Italian Brotherhood of Assassins

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This article is about the Renaissance era Assassin Order. You may be looking for the Order operating in Roman Antiquity.

Italian Assassins
Organizational information
Founder(s)	Niccolò Polo Maffeo Polo
Operational center	Venice (until 1320s) Monteriggioni (until 1500) Rome
Locations	Italy
Historical information
Formed	1269

The Italian Assassins were the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins, existing since their formation during the latter half of the 13th century.

Primarily led by the Auditore family, the Italian Assassins were mainly involved with taking down the corrupt Borgia family, the ruling body of the Templar Order during the Renaissance.

History

Foundation

Altaïr passing his Codex to Niccolò Polo

In 1257, the Venetian explorers Niccolò and Maffeo Polo were invited to stay at the Assassins' fortress of Masyaf by Darim Ibn-La'Ahad, the son of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. After training the two to become Assassins themselves, the elderly Altaïr entrusted them with creating some Assassins Guilds and guarding his autobiographical Codex.

When the Mongols eventually attacked, the Polo brothers left Masyaf towards their home in Constantinople, where they were successful in creating a guild in 1258. However, during their journey, the Polos had lost the Codex to the Mongols, thus failing in their promise to protect it. In 1259, Niccolò and Maffeo journeyed to the Mongol Empire in an effort to retrieve the Codex, but ultimately failed.

In 1269, the Polos arrived in Venice, Italy, where they created an Assassins Guild, and Niccolò trained his son Marco in the ways of the Assassins. The three of them made another journey to the Mongol Empire two years later, which resulted in Marco's successful retrieval of the Codex, which they took with them back to Italy in 1295.

Formation of the Auditore

Marco Polo passed the Codex into the hands of fellow Assassin Dante Alighieri. The next year, Dante took on the son - who would later take on the name Domenico Auditore - of a fellow Assassin as an apprentice, and the boy would later in turn take both Dante and the Codex to Spain.

In 1321, Dante was killed by the Templars, proving their continuing existence to the Assassins. The Codex was given to Domenico and he was tasked with bringing it to Spain; however, he and his family were attacked by pirates employed by the Templars while being docked in Otranto, prompting Domenico to spread the Codex' pages across several boxes in his ship to prevent the pirates from finding it. Domenico's wife was brutally abused and murdered by the pirates, but Domenico and his son survived.

The future Villa Auditore, the Assassin's headquarter for two centuries

Both Marco Polo and Domenico's father were killed by the Templars in 1324, and using Marco's money, Domenico temporarily settled in Florence, pretending to be part of the city's nobility by taking on the name Auditore. In 1327, Domenico bought and renovated a villa in Monteriggioni, which he named the Villa Auditore, which became the headquarters of the Italian Assassins for nearly two centuries.

In 1355, the Assassins stole a Shrouds of Eden from the french Templar Geoffroy de Charny. Domenico's son, Renato Auditore hid the artifact beneath the Villa, which was recovered a century later by Renato's grandson, Mario Auditore who sent the Piece of Eden to another group of Assassins to protect Monteriggioni after a siege was organized by the florentines who searched the Shroud.

Templar Conspiracies

At the end of 1476, under the leadership of Rodrigo Borgia, the Templars planned to unite all Italy under Templar's banner, by politics and conspiracies. Mario's brother,Giovanni Auditore da Firenze, investigated on rumors about a conspiracy against Milan. One night Giovanni attacked a group of men led by Rodrigo in Florence. The Grand Master flew the scene but Giovanni captured an henchman who revealed under torture that the Templars wanted to assassinated the Duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, to weaken the power of Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence. Giovanni tried to stop the Templars but arrived to late, Galeazzo was dead. Giovanni continued his investigation in Venice, where he found a cryptic letter from the Templars. He delivered the letter himself in Rome where he met Rodrigo, who proposed him to join the Templars cause. Giovanni refused and killed Rodrigo's men, but broke his hidden blade and was wounded by Rodrigo.

The execution of Giovanni Auditore with his sons by the Templars

After this events, Giovanni made a list of the Templars conspirators and imprisoned Francesco de' Pazzi, a Templar banker who planned to assassinated Lorenzo de' Medici and took Florence for the Templars. But the Templars, with the help of Giovanni's friend, Uberto Alberti, arrested and executed Giovanni and his sons for treason. Paola, the leader of courtisans of Florence and an Assassin, helped the last son of Giovanni, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, in his quest for revenge. She teached him stealth and informed him how and when kill Uberto.

