are willing to engage in the largely optional experiences that follow his psychological journey and illuminate the details of his past.^[45]

Lucy Stillman (1988 – 10 October 2012) (voiced by Kristen Bell)^[46] is a member of the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood and genetic memory researcher for Abstergo Industries' Animus Project. During her infiltration of Abstergo, she reports on the company's recent activities to the Assassins. However, Lucy's lengthy separation from the Assassins and her distrust for William Miles leads her to defect to the Templar cause prior to 2011. When Desmond Miles is brought into Abstergo for testing, Warren instructs Lucy to earn Desmond's trust so that the Templars can find the Piece of Eden located within his memories and use it for their Eye-Abstergo satellite. As Desmond's condition begins to worsen, Warren and Lucy resort to more drastic measures, and formulate Project Siren. Lucy is ordered to take Desmond somewhere he would feel safe, and the two Templars orchestrate Desmond and her escape from Abstergo. Lucy carries out her orders and relocates Desmond to a hideout to join his fellow Assassins Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane. After a month and another relocation to the ruined Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni, the Assassin team discovers the location of an Apple of Eden, which is inside the Colosseum Vault. When Desmond's hand makes contact with the Apple, his body is possessed by the Isu Juno. With her knowledge of Lucy's true allegiance, Juno forces Desmond to stab and kill Lucy with his Hidden Blade. Desmond would later learn of Lucy's betrayal while involuntarily reliving the memories of Clay Kaczmarek, Subject 16 of the Animus Project.

Dr. Warren Vidic (died 14 December 2012) (voiced by Philip Proctor)^[46] is the head of the Abstergo's Animus project and a member of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. In Assassin's Creed: Bloodstone, he is introduced to Abstergo Industries by William King Harvey, a CIA director and double agent for the Templar Order. He inherits the Bluebird project from Colonel Boris Pash, which is the precursor of the Animus project. As the head of research for Abstergo, Vidic is put in charge of the genetic memory research and the Animus project. As the one responsible for finding new subjects for the Animus, Warren has them explore their genetic memories, which he would then analyze to gain information on both the Assassins and the Pieces of Eden. As a high-ranking employee of Abstergo Industries, Warren is also one of the few members of the Inner Sanctum, a group of Templars with full awareness of the Orders' plans for their "New World". He plays an important role in those plans, being tasked with finding a Piece of Eden to power Eye-Abstergo, a satellite which uses the Piece of Eden's power to control humanity. In Assassin's Creed, Vidic experiments on Desmond Miles with the Animus, forcing him to relive the memories of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad so that Abstergo can obtain a map showing the locations of countless Pieces of Eden around the globe. Following Desmond's escape from Abstergo in Assassin's Creed II, Vidic leads several agents to attack the Assassins' hideout in an attempt to re-capture him, though this attack fails and Vidic is forced to flee. Afterwards, he shifts his focus to overseeing the training of a number of Templar agents through the Animus, as seen in the multiplayer modes in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations. In Assassin's Creed III, after capturing William Miles, Vidic is killed by Desmond when the latter storms Abstergo's Rome facility to rescue his father. In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, an e-mail sent by Abstergo Entertainment COO Olivier Garneau reveals that Warren had volunteered as Subject 2 for his Animus Project, where he relived the life of an ancestor in 18th-century Hungary and of one of Joan of Arc's executioners in 1431.

Shaun Hastings (born 1985) (voiced by Danny Wallace)^[47] is a cynical, condescending, and pessimistic member of the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood, specializing in research and information handling. He is introduced as a member of Lucy Stillman's team that helps Desmond in his mission to find Pieces of Eden and save the world. Through conversations in Assassin's Creed II, Desmond learns that Shaun was interested in conspiracies from an early age, and developed a love of history. Although he was unaware of the existence of modern-day Templars and Assassins, Shaun realized that there was some sort of power struggle going on. Shaun attempted to tell others about his findings, not realizing that the Templars would try to silence him. Rebecca Crane "rescued" Shaun and recruited him into the Brotherhood. This is mentioned as being unconventional, as most Assassins are born into the Order, not recruited. In 2013, following Desmond's death, Shaun infiltrates Abstergo by working as a coffee vendor at their Entertainment subsidiary in Montreal to find out what happened to Desmond's body. A year later, Shaun (under the alias "Deacon") and Bishop enlist the help of a Helix player to locate the remains of a Sage during the French Revolution. In 2015, with the help of the same player, Shaun and Rebecca infiltrate Abstergo's London headquarters and locate the Shroud of Eden hidden in a vault underneath the city, but lose it to the Templars after a struggle. In 2020, Shaun and Rebecca are assigned to work with Layla Hassan in investigating the strange strengthening of Earth's magnetic field, and later meet Basim Ibn Ishaq, whom they put in contact with William Miles.

Rebecca Crane (born 1984) (voiced by Eliza Schneider)^[48] is a member of the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood and the creator of the Animus 2.0, which she affectionately refers to as "Baby". She is introduced in Assassin's Creed II as a member of Lucy Stillman's team and works with Desmond towards finding Pieces of Eden and saving the world. She provides technical support for the other members of the Brotherhood alongside her fellow Assassin, Shaun. After Desmond's death, Rebecca works with Shaun to infiltrate Abstergo Entertainment as a courier. In 2015, Rebecca and Shaun head to London with fellow Assassin Galina Voronina to locate and extract the Shroud of Eden. Their efforts fail, and Rebecca is wounded when she takes a shot meant for Shaun. The trio manages to escape after Galina dispatches most of the Abstergo agents surrounding them. In 2020, Rebecca and Shaun are assigned to work with Layla Hassan in investigating the strange strengthening of Earth's magnetic field, and later meet Basim Ibn Ishaq, whom they put in contact with William Miles.

William Miles (born 1948) (voiced by John de Lancie) is Desmond's estranged father and de facto leader of the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood, having risen to the position following the death of the previous Mentor in 2000. He raised Desmond in the ways of the Assassins, teaching him about the order and what they fight for. William's first appearance is in the ending scene of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, where he can be heard telling his fellow Assassins to put Desmond in the Animus to save his mind after the latter has fallen into a coma. In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, he can be heard talking with Rebecca and Shaun during Desmond's time in the Animus Black Room, explaining Desmond's importance to the Assassins due to his ability to wield the Apple of Eden properly. He questions Rebecca and Shaun if Desmond and Lucy were close, and feels sad about Lucy's death. He is the first person to greet Desmond after recovering from his coma. In Assassin's Creed III, William and his team arrive at the Isu Grand Temple and search for power cells to activate it while Desmond is in the Animus, exploring his ancestors' memories to find the key to the Temple's Inner Chambers. He is captured by Abstergo agents in Egypt while attempting to retrieve a power cell and is taken to their facility in Rome. Desmond infiltrates the facility and rescues William, reconciling with him in the process. Following Desmond's death, a grief-stricken William retires from the position of Mentor of the Brotherhood and goes into hiding, but eventually reclaims the title in 2015. In Assassin's Creed Origins, William travels to Egypt to recruit Layla Hassan to the Assassins. In Assassin's Creed Valhalla, William meets Basim Ibn Ishaq at the latter's request and agrees to work with him to further the Assassins' goals, though not before demanding a sample of Basim's genetic material, to allow the Assassins to observe Basim's genetic memories and be convinced of his motives.

Clay Kaczmarek (1982 – 8 August 2012) (voiced by Cam Clarke in Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and by Graham Cuthbertson in Assassin's Creed: Revelations), also known as Subject 16 of the Animus Project, is a member of the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood and descendant of Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Born into a family of engineers, Clay faces psychological problems due to developmental disorders and his father's neglectful attitude, and runs into the Assassins while looking for acceptance. As a member of the Brotherhood, Clay's most important mission is to infiltrate Abstergo Industries as a subject of the Animus Project to obtain more information on the Animus. Labeled Subject 16, Clay is forced to relive the memories of his ancestors via his genetic memory. When Clay finds out that his teammate, Lucy Stillman—who infiltrated Abstergo years before and was tasked with getting Clay out of Abstergo safely—had abandoned their cause to join their enemies, the Templars, Clay spends days and hours of sessions inside the Animus. Since it leaves his mind incapable of separating his own personality from those of his ancestors, Clay becomes mentally unstable to the point that he commits suicide. After his alleged death, Clay continues to exist as an AI recreation of his personality within the Animus, and is able to manipulate much of the Animus' programming from within to help Desmond. In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, when the Animus begins to delete excess data after Desmond achieves full synchronization with Altaïr and Ezio, Clay sacrifices himself to help Desmond escape the Animus, though not before passing on his genetic memories to him.

Daniel Cross (9 March 1974 – 14 December 2012) (voiced by Danny Blanco-Hall) is a member of the Templar Order and a sleeper agent tasked with infiltrating the Assassin Brotherhood to assassinate its Mentor. He is the grandson of Innokenti Orelov and the great-grandson of Nikolai Orelov, a prominent member of the Russian Assassin Brotherhood. Cross is responsible for the Great Purge of 2000, in which most of the modern Assassin Brotherhood was killed. He is introduced as the modern-day protagonist of the comic book series Assassin's Creed: The Fall, and makes his first on-screen appearance in Assassin's Creed III, where he is assigned the task of hunting down Desmond Miles. Cross is ultimately killed by Desmond when the latter storms Abstergo's Rome facility to rescue his father.

Erudito is a hacking collective that works against Abstergo Industries, being aware of its true nature. The collective's primary goal is to expose the truths censored by Abstergo in its products, to make the general public aware of the Assassin-Templar conflict. This can be seen in Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, where they contact the unnamed player character during their playthrough of Abstergo's newest video game, Liberation, and help them uncensor it. Because of their similar goals, Erudito would at times work with the Assassins against the Templars.

The Abstergo research analyst, nicknamed "Noob", is the modern-day protagonist of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. They are never seen or referred to by name, being controlled from a first-person perspective. In 2013, the analyst is hired by Abstergo Entertainment, a subsidiary of Abstergo Industries that produces multimedia goods to be sold to the general public, and is assigned to work on the Sample 17 Project, consisting of various products based on the genetic memories of the late Desmond Miles' ancestors. The analyst relives the memories of Edward Kenway to collect footage for an upcoming interactive film, but during their work, they are contacted by John Standish, who persuades them to investigate Abstergo and recover sensitive information on the company, which is then delivered to Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane to help the Assassins. Although the analyst soon becomes suspicious of John's motives, they are blackmailed into pushing forward, eventually hacking a terminal which would allow Juno to come back to life by possessing someone. However, Juno is not strong enough yet to possess the analyst, so John tries to weaken them with poison, but is killed by Abstergo's security forces before he could do so. The analyst is then allowed to return to work, as evidence found on John's computer implicated him as the sole person responsible for the hacks. However, they would eventually resign by November 2014.

The Helix research analyst, nicknamed "Numbskull", is the modern-day protagonist of Assassin's Creed Rogue. Similarly to the analyst from Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, they are never seen or referred to by name, and are controlled from a first-person perspective. In 2014, they are hired by Abstergo Entertainment to use their Helix software to relive the memories of Shay Patrick Cormac, but inadvertently trips a hidden memory file that infects the Animus servers. After cleaning them, the analyst is thanked for their services, and invited to join the Templar Order, or be killed to keep the order's existence secret; their decision is not revealed.

The Helix player, referred to as "The Initiate" after their induction into the Assassin Brotherhood, is the modern-day protagonist of Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed Syndicate. They are an individual contacted by the Assassins through their agent, Bishop, to help them on at least two separate occasions: once in 2014, when they located the body of François-Thomas Germain, an 18th-century Sage, by reliving the memories of Arno Dorian through the Helix software they own; and again in 2015, when they relived Jacob and Evie Frye's memories to find the Shroud of Eden in London.

Melanie Lemay (voiced by Cristina Rosato) is the research analyst's supervisor at Abstergo Entertainment in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and a member of the Templar Order. In 2013, she is assigned to oversee the Sample 17 Project alongside Olivier Garneau. Sometime between Garneau's disappearance and the events of Assassin's Creed Rogue in 2014, she is promoted to CCO.

Oliviear Garneau (died 30 May 2014) (voiced by Vincent Hoss-Desmarais) is the CCO of Abstergo Entertainment and a member of the Templar Order. In 2013, he is ordered by Laetitia England, the Head of the Operations Division of Abstergo Industries, to use the Sample 17 Project to locate the Observatory for the Templars. Later, while en route to a shareholders meeting in Chicago, he goes missing and is never heard from again. In Assassin's Creed Origins, it is revealed that he was killed by a fixer, likely hired by the Assassin Brotherhood.

John Standish (16 August 1975 – 26 November 2013) (voiced by Oliver Milburn) is the head of the IT department at Abstergo Entertainment's Montreal facility and a member of the Instruments of the First Will, a cult of followers of Juno who seek to bring her back to life. He is also a Sage, the reincarnation of Juno's husband Aita. During his work at Abstergo, he uses other employees, to whom he grants access to restricted areas of the company, to retrieve sensitive information and deliver it to the Assassins, while covering his own involvement. In 2013, during the events of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, he does the same with the newly hired research analyst, but also secretly plots to have them possessed by Juno. However, when it comes time to put his plan into action, he discovers Juno is not strong enough to return yet. John then tries to poison the analyst to make them weak enough for Juno to enter their body, but is shot and killed by Abstergo's security forces.

Juhani Otso Berg (born 17 June 1985) (voiced by Andreas Apergis) is a high-ranking agent of the Operations Division of Abstergo Industries and a member of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. After appearing as a faceless playable character in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood's and Assassin's Creed: Revelations' multiplayer modes, he makes his on-screen debut in Assassin's Creed Rogue. A former a member of the Finnish Special Forces-turned-mercenary, Berg is approached by Warren Vidic in 2010 to join Abstergo, who in return provides cystic fibrosis treatment for his daughter. By 2012, Berg rises to the rank of Master Templar, joins the Inner Sanctum, and becomes the leader of Abstergo's elite commando unit, Sigma Team. Berg is the one who captures William in Cairo during the events of Assassin's Creed III. He also oversees the genetic research of Shay's memories in Assassin's Creed Rogue alongside Templar colleagues Violet de Costa and Melanie Lemay before aiding the Abstergo search for the Shroud of Eden in 2015 during Assassin's Creed Syndicate. During his work for Abstergo he crosses paths with and fights Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, as well as Russian Master Assassin Galina Voronina. In 2018, during the events of Assassin's Creed Odyssey's The Fate of Atlantis DLC, Berg leads Sigma Team to Greece to kill Layla Hassan and retrieve the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus, but they are defeated and Berg himself is crippled by Layla with the Staff. He is then taken prisoner by the Assassins, but eventually returns to Abstergo, and regains use of his legs through experimentation with a Staff of Eden.

Violet de Costa (14 June 1988 – August 2018) (voiced by Lucinda Davis) is a member of the Templar Order and Sigma Team's historical research specialist. She oversees the genetic research of Shay Cormac's memories during Assassin's Creed Rogue, guiding the Helix researcher and inviting them to join the Templar Order. She later participates in the search for the Shroud of Eden in 2015, accompanying Berg and Isabelle Ardant, and fighting off Shaun, Rebecca, and Galina who are also pursuing the Shroud. Distracted by Berg and the rest of Sigma Team, the Assassins are unable to stop Violet escaping with the Shroud. Violet is revealed to be a member of the Instruments of the First Will, a human cult devoted to returning humanity to obedience under the Isu, namely Juno. She is killed in 2018 by Berg for her betrayal during the fall of the Instruments of the First Will.

Bishop (voiced by Kate Todd) is a member of the modern-day Assassin Brotherhood who is responsible for directing Assassin activity across the globe, often to sabotage the Templars. When the Brotherhood requires sets of genetic memories explored to acquire data, she contacts various individuals around the world to do so, as seen in Assassin's Creed Unity and Assassin's Creed Syndicate.

Isabelle Ardant (4 October 1969 – 25 October 2015) (voiced by Claudia Besso) is the Head of Historical Research at Abstergo Industries and a member of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. In 2015, during the events of Assassin's Creed Syndicate, she leads the Templars' search for the Shroud of Eden in London, which culminates with a fight against Assassins Shaun Hastings, Rebecca Crane and Galina Voronina, who are also attempting to retrieve the Shroud. During the struggle, Ardant is stabbed and killed by Shaun.

Álvaro Gramática (4 April 1965 – August 2018) (voiced by Marcel Jeannin) is the Director of Research of the Future Technology division of Abstergo Industries and a member of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order. As one of Abstergo's leading scientists, he is in charge of the Phoenix Project, which is Abstergo's attempt to construct a living Isu, and has extensive knowledge of the Pieces of Eden. He is killed in 2018 during the fall of the Instruments of the First Will.

Galina Voronina (born 30 July 1983) (voiced by Patricia Summersett)^[49] is a member of the Russian Brotherhood of Assassins. She appears as one of the main characters of the Assassin's Creed comic book series, and makes her on-screen debut in Assassin's Creed Syndicate.

