Written by Vasilis Zafiridis
Ezio Auditore da Firenze
Moving on to Assassin's Creed II, which is set in Italy at the time of the Renaissance in the fourteenth century? Here we find the assassin Ezio facing off against the Templars, who are led by the corrupt Pope Rodrigo Borgia. Rodrigo is not only Pope, but also the head of the Templars, and his papacy is one based on the tenants of corruption and violence.
Yet again, when we look at the history of the time, there was a Pope called Rodrigo Borgia whose papacy began in 1492 and renamed Alexander VI. History tells us that the real-life Rodrigo was just as bad as his in-game counterpart.
The real Rodrigo was said to have bought the papacy with bribery and vote corruption, and as soon as he took office, he began elevating his family to positions of power (or, if no such position existed, creating it for them). Rodrigo's time as Pope was spent (according to his enemies) murdering rivals, promoting war across Europe, and siding with anyone who could help him consolidate his power.
So, Rodrigo's reign as one of history's worst Popes continued until, in 1503, at the age of 72, he dropped dead. Poison was suspected but never proved, though if it was used, it was a fitting end to a man who history would have us believe was more violent and corrupt than even his video game counterpart.
Ratonhnhaké:ton - Connor
Now let's look at Assassin's Creed III, which sees the action move to colonial America where the assassin Connor sets out to free his land from the tyranny of the Templars who have settled there. Connor is half Mohawk, and shares his heritage with a tribe of Native Americans who are resisting the British colonial forces and supporting George Washington, the American force's leader.
To include such a strong historical figure as George Washington was a bold but logical choice for Ubisoft. He who charted the fate of the United States has a real history just as exciting as the in-game character.
Washington is famous for being the first president of the United States of America and for being commander-in-chief of the American forces during the American Revolution. He is rightly named as one of the country's founding fathers. His real life is filled with so many interesting facts that, for the purposes of this article, I am going concentrate on just a few of the major landmarks in his life and how these are reflected in Assassin's Creed III.
Notably, history doesn't record that Washington suffered numerous assassination attempts, but his many victories against the British in battle, the betrayal of Benedict Arnold, and the arrest of Charles Lee after the Battle of Monmouth are all real events that play out in Assassin's Creed III, much as they did historically.
Of course, things didn't always go Washington's way. He was responsible for giving the order to carry out a scorched earth war policy that saw 40 Native American villages destroyed (and which would see him come into conflict with Connor over the order).
Still, Ubisoft chose wisely in giving focus to a historical figure that represents the Revolutionary War and the forging of the United States. Having a fully realized George Washington in Assassin's Creed III allows the player to feel like they are taking part in, and making, history.
to be continued...
Read also:
