Carlo Grimaldi

"We kill thinking it's best for us, do we not, Messer Ezio?"

―Carlo Grimaldi pleads his case to Ezio Auditore.^[src]

Carlo Grimaldi (1445 – 1485) was a member of the Venetian Great Council, or the Council of Ten, and a member of the Roman Rite of the Templar Order.

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 reading 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, Giovanni Mocenigo, and worked hard to improve his relationship with him. Upon his departure from his palace in Monaco, Carlo discovered a secret of the Venetian politician Ignazio Contarini's daughter; she wished to marry the son of a servant, completely against her father's wishes.^[1]^[2]

Carlo used this information to trick the couple into attempting an escape via boat that night. Unfortunately for the girl and her alleged lover, Grimaldi was waiting for them with some hired men and Ignazio. The servant's son was killed, the daughter recaptured and Carlo was given high recommendations by Ignazio to the Doge. As a result of this praise, 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 Ezio Auditore's presence in Venice.^[src]

EMG 4 — Carlo meeting with Emilio Barbarigo

In 1485, some years after Ezio Auditore da Firenze's arrival in Venice, Grimaldi went to meet with Emilio Barbarigo in the Palazzo della Seta, bearing news of the Templars' worst enemy in Venice. Emilio was very surprised to hear of the Assassin's arrival, to the exasperation of his fellow Templar. After informing Emilio of a meeting to be held in Santo Stefano, Carlo Grimaldi left with his men, to which Emilio was assassinated soon after this conversation.^[1]^[2]

Carlo went on to meet Marco Barbarigo, Silvio Barbarigo, Dante Moro and the Templar Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia, where the group conversed as they traveled through the streets of Venice, discussing the need to murder the current Doge and whomever would be chosen amongst them to take his place. Shortly after his arrival, Rodrigo reprimanded his men for thinking selfishly, as it would be his choice to choose the next Doge.^[1]^[2]

After this secret gathering, Carlo left to attempt to persuade the Doge to join the Templar cause. Despite this, the Doge was unheeding of Carlo's pleas of danger and his false concern for the Doge's safety.^[1]^[2]

Death

Carlo: "You are too late. The Doge is dead..."

Doge: "What? Carlo?"

Carlo: "Apologies, signore, but you should have listened to me when you had the chance."

—Carlo Grimaldi reveals himself.^[src]

Once certain of his failure to recruit the Doge to the Templar cause, Grimaldi arranged a meeting with him in the Palazzo Ducale, feigning interest in a game of chess. During this encounter, Carlo poisoned Mocenigo'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 Grimaldi, he managed to convince the Doge that the sound simply came from children playing with firecrackers.^[1]^[2]

Meanwhile, 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 the poisoned wine, and he began to die from the effects of cantarella almost immediately.^[1]^[2]

Carlo fled the scene, shouting to his men that the Assassin had killed the Doge. Despite this, Ezio kept pace with him and eventually assassinated Carlo in the Palazzo's courtyard, and then he fled.^[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. Accompanying this, 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 showed a trust between Carlo and the Doge, along with the man's staff and personal guards.^[1]^[2]

Additionally, he was a strategist unafraid of being in the thick of battle, though his style was 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. Some of his actions did show his true, snake-like nature, using the forbidden love of two young people to gain a seat on the Council of Ten.^[1]^[2]

Trivia

Although Carlo's character is fictional, the House of Grimaldi is presiding over the principality of Monaco in reality.
Carlo's death was featured in the E3 demo, but greatly differed from the final version. Carlo's assassination took place during the Carnevale, in substitution to Marco Barbarigo. The death of the Doge of Venice was also excluded, and an extra scene was added, with a 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, Carlo was not a Templar. However, when viewing the portraits of Ezio's victims in his room at the Villa Auditore, the description of Carlo's portrait identifies him as a Templar.
At the time of his death, Carlo would have been around 40 years old, yet he appeared to be much older, with features such as gray hair.
In the non-canonical mobile adaptation of Assassin's Creed II, Carlo Grimaldi is assassinated by Ezio Auditore in 1486, not 1485, and he is described as Emilio Barbarigo's superior. Rather than being slain at the Palazzo Ducale, he is chased down in his armored war boat—reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci's naval cannon—by Ezio on his flying machine while attempting to flee Venice. His vehicle is armed with a triple-barreled ballista that fires volleys of nine flaming bolts, and he engages in a battle against Ezio, confident in his boat's "invincibility". Ultimately, the Assassin prevails when the bombs he drops from his vehicle destroy his boat, killing Carlo.