Layla Hassan (1984 – 16 August 2020) (voiced by Chantel Riley) is the modern-day protagonist of Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Hailing from Egypt, Layla found work at Abstergo through Sofia Rikkin and created her own portable version of the Animus technology. However, she leaves the company in 2017, after Abstergo attempts to silence her for using the Animus to relive Bayek of Siwa's memories and learn about the origins of the Assassin Brotherhood. She is then recruited into the Brotherhood by William Miles, and begins searching for Pieces of Eden that would benefit the Assassins. In 2018, she finds the lost Isu city of Atlantis, where she receives the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus from Kassandra. However, while training with the Staff under the supervision of the Isu Aletheia, she loses control and accidentally kills her friend and fellow Assassin Victoria Bibeau. This incident deeply affects Layla, and, filled with guilt and remorse, she becomes depressed and starts a self-destructive lifestyle, such as smoking and drinking. It also strains her relationship with the other Assassins, and by 2020, she is reassigned to an Assassin cell with Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane. While investigating the strange strengthening of Earth's magnetic field, Layla relives the memories of Eivor Varinsdottir to find an Isu temple in Norway, which contains the technology to save the planet from destruction. Armed with the Staff, which protects her from the radiation inside the temple, Layla enters "The Grey", a digital afterlife created by the Isu, where she works with "The Reader" to restore the Earth's magnetic field to its proper strength. However, having dropped the Staff when she entered the Grey, Layla's physical body dies, and she chooses to stay with the Reader and help him explore various branching timelines to prevent future disasters.

Deanna Geary (died October 2017) is a member of Abstergo's Medical Team working at their Lineage Discovery and Acquisition facility in Philadelphia, and Layla Hassan's best friend. In 2017, the two are sent to Egypt to retrieve an artifact of high importance to Abstergo, with Deanna assisting Layla remotely from a hotel room. After Layla stumbles upon Bayek and Aya's mummified remains and, against Deanna's advice, relives their memories through the Animus, the two become targeted by Abstergo, who dispatch Sigma Team to silence them. Deanna is killed as a result and Layla vows revenge against Abstergo, leading her to later join the Assassins.

Dr. Victoria Bibeau (died October 2018) (voiced by Tara Nicodemo) is a former psychiatrist and researcher for Abstergo and former member of the Templar Order who defected to the Assassins. She was introduced in the Last Descendants novel series before making her on-screen debut in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, where she is assigned to Layla Hassan's cell as the team's doctor. She helps Layla locate Atlantis while monitoring her health and expressing concern due to the latter's long sessions in the Animus. After Layla travels to Atlantis, Victoria follows her closely behind and grows worried as she witnesses Layla being slowly corrupted by the Staff of Hermes Trismegistus. Eventually, Victoria attempts to end Layla's sessions in the Animus and take away the Staff for her own good, but the latter, in a fit of rage, accidentally strikes Victoria with the Staff, killing her. This incident sours Layla's relationship with the rest of the cell and takes a big toll on her mental health, as Layla blames herself for her friend's death.

Kiyoshi Takakura (voiced by Dai Tabuchi) is a Japanese Assassin and former member of the Yakuza featured extensively in Assassin's Creed expanded media. In Assassin's Creed Odyssey, he is a member of Layla Hassan's team, keeping watch on their hideout while the others search for Atlantis. He is never shown on-screen and only communicates with Layla over the radio or via earpiece. After Layla accidentally kills team member Victoria Bibeau, Kiyoshi leaves the team, though he and Layla are later able to part on good terms after being assigned to work together once again on a mission in Tokyo.

Alannah Ryan (voiced by Elana Dunkelman) is a student and Assassin assigned to Layla Hassan's cell, which specializes in locating historical artifacts. Due to her lack of combat experience, Alannah serves as the team's historian and only assists the others remotely, providing Layla with useful information over the radio or via earpiece. After Layla accidentally kills team member Victoria Bibeau, her relationship with Alannah becomes strained and the latter elects to leave the team.

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad (11 January 1165 – 12 August 1257) (voiced by Philip Shahbaz in Assassin's Creed,^[46] and by Cas Anvar in Assassin's Creed: Revelations)^[50] is the protagonist of Assassin's Creed, the spin-off games Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles and Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, and the novel Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade, as well as the secondary protagonist of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. He has also made appearances or been mentioned in several other games and spin-off media of the franchise, being a legendary figure in the history of the Assassin Brotherhood. Altaïr is a Syrian-born member of the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins who serves as Mentor from 1191 until his death in 1257, assuming the position after killing the previous Mentor, Al Mualim, who betrayed the Assassins. During his tenure as Mentor and its brief interregnum, Altaïr makes several discoveries and inventions that greatly helps the Brotherhood's progression. Under his leadership the Levantine Assassins' spread their influence across the Old World, setting up many guilds in cities like Constantinople. With the Apple of Eden in hand, Altaïr changes the way members of the Brotherhood live their lives, writing the details in his fabled Codex for later generations of Assassins to read. Throughout his travels, Altaïr strengthens the Brotherhood, stops various Templar plots over the years, and stops Genghis Khan's march. In 1257, Altaïr dies sitting quietly in his chair in his secret library in Masyaf, and is found centuries later, in 1512, by Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Altaïr is an ancestor to Desmond Miles through the maternal line.

After completing Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time in 2003, director Patrice Désilets was instructed to begin work on the next Prince of Persia game.^[51] However, he wanted to move away from the lead character being a prince simply waiting for his reign to start, onto a character that wanted to strive to be a king. He came upon one of his university books on secret societies and its material related to the Order of Assassins. Désilets recognized that he could have the lead character in the game be the second-highest Assassin, seeking to be the leader of the group.^[52] The game began work under the title Prince of Persia: Assassin,^[53] or Prince of Persia: Assassins,^[52] inspired by Hassan-i Sabbah's life and making heavy use of Vladimir Bartol's novel Alamut.^[54][55] The Assassin character was fleshed out throughout the game's three-year development in an iterative fashion. The team had some idea of how the character dressed from Alamut and other historical works in all-white robes and a red belt but had to envision how to detail this in the game. One of the first concept sketches, drawn by animator Khai Nguyen, suggested the concept of a bird of prey, which resonated with the team. The Assassin was named Altaïr, meaning "bird of prey" in Arabic, and eagle imagery was used heavily in connection to the Assassins.^[52] Altaïr was to be a heroic character with a bit of a badass edge, and the artist borrowed elements of the G.I. Joe character Storm Shadow, a similarly skilled hero. Rendering long flowing robes was impossible on the newer hardware, so they shortened the robe and gave it a more feathered look, resonating the bird of prey imagery.^[52]

Rashid ad-Din Sinan (1135 – September 1191) (voiced by Peter Renaday),^[46] commonly known as Al Mualim (Arabic: "The Teacher") or The Old Man of the Mountain, is based on his real-life counterpart, the Iraqi-born Hashshashin leader in the Syrian town of Masyaf. He is the hidden main antagonist of Assassin's Creed, and also appears in Assassin's Creed: Revelations and Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade. Al Mualim serves as Mentor of the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins from circa 1176 until his death in 1191. A wizened old man, he trains Altaïr as an Assassin from a young age, and raises him in the Brotherhood's castle in Masyaf after his father, Umar, is killed by the Saracens, causing Altaïr to look up to Al Mualim as a second father. At some point in his life, Al Mualim secretly betrays the Brotherhood and helps the Templars find the fabled Apple of Eden, which he seeks for himself, hoping to use its power and knowledge to bring an end to the Crusades and establish worldwide 'peace' by controlling all of humanity. In 1191, he sends Altaïr to retrieve the Apple from the Templars, but his apprentice, blinded by arrogance, breaks all three tenets of the Assassin's Creed and alerts the Templars, though his fellow Assassin, Malik Al-Sayf, manages to grab the Apple before escaping. With the Apple in his possession, Al Mualim orders Altaïr, under the pretext of him going on a journey of redemption, to assassinate all nine Templars who were involved in the search for the artifact, to cover his own involvement. Altaïr succeeds, but in the process learns of Al Mualim's betrayal, and ultimately kills his former mentor in Masyaf. Following Al Mualim's death, Altaïr claims both the Apple and the position of Mentor; a move which initially unnerves many Assassins, but Altaïr would soon prove himself to be an efficient leader, more so than Al Mualim.

Maria Thorpe (1160 – 12 September 1228) (voiced by Eleanor Noble) is an English noblewoman who becomes a Templar steward, and later the wife of Altaïr. As a child, Maria rejected the gender norms of her time, ultimately being disowned by her parents after annulling her arranged marriage. Seeking to fight in the Third Crusade, she disguises herself as a man and attempts to join the Templar Order. The Templar Grand Master, Robert De Sablé, sees through her ruse, but is impressed by her determination and hires her as his steward. During the events of Assassin's Creed in 1191, Robert deduces that he is Altaïr's final target, so he has Maria serve as a decoy to buy him time. Although she expected Altaïr to kill her, he spares her instead, and warns her not to follow him. After Robert is assassinated, Maria becomes obsessed with revenge. In Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, she tracks Altaïr to Acre, but he bests her again and takes her prisoner. She escapes in an attempt to join the Templar's new leader, Armand Bouchart, but because of her failure to kill Altaïr, and her "miraculous" escape from him, he perceives her to be either incompetent or a traitor to the Order. He places a bounty on both her and Altaïr, forcing them to work together to kill Bouchart, after which Maria renounces the Templars and joins the Brotherhood. In the following years, she and Altaïr become very fond of each other and eventually marry and have two sons, Darim and Sef. In 1217, Maria joins Altaïr and Darim in a mission to Mongolia to halt the advance of Genghis Khan. While they are away, Abbas murders Sef and seizes leadership of the Assassin. Maria and Altaïr confront Abbas after they return to Masyaf in 1228, but Maria is killed in the ensuing struggle. Altaïr, deeply affected by the loss of his wife, would be haunted by her death for years to come.

Malik Al-Sayf (1165 – 12 September 1228) (voiced by Haaz Sleiman)^[46] is a member of the Levantine Assassin Brotherhood in Syria during the High Middle Ages. Trained from an early age in the ways of the Brotherhood, he attains a high rank by 1191.^[56] Raised to be an Assassin, Malik learns the fighting arts that strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies. He is an excellent swordsman, a devoted acolyte to the Creed, and a caring adult figure to his brother, Kadar. He is also initially a rival of Altaïr, whom he often berates for disobeying the tenets of the Assassin's Creed. In 1191, Altaïr, Malik, and Kadar go to Solomon's Temple to retrieve the Apple of Eden on the orders of Al Mualim.^[57] His jealousy turns into hatred when Altaïr ignores the tenets of the Creed, endangers his companions' lives during the events of Solomon's Temple, and subsequently botches a mission, which results in Kadar's death, and the injury and subsequent amputation of Malik's arm. Malik retrieves the Templar treasure that Altaïr failed to find and delivers it to Al Mualim. No longer able to operate as an Assassin, Malik is made the bureau leader of the Jerusalem Assassins. At first he is bitter towards Altaïr, but over time forgives him and acknowledges his own fault in his brother's death. When Altaïr returns to confront Al Mualim, Malik supports him, distracting the indoctrinated Assassins while Altaïr faces Al Mualim. After Al Mualim's death, Altaïr becomes the new Mentor of the Levantine Assassins and names Malik his second-in-command. Malik is appointed as a temporary leader in Altaïr's absence, though he would soon be imprisoned by Abbas Sofian in Masyaf's dungeons for almost two years with false charges of murder. When Altaïr returns from his quest across the Middle East in 1228, Abbas has Malik executed and sends his severed head to Altaïr as a threat.

Kadar Al-Sayf (died July 1191) is the younger brother of Malik Al-Sayf and a member of the Levantine Assassin Brotherhood.^[58] He is less experienced than his brother and, just like him, is a devoted follower of the Creed, although unlike him admires and deeply respects Altaïr. In 1191, Kadar accompanies Altaïr and Malik to Solomon's Temple to retrieve the Apple of Eden from the Templars. However, Altaïr inadvertently sabotages the mission due to his arrogance, and Kadar, due to his lack of swordsmanship skills, is swiftly killed by the Templars while Altaïr and Malik manage to escape with the Apple.

Richard I of England (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) (voiced by Marcel Jeannin), commonly known as Richard the Lionheart, reigned as King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He is the second monarch of the House of Plantagenet, the commander of the Crusader army during the Third Crusade, and is considered a great military leader and warrior. Upon his death, he is succeeded as King of England by his younger brother, John. In Assassin's Creed, he is encountered by Altaïr during the Battle of Arsuf, where the Assassin informs Richard that his lieutenant, Robert de Sablé, intends to betray him. In response, Robert claims that Altaïr's story is a ruse to keep Richard from interfering in the Assassin's mission. Unsure on whom to believe, Richard leaves the decision in the hands of God, declaring that Robert and his Templars are to fight Altaïr in a trial by combat. Altaïr wins, and Richard accepts the Assassin's version of events.

Robert de Sablé (c. 1150 – 7 September 1191) (voiced by Jean-Philippe Dandenaud) is the secondary antagonist of Assassin's Creed. He is a French lieutenant under Richard the Lionheart, and Grand Master of the Knights Templar during the Third Crusade. Born into a powerful family, Robert is immersed into nobility from birth, though events during his life are difficult to pin down; at some point he becomes lord and ruler of Briollay, France. Subsequently, he joins the Knights Templar and eventually becomes their Grand Master in early 1191. During the Third Crusade, Robert and the Templars lay siege to the city of Acre and conquer it; throughout August 1191, they recapture many fortresses and cities along the Palestinian coast, which have been lost previously. Robert follows a goal similar to the Assassins (to end the war in the Holy Land). Al Mualim has no objections against him ending the Crusade, but opposes the Templar's methods—the Assassins would have people find peace themselves, but the Templars would force their "peace" onto others and attempt to control them. Robert is ultimately assassinated by Altaïr during the Battle of Arsuf in September 1191; which contradicts his historical death in 1193.

Tamir (c. 1147 – 1191) (voiced by Ammar Daraiseh) is a black arms merchant from Damascus and a member of the Templar Order, who uses his wealth to fund his fellow Templars' operations with the goal of establishing a new world order. He is the first of the nine Levantine Templars to be assassinated by Altaïr.

Garnier de Naplouse (c. 1147 – 1191) (voiced by Hubert Fielden) is a French nobleman and the tenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalier in Acre, as well as a member of the Templar Order. He experiments on and tortures innocent people and lunatics he picks up off the streets of Acre, claiming they are his children and that he is helping them. He transformed Acre Fortress into a hospital and is killed by Altaïr inside it.

Talal (c. 1157 – 1191) (voiced by Jake Eberle) is the leader of a gang of slavers in Jerusalem and a member of the Templar Order. He is Altaïr's third target, and before dying by his blade, he tells the Assassin that he did not sell people for profit, but to "rescue" them by giving them better living conditions.

Abu'l Nuqoud (c. 1137 – 1191) (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is Damascus' Saracen merchant king and a member of the Templar Order. He invites many Damascan citizens to a grand party at his palace, where all the attendants are killed with poisoned wine or by the guards so that Abu'l Nuqoud may steal their money intended to fund the Saracen army, as well as exact revenge on those who tormented him because of his appearance. He is Altaïr's fourth target, who kills him after infiltrating his party.

William V, Marquess of Montferrat (1136–1191) (voiced by Harry Standjofski), also known as Guglielmo V del Monferrato in Italy, is an Italian Crusader and Richard the Lionheart's regent in Acre, as well as a member of the Templar Order. He plans to kill Richard and give Acre to his son Conrad of Montferrat, and makes his plans inside Acre's Citadel, where he is ultimately assassinated by Altaïr.

Majd Addin (died 1191) (voiced by Richard Cansino), loosely based on Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad, is the Saracen regent of Jerusalem and a member of the Templar Order, who rules the city through fear by making examples out of criminals, whom he executes publicly. He is assassinated by Altaïr during one of his executions.

Jubair al Hakim (died 1191) (voiced by Fred Tatasciore), loosely based on Ibn Jubayr, is a chief scholar of the Saracens in Damascus and the leader of "The Illuminated", as well as a member of the Templar Order. He plans to have all texts in Damascus burned, claiming that these texts lead people astray. He is killed by Altaïr during one of his public purges.

Sibrand (c. 1157 – 1191) (voiced by Arthur Holden) is a German Crusader and the first Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in Acre, as well as a member of the Templar Order. He intends to have all ships submitted to him be used in a blockade against King Richard, but is killed on his personal ship by Altaïr.

Ezio Auditore da Firenze (24 June 1459 – 30 November 1524) (voiced by Roger Craig Smith; played by Devon Bostick in Assassin's Creed: Lineage) is the protagonist of Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, as well as the spin-off game Assassin's Creed II: Discovery and the animated short film Assassin's Creed: Embers. He is an Italian nobleman born in Florence during the Renaissance and unknown to most historians and philosophers. He becomes an Assassin in 1476 to avenge the death of his father and brothers in a conspiracy masterminded by the Templars, but slowly learns to overcome his desire for revenge and fight for peace and freedom instead. He is essential in elimating the Templar Order's presence in Italy in the early 16th century, and also foils major Templar schemes in both Spain and the Ottoman Empire during his travels. In 1503, Ezio becomes Mentor of the Italian Brotherhood, a title he holds until 1513. Following his retirement from the Brotherhood, he lives a peaceful life with his family in the Tuscan countryside, ultimately passing away from a heart attack in 1524. Ezio is an ancestor to Desmond Miles through the paternal line.

