Early years as an Assassin

Discovering his heritage

"All this talk of Assassins and Templars... it reeks of fantasy."

―Ezio trying to understand his heritage.

Mario throwing a sword to Ezio

Now the most wanted man in Florence, Ezio fled the city with his mother and sister in the hopes of making their way to Spain, stopping beforehand at the Auditore family's villa in Monteriggioni for shelter.
As they neared the town, the three were accosted by Vieri de' Pazzi and his followers, but were saved by the timely arrival of Ezio's uncle, Mario Auditore, and his mercenaries.
Mario informed Ezio of the existence of the Assassins, in an obvious attempt to induct him into the Order. He spent some time teaching Ezio swordplay, and revealed that many of his ancestors, including Giovanni, were members of the Assassin Order.
However, Ezio refused his ancestry, wishing only to continue his journey to Spain for his mother's and sister's safety, with the help of the skills Mario had taught him.
Enraged, Mario left Monteriggioni for the city of San Gimignano, where Vieri had been located, in an attempt to relieve Monteriggioni of continual assaults by the Pazzi's minions. Guilt-ridden and knowing his presence was a primary reason for the ongoing attacks, Ezio traveled to San Gimignano to accept Mario's offer.

Ezio assassinating Vieri

When Ezio arrived outside the city, he joined Mario and his mercenaries in their assault, and they waited until nightfall to storm the city. After witnessing a brief meeting between Rodrigo Borgia, Jacopo de' Pazzi, Francesco de' Pazzi and Vieri, Ezio made for his target.
While Mario and his mercenaries kept Vieri's men distracted, Ezio challenged and fought Vieri for the last time, eventually overpowering and killing him after a brief duel.
Ezio tried to extract a confession from his old enemy, though Vieri chose to be snide to the very end. Infuriated by this, Ezio flew into a rage and insulted Vieri's corpse, continuing until his uncle calmed him down and reminded him of a tradition of the Assassins: showing respect to those they have killed.^[1]

Pazzi conspiracy

"I've been sent from Firenze by Il Magnifico to attend to some unfinished business; I'm looking for Jacopo de' Pazzi."

―Ezio after dealing with Francesco de' Pazzi.

Ezio visiting Cristina

Following Vieri's death, Ezio returned to Florence in 1478 to gather information on a conspiracy against the Medici, who had been family friends to the Auditore. However, Ezio chose to visit Cristina first, who was quite surprised to see him. She also admitted that she was to be married, as she thought she would never see Ezio again.
Suddenly a woman screamed from outside that a man named Manfredo was in trouble with several gamblers. Ezio asked who Manfredo was, and Cristina confessed that he was her fiancé. Ezio ran off and found Manfredo in a fight with several gamblers he was indebted to.
After defeating the gamblers, Ezio, enraged by Manfredo's actions, demanded that Manfredo be a good husband to Cristina or he would kill him. Ezio then met Cristina in an alleyway afterwards and kissed her, promising that he had made sure her husband would be good to her.
Ezio later had Leonardo construct him a second Hidden Blade, and with information provided by Leonardo, Ezio was able to find La Volpe, who aided him in discovering the Templar conspiracy against the Medici. La Volpe directed Ezio to an underground catacomb where a Templar meeting was being held.
Ezio was subsequently able to eavesdrop on the meeting, discovering that the Pazzi planned to kill the Medici at the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and place their own people in government under the orders of their master, Rodrigo Borgia.
The next day, Ezio arrived at the Duomo to try and prevent the public assassination, but he was unsuccessful. Francesco de' Pazzi and Bernardo Baroncelli were able to kill Giuliano de' Medici and injure Lorenzo.

