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Carlo Grimaldi (1445 - 1485) was a Templar, and a member of the Venetian Great Council, or the Council of Ten. He was also close to Doge Giovanni Mocenigo.
Biography
Early Life
- "Carlo Grimaldi. Emerging from his palace in Monaco with a craving for political power, Carlo quickly became a key guest at the tables of Venetian nobility, while his reputation for discretion earned him entrance into the back rooms."
- ―Shaun Hastings reads the database entry for Carlo Grimaldi.[src]
Carlo was a political animal since childhood, longing for power through government and authority. He was lucky to know the Doge of Venice and worked hard to improve his relationship with him. Upon his leaving of his palace in Monaco, Carlo discovered the secret of Ignazio Contarini's daughter; she wished to marry the son of a servant, completely against her fathers' wishes.[1][2]
Carlo used this information to trick the couple into attempting an escape with a boat that night. Unfortunately for the girl and her alleged lover, Grimaldi was waiting for them with a few hired men and Ignazio. The son was killed, the daughter recaptured and Carlo was given high recommendations by Ignazio to the Doge. The Doge gave him a position in the Council of Ten.[1][2]
Aiding the Templars
- Carlo: "Never mind them. It's the Assassin you should be worried about."
- Emilio: "Why? Is...is he in Venezia?"
- Carlo: "He's been here for weeks! How could you be so blind?!"
- —Carlo warning Emilio Barbarigo of the presence of Ezio Auditore[src]
Carlo meeting up with Emilio.
Grimaldi went to meet with Emilio Barbarigo in the Palazzo della Seta in 1485, bearing news of the Templars' worst enemy in Venice. Emilio was very surprised to hear of Ezio Auditore's arrival, to the exasperation of his fellow Templar. After informing Emilio of a meeting to be held in Campo San Stefano, Carlo Grimaldi left with his men, avoiding death quite accidentally. Emilio was assassinated after this conversation.[1][2]
Carlo went on to meet Marco Barbarigo, Silvio Barbarigo, Dante Moro and the grandmaster Templar Rodrigo Borgia. The group conversed as they traveled through the streets of Venice, discussing the need to murder the current Doge and the individual that would be chosen to take his place. Rodrigo reprimanded his men for thinking selfishly, as he would be the one to choose the next Doge.[1][2]
After this secret gathering, Carlo left to attempt to persuade the Doge to join the Templar cause. The Doge was resistant to his pleas of danger and a pretended want for his safety.[1][2]
Death
- Carlo: "You are too late. The Doge is dead..."
- Doge: "Carlo?"
- Carlo: "Apologies, signore, but you should have listened to me when you had the chance."
- —Carlo Grimaldi reveals himself.[src]
Once sure of his failure to recruit the Doge, Grimaldi arranged a meeting with him in the Palazzo Ducale, feigning interest in a game of chess. He poisoned the Doge's wine and encouraged him to play and drink with him. They were almost interrupted by a loud sound on the roof, which would have foiled Carlo's plans by preventing the Doge from drinking. Fortunately for his plan, he convinced the Doge that the sound was simply children with firecrackers.[1][2]
Carlo's death.
Ezio swooped into the building on Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine, dashing into the room and declaring Carlo a traitor. Unfortunately it was too late; the Doge had drunk wine poisoned with cantarella, and he began to die almost immediately.[1][2]
Carlo fled the scene, shouting to his men that the Assassin had killed the Doge. Ezio kept pace with him and eventually assassinated his target in the courtyard.[1][2]
Personality and characteristics
Carlo was a politician to his core, cunning and greedy, ambitious for a place of power over his fellow man. His plans were plotted well, adapting to different situations very quickly and always aiming to bring himself more power. He appeared cowardly, but the fact that Carlo remained in Venice once he was aware of the Assassin's presence was a sign of either true courage or simple obstinacy. He refused to let go of his Templar ties even at the moment of death.[1]
Carlo was also a very persuasive and charismatic man, easily gaining the friendship of the Doge whilst in competition with the Doge's other eager supporters. The Doge was unaware of his apparent friend's nature until the last moment. This shows a trust between Carlo and the Doge, along with the man's staff and personal guards.[1][2]
He was a strategist that was unafraid of being in the thick of battle, though his style of battles were not waged with the sword. Once aware of his failure to recruit the Doge, Carlo did not hesitate to kill his apparent friend with the favored Templar poison of cantarella. His actions showed the true snake that was his nature, using the love of two young people to gain a seat on the Council of Ten.[1][2]
Grimaldi was an elderly man, though still capable of basic movement. He was skinny and wrinkled, but still lithe and strong at the point of his death. His hair was white and grey, and a possible bald spot was hidden by a small purple hat. The rest of his clothing followed this trend in being purple, lightly tasseled in some places and reaching down to his feet in a magnificent robe. A sword was always at his side, no matter how innocent a meeting appeared.[1]
Final Words
Ezio: It takes one Assassin to kill another, it seems.
Carlo: We kill thinking it's best for us, do we not, Messer Ezio?
Ezio: I do this not for myself. Compio questo sacrificio per il bene superiore. (I'll make this sacrifice for the grater good.) Requiescat in pace. (Rest in peace).
Trivia
- The fictional character Carlo comes from the real House of Grimaldi that still rules over Monaco today.
- Carlo's death was featured in the E3 demo, but greatly differed from the one in the released game. Carlo's assassination was during Carnevale, in place of Marco Barbarigo's. The death of the Doge of Venice was also excluded, and an extra scene with Carlo and a guard was added; the guard running to Carlo, screaming about Ezio's flying machine, with Carlo replying, "Coward! The Devil is not the one you need to fear. Tell him hello for me!" He then stabbed the guard in the chest, continuing "I know you're here, Assassin! Show yourself, or are you afraid?"
- According to the Animus database's filter, Carlo was not a Templar (despite plotting with them). However, when viewing the portraits of Ezio's victims in his room of the Villa Auditore, Carlo's portrait says that he was a Templar.
- At the time of his death, Carlo would have been around 40 years old (the same age as Ezio during the end of the game), yet he appears to be much older, with features such as gray hair/beard, whereas Ezio only grew facial hair at 40.
- Before assassinating Emilio Barbarigo, if you use eagle vision on Carlo, he will be shown in red although you have not yet learned that he is a Templar.
- When you proceed to assassinate Emilio Barbarigo, it is possible for you to assassinate him while he is still talking to Carlo. If this happens, after the death scene Carlo will still be present briefly before disappearing from view.
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