Federico Auditore (1456 – 29 December 1476) (voiced by Elias Toufexis;^[59][60] played by Jesse Rath in Assassin's Creed: Lineage^[61]) is the eldest child of the Auditore family and Ezio's older brother.^[62] In 1475 he enters the Medici bank as a clerk, but in 1476 is removed from the bank's payroll (on suspicion of being responsible for the disappearance of a bag of florins on 17 September 1475).^[63] At the start of Assassin's Creed II, he helps Ezio fight Vieri de Pazzi, visits a doctor to treat his brother's wound, and races him to the top of Santa Trinita.^[64] He is later captured and hanged alongside his father Giovanni and younger brother Petruccio in the Piazza della Signoria on the orders of Uberto Alberti and Rodrigo Borgia.^[65][66][67]

Giovanni Auditore (3 May 1436 – 29 December 1476) (voiced and played by Romano Orzari), loosely based on Giovanni Villani,^[68] is the head of the Auditore family, Ezio's father,^[69] and a banker, advisor, and nobleman who is a pivotal figure in Florentine banking. Giovanni oversees the Medici bank branches across Italy, and when Lorenzo was busy, he ran the bank. He extends his reach into the bank's international operations, and notices the problems with the Lyon bank, which Francesco Sassetti saves. In 1471 he secures the negotiations between the Pope and the Medici bank.^[70] Giovanni is also secretly a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins, and, in 1476, uncovers a plot by Rodrigo Borgia and the Pazzi family to overthrow the Medici. Before he can expose it, however, he and two of his sons, Federico and Petruccio, are arrested and subsequently hanged on the orders of Borgia and Giovanni's former ally, Uberto Alberti. Before his death, Giovanni directs Ezio to find his Assassin equipment, thus setting his son on the path of becoming an Assassin.

Claudia Auditore (2 January 1461 – unknown) (voiced by Angela Galuppo)^[71] is the only daughter of the Auditore family and Ezio's younger sister. Following her father and brothers' execution in 1476, she flees Florence with her mother and Ezio. In 1477, Claudia becomes the financial accountant of the town of Monteriggioni, which is under the leadership of her uncle, Mario Auditore. The town flourishes with Claudia's organization and the money made from Monteriggioni's shops and organizations. In January 1500, Monteriggioni is besieged and largely destroyed by the Papal army commanded by Cesare Borgia, which leave the Auditores homeless. Going against Ezio's desire for them to return to Florence, Claudia and Maria follow Ezio to Rome, where the former eventually becomes the madame of the Rosa in Fiore, the city's most popular brothel. After proving herself to be a worthy fighter to her brother, Ezio inducts Claudia into the Assassin Brotherhood in 1502. The following year, Claudia is captured by Borgia die-hards, and is subsequently saved by Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli. During this time, she steps down as the madame, and stays in Florence with her friend Paola to recover until 1507. Claudia is given temporary control of the Italian Assassins in 1510 when her brother leaves on a journey to the Middle East to find Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad's library. She holds the position until her brother returns in late 1512, after which Ezio resigns from the Brotherhood and assigns a successor.

Maria Auditore (1432–1504) (voiced by Ellen David; played by Claudia Ferri in Assassin's Creed: Lineage) is a writer and noble. She was born into the Mozzi, a powerful banking family. She is one of the most famous historical sources of the time period due to her multi-volume diary, which has been translated by several notable scholars and is on display in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. With funding from her parents, she opened up a bakery in the courtyard of her family palazzo, which she transformed into an artistic gathering place. In 1448, she meets Giovanni Auditore, and marries him in 1450.^[72] Following the death of her husband and two of her sons, Federico and Petruccio, in 1476, she flees Florence with her surviving son Ezio and daughter Claudia, and moves into the estate of her brother-in-law, Mario Auditore, in Monteriggioni. Years later, following the attack on Monteriggioni in early 1500, she moves to Rome with her family, where she helps Claudia manage the Rosa in Fiore brothel until her death in 1504.

Petruccio Auditore (1463 – 29 December 1476) is a student and noble, and the youngest child of the Auditore family. In 1475, he is pulled from school due to illness and confined to a bed. A year later, Petruccio, his father Giovanni, and older brother Federico are arrested and then hanged in the Piazza della Signoria on the orders of Rodrigo Borgia and Uberto Alberti.^[73]

Annetta (1457–1511) (voiced by Anne-Marie Baron) is the Auditore family's live-in servant. In 1476, she leaves Florence with Ezio, Claudia, and Maria and moves into the estate of Mario Auditore in Monteriggioni, but later returns to Florence to be with her sister, Paola. She dies under unknown circumstances around 1511.^[74]

Cristina Vespucci (1459–1498) (voiced by Amber Goldfarb^[75]), based on Simonetta Vespucci, is a well-known Florentine beauty, and a favorite of painters; most notably Sandro Botticelli, who uses her as a model for several of his paintings. She is the cousin of the Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci. Cristina is introduced as Ezio's first love interest in Assassin's Creed II, though most of her story is told during the "Repressed Memory Sequences" from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. When Ezio has to leave for Monteriggioni, he asks Cristina to come with him, but she refuses, as she does not want to leave her family behind. Ezio accepts her decision and gives her a pendant to remember him by. In 1478, Cristina marries Manfredo Soderini, more because of her father's will than her own. The day before their wedding, Ezio returns to Florence and visits Cristina, unaware of the direction her life has taken. Cristina tells Ezio she did not expect him to return and reveals her engagement. Even though he is heartbroken, Ezio appeals to Manfredo's conscience, and tells him to stop gambling and be a good husband. Years later, Cristina and her husband travel to Venice for Carnevale. Ezio, who also happens to be in the city, tries to use this opportunity to reconnect with her, only to be rejected, as Cristina tells him that she loved him, but he left her to be married to another man. During the bonfire of the vanities in 1498, Cristina, due to her noble status, is attacked by Girolamo Savonarola's fanatics. Ezio comes to her aid, but she is mortally wounded. Cristina shows him the pendant he gave her twenty-two years ago, and says she wished for another chance with him before dying in his arms.

Mario Auditore (19 March 1434 – 2 January 1500) (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) is Giovanni Auditore's older brother and Ezio's uncle. He is a condottiero and nobleman who stays at Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni and patrols the Tuscan countryside, as well as the Mentor of the Italian Assassins from at least 1476 until his death. In 1440, he starts his military career when he plays an important role in the Battle of Anghiari: on an expedition to Monterchi with his father, he alerts Micheletto Attendolo to the surprise advance of Milanese troops. The attack is foiled and the Florentines win the battle. He then defends Monteriggioni's interests by derailing Florentine attempts to seize Tuscan territory.^[76] After Giovanni's death, he brings his children and wife to the Villa and teaches Ezio about the conflict between Assassins and Templars,^[77] eventually inducting him into the Assassin Brotherhood in 1488. Mario is later killed by Cesare Borgia during his attack on Monteriggioni in early 1500.

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519) (voiced by Carlos Ferro) was an Italian Renaissance polymath and ally of the Assassin Brotherhood. His lifelong friendship with Ezio begins when Maria has Ezio help Leonardo move some paintings from his new workshop. Leonardo comments that his current work lacks purpose, but Maria is confident that he will go on to do great things. After Ezio's father and brothers are executed, Ezio brings two objects from his father's study to Leonardo: a broken hidden blade and a Codex page written by Altaïr. Leonardo repairs the blade and deciphers the Codex, fascinated by the technological secrets it alludes to. As Ezio continues his Assassin training, Leonardo makes several upgrades to Ezio's weapons and armor, including a poison blade, gun, and poison dart launcher. Some time after Ezio foils the Pazzi conspiracy, Leonardo receives a commission from a Venetian noble, prompting him to set up a new workshop in Venice. As Ezio had his own business in the city, he accompanies him. Leonardo develops an interest in flight, and invents an experimental flying machine, which Ezio uses on one of his missions. After seeing the Apple of Eden, Leonardo marvels at the futuristic visions it shows him. He then develops an interest in Pythagoras's findings, and is able to create a map leading to a temple built by his followers. Leonardo is blackmailed by Cesare Borgia into designing Templar war machines, but secretly continues to support Ezio until he is kidnapped by a third party, the Cult of Hermes, who want him to lead them to the Temple of Pythagoras. He is rescued by Ezio and explores the temple, fascinated by the numeric codes found within. Although Leonardo does not appear in Assassin's Creed: Revelations, its novelization describes him dying peacefully at his home in Amboise, with his friends, including Ezio, at his side. In Assassin's Creed III, the Davenport Homestead's residential carpenter obtains some of Leonardo's blueprints and, at Connor's request, builds a prototype replica of the original flying machine.

Lorenzo de' Medici (1 January 1449 – 9 April 1492) (voiced and played by Alex Ivanovici) was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance. Known as "il Magnifico" (the Magnificent) by contemporary Florentines, he was a diplomat, politician and patron of scholars, artists, and poets. His life coincided with the high point of the early Italian Renaissance. His death in 1492 marked the end of the Golden Age of Florence, as the end of his life also meant the end of the fragile peace he had helped maintain between the various Italian states. In Assassin's Creed: Lineage and Assassin's Creed II, Lorenzo is portrayed as an ally of the Assassins, particularly the House of Auditore, working closely with Giovanni against the corrupt Rodrigo Borgia. After Giovanni's death, Lorenzo is saved by Ezio during the Pazzi conspiracy, which starts a long-term partnership between them, with Ezio carrying out several assassination contracts for him.

Caterina Sforza (1463 – 28 May 1509) (voiced by Cristina Rosato) was the Countess of Forlì and Imola, and the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, the Duke of Milan. She was engaged to Pope Sixtus IV's nephew, Girolamo Riario, at only 10 years of age, and consummated the marriage at 14. As the countess of Forlì, she becomes a strong ally of the Assassin Brotherhood, meeting Ezio after her husband Girolamo traps her on a small island in Romagna. Eight years later, Caterina has the Orsi brothers kill her husband after finding out that he was working for the Templars and for being a poor husband. Caterina offers to keep the Apple of Eden safe in Forlì, but she, Ezio, and Niccolò Machiavelli find the city taken by the Orsi brothers, who were hired by the Templars. Retaking the city, Ezio saves Caterina's children from the Orsi and kills them, though the Apple is stolen from him by a mysterious monk. In 1500, Caterina travels to the Italian Assassins' headquarters in Monteriggioni, requesting help against Cesare Borgia's army. Monteriggioni is besieged by Cesare the next day, causing the town to be destroyed and Caterina to be captured. The next year, Caterina is transported to the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome to be jailed. Ezio infiltrates the Castel and frees Caterina with a key taken from Lucrezia Borgia. A few weeks later, Caterina returns to Florence to await the restoration of her lands. However, her request to Pope Julius II is rejected, and Caterina ultimately dies in Florence from pneumonia in 1509.

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) (voiced by Shawn Baichoo), or simply Niccolò Machiavelli, is a supporting character in Assassin's Creed II, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, and related media. He is an Italian philosopher, writer, and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. Within the Brotherhood, he primarily works with Ezio, and helps him with driving the Orsi brothers from Forlì and removing the friar Girolamo Savonarola from power in Florence to obtain the Apple of Eden from him. Following Mario Auditore's death in early 1500, Machiavelli becomes the de facto leader of the Italian Assassins, and names Ezio his successor in 1503. Together with Ezio and the other Assassin, he fights against the corrupt Borgia family and their Templar allies, ultimately succeeding in removing them from power.

Paola (1438 – unknown) (voiced by Claudia Ferri) is the madame of La Rosa Colta, the most popular brothel in Florence, and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. In 1446, she was orphaned when her parents were killed at sea, so she began her life of prostitution on the streets until 1454. In 1458 she is arrested for murdering a city guard, and Giovanni Auditore represents her in court, winning the case on a self-defence plea. She is released from prison and starts her own brothel to protect other unfortunate women of the street.^[78] Following Giovanni's death in 1476, she guides Ezio in his path to become an Assassin, teaching him how to pickpocket and use crowds of people to hide from city guards. She is later present for Ezio's initiation into the Brotherhood in 1488, and the attack on the Vatican in 1499, creating a distraction alongside other Assassins to allow Ezio to confront Rodrigo Borgia. It is unknown when she died, though in 1512 Ezio's sister Claudia, with whom she had become close friends, mentioned that Paola was still alive and leading the Assassins.

Gilberto (voiced by Vito DeFilippo), known mainly as La Volpe (English: The Fox), is the leader of the Florentine and Roman Thieves' Guilds, and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. Very little is known about his life outside of what is depicted in the games. In 1478, La Volpe assists Ezio in locating an important Templar meeting in Florence, which results in Ezio preventing the Pazzi conspiracy. Ten years later, La Volpe is present for Ezio's induction into the Brotherhood. In 1499, he helps his fellow Assassins attack the Vatican as a distraction to allow Ezio to confront Rodrigo Borgia. After the fall of Monteriggioni in early 1500, La Volpe moves to Rome, where fights the Borgia influence in the city. However, he refuses to work with the Assassins because of his suspicions towards Niccolò Machiavelli. After Ezio helps save some of his thieves and uncovers the identity of the real traitor, La Volpe agrees to assist the Assassins again.

Antonio de Magianis (1443 – unknown) (voiced by Carlo Mestroni) is the leader of the Gilda dei Ladri di Venezia (the Venetian Thieves' Guild) and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. He was born at the very bottom of Venetian society, son of a cobbler, while his mother was a live-in maid for the Bellini family. He taught himself to read and write between the apprenticeship sessions with his father, then applied to the University of Padua. He was denied entry due to his low social rank, and was also rejected by other schools in Italy. In 1469, he robbed a noble Venetian estate owned by the rector of the University of Padua, and was later incarcerated, but mysteriously escaped from prison.^[79] Antonio serves as one of Ezio's most prominent allies during his time in Venice, and is later present for his initiation into the Brotherhood in 1488, as well as the attack on the Vatican in 1499, where he creates a distraction alongside other Assassins to allow Ezio to confront Rodrigo Borgia.

Rosa (1460 – unknown) (voiced by Lita Tresierra) is a member of the Venetian Thieves' Gild and an ally of the Assassins. As the daughter of an unknown Venetian nobleman and a prostitute, she grew up on her own on the streets of Venice. In 1475, she met Antonio de Magianis while attempting to pickpocket him; Antonio caught her, but was impressed by her skills and took her on as a pupil.^[80] Rosa becomes a close friend and love interest of Ezio during his time in Venice, and later replaces Claudia as the madame of the Rosa in Fiore in Rome, after the latter abandons the position in 1504.

Teodora Contanto (1450 – unknown) (voiced by Nadia Verrucci) is the madame of La Rosa della Virtù, the most popular brothel in Venice, and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. Her parents owned a jewellery store, and she was apprenticed to her mother as a shop girl. On 26 November 1467, she engaged in adultery with a married man, and his wife alerted the Venetian courts, so her parents sent her to a nunnery to live the rest of her life in prayer and silence. In 1467, she entered Santa Maria degli Angeli, determined to do penance for her crime, but in 1473 she deserted the Church and abandoned her family name. That same year she opened La Rosa della Virtù, which came to be frequented by Pietro Bembo.^[81] Teodora mentors Ezio in the Assassin ways during his time in Venice, and is later present for his initiation into the Brotherhood in 1488, as well as the attack on the Vatican in 1499, where she creates a distraction alongside other Assassins to allow Ezio to confront Rodrigo Borgia.

Bartolomeo d'Alviano (1455 – 7 October 1515) (voiced by Alex Ivanovici) is a condottiero, the leader of the Venetian and Roman Mercenaries' Guilds, and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins. In 1486, he befriends Ezio and works with him to reconquer Venice's Castello District from the Templars. He is later present for Ezio's initiation into the Brotherhood in 1488, and for the attack on the Vatican in 1499, where he creates a distraction alongside other Assassins to allow Ezio to confront Rodrigo Borgia. In 1500, he moves to Rome alongside his second wife, Pantasilea Baglioni, and helps the Assassins fight the Borgia influence in the city, while also fending off French forces led by Cesare Borgia's ally, Octavian de Valois. Bartolomeo is ultimately victorious when Ezio assassinates Valois in 1503. Later in life, Bartolomeo would serve as a general in several Italian armies, until his defeat at the Battle of Agnadello in 1509, where he was captured and held prisoner by the French for four years. After his release, he continued his military career for a few more years, until his death during the siege of Brescia in October 1515.

Duccio de Luca (1462 – 1520) (voiced by Shawn Baichoo) is a recurring character in Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood, and Revelations, whose interactions with Ezio are mostly played for comedic effect. He is a Florentine nobleman who was set to marry Ezio's sister Claudia in 1476; however, due to his womanizing nature, he ends up sleeping with at least six other women. When Claudia finds out about this, she asks Ezio to deal with Duccio, leading him to beat the unfaithful fiancé and warn him to stay away from his sister. Years later, Duccio becomes a trader, but finds little success in making a profit. In 1506, while in Rome on business, he learns that Claudia has become the madame of the Rosa in Fiore brothel, and runs into Ezio again, who is searching for three Leonardo da Vinci paintings Duccio had acquired. After insulting Claudia, enraging Ezio, Duccio summons his henchmen to help him fight the Assassin, but is again defeated and knocked unconscious. In 1511, Duccio somehow ends up in Constantinople, where he attempts to flirt with Sofia Sartor, who shows no interest in him, only to run away terrified at the sight of Ezio, whom he calls the "devil". Duccio would later die penniless in Rome in 1520, from rabies which he most likely received from a stray dog.