Ezio defending Lorenzo

Ezio came to Lorenzo's aid and fended off Francesco. However, the Pazzi had already succeeded in their plan, and brought the city into a state of civil war. After escorting Lorenzo to the safety of his palazzo, Ezio revealed his identity, prompting Lorenzo to remark that he knew Ezio's father.
Lorenzo's lieutenant, Poliziano, told Ezio that Francesco had been sighted at the Piazza della Signoria. As Pazzi and Medici troops battled in the streets below them, Ezio chased down and slew Francesco, although Jacopo de' Pazzi and several other conspirators were able to escape the city.
Shortly afterward, Ezio met up with Lorenzo at the Ponte Vecchio. Lorenzo reminisced that as a child he had fallen into the Arno and would have drowned, had he not been saved by Giovanni Auditore. This act of kindness kindled a close friendship between the Auditore and the Medici families.
When Ezio asked of the conspirators, Lorenzo explained that they had fled the city. With this, the Medici publicly cleared the name of the Auditore family, and provided Ezio with the names of the conspirators who had escaped.
Learning that the Pazzi conspirators had fled to San Gimignano, after gaining information from Mario, Ezio tracked down and killed Antonio Maffei, Stefano da Bagnone, Bernardo Baroncelli and Francesco Salviati, extracting from each man information on Jacopo de' Pazzi's whereabouts.

Rodrigo Borgia confronting Ezio

Using the information, Ezio located his quarry and tracked Jacopo to an ancient Roman theater. Once there, Ezio eavesdropped on a meeting between Jacopo, Rodrigo Borgia and a Venetian merchant and Templar, Emilio Barbarigo.
After fatally wounding Jacopo for his failure to capture Florence, Rodrigo revealed that he was aware of Ezio's presence. While Rodrigo and Emilio fled, Ezio was apprehended by Templar guards, but he overpowered and killed them before swiftly putting the dying Jacopo out of his misery.

Hunt in Venice

Carlo Grimaldi: "It's the Assassin you should be worried about!"

Emilio Barbarigo: "Why? Is... Is he in Venezia?"

―Carlo Grimaldi and Emilio Barbarigo discuss Ezio minutes before the latter's assassination.

Ezio meeting Leonardo in the Apennine Mountains

With the Pazzi conspiracy ended, Ezio returned to Lorenzo in 1480 and declared his success. Before leaving the city for Venice, Ezio was granted a gift; the Medici cape, that would keep the city guards' attention from him.
Ezio then made his way to Leonardo's workshop, only to find that the artist had just left for Venice himself. Meeting with Leonardo in the Apennine Mountains and helping him repair his carriage, Ezio caught his first glimpse of Leonardo's Flying Machine.
Accompanying him to the city of Forlì, Ezio narrowly avoided the attacking Templar horsemen and archers Rodrigo Borgia had sent after them. Drawing closer to their destination, Ezio left Leonardo to proceed on his own, while he took care off the remaining Templars. Ezio made his way into the region of Romagna, and met Leonardo just outside the city of Forlì.
Eventually the two made their way to the city docks, where Ezio was refused permission to board, as he lacked a pass. Behind them, the two heard the screams of a noble lady stranded in the city's wetlands. Ezio hastened to her rescue in a boat, and was able to row the woman back to shore. The lady introduced herself as Caterina Sforza, and coerced the dockman into granting Ezio passage to Venice as a sign of thanks.
Once in Venice, Ezio and Leonardo were given a brief tour of the city by Alvise da Vilandino, before Ezio began to seek a way into the Palazzo della Seta of Emilio Barbarigo, although this effort initially proved to be in vain.

Ezio bringing Rosa to Ugo

Suddenly pushed aside, Ezio watched as a gang of thieves attempted and failed to breach the Palazzo, leading Ezio to aid the thief Rosa, who had been shot through the leg with an arrow.
After successfully escaping the city guards, Ezio was introduced to the leader of the Venetian Thieves' Guild, Antonio de Magianis, and together they concocted a new plot to kill Emilio Barbarigo and liberate the merchant district.
The plot, perfected over four years, was successful and gave Ezio the name of another Templar conspirator – Carlo Grimaldi. A government official and member of the Council of Ten, Carlo was close to Giovanni Mocenigo, the Doge of Venice, and hoped to turn him to the Templar cause.
Overhearing another meeting between Rodrigo and Carlo, Ezio uncovered a plot to poison the Doge and replace him with Marco Barbarigo. Realizing the urgency, Ezio and Antonio sought a way into the Palazzo Ducale, examining the front gates, the rear walls and even passing over the Basilica di San Marco; but they were hampered at every turn.
As they returned to the piazza below, an enraged Antonio remarked that only birds could get into the Doge's palace, reminding Ezio of Leonardo's flying machine, which he had seen on the way to Forlì. After a somewhat unsuccessful test flight, Leonardo came up with a way to ensure that Ezio reached his destination.

