Kenway family

                             

Kenway Family


	
		
		
	
	


	Organizational information


	
		Operational center
	
	Kenway Mansion



	
		Locations
	
	London
United States

The Kenway Family was a British family who had a central role in the Assassin-Templar War in the 18th century, particularly during the Golden Age of Piracy, the Seven Years' War, and the American Revolutionary War. It was also an ancestor line of Desmond Miles.

History

Modest beginning

The eldest known member of the Kenway family was Bernard Kenway, a English sheep farmer from Manchester at the end of the 17th century. He married a Welshwoman, Linette Hopkins, and settled in Swansea. They had a daughter who died during infancy, and in 1693 they had a son, Edward. In 1703, the Kenway family moved to Hatherton, near Bristol. The Kenways had a reputation of honest farmers. Bernard gave the sales part of his farm to his son, but Edward passed most of his time in taverns. In 1712, Edward married Caroline Scott, the daughter of the wealthy tea merchant and Templar, Emmett Scott and his wife Elizabeth.^[1]

ACI - At Home to Mister Scandal — Edward and Caroline married

The young couple lived modestly in the Kenway's farm, as Emmett refused that his daughter had married Edward. Desiring to give to his wife a privileged life, Edward decided to become a privateer to sail to the West Indies and when he returned when he would be rich. Caroline, who was pregnant, refused his husband's decision and moved back to her father's home. To be sure that Caroline never returned to the Kenways, Emmett send a group of Templars burn the Kenway's farm. Edward saved his parents but his father disowned him. Trying to understand why his parent's home was burned, Edward was knocked out by Wilson and woke up on the Emperor which sailed to West Indies.^[1]

Involvement with the Assassins

Mister Walpole I Presume 6 — Edward meeting the Templars Laureano Torres, Woodes Rogers and Julien du Casse

At the begining of his privateer career, Edward met Edward Thatch and Benjamin Hornigold and when the Peace of Utrech was signed, the three became pirates. In 1715, after a battleship in Cape Bonavista, Edward killed the Assassin turncoat Duncan Walpole. Impersonating him, Edward joined the Grand Master of the Caribbean Templars Laureano de Torres y Ayala. Then he gave informations which jeopardized the position of the Caribbean Assassins and he was inducted in the Templar Order.^[2]

The Grand Master revealed the existence of the Observatory, a Isu temple which contained a device capable to spy individuals, which could only be opened by a Sage, a reincarnation of the Isu's member Aita. After the Templars captured the new Sage, Bartholomew Roberts, Edward decided to double cross the Templars and to freed Roberts to discover the location of the Observatory and make a fortune with it. But the Sage escaped and Edward had been seen through by the Templars and was imprisoned on the Spanish Treasure Fleet. There, Edward met the pirate Adéwalé, and together with others prisoners they took a brig, El Dorado, and flew a hurricane. Renaming the brig the Jackdaw, Edward became her captain and Adéwalé his quartermaster.^[2]

Nothing Is True 5 — Edward with the Assassins Mary Read and Ah Tabai

During four years, Edward pursued his quest to find the Sage. During his journey, he met the pirate James Kidd, who was in fact Mary Read, a Caribbean Assassin who wanted Edward to join the Assassins, but Edward only helped the Assassins for money and to retrieve the Templar keys. In 1718, he learned his father died from pleurisy. In 1719, Edward found Roberts who led him to the Observatory. There he discovered that the device, a Crystal Skull, a Piece of Eden which could be use with a Blood vials to see through the eyes of someone. While Edward changed his mind about selling the Observatory location, Roberts betrayed him and send him into the Kingston prison.^[2]

Two years later, Edward escaped from his prison with the help of the Assassin Mentor Ah Tabai and liberated Anne Bonny and Mary Read. But during their escape, Mary died. After the loss of Mary and other friends, Edward decided to overlook his dream of glory and money and became an Assassin to honor Mary's wish. In 1722, Edward killed Roberts, reclaimed the Crystal Skull and replaced it in the Observatory after killing Torres.^[2]