Alvise da Vilandino (1441 – 1500) is a Venetian baggage handler who enlists in the navy. In 1500, he is tasked with defending the fortress of Modon from the Turks. After a heavy night of drinking, he wakes to Turkish cannon fire bombarding the town. Panicking while running across the deck, he trips, hits his head, and drowns. He is accused of negligence by the ship's captain and erased from the logs of the navy.^[82]

Rodrigo Borgia (1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503) (voiced and played by Manuel Tadros) is the main antagonist of Assassin's Creed: Lineage and Assassin's Creed II, and a minor antagonist in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Also known as Roderic Llançol and Roderic de Borja i Borja, he was born into a noble Aragonese family, the Borgias, and became a cardinal, and later Pope Alexander VI in 1492. In the games, he is also secretly the Grand Master of the Italian Rite of the Templar Order during the Renaissance, and forms alliances with influential families such as the Pazzi and the Barbarigos as part of his plot to secure control of Italy in the name of the Templars. He manipulates events behind the scenes, and seeks to unlock "the Vault" underneath the Vatican Palace, believing it contains the power to enslave humanity. He is ultimately defeated by Ezio in 1499, but the latter spares his life, despite Rodrigo being responsible for the death of his father and brothers. Following his defeat, Rodrigo, no longer seeking power, decides to focus on his papacy, leaving his son Cesare to lead the Templars and the Papal army. Using Rodrigo's resources, Cesare wages war on other Italian states and the Assassins, while ignoring his father's warnings, who comes to fear Cesare's lust for power. In 1503, Rodrigo tries to poison him, but Cesare is warned of this by his sister Lucrezia, and kills his father in the ensuing struggle.

Uberto Alberti (1416 – 31 December 1476) (voiced and played by Michel Perron^[83]) is a self taught lawyer, Florence's Gonfaloniere of Justice, and a friend and ally of Lorenzo de' Medici and the Auditore family.^[84] However, at some point before 1476, he is secretly turned to the Templar cause, and agrees to eliminate the Auditores to facilitate the Templars' plot to take over Florence. He orders the arrest of all Auditore men, and although Giovanni, Federico, and Petruccio Auditore are captured, Ezio manages to escape.^[85] After the arrest, Ezio is sent by his father to find documents to give to Uberto to prove their innocence,^[86][87][88] but he betrays them and has them hanged the following day on the charge of treason.^[89] Shortly after, Uberto is assassinated by Ezio in the courtyard of the Santa Croce church.^[89][90] His death is considered one of the most satisfying deaths in video games.^[91]

Vieri de' Pazzi (1459 – 14 April 1478) (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) is a Florentine nobleman and the youngest member of the Pazzi family, as well as a member of the Templar Order. He spends his father's money frivolously on weaponry, exotic animals and clothes. Fiercely competitive, he hosts running races, boating and horseback riding, but all of them are rigged; when he loses, he invites the winner's entire family for a victory poisoned dinner.^[92] He is secretly trained by his father, Francesco, in the Templar ways and assists in the plot to take over Florence. Vieri develops a rivalry with Ezio, who ultimately kills him during a confrontation in San Gimignano in 1478.

Francesco de' Pazzi (28 January 1444 – 26 April 1478) (voiced by Andreas Apergis) is a Florentine banker, a member of the Pazzi noble family, and Vieri de Pazzi's father. He is also a member of the Templar Order and one of the instigators the Pazzi conspiracy, a plot to remove the Medici from power in Florence. In 1478, Francesco and other conspirators attempt to assassinate Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici, and while they succeed in killing the latter, Lorenzo is saved by Ezio's interference. Shortly after, Ezio tracks down and kills Francesco, before his naked body is hanged from the Palazzo della Signoria to serve as a warning to the Templars. Historically, Francesco was hanged from the window of the Sala dei Duecento by an angry Florentine mob after the failure of the Pazzi conspiracy.

Jacopo de' Pazzi (1421 – 3 January 1480) (voiced by Arthur Grosser) is the head of the Pazzi family, Francesco de' Pazzi's uncle, and a member of the Templar Order. As one of the conspirators involved in the Pazzi plot, he is tasked with calming the Florentine citizens after the assassination of the Medici. However, the conspiracy fails due to Ezio's interference, and Jacopo is later stabbed by Rodrigo Borgia, the Templar Grand Master, for his failure, before being put out of his misery by Ezio. Historically, Jacopo did not die two years after the failed Pazzi conspiracy, but was executed alongside other members of his family in 1478 by an angry Florentine mob.

Bernardo di Bandino Baroncelli (1453 – 3 May 1479) (voiced by Tod Fennell) is a banker employed by the Pazzi, a member of the Templar Order, and one of the instigators of the Pazzi conspiracy; wishing to see the Medici displaced from Florence due to their exlie of his cousins.^[93] He is tracked down and killed by Ezio in San Gimignano after the failure of the Pazzi plot. Historically, Baroncelli fled to Constantinople, but was later arrested and brought back to Florence, where he was hanged on 29 December 1479.

Stefano da Bagnone (1418 – 1479) (voiced by Tony Robinow) is a monk and the secretary of Jacopo de' Pazzi who trained in Rome as a torturer. He is also a member of the Templar Order, and one of the instigators of the Pazzi conspiracy.^[93] After the failure of the plot, he is tracked down and killed by Ezio at a monastery near San Gimignano. Historically, Bagnone was a priest who, following the failed assassination attempt on Lorenzo de' Medici, fled Florence and found refuge among monks, but was soon arrested, tortured, and finally hanged on 3 May 1478.

Father Antonio Maffei da Volterra (1450 – 1478) (voiced and played by Shawn Baichoo) is a Florentine priest employed by Lorenzo de' Medici. After witnessing the sacking of his hometown of Volterra by mercenaries, he blames it on Lorenzo and joins the Templar Order to exact revenge on him; becoming one of the instigators of the Pazzi conspiracy.^[93] He is tracked down and killed by Ezio in San Gimignano after the failure of the plot. Historically, Maffei found refuge in Badia Fiorentina following the failed assassination attempt on Lorenzo, but was quickly found and arrested, and subsequently hanged on 3 May 1478.

Francesco Salviati Riario (1443 – 12 April 1479) was the Archbishop of Pisa from 1474 until his death, and one of the Pazzi conspirators; wishing to see the Medici removed from power for opposing his appointment as Archbishop of Florence. He joins the Templar Order to this end, but is ultimately killed by Ezio at his villa in the Tuscan countryside after the failure of the Pazzi plot.^[93] While in the game Salviati's role was simply to lead Pazzi-allied troops into Florence, historically he was one of the main instigators of the conspiracy, as he was supposed to kill Gonfaloniere Petrucci and take control of the Palazzo della Signoria. However, he was quickly arrested by Petrucci and then hanged from the window of the Sala dei Duecento by a Florentine mob, next to Francesco de' Pazzi.

Emilio Barbarigo (1421 – 11 September 1485) (voiced by Arthur Holden) is a wealthy and influential Venetian merchant, and a member of the Barbarigo noble family and of the Templar Order. By funding the Venetian police force, he effectively controls the streets of Venice, using the guards to eliminate criminals, as well as any competition. He lives in a heavily guarded palace in the city's San Polo district, which he rules with an iron fist, terrorizing both merchants and thieves. Emilio also plays a role in the Pazzi conspiracy, supplying weapons to all those involved.^[94] With the help of the Venetian Thieves' Guild, Ezio infiltrates Emilio's palace and assassinates him in 1485, freeing San Polo of his tyrannical rule.

Carlo Grimaldi (1445 – 14 September 1485) (voiced by Guy Chapellier) is a member of the Council of Ten, Venice's governing body, as well as of the Templar Order. Hailing from the House of Grimaldi, Carlo sought political power from a young age, which he achieved thanks to his friendship with the Doge of Venice, Giovanni Mocenigo. After proving his loyalty by exposing the relationship between the daughter of a Venetian politician and the son of a servant, Carlo was rewarded with a seat on the Council of Ten, and used his newfound position to aid the Templar cause.^[95] In 1485, Carlo tries to persuade the Doge to join the Templar Order, but fails, and so he is tasked with poisoning him so that a Templar may take his place. Ezio tries to prevent the assassination, but arrives moments too late. Carlo then frames the Assassin for the Doge's murder, but before he can escape, he is killed by Ezio in the courtyard of the Doge's Palace.

Marco Barbarigo (c. 1413 – 15 February 1486) (voiced by Tony Robinow; played by Frank Fontaine in Assassin's Creed: Lineage) was the Doge of Venice from 1485 until his death. In the game, he is portrayed as a member of the Templar Order, and becomes Doge after his predecessor, Giovanni Mocenigo, is poisoned by a fellow Templar, Carlo Grimaldi. Marco's tenure as Doge is short-lived because he is assassinated by Ezio during the Carnevale of 1486. After his death, his brother Agostino, a supporter of the Assassins, is instated as Doge.

Silvio Barbarigo (1435 – 11 July 1486) (voiced and played by Harry Standjofsky), also known as Il Rosso (English: The Red One), is a member of the influential Barbarigo family and of the Templar Order. Following his father's assassination by his uncle, Silvio began working for the latter, eventually becoming his advisor after uncovering a plot by the Saranzo family against the Barbarigos. Years later, Silvio carried out his revenge against his uncle, and had him killed to take over his palace.^[96] By 1485, Silvio has become a prominent figure in Venice like his relatives Emilio and Marco Barbarigo, serving on the Supreme Tribunal as state inquisitor, and is in control of the city's Castello District. In 1486, while planning an expedition to Cyprus to retrieve an Apple of Eden, Silvio and his fellow Templar, Dante Moro, are killed by Ezio with the help of Bartolomeo d'Alviano.

Dante Moro (1460 – 11 July 1486) was the captain of the Venetian city guard and heir to one of the most prestigious and affluent families in Venice. However, his life took a turn for the worse when his friend, Marco Barbarigo, decided he wanted Dante's wife for himself and hired assassins to kill him. Dante survived the attempt on his life, but was stabbed in the cranium, leaving him with permanent brain damage. Now having the mind of a child, Dante was easily persuaded to become Marco's bodyguard and divorce his wife, who was then forced to marry Marco, though she never lost hope Dante would one day recover.^[97] By 1485, Dante has begun serving other members of the Templar Order as well, essentially acting as their 'dumb muscle'. In 1486, he is killed by Ezio alongside his fellow Templar, Silvio Barbarigo.

Checco (1458 – 7 July 1488) (voiced by Andreas Apergis) and Ludovico Orsi (1455 – 7 July 1488) are two mercenary brothers and associates of the Templar Order. Hailing from a noble family, they start a successful money-lending business, killing anyone who does not pay them back on time. In 1488, they are hired by Caterina Sforza to murder her husband Girolamo Riario after discovering he was a Templar and involved in the Pazzi conspiracy. The brothers agree to carry out the assassination because Girolamo owed them money.^[98] Not long after, Rodrigo Borgia hires the Orsi brothers to obtain a map to the pages of Altaïr's Codex made by Girolamo. To this end, they lead an army of mercenaries in a siege on Forlì, and kidnap Caterina's children. Ezio helps to defend the city and rescues the children, killing Ludovico in the process, but Checco manages to steal the Apple of Eden, which Ezio had left with Caterina. However, Checco would soon meet the same fate as his brother, being killed by Ezio just outside of Forlì, before he could deliver the Apple to the Templars.

Girolamo Savonarola (21 September 1452 – 23 May 1498) (voiced by Alex Ivanovici) was a Dominican friar and the leader of Florence from 1494 to 1498. In 1488, Savonarola manages to steal an Apple of Eden from Ezio, who subsequently spends years searching for him to recover the artifact. Recognizing the Apple's powers, he uses it to instigate the Bonfire of the Vanities in Florence; hoping to cleanse the city of everything he regards as evil, such as art and wealth. He is ultimately removed from power by the Assassins in 1498, and then sentenced to death by the people of Florence. Although he is set to be burnt at the stake, Ezio ends Savonarola's life painlessly by stabbing him with his hidden blade.

Luis de Santángel (died 1498) (voiced by Adam Harrington) is the finance minister of King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, and a member of the Spanish Brotherhood of Assassins. He persuades the Queen to finance Christopher Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, although he ends up paying for most of the expenses with his own money. Within the Brotherhood, he helps Ezio uncover and foil a Templar conspiracy to exploit the Granada War as a means to bankrupt the Castilian treasury and prevent Columbus's voyage. Later in life, Luis turns on Queen Isabella after she becomes corrupted by the Templars and makes plans to poison her, though he would die before he could see his plan come to fruition.

Raphael Sánchez (died 1505) (voiced by Chuck Kourouklis) is the treasurer of Queen Isabella I and a member of the Spanish Brotherhood of Assassins. He is based on Gabriel Sanchez, who was historically the royal treasurer of King Ferdinand II of Aragon. He fights against the Templars during the Spanish Inquisition, and helps Ezio rescue Assassins who have been arrested on the orders of Tomás de Torquemada in Aragon. Towards the end of the Granada War, Raphael works with Ezio and Luis de Santángel to thwart a Templar conspiracy to prevent Christopher Columbus's voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

Christoffa Corombo (1451 – 20 May 1506) (voiced by Roger L. Jackson), better known by his anglicized name Christopher Columbus, was an Italian navigator and explorer who famously sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, allowing Europe to discover and begin colonizing the New World; his first voyage, sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, was in 1492. In the game, the Templars seek to prevent this voyage by any means, because they wish to be the first to conquer the New World, leading the Assassins, mainly Ezio, to defend Columbus on several occasions. Despite this, Columbus does not appear to be aware of the existence of either of the two orders.

Columbus also makes a minor appearance in the Assassin's Creed film, where he is entrusted by Aguilar de Nerha with an Apple of Eden, which he takes to his grave.

Queen Isabella I of Castile (22 April 1451 – 26 November 1504) (voiced by Nicole Vigil) was Queen of Castile from 1474 and, through her marriage to King Ferdinand II of Aragon, also Queen of Aragon. The two jointly ruled over a dynastically unified Spain in the late 15th-century, and are known together as the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand are remembered for establishing the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 and funding Christopher Columbus's voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, which made Spain the first European power to discover and colonize the New World. During their reign, Spain also fought in the Granada War from 1482 to 1492, which resulted in Granada's defeat and annexation to Castile, effectively ending all Islamic rule on the Iberian peninsula. In the game, Isabella is depicted as an ally of the Assassins, though over time, she would be converted to the Templar cause, after they infiltrated her close circle and forced her to pledge loyalty to the Borgias. As a result, Isabella would die poisoned by the Assassins in 1504.

Queen Isabella also makes a minor appearance in the Assassin's Creed film, played by Marysia S. Peres.

Helene Dufranc is a French adventurer whom Ezio encounters during his time in Spain. She was born into a family of Assassins just like him, but chose to put her talents to use as a mercenary rather than blindly follow the Creed. Helene and Ezio first meet in Barcelona when she briefly steals his sword, and the two develop a rivalry. After a few more encounters, however, and Helene helping Ezio foil an assassination attempt on Queen Isabella, the two ultimately part ways as allies. Helene is a character created exclusively for the iOS version of the game.

Gaspar Martínez (died 1491) (voiced by Doug Boyd) is a prosecutor for the Spanish Inquisition's tribunal in Barcelona. He is responsible for the arrests of the Assassins in the city, though he is unaware of their true nature, believing them to be simple heretics. He is assassinated by Ezio in his personal quarters in 1491.

Pedro Liorente (died 1491) (voiced by Roger L. Jackson) is a calificador of the Spanish Inquisition serving under Tomás de Torquemada. He is killed by Ezio in Zaragoza in 1491.

Juan de Marillo (died 1492) (voiced by Erik Braa) is an inquisitor serving under Tomás de Torquemada. Given the task of purging Granada of heretics following its conquest by Spain, he would not get the chance to carry it out due to his death at Ezio's hands in 1492.

Angelina Ceresa (died 2 January 1500) is an acquaintance of Claudia Auditore, who lived in Monteriggioni. On 1 January 1500 she and Ezio help prepare Claudia's birthday party in the Villa Auditore.^[99] The following day, Angelina is killed when Cesare Borgia's forces besiege Monteriggioni, and her head is stuck upon the pike of a Borgia soldier's halberd.^[100]

Margherita dei Campi is a countess of Rome.^[101] She tends to Ezio's injuries, sustained during the attack on Monteriggioni, after Niccolò Machiavelli takes him to Margherita's house in Rome's northern Campagna District.^[102]

Fabio Orsini (1476 – 29 December 1504) (voiced by Gianpaolo Venuta) is an Italian condottiero and a member of the Papal Guard. Hailing from the Orsini noble family, he is also the cousin of Bartolomeo d'Alviano and an ally of the Assassin Brotherhood. In 1494, he enters Montepulciano to help the Sienese. In 1498, he partners with Bartolomeo against the Savelli family, and seems to help his new in-laws when he marries Jeronima Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia's cousin. However, in 1499, while Cesare is in Romagna, he frees a friend imprisoned in the Tor di Nona, leading to Cesare killing Fabio's father Paolo as punishment. Starting with 1500, he supports the Assassins in crippling the Borgias' hold on Rome by providing them with a hideout and leading his forces against the army of Micheletto Corella, Cesare's bodyguard and assassin. However, he loses and becomes and outlaw raiding the countryside and put on a list of bandits published by the Pope. After Rodrigo Borgia's death at Cesare's hands in 1503, Fabio regains his noble title and enters the service of Pope Julius II, arresting Cesare on his orders. In December 1504, Fabio would die from a head injury sustained during the Battle of Garigliano.^[103]

Pantasilea Baglioni (1476 – 1537) (voiced by Millie Tresierra) is an Italian noblewoman, hailing from the Baglioni family, the rulers of Perugia, and the second wife of Bartolomeo d'Alviano. After moving to Rome with her husband, she helps him and the Assassins combat their enemies with her tactician skills. She also helps manage the Assassins' pigeon coops in the city, through which they receive information about their targets.

Egidio Troche (1436 – unknown) is a Roman Senator. His younger brother Francesco is a close confidant of Cesare Borgia, whom he personally dislikes. Egidio is rescued by Ezio from his debt to "The Banker", Juan Borgia, in return for providing the Assassins with several potential targets within Rome.

Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) (voiced by Andreas Apergis) is the main antagonist of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Historically, he was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, and the illegitimate son of Rodrigo Borgia, also known as Pope Alexander VI. In the game, he is portrayed as also being a high-ranking a member of the Italian rite of the Templar Order, becoming its de facto leader after Rodrigo stepped down in January 1500. After leading the Papal Army to many victories in the Italian Wars as Captain General, Cesare becomes sadistic and develops a lust for conquest, planning to unify all of Italy and conquer Spain. Seeing the Assassins as a potential threat to his plans and seeking the powerful Apple of Eden in their possession, he besieges their base in Monteriggioni in early 1500, but this only provokes them into targeting Cesare and his allies, much to Rodrigo's chagrin, who had just abandoned his feud with the Assassins. While Cesare is occupied with his conquests, Ezio and the other Assassins cripple his control over Rome and kill his lieutenants, weakening the Templar Order. When Rodrigo refuses to give Cesare any more money, fearing his lust for power, Cesare furiously confronts him but learns that his father has secretly poisoned him, and kills him in the ensuing struggle. Cesare survives the effects of the poison he was given, but loses the Apple to the Assassins, and is eventually arrested on the orders of Pope Julius II in 1503. After breaking out of prison in 1506, Cesare gains the support of his brother-in-law, John III of Navarre, and is given command of the Navarrese army. During the Siege of Viana in March 1507, Cesare is tracked down by Ezio, who fights him on the battlements of a crumbling castle. Cesare is ultimately defeated and thrown off the battlements to his death.

Lucrezia Borgia (18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) (voiced by Liane Balaban) is an Italian noblewoman, the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia and the younger sister of Cesare Borgia. Like her father and brother, she is also a member of the Templar Order. Lucrezia is first seen in a portrait in Assassin's Creed II as a little girl with brown hair, before appearing in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood as a grown woman, her hair now blonde. Lucrezia is shown to have an incestuous affair with her brother, who repeatedly promises her that she will be his queen. She secures political advantages for her family by marrying powerful nobles and then having them disgraced or killed soon thereafter. Eventually, she grows tired of Cesare's womanizing ways and plans to leave the Vatican, but she still warns him of Rodrigo's attempt to poison him. In turn, Cesare beats Lucrezia until she reveals where Rodrigo hid the Apple of Eden seized from the Assassins. Disillusioned by his actions, she tells Ezio where to find the Apple before leaving the Vatican. Her in-game portrait reveals that she and her husband flee Rome and relocate to Ferrara, where she encounters Ezio again in 1506 while the latter is looking for one of Leonardo da Vinci's paintings in her possession. Lucrezia would spend the next years of her life looking after her children and praying to repent for her sins, until her death in 1519.

Juan Borgia the Elder (1446 – 1 August 1503) (voiced by Harry Standjofski), also known as "The Banker", is a Templar and a member of the Borgia family, the nephew of Rodrigo Borgia. He was the first of ten cardinal-nephews to be elevated by Rodrigo after the latter became Pope in 1492. As one of Cesare's three generals assigned to keep Rome under the Borgias' rule, Juan is the one who handles Cesare's military funds, providing him with the means to continue his conquests in Italy. He is killed by Ezio during a public orgy he is hosting, thus cutting off Cesare's funds.

Octavian de Valois (1448 – August 1503) (voiced by Arthur Holden) is a French general, the Baron of Valois, and a member of the Templar Order. A distant cousin of King Louis XII, he was sent in 1498 to front the ranks of the Italian campaign despite his lack of military experience. Within the Templar Order, he is one of Cesare Borgia's top generals, and provides military aid, allowing the Borgias to maintain their grip on Rome. In 1503, his men begin attacking the forces of Bartolomeo d'Alviano on the outskirts of the city, and manage to capture his wife Pantasilea Baglioni, whom Octavian intends to use as leverage to force Bartolomeo to surrender. However, Ezio, Bartolomeo, and his men manage to infiltrate Octavian's barracks after stealing some French uniforms, where Ezio assassinates Octavian and rescues Pantasilea.^[104]

Micheletto Corella (c. 1470 – 1506) (voiced by Tony Calabretta) is a Valencian condottiero, executioner, and a member of the Templar Order, as well as Cesare's personal bodyguard and assassin. In 1503, Ezio nearly assassinates him at the Colosseum in Rome during a play to rescue Pietro Rossi (Lucrezia's lover) and to gain information on Cesare's plans on attacking Romagna, but chooses to spare his life. Following Cesare's arrest, Micheletto helps him escape from prison in 1506, only to later be killed by him.

The Followers of Romulus (Latin: Secta Luporum) are a pagan cult operating in several abandoned locations underneath Rome. They worship Romulus and believe he was part wolf and part man.^[105] The leaders of the cult are hired by the Borgia to influence the Followers into doing their bidding, which often end in "sermons" and evocations of their god. They are mainly used to cause fear amongst civilians before being instructed to focus on the Assassins.^[106] From 1500 to 1503, Ezio is able to locate all of the Followers' lairs and eliminate most of theirs members. In the process, he retrieves the six Scrolls of Romulus they were guarding, which hold the keys to the vault where the fabled treasure of Romulus is kept.

Iacopo de Grassi (died 1500) is a high-ranking Borgia guard in Rome and the captain of one of the five Borgia towers that rule over the Centro District. In January 1500 he is killed by Ezio, who throws him into a scaffolding.^[107]

Il Carnefice (English: The Executioner) (1473 – January 1500) is an executioner allied to the Borgia who considers himself a twisted artist.^[108] He is assassinated by Ezio shortly after his arrival in Rome. His character model is also used for one of the playable characters in the game's multiplayer, "the Executioner".

Malfatto (died 1502) is a masked doctor allied to the Borgia who preys on people living in Rome's poor districts, primarily courtesans.^[109] In 1502, he is assassinated by Ezio while lurking outside the Rosa in Fiore. His character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Doctor".

Silvestro Sabbatine (1472–1502) is a slave trader loyal to the Borgia who claims to be a nobleman. After failing Cesare in the past, he had his left arm cut off by Micheletto Corella, forcing him to sport a prosthesic claw.^[110] He is killed by Ezio in 1502. Silvestro's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Nobleman".

Lanz (1480 – August 1503) is a Roman thief and leader of the Cento Occhi street gang connected to a variety of domestic disturbances. After being caught robbing a Borgia carriage once, he was recruited into the Templars due to his skills, becoming a close ally of Cesare Borgia.^[111] He is assassinated by Ezio in 1503. Lanz's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Thief".

Gaspar de la Croix (1466 – August 1503) is a weapons engineer and expert marksman hired by Cesare Borgia to create weapons for his army, as well as assassinate various targets for him.^[112] He is killed by Ezio in 1503. His character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Engineer".

Donato Mancini (1473 – August 1503) is a captain of the Papal Army under the direct employ of Cesare Borgia who is skilled at riding horses. After winning a horse race against Cesare once, he was savagely beaten by his mercenaries in retaliation, though he remained loyal to the Borgia.^[113] He is killed by Ezio in 1503. His character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Captain".

Auguste Oberlin (1468 – August 1503) is Cesare Borgia's personal blacksmith who creates weapons for his troops and spreads Borgia propaganda throughout Rome.^[114] In 1503, after beating his wife during an argument, she helps Ezio lure him out by tearing down his propaganda, allowing the Assassins to kill him. Auguste's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Blacksmith".

Ristoro (1465 – August 1503) is a violent and perverted priest allied with the Borgia.^[115] He is assassinated by Ezio in 1503. His character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Priest".

Lia de Russo (1476 – August 1503) is a smuggler of rare artifacts and a Templar serving under Cesare Borgia.^[116] She is killed by Ezio in 1503. Her character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Smuggler".

Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543), also known as Niccolò Copernico, was a Renaissance polymath best known for formulating a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center; he was the first astronomer to do so correctly. In the Copernicus Conspiracy DLC for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Ezio must protect Copernicus from the Templars, who are trying to kill him to prevent him from educating the public with his revolutionary theories.

Gian Giacomo Caprotti da Oreno (c. 1480 – 19 January 1524) (voiced by David Kaye), commonly known as Salaì, was an Italian artist and pupil of Leonardo da Vinci from 1490 to 1518. He is Leonardo's most famous apprentice, and has also been speculated to have been his lover. In 1506, he helps Ezio investigate Leonardo's disappearance after the latter is kidnapped by the Cult of Hermes.

Ercole Massimo (1474 – 22 June 1506) is an Italian nobleman and a member of the Massimo family, one of Rome's wealthiest and oldest families. He is also the leader of the covert Cult of Hermes, who follow the teachings of the Isu Hermes Trismegistus and are dedicated to "transforming mankind". In 1506, he and his fellow Hermeticists kidnap Leonardo da Vinci and take him to the catacombs underneath Rome in search for the hidden entrance to the Temple of Pythagoras. When Ezio eventually tracks them down after finding a map leading to the temple hidden on Leonardo's paintings, Ercole tries to convince him to join them, but Ezio refuses and kills Ercole and his men in the ensuing fight.

Yusuf Tazim (c. 1467 – April 1512) (voiced by Chris Parson) is an easy-going Assassin and the leader of the Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins in the early 16th-century, succeeding the previous Mentor, Ishak Pasha. When Ezio arrives in Constantinople in 1511, Yusuf quickly befriends him and introduces him to the city and the local Assassins' struggle against the Templars. He also provides Ezio with most of the new tools introduced in the game, such as the hookblade and bombs. With Ezio's help, Yusuf establishes good relations with the Ottoman monarchy by befriending Suleiman I and thwarting the Templars' attempts to rebuild the Byzantine Empire. When Ezio has to leave for Cappadocia, he entrusts Yusuf to look after Sofia Sartor in his absence. Sofia's shop is later raided by the Templars, and although Yusuf and the other Assassins try fighting them off, they are ultimately overwhelmed and killed. Ezio discovers Yusuf's body upon his return to Constantinople and uses his death to rally the remaining Assassins to fight the Templars.

Yusuf also appears in a deleted scene of the 2016 Assassin's Creed film, played by Matias Varela (who also plays his descendant, Emir).

Sofia Sartor (1476 – unknown) (voiced by Anna Tuveri) is a Venetian-Ottoman bookshop owner and literary enthusiast. Although she was born in Constantinople, she was forced to leave for Venice when the Ottoman-Venetian war began in 1499. Sofia returned to her birthplace in 1507 to run a bookstore at the old Polo trading post. In 1511, she meets Ezio and the two grow close as they work together to find the keys to Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad's Masyaf library, which were hidden in Constantinople by the Polos. Although Ezio initially tries to conceal the true purpose of these keys, not wanting to get Sofia involved in the Assassin-Templar conflict, he is later forced to rescue her after she is kidnapped by the Templars in an attempt to get Ezio to give away the keys. After leaving Constantinople together, Ezio tells Sofia about the true nature of his "work" on their way to Masyaf to unlock the library. Later in life, the couple get married, settle down in a villa in Tuscany, and have two children: Flavia and Marcello. In 1524, Sofia is with Ezio and Flavia in Florence to buy groceries when the elderly Ezio passes away from a heart attack.

Suleiman I (6 November 1494 – 6 September 1566) (voiced by Haaz Sleiman), also known as Suleiman the Magnificent and Suleiman the Lawgiver, was the tenth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 until his death, widely regarded as one of the greatest Sultans in history due to his progressive attitude and the prosperity of the Empire during his reign. In the game, a seventeen-year-old Suleiman befriends Ezio shortly after the latter's arrival in Constantinople, and initially avoids telling him of his true identity by posing as a simple student. However, after Ezio saves Suleiman from a kidnapping attempt by the Templars, the latter enlists his help in investigating the feud between his father, Selim I, and uncle, Ahmet, over the claim to the Ottoman throne. This leads Ezio to uncover a Templar plot, headed by Ahmet (whom Suleiman had always supported over Selim), to restore the Byzantine Empire and use Isu artifacts to establish what the Templars view as "peace" by eradicating all differences between men. After discovering his uncle's betrayal, Suleiman, although shocked and not agreeing with the Templars' views, asks Ezio to spare Ahmet's life if he can. Suleiman also speaks with his father and, while unsuccessful in persuading him not to kill Ahmet, manages to convince him to spare Ezio and exile him from Constantinople instead. After succeeding Selim as Sultan years later, Suleiman would prove to be an important ally to the Assassins in their battle against the Templars.

Piri Reis (c. 1467 – 1553) (voiced by Alex Ivanovici), born Ahmed Muhiddin Piri, was a famed admiral and cartographer who served in the Ottoman Navy. In the game, he is portrayed as a member of the Assassin Brotherhood, having joined sometime in 1506. Within the Brotherhood, he primarily serves as a technician and intelligence gatherer, providing the Assassins with materials and methods for crafting bombs from his small studio in the Grand Bazaar. He is also a trusted friend of Yusuf Tazim, and later befriends Ezio.

Tarik Barleti (1470 – 1511) (voiced by JB Blanc) is the captain of the Janissaries, the personal guard of the Ottoman Empire.^[117] Prince Suleiman believes Tarik to be a Templar because of his behavior and his sale of weapons to Manuel Palaiologos, a known Templar, despite Tarik's friendship with Suleiman's father, Selim I, in the past. Suleiman decides to act on his theory and asks Ezio to kill Tarik. In his final moments, Tarik reveals that he feigned his betrayal to get close to the Templars and discover their hideout in Cappadocia, which he planned to attack. He makes a final request to Ezio to stop the Templars, which the latter honors. Tarik is one of the few assassination targets in the series that is unaffiliated with the Templars or Assassins.

Dilara (voiced by Nadia Verrucci) is an Ottoman spy sent by Tarik Barleti to infiltrate the Byzantine Templars' hideout in Cappadocia, to observe their movements and make preparations for when Tarik and his men would attack them. However, the attack does not occur, due to Ezio killing Tarik, and the spies accompanying Dilara are eventually discovered and captured. When Ezio arrives in Cappadocia in 1512, he attempts to make amends for his assassination of Tarik by carrying out his original plan and meets with Dilara. The two then work together to rescue the captured spies and eliminate the Templar presence in Cappadocia.

Ishak Pasha was an Ottoman general, statesman, and Grand Vizier, as well as the Mentor of the Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins until his death. His most notable feat came in 1476, when he killed the Wallachian Templar Vlad Țepeș during a Hungarian uprising. Although historical records describe Pasha as dying in 1487, the mobile game Assassin's Creed Rebellion shows him still being active in 1495. After his death, Pasha was succeeded as Mentor by his apprentice, Yusuf Tazim, and left behind ten memoir pages that led to his Assassin armor, which he had hidden inside the Hagia Sophia. The memoir pages and Pasha's armor would later be retrieved by Ezio in 1511.

Bayezid II (3 December 1447 – 26 May 1512) was the eighth Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512. During his reign, he consolidated the Empire, and welcomed many escaped Jewish refugees seeking to escape the Spanish Inquisition. Despite choosing his eldest son Ahmet as his heir, he was forced to abdicate the Ottoman throne to his youngest son, Selim I, in April 1512, and died one month later. While Bayezid does not physically appear in Assassin's Creed: Revelations, he is frequently mentioned.

Selim I (10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520) (voiced by Mark Ivanir), also known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute, was the youngest son of Bayezid II who succeeded him as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, reigning from 1512 until his death in 1520. His rule was marked by the enormous expansion of the Empire, in particular the conquest of the Levant, Hejaz, Tihamah, and Egypt, which became known together as the Mamluk Sultanate. He was succeeded by his only living son, Suleiman. Although most of Assassin's Creed: Revelations takes place during Selim's fight with his brother Ahmet over the claim to the Ottoman throne, Selim himself has only a few references throughout the main story and appears briefly at the end, when he confronts Ahmet and Ezio shortly after forcing Bayezid to abdicate. Proclaiming his new authority as Sultan, Selim murders Ahmet, but spares Ezio due to Suleiman's endorsement, instead ordering him to leave Constantinople and never return.

Ahmet (c. 1465 – 25 April 1512) (voiced by Tamer Hassan) is the main antagonist of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. He is an Ottoman Şehzade (prince), the eldest living son of Bayezid II, the older brother of Selim I, and Suleiman's uncle. Between him and Selim, Bayezid favored Ahmet as an heir due to his calm and calculated demeanor. This enraged Selim, who wanted the Ottoman throne for himself and began fighting his brother in 1509. Around the same time, Ahmet secretly joined the Templar Order, who promised him the power to end all feuds that divided men, and eventually became the Grand Master of the Byzantine Rite. Although Ahmet himself was Ottoman, he nonetheless helped the Templars infiltrate Constantinople to further their plans of re-establishing the Byzantine Empire. He also started an expedition to find the keys to Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad's library, believing it contained the location of the Isu's Grand Temple and would thus further the Templar cause. In 1511, Ahmet sets up an unsuccessful ambush to capture Suleiman, intending to have him rescued and appear as a brave hero. The plan is foiled by Ezio, who then investigates the Byzantine Templars at Suleiman's request, leading him to uncover Ahmet's betrayal. After learning Ezio has found all the library keys, Ahmet has his love interest, Sofia Sartor, kidnapped, to ransom her for the keys. After obtaining the keys, Ahmet tries to flee Constantinople, but is defeated by Ezio, just as Selim's army arrives. Proclaiming his authority as the new Sultan, Selim then executes Ahmet by strangling him and tossing him off a cliff.

Manuel Palaiologos (1454 – March 1512) (voiced by Vlasta Vrána) is the secondary antagonist of Assassin's Creed: Revelations. He is the heir to the lost Byzantine Empire throne and nephew to Constantine XI, as well as the second-in-command of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order. Posing as a wealthy Ottoman citizen, he conspires to take back Constantinople with the help of the Ottoman Prince Ahmet, and leads the search for the keys to Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad's library, which the Templars believe could further their cause. In 1512, he is assassinated by Ezio in the Byzantine-controlled city of Cappadocia.

Shahkulu (died March 1512) (voiced by Alex Ivanovici), also spelled Şahkulu, is the leader of the Şahkulu rebellion (which takes its name from him), a widespread pro-Shia and pro-Safavid uprising in Anatolia, directed against the Ottoman Empire. Born into a Turkmen tribe in eastern Anatolia, Shahkulu grew up witnessing his people being oppressed by the Ottomans. After an Ottoman ambush on his tribe left him orphaned and alone, Shahkulu, seeking revenge and a sense of belonging, joined the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order. By 1511, he had become well known for his ruthlessness, especially towards Ottomans, and was in a partnership with Manuel Palaiologos, believing that if he helped him restore the Byzantine Empire, he would be generously rewarded. Although Shahkulu historically died in battle in July 1511, in the game he is shown surviving until 1512, when he is found in Cappadocia, violently beating Ottoman spies to death in a chapel. After surviving Ezio's initial assassination attempt, he is slain in the ensuing fight.

Leandros (died March 1511) (voiced by Steve Blum) is the captain of a Templar regiment stationed in Masyaf that is attempting to open the library of Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad. After his men capture Ezio when he first arrives in Masyaf, Leandros tries to hang him, but the Assassin escapes and eventually kills Leandros, taking from him the journal of Niccolò Polo.

Cyril of Rhodes (died 1511) is a former priest for the Eastern Orthodox Church and a member of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order. In 1511, he makes plans to assassinate Pachomius I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who expelled and humiliated him in the past, but is killed by Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits before he has the chance to. Cyril of Rhodes' character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Deacon".

Damat Ali Pasha (died 1511) is a member of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order, who used to serve Bayezid II, until the Sultan's conquering ambition declined. In 1511, Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits help Ali catch a thief who robbed him. Later, Ali unknowingly puts a bounty on the same Assassin apprentice that helped him, leading to the recruit hunting him down with Ezio's help. Ali's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Vizier".

Georgios Kostas (died 1511) is a member of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order with a reputation for incredible strength and brutality. Born in Greece, he left his birthplace in search for global recognition and became the champion of numerous fighting tournaments held in Thrace, catching the Templars' attention, who eventually inducted him into the Order. In 1511, Georgios is ordered to assassinate a printer in Constantinople, but is foiled by Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits, who later kill Georgios when he is targeting the printer's father. Georgios's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Champion".

Lysistrata (died 1511) is a wealthy actress from Constantinople and a member of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order. Using her charms, she lures away and murders Ottoman officials to benefit the Templar cause. In 1511, she is assassinated by Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits during a public performance. Lysistrata's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Thespian".

Mirela Djuric (died 1511) is a Romani thief and fortune teller and a member of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order. She manages the Templars' criminal network in Constantinople, and uses various tricks to swindle the poor out of their money. In 1511, she is tracked down by Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits with the help of other Romani, but she manages to escape. Later, she is finally killed while collecting ingredients for a poison. Mirela's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Trickster".

Odai Dunqas (died 1511) is a cousin of the first ruler of the Funj Sultanate and a member of the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order. In 1511, he begins bribing merchants in the Assassin-controlled districts of Constantinople to raise their prices, so that the public's opinion would turn against the Assassins. He is eventually killed by Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits. Odai's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Guardian".

Vali cel Tradat (died 1511) is a Wallachian noble and former Assassin, who joined the Byzantine Rite of the Templar Order after the Brotherhood made a truce with the Ottoman Empire. Because the Ottomans had conquered Wallachia, oppressed Vali's people, and killed his secret idol, Vlad Țepeș, Vali saw this as an act of betrayal and sought revenge against both the Assassins and the Ottomans—which the Templars promised to him.^[118] In 1511, while killing Assassins in Constantinople on the Templars' behalf, Vali is hunted down and finally slain by Ezio and one of his Assassin recruits. Vali's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Sentinel".

Vlad III Țepeș (1431 – 1476), commonly known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476, and secretly a member of the Templar Order. He was known for his ruthlessness towards his enemies, especially the Ottomans, whom he executed for the smallest of crimes, typically by impalement—hence his nickname. In 1476, he was killed by Ishak Pasha, the Mentor of the Ottoman Assassins, during a Hungarian uprising, and his severed head and sword were later brought to Constantinople as a trophy, where they were buried in a specially made prison. In 1511, Vlad's tomb is explored by Ezio, who retrieves his sword. While Vlad does not physically appear in Assassin's Creed: Revelations, he is mentioned several times, and his character model is used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Count".

Abbas Sofian (1166 – 1247) (voiced by Nolan North in Assassin's Creed and by Yerman Gur in Assassin's Creed: Revelations) is a Syrian Assassin during the Middle Ages, who serves as Mentor from 1227, when he usurps the position from Altaïr, until his death in 1247. Raised as an Assassin from birth alongside Altaïr, the two became best friends during their childhood. However, their relationship became strained after Altaïr revealed to Abbas that his father, Ahmad Sofian, had killed himself to escape the shame of being indirectly responsible for the death of Altaïr's own father, Umar. Abbas, who had grown up believing his father had left the Brotherhood, branded Altaïr a liar, and developed a lifelong hatred for him. After Altaïr kills their Mentor, Al Mualim, in 1191, Abbas stands against Altaïr, who wants to become the Brotherhood's new leader. He eventually repents and keeps a low profile during Altaïr's time as Mentor. When Altaïr and his family leave for Mongolia to deal with the threat presented by Genghis Khan, Abbas stages a secret coup d'état against Altaïr; killing his younger son, Sef Ibn-La'Ahad, and framing Altaïr's best friend and right-hand man, Malik Al-Sayf, who is thrown in prison and later executed as well. With Sef and Malik out of the way, Abbas holds the most power over the Brotherhood, and he implements a council with himself as its head. Eventually, he disbands the council, usurping the title of Mentor, and becomes the sole leader of the Levantine Assassins. Under Abbas' leadership, the Order declines and becomes corrupt. Additionally, Abbas spends most of his time hiding in Masyaf's fortress, fearing for his life. After Altaïr returns from his exile, the Assassins, disillusioned with Abbas' rule, join him again and help him get to Abbas, who is killed by Altaïr's newest invention: the Hidden Gun.

Darim Ibn-La'Ahad (1195 – unknown) (voiced by Michael Benyaer) is a Syrian Assassin during the Middle Ages, and the eldest son of Altaïr Ibn-LaʼAhad and Maria Thorpe. When he is in his early twenties, he journeys to Mongolia with his parents to assassinate Genghis Khan due to the threat he poses to the Assassin Order. Successful, they return to Masyaf in 1228, only to find that Abbas Sofian had usurped leadership of the Assassins and killed Darim's brother Sef. After Maria is also killed, Darim and Altaïr are forced to flee Masyaf. The two later have a falling out due to Altaïr's depression and obsession with the Apple of Eden, and Darim leaves him to support Sef's widow and children. In 1247, Altaïr returns alone and kills Abbas, reclaiming the title of Mentor. Darim returns soon after and stays in Masyaf until it is attacked by the Mongols in 1257. After repelling the attack, Altaïr, knowing the Mongols will return, decides to seal himself in the library he had built. Before that, he bids farewell to Darim, telling him to go and live his life. Darim then leaves for Alexandria to rejoin his sister-in-law and nieces.

Sef Ibn-La'Ahad (1197 – c. 1226) is a Syrian Assassin during the Middle Ages, and the youngest son of Altaïr and Maria. When his parents and older brother go to Mongolia to assassinate Genghis Khan, Sef stays in Masyaf to help Altaïr's friend Malik Al-Sayf lead the Assassin Order in their absence. However, two years before their return, Abbas Sofian decides to usurp leadership of the Assassins, and has his henchman Swami murder Sef in his sleep. He is an ancestor of Desmond Miles.

Niccolò (c. 1230 – c. 1294) (voiced by Shawn Baichoo) and Maffeo Polo (c. 1230 – c. 1309) were Venetian traveling merchants who were the father and uncle, respectively, of famed explorer Marco Polo. During their lifetimes, they established trading posts in Constantinople, Sudak, and the western part of the Mongol Empire. In the game, they are both portrayed as members of the Assassin Order, having been inducted by Altaïr in 1257, shortly before his death. Before their departure from Masyaf, Altaïr entrusts the Polo brothers with his Codex and five of the keys to his underground library, instructing them to conceal the keys and spread the Assassins' teachings. The brothers would later hide the keys in Constantinople, and establish Assassin guilds in several of the places they visited, thus ensuring the survival of the Assassin Order after the fall of Masyaf to the Mongols.

Haras (died 1189) (voiced by Michael Benyaer) is a Syrian Assassin during the Middle Ages who, disillusioned with the Assassin cause, betrays them and helps the Templars attack Masyaf in 1189. Altaïr leads the other Assassins in fending off the attack, and rescues Al Mualim, who had been taken captive during the battle, killing Haras in the process. Haras's character model is also used in the game's multiplayer, under the title of "the Crusader".

Flavia Auditore (May 1513 – unknown) (voiced by Angela Galuppo) is the daughter of Ezio and Sofia Sartor, and an ancestor of Desmond Miles.^[119] She appears in the animated short Assassin's Creed: Embers.

Marcello Auditore (October 1514 – unknown) is Ezio and Sofia's son and Flavia's younger brother.

Ratonhnhaké:ton (4 April 1756 – unknown) (voiced by Noah Watts), better known as Connor,^[120] is the protagonist of Assassin's Creed III. He also makes a minor appearance in Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. He is an Anglo-Kanienʼkehá꞉ka Assassin who struggles to protect the Haudenosaunee as he fights alongside the Patriots during the American Revolutionary War. He initially develops a strong working relationship with George Washington, though this falls apart after Connor discovers that Washington was behind an attack on his village in his youth, which resulted in his mother's death and set him on the path to become an Assassin. After the Revolutionary War, he focuses on rebuilding the Colonial Brotherhood of Assassins, which had been all but eradicated by the Templars decades prior, and becomes its Mentor. He also marries a woman from a nearby tribe and has three children; the youngest of whom, Io꞉nhiòte, possesses the rare ability of Eagle Vision.^[121] Connor is the son of Haytham Kenway and Kaniehtí꞉io, the grandson of Edward Kenway, and an ancestor of Desmond Miles through the paternal line.

Haytham E. Kenway
Assassin's Creed character
First game	Assassin's Creed III (2012)
Created by	Ubisoft Montreal
Portrayed by	Adrian Hough
In-universe information
Significant other	Kaniehtí:io (lover)
Children	Ratonhnhaké:ton (son)
Relatives	Edward Kenway (father) Tessa Kenway (mother) Jennifer Scott (half-sister) Bernard Kenway (grandfather) Linette Kenway (grandmother) Io:nhiòte (granddaughter) Unnamed granddaughter Unnamed grandson William Miles (descendant) Desmond Miles (descendant) Elijah (descendant) Victor Flores Castillo (descendant)
Origin	London, England, Kingdom of Great Britain
Nationality	British

Haytham E. Kenway (4 December 1725 – 16 September 1781) is a character in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed video game franchise. He is introduced as the false protagonist of Assassin's Creed III (2012), in which players control him for the game's initial chapters, before being revealed as the true antagonist. Haytham also serves as a supporting character in Assassin's Creed Rogue (2014),^[122] which takes place between his playable chapters in Assassin's Creed III and the latter part of the game, and his backstory is further explored in the novel Assassin's Creed: Forsaken. In the games, he is portrayed by actor Adrian Hough through performance capture.^[123]

Within the series' alternate historical setting, Haytham was born in 1725 as the son of Edward Kenway, one of the leading members of the British Brotherhood of Assassins and the protagonist of the prequel game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (2013). Following his father's murder in 1735, he is manipulated into joining the Templar Order, the Assassins' arch-enemies, and eventually becomes one of the Order's leading members as the Grand Master of the North American colonial rite. Under Haytham's leadership, the Templars exterminate most of the Colonial Assassins, becoming the dominant force on the continent, and later attempt to build a new nation under their rule by influencing the American Revolution. During this time, Haytham sires a son, Ratonhnaké:ton / Connor, with a Native American woman, who in turn joins the Assassins and undoes most of his father's work. Though Haytham and Connor briefly become allies and consider unifying their orders, they both ultimately realise that peace between the Assassins and Templars is impossible, and their conflict culminates with Haytham's death at Connor's hands in 1781.

Prior to Assassin's Creed III's release, Haytham was not advertised as a playable character in order to surprise players. The twist that players were actually controlling a Templar during the first third of the game was praised for its cleverness and for being the first time in the series that players got to experience the Templars' point of view in the storyline, although some criticized the inclusion of Haytham's sequences for hurting the game's pacing. Unlike his son Connor, who had a divisive reception, Haytham was well-received for his charm and complexity, and is considered one of the best villains in the franchise.

Haytham's inclusion as a playable character was kept secret from the press and was only known to the development team, with all advertisement solely focusing on Connor. Looking back on the game in 2019, Alex Hutchinson, the Creative Director of Assassin's Creed III, named the decision to make Haytham the surprise protagonist of the first third of the game as an effective idea to draw players into the narrative. It also offers a fresh perspective on the conflict between Assassins and Templars, as Haytham is the first playable Templar in the series. However, he noted that his character arc was far too long because there was no time for extensive product testing, which led to some backlash from players.^[124] According to series writer Susan Patrick, in Assassin's Creed Rogue, the emphasis of his role was placed on him being a role model for Assassin-turned-Templar Shay Patrick Cormac, because they both had similar backgrounds,^[125] while one of the main objectives of the game was to show the missing chapters in Haytham's life.^[126] Adrian Hough, the actor who performed Haytham's voice and motion capture, noted that the writing was very good for the character, and acknowledged that the development team gave him artistic freedom to make the character his own, ultimately considering him a product of his performance as well as writing and animation.^[127]

Darby McDevitt, the narrative director of the 2020 series installment Assassin's Creed Valhalla, found an opportunity to include a reference to Haytham in the game. Recalling that some fans had given feedback that Haytham sounded like an Arabic name, McDevitt suggested "Haytham or Hytham" for the name of a supporting character who brings the Hidden Ones back to England during the events of Valhalla, which serves as an in-universe basis for Edward Kenway's likely decision to name his son.^[128]

This section may be too long and excessively detailed. Please consider summarizing the material. (August 2023)

Born in 1725 in London to former pirate-turned-Assassin Edward Kenway and his second wife Tessa, Haytham belonged to the British nobility and was raised secluded from other children, being trained to be an Assassin from an early age. However, this changed in 1735, when Edward was killed by mercenaries who broke into their home to steal a journal containing Edward's research of the First Civilization. During the attack, Haytham was forced to kill for the first time to save his mother, but was unable to rescue his half-sister Jennifer, who was kidnapped by the mercenaries.^[129] Edward's acquaintance Reginald Birch, secretly a Templar and the one responsible for the attack, was appointed Haytham's legal guardian and took him on an unsuccessful quest throughout Europe to find Jennifer, during which Haytham was trained in the ways of the Templars, eventually joining the Order in 1744.^[130]

In 1754, after retrieving the key to the Grand Temple, a First Civilization site, from the Assassins, Haytham was sent by Birch to the Thirteen Colonies to find and access the Temple, as well as establish a permanent presence for the Order in North America as the new Grand Master of the Colonial Rite.^[131] Recruiting Charles Lee, William Johnson, Thomas Hickey, Benjamin Church, and John Pitcairn, Haytham was successful in establishing a new base for the Templars after killing his former associate Edward Braddock. However, his mission to locate the Grand Temple proved unsuccessful.^[132] During this time, he had a brief relationship with a Native American woman, Kaniehtí꞉io, but was eventually forced to leave her to focus on his Templar affairs.^[93]

Haytham returned to Europe in 1757 to resume his search for Jennifer, which eventually led him to the Ottoman Empire, where he recovered her from slavers.^[133] After she informed him that Birch was behind their family's demise, the siblings led an attack on his estate, during which Birch was killed and Haytham was gravely injured.^[134] While recovering, Haytham considered leaving the Templars due to Birch's actions, but ultimately concluded that the Order's goals were righteous, even if its methods were flawed.^[135]

In 1758, Haytham returned to the colonies to extend the Templars' influence, and inducted former Assassin Shay Patrick Cormac into the Order.^[136] After being informed by Shay about several First Civilization sites that could lead to devastating earthquakes, he worked with him to prevent the Assassins from accessing them, wiping out most of the Colonial Assassin Brotherhood in the process. In 1760, a final confrontation in the Arctic saw the last of the Colonial Assassins eliminated, although Shay convinced Haytham to spare their leader, Achilles Davenport.^[137]

After making the Templars the dominant force in North America, Haytham's main goal over the next two decades was to remove British colonial rule and establish a new state where Templar ideals would become law. However, his attempts to influence the American Revolution to this end were thwarted by Connor, his son with Kaniehtí꞉io, who had been trained as an Assassin by Achilles to take vengeance on the Templars, whom Connor blamed for his mother's death.^[93] Haytham was shocked to learn about Kaniehtí꞉io's death and the existence of his son, which had been hidden from him by his fellow Templars, and became torn between his loyalty to the Order and his newfound sense of paternal responsibility. When Connor was later framed by the Templars for a plot to assassinate George Washington, Haytham, not wanting to have his son's death on his conscience, secretly saved him from his execution.^[138]