Ezio flying towards the Palazzo Ducale

After removing the city guards at four separate locations, Antonio's thieves proceeded to light massive bonfires throughout the city, giving Leonardo's flying machine enough lift for Ezio to make it to the Palazzo Ducale. The plan worked, and Ezio breached the Palazzo Ducale, although too late to save the Doge.
Carlo quickly fled the scene, crying out that Ezio had assassinated the Doge, only to meet his own end at Ezio's hands moments later. However, Ezio was now the most wanted man in Venice, and was forced to flee the city guards.
Returning to Leonardo's workshop for help in 1486, Ezio was directed to Sister Teodora's brothel, where Antonio was hiding. Under the cover of Carnevale, Ezio made his way to the brothel and began planning the death of Marco Barbarigo, competing in the four games of the Carnevale to win the Golden Mask that would gain him entrance to Marco's private party.
Ezio was successful, but found that Marco's cousin, Silvio Barbarigo, and Marco's personal slave-bodyguard, Dante Moro, had intimidated and bribed the judges into denying him his prize.

Ezio aiming the Hidden Gun at Marco Barbarigo

However, Ezio was successful in stealing the mask from Dante and managed to infiltrate the Doge's personal party and assassinate Marco with an ingenious new weapon. This left the way open for Agostino, a Barbarigo not involved with the Templars, and an ally of Antonio's, to legitimately become Doge.
With his quest for the nine nearly at an end, Ezio tracked down Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, who had occupied the Venetian Arsenal with an army of mercenaries.
Needing a force of his own, Ezio was directed to the mercenary leader, Bartolomeo d'Alviano, only to find Silvio's thugs had attacked Bartolomeo's headquarters, capturing him and a number of his soldiers in the process.
Ezio swiftly liberated Bartolomeo and his soldiers, and once Bartolomeo learned of Ezio's purpose, he was more than willing to assist in Silvio's destruction.

Ezio with Bartolomeo after liberating the Arsenal

Having tracked the Templars down to the Arsenal, Ezio managed to storm the building with the help of Bartolomeo and his men, and kill Dante Moro and Silvio Barbarigo in the ensuing battle.^[1]
However, he was astonished to learn that the plot to remove the Doge was merely a distraction, so that the Templars could move their vessel to Cyprus, although the reasons for this would remain unknown to Ezio for some time.

First years as a formal Assassin

Induction into the Order

"It's been over ten years since I watched my father and brothers die. Ten years hunting the men responsible. I'm close to the end now, but no closer to knowing what any of it was for!"

―Ezio discusses his life as an Assassin.

Ezio's friends revealing themselves as Assassins

Two more years passed before word of the Templar vessel reached Ezio once again on his twenty-ninth birthday when Rosa brought him a shipping manifest detailing the return of the ship that very day. Leonardo approached Ezio, explaining that he had discovered that all the Codex pages put together a message, saying "The Prophet will appear when the second piece is brought to the floating city." Ezio recalled the prophecy his uncle recited to him, about the prophet being able to open the fabled Vault that is said to contain a great power. He then realized that the entire Templar conspiracy was just a distraction for Rodrigo Borgia to find the Vault.
Sneaking into the Arsenal, Ezio watched as a Templar guard carrying a Piece of Eden disembarked from the ship, and made his way to a Templar base in the city.
Ezio assassinated the guard, impersonating him and carrying the Piece of Eden to a meeting with Rodrigo Borgia himself. Finally able to confront the man ultimately responsible for the deaths of his father and brothers, Ezio criticized the Templar Grand Master for the non-appearance of the supposed "prophet".
Rodrigo responded, proudly naming himself the prophet before engaging Ezio in battle. The duel was short, and Ezio easily bested the Templar. Rodrigo called upon the city guards and taunted the Assassin, saying that "his people" had failed to show up.