Settlement in London

After the Assassins' victory in the Observatory, Edward learned that Caroline had died two years before from the smallpox which she contracted from her father. He also discovered he had a daughter, Jennifer Scott, who was born few months after his depart for the West Indies. Then, he gave his hideout to the Assassins and decided to raise his daughter in England as he tracked the men responsible for the burning of his family farm. In 1723, during a meeting with his mother, he exposed his plan but she disowned him. Nevertheless, Edward killed Emmett Scott and was about to burn Matthew Hague before Robert Walpole gave him a pardon from his former life as a pirate.^[1]

The End 10 — Edward meeting his daughter, Jennifer

Moving to London, Edward married Stephenson-Oakley, the daughter of a weathly landowner and together purchased a mansion. In London, Edward joined the British Assassins and became, with Miko, their leader. With his commercial enterprise, Edward traveled through the world for the Assassins. He visited First Civilization Sites in Italy and as well as visiting the Alamut Temple.^[3] He retrieved a Shroud of Eden, a Piece of Eden which could heal fatal injuries. He hid the Shroud in a box made by the First Civilization in the Tower of London and the key to the box in a secret room in St. Paul's Cathedral.^[4]

In December 1725, Edward and Tessa had a son, Haytham. At his eighth birthday, Edward began to train his son as an Assassin. In parallel, Edward searched for the Grand Temple that Roberts evoked in his last moment, where a woman waited. The Grand Master of the British Rite of the Templar Order who was also an employee of Edward, Reginald Birch, wanted to take Edward's research which were in his journal. Thereby he began to courtise Jennifer to access to the journal. He also lured Haytham to know the location of the journal. Jennifer revealed the true allegiance of Birch to her father, so Edward expelled the Templar from his mansion. ^[5]

Attack on Kenway House — The death of Edward Kenway

On the tenth birthday of Haytham, Birch sent masked men to the Kenway Mansion. They burned it, kidnapped Jennifer, killed Edward and took his journal. Birch sold Jennifer as a slave to Turkish merchants, and she later became a concubine in the Topkapı Palace. Afterwards, Tessa refused to see again her son, who killed one of Birch's men in front of her eyes to protect her, and decided to reconstructe the Kenway Mansion. Then as nobody knew his implication in mansion's attack, Birch took Haytham under his wing to make him a Templar, promising to find Jennifer. With years, Haytham became a deadly agent for the Templars.^[5]

Prodigal Son

In 1747, Haytham killed Juan Vedomir, a Templar turncoat who stole Edward's journal. Giving it back to Birch, the Grand Master informed Haytham the death of his mother. Later Haytham continued the search of the men who burned his family mansion, going to Germany to found Jack Digweed, a servant of Edward who was accused of the attack. Haytham and Birch found Digweed had been tortured by the men who attack the mansion. Haytham pursued one of them and Birch killed Digweed to be sure Haytham didn't know the truth. Mortally wounding his target, Haytham learned that his father was an Assassin and his was killed for something. On the body, Haytham found document which proved the man served the Templar and general Edward Braddock. Arrived in Dutch Republic, Haytham found the other man, Tom Smith, but he was executed for desertion by Braddock. After serving with Braddock at the Siege of Bergen op Zoom, Haytham saw the cruelty of the former Templar.^[5]

ACIII-BraddockExpedition 6 — Haytham Kenway with Kaniehtí:io

In 1753, Haytham kidnapped Lucio Albertine in Corsica to decipher his father's journal. Fighting the Assassin Miko, Haytham lost his family sword but gained Miko's hidden blade. In 1754, Haytham killed Miko at the Theatre Royal and took the Grand Temple Key on his body. Birch send Haytham to the Colonies to find the Grand Temple. With the help of others Templars and the Kanien'kehá:ka woman Kaniehtí:io, Haytham stoped the Braddock Expedition and mortally injured the former Templar. Kaniehtí:io show the Grand Temple enter but Haytham couldn't open it with the key. After this, Haytham founded the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order and began a relation with Kaniehtí:io.^[6]