After Ezio killed the Gonfaloniere, the young man flew Florence with his mother and sister and went to Monteriggioni, where his uncle revealed the truth about his father. Mario teached combat skills and secrets of the Brotherhood to his nephew to convince him to take the place of his father in the search of the Codex pages. Ezio refused to join the Brotherhood but helped Mario to attack San Gimignano, which was controled by the Templars and killed Vieri de' Pazzi. Learning the Templars ploted against Florence, Ezio decided to kill every Templars responsible for the dead of his father and brothers and continued the search of the Codex pages. Mario decided to trained Ezio with others Assassins who would hid their affiliation to let Ezio find the truth himself.

Ezio asking Lorenzo about the Pazzi conspirators

In 1478, Ezio Auditore was help by La Volpe, the leader to the thieves guild of Florence and an Assassin, who learned him that a Templar reunion would occurred under Basilica di Santa Maria Novella. Ezio, who eavesdropping the reunion, heared that the Templars planned to assassinated Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother, which would allowed them to take power in Florence. Ezio prevented the murder of Lorenzo, and killed Francesco de' Pazzi. After this, the conspirators flew the city. Ezio, with the help of Mario mercenaries, assassinated every Templars involved in the Pazzi conspiracy. This actions made the Medici powerfull allies for the Assassins.

Several years later, around 1481, Antonio de Magianis, an Assassin who led the thieves guild of Venice, fought the Templar merchant Emilio Barbarigo, who searched to unite every merchant under his banner to controled every district of Venice. Antonio launched an attack on his palazzo but it failed and many thieves were captured. Antonio and Ezio, who wanted to kill the Templar for his involvement in his father death, helped each other to reconstructed the guild and killed Emilio in 1485. To control Venice, the Templars planed to poisonned the Doge, Giovanni Mocenigo, to have one of their own take his place. Ezio and Antonio tried to prevent the murder but failed and the Templar Marco Barbarigo was elected Doge.

In 1486, Ezio returned in Venice and with the help of Antonio and Teodora Contanto, an Assassin who led the courtesans in Venice, killed the new Doge during the Carnavale. Marco's brother, Agostino Barbarigo, who were a Assassins ally, took his place as Doge. The Templars took the Arsenale to make a diversion while they traveled for Cyprus. Bartolomeo d'Alviano an Assassin and a condottiero, attacked the Arsenale but was captured. Ezio saved him and his men and launched a surprise attack on the Arsenale. Ezio killed Silvio Barbarigo and his bodyguard,Dante Moro, who revealed that the Templars search something in Cyprus.

Search for the vault

Initiation of Ezio Auditore

The Assassins and the Templars were searching the pages of the Codex, which contained informations of a vault, where a powerfull thing his hidden in it. Only a prophet could open the vault with two Piece of Eden, an Apple and a Staff. Rodrigo Borgia thought he was the prophet and wanted to acquire this artifacts. In 1488, the Templars expedition for Cyprus returned in Venice with an Apple. Rodrigo himself went to Venice to take the artifact. Ezio learned that the man who killed his was in Venice, disguised himself as a guard and confronted Rodrigo. Mario and the others Assassins, who help Ezio during his quest, joined him in the fight. Rodrigo escaped but the Assassins acquired the Apple, revealed to Ezio that they were all Assassins and the prophet was him. After this Ezio joined officially the Brotherhood.

The Assassins decided to hide the Apple in Forlì, which was a city controled by Caterina Sforza who was an Assassins allies. Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli escorted the Apple to Forlì, but the city was attacked by the Orsi brothers, who were hired by Rodrigo to find the map of Girolamo Riario which localized the pages of the Codex. During the battle, the Orsi died but Ezio was wounded and lost the Apple. He later learned that the Apple was taken by a florentine monk, Girolamo Savonarola. Before he could pursued his investigation, Caterina gave to Ezio the map of his dead husband, which help the Assassin to complete the Codex Wall.

In 1491, during his search for the apple, Ezio helped the Spanish Assassins, who were hunted by the Spanish Inquisition, who worked for the Templars. He saved Assassins, rescued the king Muhammad XII of Granada, which stoped the war between Spain and Grenade, and saved Christopher Columbus from the Templars, who wanted to reach the New World before others countries.