Ezio being initiated into the Brotherhood

At that very moment, Mario Auditore, along with Antonio, Paola, Teodora, La Volpe and Bartolomeo appeared, driving off Rodrigo and revealing themselves to Ezio as Assassins.
With the arrival of Niccolò Machiavelli, it was revealed to Ezio that he was in fact the Prophet, and that all present had worked together the past decade to induct Ezio into the Assassin Order.^[1]
That night, they all met again and Ezio was formally inducted into the Order. He received a brand on his left hand's ring finger, and performed the ceremonial Leap of Faith.^[1]

Battle of Forlì

Niccolò: "As soon as you left, they attacked again. Checco Orsi - he has the Apple!"

Ezio: "What!? No! Where is he!?"

―Ezio and Niccolò, upon Ezio's return to Forlì.

Ezio and the others examining the Apple

Shortly after his induction, Ezio met with Mario and Niccolò, and traveled to Leonardo da Vinci's workshop in Venice, hoping that the artist could shed some light upon the strange artifact Rodrigo had dubbed "the Apple".
Leonardo examined the unique device, commenting that the metal it was made of should not exist, and that its design was highly advanced despite its age.
Upon briefly touching the Apple, Ezio accidentally activated the device, which started to glow and show strange holographic images, though he quickly deactivated it. Niccolò later announced that he had arranged for the Piece of Eden to be held in the Rocca di Ravaldino, where it would be protected by an ally of the Assassins, Caterina Sforza.
Niccolò and Ezio met with Caterina in Romagna, just outside the city of Forlì. After briefly discussing the Apple, the three made their way back to the city, only to find that it had been invaded by the Orsi brothers, Checco and Ludovico.

Ezio and Caterina conversing with the Orsi brothers

As the group fought its way to the city's locked gates, Ezio managed to find another way inside and open the gates from within, allowing them to continue their way to the Citadel.
Reaching the Rocca di Ravaldino, they found out that two of Caterina’s children, Ottaviano and Bianca, were in the hands of the Orsi brothers, who had recently arrived and were attacking the Citadel. Ezio repelled the attack, and left the Apple in Caterina's hands, before going to rescue her two children.
Making his way into Romagna, Ezio overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way to the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and freed Ottaviano, though not before learning that the kidnapping was a distraction, which had allowed Checco to steal the Apple.
Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed Checco and his remaining men. As he bent to retrieve the Apple, Ezio failed to notice Checco stabbing him in the abdomen before it was too late. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the ground, with the Apple rolling from his hand. Before losing consciousness, Ezio saw a monk with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's pleads to not open the satchel holding the Piece of Eden.

Ezio obtaining the Codex map from Caterina

Caterina’s guards later found Ezio next to Checco’s corpse and returned him to Forlì, where Caterina nursed him back to health. Returned to his senses, Ezio hurriedly explained to Caterina that a man in black had stolen the Apple.
She recognized him to be dressed similarly to the monks residing outside the city walls, and Ezio left to search the church. Though there was no sign of the monk, Ezio met with Brother O’Callahan, who told him to continue his search at San Vincenzo, in central Forlì.
An abbot there identified Ezio as the monk Stefano da Bagnone's killer, and fled. He was intercepted and, once convinced that he was not about to die, the monk gave Ezio the name of the nine fingered monk: Girolamo Savonarola.

Journey in Spain

Ezio: "Do you know who betrayed us to the Inquisitors?"

Raphael: "Not yet, but we know the name of the Inquisitor Prosecutor responsible for their arrests."

