Written by Vasilis Zafiridis
The unbelieveable (but real) history behind the Assassin's Creed series.
Assassin's Creed series has been rightfully praised for its intricate gameplay and rich worlds populated with historical figures. But just how accurate has Ubisoft been when taking ideas and people from history to use in these games? Read on for some facts that just may surprise you.
We're going to take a look at a real assassins guild, the humble beginnings and the violent end of the Knights Templar, and more as we see how the past influenced the present from the first Assassin's Creed game to the newest Syndicate.
Fact or Fiction ?
Altair
So let's start with the first game in the Assassin's Creed series, which sees the player assume the role of Altair, a twelfth century assassin who resides in the city of Masyaf in the Holy Land during the time of the Third Crusade. It's fact that during the Third Crusade (1189-1192), history records indicate there was a guild of assassins based at the castle of Masyaf, where they had been active for many years.
This actual assassins guild was founded by Persian missionary and philosopher Hassan-i Sabbah. To protect the interests of his order, he used the assassins to target leaders and politicians whose death would cause people to think twice before acting against Hassan. These assassins were well-read, as well as trained in the martial arts as, just like Altair, they needed to blend in to be able to gather information on their targets before they struck. Sometimes, they didn't kill, but instead left a threat such as a dagger on a pillow. This gesture was often enough to bring folks around to Sabbah's way of thinking.
But what about their sworn enemies, the Knights Templars ?
Well, history tells us the Knights, like the assassins, came to prominence during the Crusades, but their origin starts some time before that.
The Knights were originally a charity oganization set up to escort pilgrims from Europe to the Holy Lands. Like all charities, word spread of their good deeds and they gained a tax break from the Pope of the time. This was the turning point which allowed a disorganised charity to rapidly grow into an elite military order and it was only natural that, at the time of the Third Crusade, they should throw themselves wholeheartedly into the fighting.
Altair's journeys across the Holy Lands in Assassin's Creed, where he sees the distinct white coat and red-crossed surcoat of the Knights Templar nearly everywhere, would have been quite historically accurate.
Templars had roles such as guards, bureaucrats, and doctors, and gave threats to the local populace to keep them in line.
However, while Assassin's Creed sees the Templars expand after the Crusades, the real Templars fell from grace and, due to a mixture of politics, money, and greed, many were captured, tortured to confess to numerous false crimes, and then burned at the stake. The order disbanded (Friday 13th October 1307), and while conspiracy theorists would have it that the Templars are still active today in a fashion similar to their devious workings in the Assassin's Creed games, history can neither confirm nor deny this part of the Templars' story.
To be continued...
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