The Assassins during the revolt against Savonarola

In 1497, Ezio returned in Florence, where Savonarola took the power with the Apple, controling the leader of the city and exiled the Medici. Ezio, Paola, la Volpe and Machiavelli started a revolt against the bonfire of vanities, Ezio killing the lieutenants and the other Assassins leading the population against Savonarola. One year later, Ezio retrieved the Apple after Savonarola was attacked by the mob. When the monk was on the bonfire, Ezio killed him to spare him an horrific death. Before the population, Ezio demanded to the crowd to follow their free will, and not a leader like Savonarola or the Medici.

Rodrigo Borgia, who became Pope Alexander VI in 1492, found a Staff of Eden, which with the Apple, can open the vault. The Assassins sent Perotto Calderon as a courier to discover secret and to intercept letter. But the Assassin fell in love with Lucrezia Borgia, the daughter of Rodrigo, and when she become pregnant in 1498, Perotto was imprisoned. The Assassin escaped from his prison, and took his son, who was disformed, to saved him with the Shroud of Eden, which was under the protection of the Assassins in Agnadello. Perotto was forced to kill his brothers to heal his son. A group of Assassins was sent to kill Perotto, saw as a traitor of the Creed. After his death, some Assassins, like Rinaldo Vitturi left the Brotherhood, considering the Assassins didn't used the Shroud as they must.

In 1499, the Assassins collected all the pages of the Codex and with the Apple, they discovered that the vault was under the Sistine Chapel. Ezio went to the Vaticano and confronted Rodrigo Borgia. After the fight, Ezio spared his live and entered in the vault and met Minerva, an individual of the First Civilization who wanted to warn the descendant of Ezio, Desmond Miles, that a catastrophe would came soon as it already happenin the past and he must found the temples to save the world. After this, Ezio left the vault with the Apple and returned with Mario in Monteriggioni.

Liberation of Rome

Destruction of Monteriggioni by Cesare's army

In Monteriggioni, Ezio informed the Assassins and his family what he found in the vault and the fact that he spared Rodrigo, which Machiavelli considered as a mistake and left the Villa. Enraged by the Assassin victory Cesare Borgia, Rodrigo' son, rallied his army and attacked Monteriggioni. The attack was short but fierce, and the Templars managed to reclaim the Apple of Eden, kill Mario Auditore, and capture Caterina Sforza. Wounded during the battle, Ezio decided to go to Rome to retreive the Apple, but fell inconscious during the travel. Niccolò Machiavelli found him and sent him to Margherita dei Campi, to be healed.

After Ezio regained consciousness, Magherita gave him a new robe and equipement offered by Niccolò and informed Ezio that Niccolo wanted to see him. The two Assassins planned to take the Apple and kill Rodrigo and his son. With the help of La Volpe, Bartolomeo d'Alviano and his sister, Claudia Auditore who led the courtisanes of Rome, the Assassins had a strong network in Rome. In 1501, Ezio went to Castel Sant'Angelo, to find the Apple and kill his targets, but could only saved Caterina.

Understand that the Borgia power was based on Rome, Ezio decided to inducted new apprentices in the Brotherhood, recruited in the population of the city, and attacked Cesare's lieutenants and allies as the Cento Occhi, the Followers of Romulus and a french army led by Octavian de Valois. He created a group of Assassins, led by Francesco Vecellio, which through Italy sabotaged Cesare power, killing his allies and protecting individuals who could opposed against Cesare. They also convinced Rinaldo and other former Assassins to rejoined the Brotherhood. Ezio also sent recruits around Europe and Asia to performed missions, as helping others Assassin branches in Barcelone, Calicut, Constantinople and Paris against the Templars, helping rulers in England and Holy Empire or installing new guilds as in Moscow or in the New World.

The Italian Brotherhood in Rome

In August 1503, the Assassins managed to break Cesare's defenses, by destroying his War Machines, cutting off his funds by killing Juan Borgia as well as the support of the French army with the death of Octavian de Valois. The Assassins found also a key which can open the Castel Sant'Angelo. After this Claudia was inducted in the Brotherhood and Ezio became the Mentore of the Brotherhood. Cesare returned in Rome to use the Apple to force his troops to fight. As his father refused to give him the Apple and learning that he tried to poison him, Cesare killed his father in a rage. Ezio found the Apple and used it against the remnants of Borgia forces during the end of the year. In December 1503 Cesare was imprisoned by the new Pope, Julius II, who became an ally for the Assassins.