Weeks later, Charles Lee gave to Haytham a letter of Jim Holden who informed him that they found the location of Jennifer. Lee also told Haytham that Braddock died from his wounds. Kaniehtí:io discovered that Haytham lied, ordered him to leave. Haytham left America, unknowingly Kaniehtí:io was pregnant of his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton.^[5]

In 1757, Haytham and Holden went to Constantinople and discovered that Jennifer was sent to Qasr al-Azm in Damascus. Rescued her, they fled the palace but Holden was captured. Haytham saved Holden in Egypt, at the Abou Gerbe monastery on Mount Ghebel Eter, where he forcefully underwent a operation to become an eunuch. Haytham burned the monastery. Afterwards, Jennifer revealed the truth about Edward's death. Then the siblings and Holden attacked Birch's chateau in Troyes and killed Birch. After that, Haytham and Jennifer decided to remain in contact, Jennifer settled into the Kenway Mansion and Haytham returned to America.^[5]

Family War

In 1758, Haytham bought a plantation in Virginia to expand the Colonial Rite influence. With the former Assassin and Templar Shay Cormac, Haytham destroyed the Colonial Assassins and prevented them from finding Seismic Temples. In 1760, Haytham crippled the Assassin Mentor Achilles Davenport to be sure he would never return on the field.^[3] In 1763, Haytham sent a surprise attack on Davenport Homestead, killing the last Assassins but spared Achilles life.^[6]

ACIII-BoorishMan 3 — Ratonhnhaké:ton meeting the old Mentor Achilles

In 1760, Ratonhnhaké:ton was assaulted by a group of Templars led by Charles Lee. Asking for a meeting with the Kanatahséton's leaders, the boy refused to give the village location. Knocked out, Ratonhnhaké:ton woke up to see his village being burned by the British troops. His mother died in the flames. Beliving it's was the Templars, this traumatic event gave to Ratonhnhaké:ton a strong sense of justice for his people but also a burning desire for revenge. In 1769, with a Crystal Ball, Ratonhnhaké:ton came in contact with Juno, who asked him to join the Assassins to protect the Grand Temple and his land from the Templars. After a ruthless rejection, Ratonhnhaké:ton finally became an Assassin under the watch of Achilles and began to recruit new apprentices.^[6]

During the beginning of the American Revolution, Haytham and the Templars searched to transform the Colonies into Templar's State, Ratonhnhaké:ton, who took the name of Connor, fought to decrease the Templar influence on the conflict. The action of the two factions led to a more violent conflict. In 1776, Haytham ordered the assassination of George Washington to place Charles Lee as the Commander in chief of the Continental Army. Ratonhnhaké:ton tried to stop them but was captured and comdamned to death by Lee. During the execution Haytham decided to save his son by cutting the roap, which led to the assassination of the Templar Thomas Hickey.^[6]

Assassins-Templars Truce

ACIII-Fatherandson 1 — Father and son working together to find Church

In 1778, the Templar turncoat Benjamin Church stole supplies of the Continental Army. Ratonhnhaké:ton tracked Church and met his father who also wanted to kill the Templar. Together they decided to establish a truce between the Assassins and the Templars. The father and the son killed Church and found that the British would attack from New York. While Ratonhnhaké:ton wanted to give the information to Washington, Haytham wanted to speak to Lee. At Valley Forge, Haytham exposed to his son the truth around his mother's death. Angered that his father hid this information, Ratonhnhaké:ton broke the ties with his father.^[6]

In 1781, Achilles died from illness, giving the Homestead to Ratonhnhaké:ton and the leadership of the Colonial Assassins. Ratonhnhaké:ton seeked to infiltrate Fort George in order to kill Lee and to reason with his father to leave the Templar Order. Knowing his son would come, Haytham gave the Grand Temple Key to Lee and decided to fight his son. During the duel, Haytham knew he couldn't kill his own son and forced Ratonhnhaké:ton to kill him. In 1782, Ratonhnhaké:ton tracked down Lee, killed him, and took the Grand Temple Key. Six months later, Ratonhnhaké:ton returned to his village where he entered in contact with Juno who ordered him to hide the key for someone. Ratonhnhaké:ton hid the artifact in the grave of his mentor's son, Connor Davenport. After the end of the war, Ratonhnhaké:ton decided to continue the Assassins' struggle for liberty.^[6]