―Ezio and Raphael discussing their situation

Ezio meeting Christopher Columbus

While trying to locate Savonarola, Ezio was told by an acquaintance to meet Antonio at the Thieves Guild in Venice. Upon arriving there, Ezio found Antonio accompanied by another man, Luis de Santángel. Luis was looking for a good "killer" who could oversee a meeting involving Luis' friend Christopher Columbus, but Ezio expressed no interest.
However, when Ezio heard that Rodrigo Borgia was also involved in the meeting, he rushed to Columbus' location, finding out that it was a trap. However, he managed to save Columbus, who explained that Rodrigo was interested in his plans to sail west. Soon afterwards, Ezio met with Antonio again, who told him to go see both Luis and Columbus in the gardens district.
They then told him that the Templars were in possession of Columbus' atlas, which featured the journey's route. Ezio quickly recovered the atlas and brought it back to Columbus and Luis. Luis informed Ezio of the presence of Spanish Assassins, who were held captive by the Spanish Inquisitor General, Tomás de Torquemada. Feeling it was his duty to rescue them, Ezio temporarily diverged from his goal to reclaim the Apple of Eden and set out to Spain, but not before Antonio gave him the names of two of his contacts.

Ezio fighting a Spanish guard

After arriving in Spain and briefly losing his sword to a thief, Ezio met with Antonio's contacts, and was directed to the local Thieves Guild. When he arrived there, however, he found that it was empty, only to be ambushed by the Inquisitors' men.
After making his escape through the sewers, Ezio met Raphael Sánchez, who revealed himself to be an Assassin. Raphael informed Ezio of the location of the first captured Assassin, and Ezio rushed to save him. Right before the Assassin could be burned by the Inquisitors, Ezio killed all the guards and freed him.
After Ezio's return, Raphael revealed that it was Gaspar Martínez who had been ordered to capture the Assassins by Torquemada. Ezio located Gaspar and found him, Torquemada, and a guard surrounding a captured Assassin.
Torquemada revealed to the captured Assassin - and indirectly to Ezio - that Rodrigo Borgia had ordered him to capture Assassins in Spain, because they were "non-believers". After the guard killed the Assassin, the group disbanded, and Gaspar was left unguarded.
Ezio then met with him and asked him what he knew of the Templars, but Gaspar feigned ignorance and said that they "went away two centuries ago". He fell silently to Ezio's blade, and Ezio acquired a list of names of six other captured Assassins. After freeing the first man on the list, Ezio took him back to Raphael, and informed the latter of the existence of the list. However, all the remaining Assassins were located in Zaragoza.

Luis, Raphael, Christopher and Ezio

Once in Zaragoza, Raphael told Ezio to find the Inquisition's Calficador, Pedro Llorente, whose tribunal met at the far side of town. Arriving there, Ezio found that Torquemada was also present. One of the Assassins was being tried, and after he refused to convert and confess, he was killed.
Ezio eavesdropped on the ensuing conversation, and hurried to locate the remaining five Assassins. Four of them were held captive inside some catacombs, with the last held inside a church. After securing their safety, Ezio killed Pedro Llorente.
Returning to Raphael, Ezio requested if he could return to Italy. However, Raphael still needed some help against the Inquisitors in Granada. Ezio complied, helping to assassinate a Templar spy in the city, and discovering along the way that Luis Santangel was also an Assassin.

Ezio standing before Torquemada

Once again, Ezio planned to return to Italy, but was disturbed by the Templars. He was forced to fight off the Templars to defend Luis, and was informed that Raphael had been captured.
Ezio fought to rescue Raphael, and proceeded to infiltrate Torquemada's fortress. After a brief conversation between Ezio and Torquemada, Torquemada closed the gates in front of him, preventing Ezio from assassinating him.
Ezio returned to Raphael and Luis, and said that he did not believe Torquemada was a Templar himself, but only blindly followed Rodrigo Borgia's false preaching. Ezio ultimately left for Italy to resume his quest to recover the Apple of Eden, and told Luis and Raphael to inform him of Columbus' journey to find the New World should he return.

Bonfire of the Vanities

"There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else."