Cesare tried to escape but Ezio stopped him and Cesare was sent in Spain. The Assassins fought the Borgia's diehards who stayed in Rome. In 1506, Cesare escaped from his prison and rallied an army to conquer Spain. Ezio Auditore followed him to Valencia and Viana, where he eventually managed to kill Cesare. This broke the Templar power in Italy, allowing the Assassins there to acquire more allies.

Post-Borgia period

After the destruction of the Templars in Italy, Ezio forming stronger ways of communication for the Assassins from Sicily to Venice, and creating more standard training methods for new Assassin recruits.

Francesco Vecellio leaving a wounded Niccolò di Pitigliano

In 1509, Bartolomeo d'Alviano fought in the Battle of Agnadello to protected the Shroud against the army of Louis XII of France.Bartolomeo was captured and his cousin, Niccolò di Pitigliano, took the artifact for himself. In 1510, Francesco Vecellio tracked Niccolò in Lonigo, created a revolt against the condottiero. With a team of Assassins, Francesco stroke the manor, mortally wounded Niccolò and took the Shroud for the Brotherhood.

During these more peaceful times, Ezio Auditore left for Masyaf to search for Altaïr's library. During his absence Claudia led the Assassins and entered in contact with Desiderius Erasmus, the Mentor of Northern European Assassins, who was concerned about the work of Martin Luther which could trouble the peace in Europe. Upon Ezio's return, he decided to retire and appointed Lodovico Ariosto as the new Mentor.

In 1519, Giovanni Borgia, the son of Perotto Calderon and Lucrezia Borgia, which became an Assassin, went in Mexico with the troups of Hernán Cortés to find a Piece of Eden, a Crystal Skull which was used by Aztecs for sacrifices. During the Night of Sorrows, Giovanni stole the artifact and brought it to Bombastus. Later in 1527, Giovanni was sent in Paris to search the second half of the Book of Abraham, which contained occults knowledges. Giovanni, with Maria Amiel, took the second half and discovered Pythagorean symbols. The two lovers went in the Temple of Pythagoras and entered in contact with an individuals of the First Civilization, Consus.

Appearance

Generally, the robes worn by the Italian Apprentices' hearkened back to those worn by the Levantine Assassins, being white and accompanied by a red sash around the waist. If the Apprentice attained the rank of Assassin he or she would be given white Assassin robes, similar to those of Ezio's own.

A few prominent Assassins within the Italian Brotherhood eschewed the more traditional attire; among these were the Mentor Niccolò Machiavelli, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, Claudia Auditore, Paola, Antonio de Magianis, Teodora Contanto, La Volpe and Rosa.

Techniques

An Apprentice being inducted as an Assassin

The Italian Assassins were trained in stealth, combat, pickpocketing, blending and parkour and used most of the tactics created by the Levantine Brotherhood. The Apprentices started off with one hidden blade and would later get another and a pistol when attaining the rank of Assassin. The Italian Assassins used a variety of weapons, like swords, maces, heavy weapons, crossbows, poisons, throwing knives, bow and arrows, and daggers.

Members

• Dante Alighieri
• Bartolomeo d'Alviano
• Lodovico Ariosto
• Claudia Auditore da Firenze
• Domenico Auditore
• Ezio Auditore da Firenze
• Federico Auditore da Firenze
• Giovanni Auditore da Firenze
• Mario Auditore
• Renato Auditore
• Pietro Bembo
• Giovanni Borgia
• Perotto Calderon
• Baldassare Castiglione
• Teodora Contanto
• Domenico's father

• Cipriano Enu
• Ridolfo Fioravant
• Niccolò Machiavelli
• Adriano Maestranzi
• Antonio de Magianis
• Paola
• Niccolò Polo
• Maffeo Polo
• Marco Polo
• Rosa
• Pietro Antonio Solari
• Tessa Varzi
• Francesco Vecellio
• Vincenzo
• Rinaldo Vitturi
• La Volpe

Allies:

• Uberto Alberti
• Pantasilea Baglioni
• Margherita dei Campi
• Fiora Cavazza
• Nicolaus Copernicus
• Christopher Columbus
• Julius II
• Leo X

• Lorenzo de' Medici
• Piero de' Medici
• Fabio Orsini
• Luis de Santángel (Spanish branch)
• Sofia Sartor
• Caterina Sforza
• Solari
• Egidio Troche
• Leonardo da Vinci