Ubisoft has once again fired up the Animus, transporting us to Japan's tumultuous Sengoku Period with Assassin's Creed Shadows. This installment introduces us to historical icons like Fujibayashi Nagato, Akechi Mitsuhide, and Yasuke, the African samurai who served Oda Nobunaga. As with its predecessors, the game intertwines real history with a fictional narrative of revenge, betrayal, and murder. While the game humorously suggests Yasuke's need to gather XP to wield a gold-tier weapon, it's a playful nod to the game's mechanics rather than historical fact.
Assassin's Creed is renowned for its historical fiction, crafting tales around a secretive society aiming to dominate the world through the mystical powers of an ancient civilization. Ubisoft meticulously researches to create immersive open-world environments, but it's crucial to understand these games are not history lessons. The developers creatively alter historical facts to enhance storytelling, resulting in numerous "historical inaccuracies." Below, we explore ten notable instances where Assassin's Creed reimagines the past.
The Assassins vs Templars War
The central conflict between the Assassins and the Templars is entirely fictional. Historically, the Order of Assassins and the Knights Templar, founded in 1090 and 1118 respectively, coexisted for around 200 years without any documented ideological opposition. Both were disbanded by 1312, and their only shared involvement was in the Crusades. Assassin's Creed's narrative of a centuries-long war is purely imaginative.
The Borgias and their Superpowered Pope
In Assassin's Creed 2 and Brotherhood, Ezio's adversary is the Borgia family, with Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia as the Templar Grand Master and later Pope Alexander VI. The game's plot involving the magical Apple of Eden and a power-hungry pope is fictional, as the Templars did not exist in the late 1400s. While the Borgias were indeed controversial, Ubisoft's portrayal of them as villainous gangsters, including the depiction of Cesare Borgia as a psychopathic leader, exaggerates historical rumors and lacks solid evidence.
Machiavelli, Enemy of the Borgias
Assassin's Creed 2 and Brotherhood present Niccolò Machiavelli as an Assassin and Ezio's ally against the Borgias. Historically, Machiavelli's advocacy for strong authority conflicts with the Assassins' anti-authoritarian stance. Moreover, Machiavelli viewed Rodrigo Borgia as a successful con man and served diplomatically under Cesare Borgia, whom he admired. This portrayal starkly contrasts with his real-life relationships and beliefs.
The Incredible Leonardo da Vinci and his Flying Machine
Assassin's Creed 2 showcases a strong friendship between Ezio and Leonardo da Vinci, accurately capturing da Vinci's charisma. However, the game's timeline of da Vinci's movements in Italy deviates from historical records. While da Vinci did design futuristic inventions, the game's depiction of operational machine guns, tanks, and especially a flying machine, remains speculative and unverified by history.
The Bloody Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party, a peaceful protest during the American Revolution, is transformed into a violent event in Assassin's Creed 3. The game's protagonist, Connor, single-handedly turns the protest into a massacre, which starkly contrasts with the non-violent reality. Additionally, the game attributes the planning to Samuel Adams, despite historical ambiguity about his involvement.
The Lone Mohawk
Assassin's Creed 3's portrayal of Connor, a Mohawk fighting alongside the Patriots, contradicts historical alliances. The Mohawk people were actually aligned with the British during the Revolutionary War. While rare instances like Louis Cook's service with the Continental Army exist, Connor's story is a "what if" scenario that diverges from historical likelihood.
The Templar Revolution
Assassin's Creed Unity's depiction of the French Revolution suggests a Templar conspiracy behind the uprising, simplifying the complex historical causes like famine and social unrest into a manufactured crisis. The game's focus on the Reign of Terror as the entirety of the revolution overlooks the broader context and duration of the event.
The Controversial Killing of King Louis 16
In Assassin's Creed Unity, the execution of King Louis 16 is portrayed as a close vote swayed by a Templar, which misrepresents the overwhelming majority in favor of execution in reality. The game also downplays the King's attempted flight to Austria, which contributed to his treason charges and the public's disdain for the monarchy.
Jack the Assassin
Assassin's Creed Syndicate reimagines Jack the Ripper as a rogue Assassin seeking control over the London Brotherhood. This narrative diverges from the historical mystery surrounding the serial killer, using the lack of concrete evidence to craft a fictional backstory involving Jacob Frye and his sister Evie.
The Assassination of the Tyrant Julius Caesar
Assassin's Creed Origins reinterprets Julius Caesar's assassination, portraying him as a proto-Templar whose death prevents global tyranny. This narrative overlooks Caesar's popular reforms, like land redistribution, and misrepresents the political climate that led to his murder. The game's depiction of the event's aftermath as a clear victory for the Assassins ignores the subsequent civil war and rise of the Roman Empire.
The Assassin's Creed series meticulously crafts immersive historical settings while embracing the creative liberties of historical fiction. While the games might bend historical truths, they offer a thrilling blend of history and imagination. What are your favorite examples of Assassin's Creed's creative reinterpretations of history? Share them in the comments below.