Jennifer and Elise — Jennifer giving her brother's letters to Élise

In 1788, Jennifer received a visit from Élise de la Serre, a French Templar who searched Haytham Kenway's letters for the Carroll family. Jennifer agreed to gave the letters to Élise if she pursued the goal to end the war between the Assassins and the Templars. She also gave to the young Templar a Templar pendant, a gift she received from Haytham.^[7]

In 1805, Jennifer died in London and the Kenway Mansion was taken by the Templars.^[4]

Legacy

The actions of Kenway family impacted the Assassin-Templar War in many ways. Edward nearly destroyed the Caribbean Assassins by giving their headquarters location to the Templars. But when he joined the Assassins, he strengthened their position by killing the Grand Master Torres, which would end the Templar influence in the region for decades.^[3] Edward also gave to the Assassins Great Inagua, which permitted to them to live and work among the people they protect.^[2] With the discovery of the Observatory the Assassins protected it by burying the Temple. It was only discovered three centuries later.^[3]

In London, Edward joined the British Assassins and became their co-leader with Miko. While Miko traveled through the world to aid other brotherhoods and searching Pieces of Eden, Edward used his charm to make connections in the city, in both high society and the criminal underworld. With these two, the British Brotherhood was stronger than ever. With Edward's death, the British Templars began to control London for over a century.^[4]

With Haytham, the Templar Order could establish the Colonial Rite which became later the American Templars. During the French and Indian War, Haytham and the Templars supported the British Crown against the French and also nearly destroyed the Colonial Assassins. After the peace, Haytham projected to free the Colonies from the Crown and established a Templar's State.^[6]

Ratonhnhaké:ton helped the reconstruction of the Davenport Homestead and the Colonial Assassins. Liberating Boston and New York from Templar's influence, Ratonhnhaké:ton recruited new apprentices for the Brotherhood, sending them through the Colonies to help the Patriots and to prevent casualties during the American Revolution. Ratonhnhaké:ton also secured the trades passages to Louisbourg to the Virgin Islands. During the Revolutionary War, Ratonhnhaké:ton sided with the Continental Army and participated to numerous conflicts as the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill or the Battle of the Chesapeake. His help decreased the Templar's grip on the War.^[6] Ratonhnhaké:ton also prevented George Washington to become the king of United States.^[8]

The truce between Haytham and his son made the Grand Master believe in a peace between the Assassins and the Templars. He wrote letters about his dream to his half-sister. After his death, Jennifer wanted to stop the conflict which killed his father and half-brother, then she gave the letters to Élise de la Serre to continue the peace with the Assassins. In 1794 after the death of Élise, her lover, Arno Dorian, inherited of Haytham's letters and promised to improve the peace between the two factions.^[7]

In 1868, with the clues left by Edward in his journal and his mansion, the British Assassin Evie Frye and the British Templars fought for the retrieval of the Shroud of Eden in London.^[4]

At some point, Ratonhnhaké:ton married and had multiple children, continuing the Kenway bloodline. During the following centuries, the Kenways prospered and intermingled with other Assassin bloodlines, as the House of Auditore. The Kenway lineage extended to William Miles, an Assassin who lived in the Farm and became in 2015 the Mentor of the last remnants of the Assassins Brotherhood. William had a son, Desmond, who, by reliving the memories of Haytham and his son, could reach the Key of the Grand Temple and sacrificed himself to save the world from the 2012 coronal mass ejection.^[6]

In 2013, Abstergo Entertainment used Edward's memories through the Sample 17 Project to find the location of the Observatory and the corpse of Bartholomew Roberts. They used footage of his memory to make a movie, Devils of the Caribbean and a game, Pirates of Nightmares.^[2]