In 1778, Haytham and Connor formally met and formed an uneasy alliance to eliminate former Templar Benjamin Church and further the Revolution.^[139] Realizing his son could become an important asset if converted to his cause, Haytham took this opportunity to try and convince him about the Templars' goals and motives. However, their alliance fell through after Connor discovered that Washington was responsible for Kaniehtí꞉io's death—a fact Haytham had deliberately kept hidden from him—and angrily cut ties with his father.^[140] Eventually admitting that he would not be able to reconcile with his son and realizing the threat he posed, Haytham decided to personally deal with him. In 1781, correctly predicting that Connor would target Charles Lee, who was residing in Fort George, Haytham sent the latter away and stayed behind to confront his son, who ultimately killed him after a lengthy battle.^[141] Sometime after Haytham's death, Connor recovered his journal, in which the former revealed that he did not expect to survive his final confrontation with Connor and that he wanted his son to have his journal, so that he would better understand his point of view and maybe forgive him, implying that Haytham let Connor kill him.^[142]

Aside from Assassin's Creed III and Rogue, Haytham has made cameo appearances in several other games in the series. In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, which stars his father Edward, he appears as a young child in a post-credits scene,^[143] while the fictional video games subsidiary of Abstergo Industries considers him suited as a video game protagonist advocating the Templars' ideals, due to him being regarded as one of the greatest Templars in history.^[144] This idea has materialized in Assassin's Creed Unity, where the fictional video game The Lone Eagle, starring him, can be seen at the start.^[145] Alongside multiple other Templar characters from the series, Haytham appears in the 2014 online role-playing collectible card game Assassin's Creed Memories.^[146]

Haytham was well-received as a character and often contrasted with the divisiveness of his son, Connor. In a contemporary review of Assassin's Creed III for PC Gamer, Chris Thursten called Haytham a good villain but also observed that "the writers seem to like [Haytham] more than they do their ostensible lead [Connor]."^[147] However, a lot of contemporary reviewers refused to give a detailed account on Haytham, in order to not spoil the plot twist that he, a Templar, is the game's first protagonist.^{[148][149][150]} Alex Hutchinson, Creative Director of Assassin's Creed noted that the character faced some backlash as a surprise protagonist due to his arc being too long, but pointed out that he remains a fan favorite, making his way into other installments and selling a lot of action figures,^[124] whereas GamesRadar+ lauded this move as "bold" in a list of gaming's most satisfying character switches.^[151]

IGN described Haytham among the best new video game characters of 2012, claiming that "no man is as cunning, conniving, and sassy as Haytham Kenway".^[152] In 2020, IGN Brasil ranked Haytham as the second best villain in the franchise.^[153] In a ranking of all Assassin's Creed characters by PC Gamer, Haytham was ranked much higher than Connor (who finished last) and also eclipsed his father Edward, with the reviewer comparing him favorably to James Bond, noting that "his ruthlessness make him a joy to play as", in contrast to Connor.^[154] Frank Martin of DualShockers described Haythem as one of the best villain in Assassin's Creed and said that its "a very peculiar character given how likable he is. "His story is such a unique one that it should definitely be explored more in the Assassin's Creed universe."^[155] He was also described as one of the greatest protagonist in the franchises by German outlet GamePro, who noted that his moral ambiguity and complexity made players reflect on the nature of the Templar Order for the first time in the series' history.^[156] Likewise, GameRevolution featured Haytham in a list of "video game villains who were actually right", especially in regards to his vision of an ideal state.^[157]

Adrian Hough, the voice actor who portrayed Haytham, was nominated for a BAFTA Games Award in the "Performer" category at the 9th British Academy Games Awards ceremony for his portrayal.^[158] In an interview, the actor noted the positive fan response his character had received, especially in regards to cosplay.^[127]

While discussing which characters should be included in a future Netflix series based on the video games, Matthew Aguilar of Comicbook.com opted for Haytham, noting his charm and backstory, calling him one of the most interesting villains in the series.^[159]

Writing for Heavy, Paul Meekin observed that the Templar Order seeks control of governments, finances, and the day-to-day lives of individuals they view as "too dangerous to themselves to be trusted" because they believe that this is the best solution for humanity's supposedly self-destructive nature; he highlighted a quote by Haytham from Assassin's Creed III where the character posits that it is within humanity's nature to be told what to believe and how to believe it.^[160] Nick Dinicola from PopMatters noted that while the Templars can produce good leaders, in truth their true goal is to consolidate power for personal gain: Haytham himself is "sympathetic to the plights of those beneath him, but he’s among terrible company: two tyrants and a slave trader". With regards to his position and legacy within his Order, Dinicola drew attention to in-game Templar propaganda presented in Rogue which contends that Haytham was “slain by the ungrateful [Assassin] son who could not appreciate the wisdom of his pragmatic, race-blind approach to politics and personal life” as an example of how the Templars use their position of power to rewrite history and promote themselves in a more favorable light.^[161]

Achilles Davenport (c. 1710 – September 1781) (voiced by Roger Aaron Brown) is a major supporting character in Assassin's Creed III, and the main antagonist of Assassin's Creed Rogue. He is a Master Assassin who serves as Mentor of the Colonial Brotherhood from 1746 until his retirement in 1763. Trained by Ah Tabai, the Mentor of the West Indies Brotherhood, Achilles travels to the American Colonies in 1740 to establish his own branch of the Brotherhood, which he develops over the following years by recruiting additional members. By 1752, due to the lack of a strong Templar presence in North America at the time, Achilles and his Brotherhood have started to focus on finding Pieces of Eden before the Templars can. Around the same time, Achilles' wife Abigail and son Connor die of typhoid fever, greatly affecting the Mentor, who becomes more distant and reckless with his actions as a result. In 1755, after his apprentice's, Shay Cormac, attempt to retrieve a Piece of Eden results in Lisbon's destruction, Achilles refuses to listen to Shay's pleas to stop the search for the Pieces, resulting in the latter betraying the Brotherhood and eventually joining the Templar Order. With Shay's help, the Templars purge the Colonial Brotherhood over the following years, though Achilles himself is spared by the Templar Grand Master, Haytham Kenway, at Shay's request, so that he could warn the other Assassins of the Pieces' destructive capabilities after witnessing them first hand. After being crippled by Haytham, Achilles retires to his homestead, becoming a hermit, until he meets Ratonhnhaké:ton in 1769, who is eager to become an Assassin. Though reluctant at first, he trains Ratonhnhaké:ton in the Assassins' ways, and renames him Connor, after his own late son, to help him blend in with colonial society. Achilles and Connor frequently argue during the latter's quest to eliminate the Colonial Templars, as Connor hopes to make peace with them since they share a common goal. Despite this, the two develop a genuine father-son bond, and Connor even helps Achilles find new purpose in life by bringing in new people to his homestead, turning it into a small community. Achilles eventually passes away of old age in 1781, and his death is mourned by Connor and all the homesteaders.

Kaniehtí꞉io (1731 – 2 November 1760) (voiced by Kaniehtiio Horn), also known as Ziio, is a Kanien'keha:ka (Mohawk) clan woman and warrior, and the mother of Ratonhnhaké꞉ton / Connor. Unlike her fellow villagers, who prefer to stay neutral to protect their sacred sanctuary, she fights settlers encroaching on her people's lands. In 1754, she becomes allies with Haytham Kenway, who seeks access to the sanctuary. The two share a brief relationship, which results in Connor's birth. However, Ziio is left to raise their son alone, as Haytham abandons her after she accuses him of simply using her to achieve his goal. When her son is four, Ziio dies in an attack on their village ordered by George Washington; Connor grows up believing Haytham's subordinate Charles Lee is responsible, which sets him on the path to join the Assassins.

Kanenʼtó꞉kon (1756 – 17 June 1778) (voiced by Akwiratékha Martin) is a member of the Kanien'kehá:ka nation in the Mohawk Valley and a close childhood friend of Connor. Although he initially advocates for the Kanien'kehá:ka to remain neutral in the American Revolutionary War, he and several other of his village's warriors believe that they can protect their people by siding with the British. He is manipulated by Charles Lee into believing that Connor had joined George Washington in a campaign against the Mohawk people, prompting him to attack his former friend when he tries to intervene in a Mohawk ambush on colonial soldiers. Pinned to the ground and vulnerable to a lethal blow, Connor is forced to stab Kanenʼtó꞉kon in the neck with his Hidden Blade, killing him.

Oiá꞉ner is the Clan Mother of the Kanien'kehá:ka village of Kanatahséton.^[162] She and the other Kanien'kehá:ka in the village serve as protectors of the sacred ground on which both their village and the Grand Temple stood. Oiá꞉ner is also the keeper of the tribe's "Crystal Ball", a Piece of Eden which allows anyone to communicate with the Isu Juno. In 1769, Oiá꞉ner shows the Crystal Ball to Connor when he returns from a hunt and allows him to interact with it. Through the Crystal Ball, Juno informs Connor of his destiny as an Assassin and urges him to leave the village and seek out Achilles Davenport. Many years later, Oiá꞉ner meets an adult Connor and tells him of the whereabouts of Kanenʼtó꞉kon and other Kanien'kehá:ka men, who are attempting to attack Continental soldiers. Sometime after Kanenʼtó꞉kon's death, Oiá꞉ner speaks with Conor, and reveals that she plans to move their people west, far from the American Revolutionary War, like many of the other nations. After his unpleasant reaction, she tells him that she would do what was best for her people, and Connor leaves the village. On his return some years later, he finds the village deserted except for an old hunter, who tells him that his people have already left.

Robert Faulkner (1715 – unknown) (voiced by Kevin McNally) is an elderly sailor and Assassin who serves as Connor's first mate aboard the Aquila. He has a reputation for having a disciplined crew, avoiding trouble, and predicting the weather accurately. Although he is the fourth generation in his family to become a sailor, he is the first to be recruited into the Assassin Brotherhood. Faulkner started off in the Royal Navy, but after finding that his career is stalling (partly due to his inability to purchase commissions), he went to work for the United Company of Merchants. In 1753, Faulkner disappears from the historical record, presumed dead—because it was around this time that he joined the Assassins as first mate of the Aquila. When the Aquila is nearly destroyed in 1768, Faulkner retires to a shack near Achilles Davenport's homestead, trying to drink his sorrows away.^[163] He finds new purpose in life when he meets Connor a few years later, who repairs the Aquila and becomes its captain.

George Washington (22 February 1732 – 14 December 1799) (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes in Assassin's Creed III and by Tod Fennell in Assassin's Creed Rogue) was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783, and later served as the first President of the United States from 30 April 1789 to 4 March 1797. Prior to the Revolutionary War, Washington also fought in the Seven Years' War and led several attacks against neutral or enemy Native tribes, including the neutral village of Kanatahséton in 1760. During the Revolutionary War, Washington is targeted by the Templars, in particular his own subordinate and political rival Charles Lee, who is angered that he had been passed over for the position of Commander-in-Chief, leading Connor to inform Washington of the existence of both the Assassins and the Templars in order to protect him. Although the Continental Army initially suffers many losses under Washington's command, Connor and his Assassin apprentices help win the army several small victories. Over time, Washington develops a strong working relationship with Connor, thought this falls apart after the latter discovers Washington was behind the Kanatahséton attack, which killed his mother, and now plans a second attack after Lee manipulated Connor's people into siding with the Loyalists. Nevertheless, Connor remains loyal to the Patriot cause, and thanks to his efforts, the Continental Army ultimately emerges victorious in 1783. After the war, Washington seeks Connor's help in disposing of an Apple of Eden he had seized, which has been giving him nightmares of an alternate timeline where Washington ruled over the United States as a tyrant. Thanks to these visions, as well as Connor's words of advice, Washington would become inspired to be a just leader for the American people when he was later elected President.

Samuel Adams (27 September 1722 – 2 October 1803) (voiced by Mark Lindsay Chapman) was an American statesman, political philosopher, a Sons of Liberty Patriot and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. During the American Revolution, Adams meets and becomes a trusted associate of Connor, after Achilles Davenport tells him to find Adams on his first trip to Boston. Connor would subsequently aid Adams and the Sons of Liberty several times throughout the Revolution, most notably during the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

Benjamin Franklin (17 January 1706 – 17 April 1790) (voiced by Jim Ward in Assassin's Creed III and by Rick Jones in Assassin's Creed Rogue) was a freemason, a noted polymath, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Franklin is first encountered by Haytham Kenway in Boston in 1754, when he requests the latter's help in finding the stolen pages of his Poor Richard's Almanack. Around the same time, Franklin was being unknowingly used by the Templars to study the Precursor box they had seized, which was given to him by William Johnson. However, the Assassins Shay Cormac and Hope Jensen are able to hijack the research by posing as associates of Johnson's. They help Franklin with his experiments on the box, generating a map which shows the locations of various Precursor sites. By 1756, the Assassins have commissioned Franklin to develop various weapons for them, including a prototype grenade launcher, though this would later be given to Shay, who visits Franklin at his lab in New York after his defection to the Templars. During the American Revolutionary War, Franklin is appointed the first United States Ambassador to France and moves to Paris, where he unexpectedly encounters Shay again in 1776. After Shay saves him from a gang of street criminals, Franklin helps him infiltrate the Palace of Versailles for a supposed "business meeting" (in reality, Shay came to retrieve the Precursor box from the Assassins, who were having a secret meeting there). Despite his many interactions with various Assassins and Templars throughout his life, Franklin doesn't appear to be aware of the existence of either of the two orders.

Paul Revere (1 January 1735 – 10 May 1818) (voiced by Bruce Dinsmore) was an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, and a Son of Liberty Patriot. He is best remembered for his 1775 midnight ride to alert the colonial militia to the approach of British forces before the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the start of the American Revolutionary War. In the game, he is accompanied by Connor during this ride, after being previously introduced to the Assassin by Samuel Adams. Thanks to Revere and Connor's efforts, the Patriots are able to organize a defense in time and ultimately win the two battles.

Israel Putnam (7 January 1718 – 29 May 1790) (voiced by Andreas Apergis) was an American military officer and Patriot commander during the American Revolutionary War. He is best remembered for fighting with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 at the start of the war. In the game, he is shown being assisted by Connor during the battle, whom Putnam initially distrusts, but later comes to respect after the Assassin proves himself by killing the British commander and Templar John Pitcairn. Although both sides suffer heavy casualties, Pitcairn ultimately deems the battle a lost cause and orders his troops to retreat, allowing the British to capture Charlestown. The following year, after Connor thwarts an assassination attempt on George Washington that he was originally framed for, Putnam comes to his defense and praises him, calling Connor a hero.

Benjamin Tallmadge (25 February 1754 – 7 March 1831) was an officer of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, as well as a spymaster who organized the Culper Ring spy circle alongside George Washington during the British occupation of New York. He would later become a politician after the war, being elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1801. In the game, he is also a close friend of Achilles Davenport, as Tallmadge's father was an Assassin, although Tallmadge opted not to follow in his footsteps and join the Brotherhood due to hoping to lead a normal life someday and not enjoying the idea of "living in two worlds." In 1776, after learning Connor had uncovered a plot to kill Washington, Tallmadge enlists his help in stopping the assassin, the Templar Thomas Hickey, although both Connor and Hickey would end up arrested by the Patriots and jailed after an altercation in New York. Tallmadge tries to use his position in the government to secure Connor's release and ensure Hickey remains imprisoned by accusing him of the assassination plot, but his efforts are thwarted by the Templars, who manage to get Hickey pardoned and frame Connor for the plot. Nevertheless, Connor would ultimately escape his execution and kill Hickey before he could carry out Washington's assassination.

Mason Locke Weems (11 October 1759 – 23 April 1825) (voiced by Tod Fennell) was an American minister, evangelical bookseller, and author best known for writing the first biography of George Washington immediately after his death. Weems held Washington in very high esteem and much of his work praised Washington and highlighted his feats, although many of them were greatly exaggerated. In the game, Weems is encountered by Connor in Bridewell Prison in 1776, where he tries to help the latter escape after learning that Washington's life is in danger and that Connor is trying to save him.

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette (6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834) (voiced by Vince Corazza), commonly known as Lafayette, was a French aristocrat, freemason and military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War, commanding Patriot troops in several battles. He would later serve as a key figure in both the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830, and is considered a national hero in both France and the United States. In the game, Lafayette works alongside Connor several times during the Revolutionary War, most notably during the Battle of Monmouth in 1778, resulting in Lafayette becoming one of Connor's most trusted associates. As such, the Assassin would later enlist Lafayette's help in planning his infiltration of Fort George in 1781 in order to assassinate Charles Lee.

Benedict Arnold (14 January 1741 – 14 June 1801) (voiced by Graham Cuthbertson) was an American-born military officer who served as Major General in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Although initially regarded as a war hero, he had a propensity for arguing with his superiors, meaning he would often be passed over for promotions. As such, after being given command of West Point in 1780 by George Washington, Arnold secretly betrayed the Patriots and planned to surrender the fort to the British. In the game, Washington becomes distrustful of Arnold and asks Connor to investigate rumors of his betrayal, which the latter discovers to be true upon intercepting a letter discussing Arnold's plan. He then confronts Arnold but is distracted by the British's attack of West Point, and Arnold is able to escape by boat while Connor helps the Patriot soldiers defend the fort. For the rest of the war, Arnold would serve as a brigadier general in the British Army and lead British troops against his former allies, but his name has since become synonymous with treason and betrayal in the United States.

François-Joseph Paul de Grasse (13 September 1722 – 11 January 1788) was a French Navy admiral best known for his command of the French fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781 in the last year of the American Revolutionary War. In the game, Connor aids de Grasse during the battle using the Aquila in exchange for the admiral's help with his infiltration of Fort George in order to assassinate Charles Lee. After the French's victory, de Grasse upholds his end of the deal and has the French fleet open fire on the fort, creating a distraction that allows Connor to infiltrate it undetected.

Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 – 4 July 1826) (voiced by John Emmet Tracy) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence who later served as the third President of the United States from 4 March 1801 to 4 March 1809. While only mentioned in the base game, he plays a more prominent role in The Tyranny of King Washington expansion, where he is the leader of a rebellion against George Washington's regime in New York in an alternate timeline.

Amanda Bailey (1730 – unknown) (voiced by Dawn Ford) is an innkeeper living in Martha's Vineyard and a former love interest of Robert Faulkner. During the American Revolutionary War, she secretly works as a spy for the Continental Army and is reunited with Faulkner when the latter and Connor come to Martha's Vineyard to acquire crew members and cannons for the Aquila. She later helps Connor and Faulkner in their hunt for the Continental Navy captain and Templar Nicholas Biddle, telling them about rumors of Biddle's ship, the USS Randolph, being seen raiding ships along the East Coast.

During the game, Connor encounters several individuals that he recruits to the Assassin Brotherhood after assisting them. These people are subsequently trained as Assassins and can come to Connor's aid or be sent to perform individual missions throughout the Thirteen Colonies.

• Stephane Chapeau (1743 – unknown) (voiced by Shawn Baichoo) is a French-Canadian chef residing in Boston. His father was a cook for the French army and died while fighting in the French and Indian War. Stephane took up his profession to honor him and moved to Boston in 1764. Beginning with 1765, he was part of several mobs that violently protested the British's treatment of their colonies, in particular their heavy taxation. In 1773, when tax collectors come to Stephane's house to demand he pay his taxes, the latter angrily refuses and calls them thieves before starting to fight them. After Connor, who happened to be nearby, helps him defeat the tax collectors and their enforcers, Stephane continues with his violent protest, eventually killing a taxman who was working for the Templar William Johnson. Connor later informs Stephane of the existence of the Assassins and Templars and invites him to join the Brotherhood and fight against injustice. Stephane accepts and becomes Connor's first Assassin recruit, assisting him several times throughout the American Revolution, most notably during the Boston Tea Party.
• Duncan Little (1730 – unknown) (voiced by Julian Casey) is an Irish-born colonist living in Boston. He is also the nephew of Miko, the leader of the British Assassin Brotherhood who was killed by Haytham in 1754. Duncan entered priesthood at a young age and was a missionary for several years, but eventually realized the priest life was not for him and moved to America in 1763, after receiving harsh treatment by his family for abandoning the Catholic Church. Here, he quickly gained a reputation as a skilled mediator and helper of the people. In 1773, Duncan becomes acquainted with Connor and requests his help in eliminating a group of mercenaries threatening the livelihoods of Boston's residents. After killilng the leader of the mercenaries, revealed to be a Templar, Connor tells Duncan the truth about the Assassin-Templar conflict and recruits him into the Brotherhood.
• Clipper Wilkinson (1756 – unknown) (voiced by Joe Cobden) is a hunter and marksman residing in New York. Born in Virginia as the youngest of five children, he eventually grew tired of having to compete against his siblings and chose to move away, becoming estranged from his family; even more so when the American Revolutionary War broke out and Wilkinson's family sided with the Loyalists. While in Boston in 1775, Wilkinson notices many young men and boys being forcefully conscripted by the British and reaches out to Connor for help. After eliminating the British recruiters and their leader, who was actually a Templar, Connor informs Wilkinson of the existence of the Assassins and Templars and invites him to join the Brotherhood to continue fighting in the name of freedom.
• Deborah "Dobby" Carter (1736 – unknown) (voiced by Angela Galuppo) is courier living in New York. The daughter of a merchant suffering from heavy debt from constantly bankrupting businesses, she was orphaned at a young age and was forced to become an errand-runner to survive on the streets. She posed as a boy, taking the name "Dobby," in the hopes of securing more work opportunities; most of her employers saw through her disguise, but hired her nonetheless because of her skills. Upon reaching adulthood, she dropped this facade, but kept her "Dobby" nickname and continued her courier work. She also developed a reputation for helping the poor, always doing her best to aid the less fortunate, even if it meant fighting merchants to ensure they were not charging exorbitant prices. In 1777, amidst a food shortage in New York, Deborah meets Connor and enlists his help in assisting the people suffering because of the famine, as well as tracking down the perpetrators. After recovering the stolen food and killing the thieves—revealed to be Templars—Connor tells Deborah the truth about the Assassin-Templar conflict and recruits her to the Brotherhood. It is implied that Deborah has romantic feelings for Connor, as she flirts with him several times and offers to be his first partner if he ever decides on settling down and starting a family.
• Jacob Zenger (1739 – unknown) (voiced by Danny Blanco Hall) is a German-born colonist residing in New York. Born near Mannheim in southeast Germany, Jacob is one of thirteen siblings (although only four of them reached adulthood along with him) and is married with a child. Because of the family's poverty and his poor career prospects in Mannheim, Jacob enlisted in the German army and, when the American Revolutionary War broke out, became one of the Hessians sent to support the British army. After arriving overseas, however, he left the service and moved to New York. At one point, he bought a plot of land and attempted to become a farmer, hoping to one day bring his wife and son to America to live with him, but after a string of crop failures he was forced to move back to the city and take up work as a bodyguard. In 1777, after New York is placed under martial law by the British, Jacob joins a resistance movement to liberate the city and meets Connor, who offers to assist him. Upon killing the officer in charge of the martial law, a Templar, Connor informs Jacob of the existence of the Assassins and Templars and recruits him into the Brotherhood.
• Jamie Colley (1744 – unknown) (voiced by Marcel Jeannin) is a colonist living in New York. Jamie's father was a dock worker who left the family during Jamie's youth, while his mother cared for slaves on a plantation in the southern colonies, causing Jamie to become estranged from her. As a child, he attended Trinity School for three years, where many professors took notice of his intellect and determined that he "was destined for great things." Despite this, he had trouble finding work for many years and was forced to take several odd jobs until a physician finally recognized his potential and hired him as his assistant. In 1777, while caring for people affected by the Great Fire of New York, Jamie meets Connor and requests his help in preventing the spread of an epidemic. After dealing with several Templars who attempted to kill the people infected by the disease to prevent its spread, Connor tells Jamie the truth about the Assassin-Templar conflict and recruits him into the Brotherhood. Jamie would later admit to Connor that he considers him and the Assassins his true family rather than his parents.

Over the course of the game, Connor can encounter several people suffering from displacement due to the American Revolutionary War and invite them to start new lives at the Davenport Homestead, which over time turns into a small, united community.

• Godfrey (voiced by Harry Standjofski) and Terry are two Scottish lumberjacks who lived north of Champlain, New York with their wives, Catherine and Diana (voiced by Ellen Newlands) and their children. They are the first people to be invited to the Davenport Homestead, after a young Connor saves Terry from drowning in a river in 1769, and they set up a sawmill, providing the homestead with lumber.
• Lance O'Donnell is a carpenter who lived and worked in Boston until being evicted by the Loyalists due to his lack of support for them. He is invited to the Davenport Homestead after Connor saves him from several thugs who tried to rob him on the road and sets up a new workshop, creating wooden items from lumber provided by Godfrey and Terry.
• Myriam is a huntress who refused to conform to the social norms expected of her and elected to live in the wild instead, causing her to lose touch with her family. After encountering a group of poachers hunting on the lands of the Davenport Homestead, she confronts them and is injured as a result, before being found and rescued by Connor. Once Connor deals with the poachers, Myriam is invited to stay at the homestead and sets up a camp, where she hunts, skins and roasts animals, thus providing the homestead with meat and other animal materials. She later marries Norris.
• Norris (real name Maurice) is a miner hailing from Montreal who had trouble finding employment due to people disliking his accent and changed his name because many could not pronounce it correctly. After being saved by Connor from several guards assaulting him in Boston, Norris is invited to move to the Davenport Homestead and work on the mine there, providing the homestead with coal and other minerals. He later develops romantic feelings for Myriam and asks for Connor's help impressing her; the two eventually get married.
• Warren and his wife Prudence (voiced by Lucinda Davis) are farmers who are invited to the Davenport Homestead by Connor after he saves them from British soldiers who had assaulted them for not giving up their produce. The two set up a new farm (their previous one having been destroyed by the British) and provide the homestead with vegetables and various animals products. Prudence later gives birth to a boy, whom she and Warren name Hunter.
• David Walston, commonly known as "Big Dave," is a blacksmith and former soldier who deserted the British army. After being saved by Connor from his former comrades who were preparing to execute him, he is invited to the Davenport Homestead, where he sets up a workshop and crafts weapons and other metal objects. He is later helped by Connor and the other homesteaders in fending off British soldiers who had come to recapture him.
• Oliver (voiced by David Francis) and his wife Corrine are innkeepers who used to run an inn in Boston until being evicted. They are invited to stay at the Davenport Homestead after bringing a wagon of ale and befriending several of the homesteaders, who appreciate the alcohol and good company. After Connor builds a tavern called The Mile's End, Oliver and Corrine begin running it, providing the homesteaders with drinks and cooked food in addition to accommodating travelers.
• Lyle White (voiced by Alex Ivanovici) is a doctor who used to run a practice in Boston until the Loyalists drove him out of business for treating wounded Patriot soldiers. After being found by Connor and recounting his story to him, he is invited to the Davenport Homestead, which was in need of a doctor. When Lyle later becomes overwhelmed by his work, he recruits Diana as his assistant.
• Ellen is a seamstress who was trapped in an abusive marriage until Connor saved her from a beating by her husband and invited her and her daughter Maria to move to the Davenport Homestead. After building a tailor workshop, Ellen begins creating various clothing items for the homestead's residents as well as other clients. Ellen is later found by her abusive husband, who wants her and Maria to move back with him, but he is driven away by Connor and the homesteaders.
• Timothy is a pastor hailing from London who moved to America, eventually making his way to the Davenport Homestead, where several residents convinced Connor to allow him to stay. After building a church, Timothy begins presiding over it, in addition to assisting his fellow homesteaders with various problems (such as reading their mail, as most of the homesteaders are illiterate). Connor is initially wary of Timothy, but the two grow closer after Achilles Davenport's funeral, and Connor has the option of playing Fanorona with him like he did with Achilles.

John de la Tour (died 1745) is a French-Canadian Assassin considered to be the first Assassin active in Colonial America. In 1740, while attempting to establish an intelligence network for the French Brotherhood in Acadia, he met Achilles Davenport, who had come to the colonies to form his own Brotherhood. Although Achilles initially disliked John, believing him to be arrogant and reckless, the two came to respect each other as they worked together over the following years to build up the Colonial Brotherhood. In 1744, John purchased and then freed the slave Angélique-Denise, who went on to become Achilles' wife, Abigail Davenport, and he later sacrificed himself to save Achilles and Abigail during the Siege of Louisbourg in 1745. While never seen on-screen, John is mentioned in both Assassin's Creeed III and Assassin's Creed Rogue, and his robes are available to wear as an alternate outfit for Connor.

Reginald Birch (1705 – 9 October 1757) (voiced by Gideon Emery) is the Grand Master of the British Rite of the Templar Order and a successful English businessman. Birch meets Haytham, the son of Birch's employer—Edward Kenway—at a young age and takes an interest in the boy's training. He later develops an obsession with the Isu and the Pieces of Eden and, after learning that Edward has conducted research on the Isu's Grand Temple which he wrote down in a journal, sends masked men to steal it and kill Edward. Following Edward's death, Birch becomes Haytham's legal guardian and personally oversees his training as a Templar. However, over time Haytham begins to question Birch's motives as the latter attempts to cover his involvement in Edward's death and the kidnapping of Haytham's half-sister Jennifer. In 1754, Birch sends Haytham to America to locate the Grand Temple based on notes from Edward's journal, as well as establish a permanent Templar presence on the continent. However, Haytham later finds and rescues Jennifer, who tells him that Birch is to blame for their family's demise. The two then storm Birch's chateau in France with Haytham's friend Jim Holden and kill his guards before Birch himself is killed by Jennifer with a sword that Haytham had embedded into Birch's bedroom door.

James "Jim" Holden (died 28 January 1758) is a British soldier who served under Edward Braddock during his campaigns in the Dutch Republic. His brother had also served under Braddock and was executed for desertion, so Holden decided to avenge his death by helping Haytham with his investigation of Tom Smith, a mercenary in Braddock's employ with connections to the murder of Haytham's father Edward Kenway. From there, Holden and Haytham become good friends and Holden would continue to aid Haytham under the guise of being his "gentleman's gentleman." While Holden only makes a small appearance in Assassin's Creed III, his role is expanded in the novel Assassin's Creed: Forsaken, where he helps Haytham rescue his half-sister Jennifer and avenge Edward by killing Reginald Birch. However, during Jennifer's rescue, Holden is captured and sent to a monastery in Egypt where he is castrated. Although Haytham rescues him, Holden later commits suicide, unable to cope with what had happened to him.

"Miko" (died 18 April 1754) is the alias of the leader of the British Brotherhood of Assassins alongside Edward Kenway, and the holder of the Grand Temple Key. He is assassinated in 1754 by Haytham at the Royal Opera House on the orders of Reginald Birch, who sought to acquire the key in his possession. In the novel Assassin's Creed: Forsaken, it is revealed that Haytham had previously encountered Miko in 1753, when the latter was protecting an Assassin-allied codebreaker, Lucio Albertine, in Corsica, and that the hidden blades wielded by Haytham previously belonged to Miko, having been stolen by Haytham during their encounter.

Samuel Smythe is the captain of the Providence, the merchant ship which transports Haytham across the Atlantic Ocean, from London to Boston, in 1754.^[164] He is notorious for his frugal business decisions and for treating his crew members poorly, although he does not punish them, unlike most Royal Navy captains.

Louis Mills (died 21 May 1754) is a sailor and member of the British Brotherhood of Assassins. He serves as a crew member aboard the Providence during Haytham's journey across the Atlantic Ocean in 1754 and secretly throws marked barrels of cargo overboard to provide a trail that the Assassin ship, the Aquila, could follow. When the Aquila eventually catches up to and attacks the Providence, Haytham is sent below deck where Mills is waiting for him. After revealing his true affiliations, he is challenged by Haytham to a duel in which Mills is subsequently slain.

Charles Lee (6 February 1731 – 2 October 1782) (voiced by Neil Napier) is the secondary antagonist of Assassin's Creed III. He is a British-born soldier, and later a general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, as well as the second-in-command of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order. Lee is first introduced in the game as a young man eager to prove himself to the Templar cause, who was assigned by Reginald Birch to aid Haytham in his mission to locate the Isu's Grand Temple and build a strong Templar presence in America. Lee helps Haytham locate and recruit several Templars for his expedition, and although their mission to find the Grand Temple is ultimately unsuccessful, Haytham formally inducts Lee into the Order in 1755, for the loyalty and bravery he has shown. In 1760, Lee meets a young Connor for the first time while leading another expedition in search for the Grand Temple, and threatens to harm his people if they do not help the Templars. When Connor's village is later destroyed on the orders of George Washington, Connor mistakenly assumes Lee was behind the attack and vows revenge on him and the Templars. Years later, during the Revolutionary War, Lee and his fellow Templars aim to take control of the Revolution by assassinating Washington, who was appointed Commander-in-Chief instead of Lee. It is during this plot that Lee encounters Connor again, now an adult, and recognizes him, before attempting to frame him for the assassination plot so that he would be executed; however, Connor is able to escape his execution and save Washington's life. Once Connor has killed all the Colonial Templars except Haytham and Lee, the latter attempts to hide in Fort George but is convinced by Haytham at the last minute to flee while Haytham stays behind to confront Connor, his son, and is killed as a result. Succeeding Haytham as Grand Master, Lee vows to destroy Connor and everything he holds dear, but is injured by him after a pursuit in Boston. Lee then retreats to a tavern in Monmouth County, where he shares one last drink with Connor in silence before the latter fatally stabs him.

Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet (1715 – 11 July 1774) (voiced by Julian Casey) is an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire, businessman, and member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order, who appears in both Assassin's Creed III and Assassin's Creed Rogue. He established many trading routes in the Thirteen Colonies, including with the Native Iroquois, with whom he developed good relations, and was appointed the British agent to the Iroquois and, later, British Superintendent of Indian Affairs. During the French and Indian War, he commanded both Iroquois and colonial militia forces against the French. In 1754, Johnson becomes the first Templar to be recruited for Haytham's expedition to search for the Isu's Grand Temple, due to his knowledge of the land and its Native people. He continues to serve with the Colonial Templars during the American Revolution, although in 1773 his business takes a major blow when a shipment of his British tea is dumped into the ocean by Connor and the Sons of Liberty, in what later became known as the Boston Tea Party. In 1774, Johnson holds a meeting with several Iroquois clan leaders at Johnson Hall, to negotiate the purchase of their land. However, the clan leaders perceive this as an attempt to subjugate them and refuse to comply to his demands, causing an annoyed Johnson to order the massacre of all clan leaders, only to be assassinated by Connor moments later. With his dying words, Johnson claims that he only sought to buy the Iroquois' land in order to protect it, and that with him gone, there will be no one left to defend the Iroquois from the colonists.

John Pitcairn (28 December 1722 – 17 June 1775) (voiced by Robert Lawrenson) is a Scottish-born member of the British Army's Royal Marine Corps, as well as a member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order. In 1754, while serving in the Thirteen Colonies under the command of Edward Braddock, he is recruited by Haytham and Charles Lee for their expedition to find the Isu's Grand Temple, after the pair assault Braddock on one of his patrols to force him to release Pitcairn. By the time of the