―Ezio after Savonarola's death.

Ezio and Niccolò discussing Savonarola

Having returned from Spain, Ezio immediately continued his quest to find the Apple of Eden. He returned to his hometown of Florence in 1492, and bumped into a monk who was running from Borgia guards, saying they were asking about "apples".
Ezio, realizing the Borgia knew that Savonarola had the Apple, rushed to the Santa Maria del Fiore where he found a monk called Savonarola being harassed by Borgia guards.
After watching the scene for a while, Ezio jumped down from atop the church and rescued Savonarola. Only then did Ezio realize that the monk had all ten fingers, and he introduced himself as Marcello Savonarola; Girolamo's cousin. Marcello, in gratitude to Ezio, revealed that his cousin was in Venice at the time, and Ezio set off once again.
Ezio was greeted by Teodora in Venice, and asked her where he could find the fire-and-brimstone-preaching monk. She replied that she did not know where Savonarola was, but did know where to find a herald who preached similar things. Additionally, she revealed that Lorenzo de' Medici had died, and that Rodrigo Borgia had become the Pope, under the name Alexander VI.
Teodora led Ezio to the square where the herald was preaching, and Ezio blended in with the crowd. Convincing the herald that he was a true believer, and asking him about Savonarola's location, Ezio concluded that the herald was completely blinded by faith.
Eventually, a young man screamed at the preacher, saying that he had just escaped from Florence, which was taken over by Savonarola. He explained that the Signoria were either behind Savonarola, or powerless against him, and that people like Botticelli were joining him in starting bonfires to burn writings and arts related to the Renaissance.
The young man revealed himself to be Piero de' Medici, son of the late Lorenzo. Ezio walked up to him, saying that he was a friend of his father. After the herald ordered their deaths, Ezio revealed his name to Piero, and the two men faced off against their attackers.
The herald himself pulled out a dagger and charged at Ezio, but Piero saved him by slicing the herald's legs, after which Ezio finished the enemy off. While Piero went to warn Agostino Barbarigo of Savonarola's preachings, Ezio left Venice.
Ezio returned to Florence in 1497, and made his way to the Oltrarno District, hearing stories about Savonarola's dictatorship, and the desire for the Assassin's return. Eventually, he met with Niccolò Machiavelli on a bridge, and the two made their way to Savonarola's residence, the Palazzo Pitti.
Ezio devised a plan to overthrow Savonarola's rule: he would kill the men who suppressed the people in Savonarola's name, while Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe would rally the citizens to stand up to Savonarola's rule. Ezio then set off to finish off each of Savonarola's nine lieutenants.

Cristina dying in Ezio's arms

Ezio ran into Manfredo Soderini again, as he found him barely alive after being attacked by Savonarola's men. Ezio hurriedly asked where Cristina was, and Manfredo replied that the men had chased after her.
Ezio successfully managed to kill Cristina's attackers, but she had already been heavily wounded. She admitted to Ezio that she would have liked for them to have had a second chance, before she died in his arms.
Soon after Ezio killed Savonarola's followers, the rioters formed an angry mob and stormed the Palazzo Pitti, demanding an end to the bonfires. Savanarola tried to use the Apple to quell the riot, but before he could, Ezio threw a knife at him, knocking the Apple out of his hand.
In the ensuing chaos, the Apple was picked up by a guard in service to the Borgia, who had also been trying to recover the Apple from Savonarola. Ezio followed him, killed him, and recovered the Apple. Savonarola was then sentenced to be executed in the same way he had dealt with the city's knowledge: burned at the stake on the Piazza della Signoria.

Ezio assassinating Savonarola

However, Ezio decided that no one should have to die in such agony. The Assassin leapt onto the execution platform and put Savonarola out of his misery.
Ezio then looked at the stunned mob and delivered a speech, urging them to follow their own path and rely on their own thoughts, not what they were told by the ones in power. Ezio then left with Mario, Niccolò, Paola and La Volpe, ready to uncover the answers hidden within the Apple.