Assassin’s Creed Shadows marks the latest installment in the storied franchise, set during the Sengoku period of feudal Japan in 1579. This setting positions it at the midpoint of the Assassin’s Creed timeline, a series renowned for its non-linear exploration of history. Each game in the series delves into pivotal moments ranging from the Peloponnesian War in ancient Greece to the dawn of the First World War, showcasing a rich tapestry of historical events.
With a total of 14 mainline games, the chronology of the Assassin’s Creed universe can become quite intricate. IGN has meticulously analyzed the lore to construct a comprehensive timeline that sequences all significant events in chronological order. This timeline not only clarifies the historical settings but also weaves together the overarching narrative of the series.
The Isu Era
75,000 BCE
To understand the Assassin’s Creed timeline, we must first delve into its lore. In the distant past, a highly advanced civilization known as the Isu ruled the Earth. These god-like beings engineered the human race as their workforce, controlling them with powerful artifacts called the Apples of Eden. However, humans, led by Eve and Adam, rebelled against their masters, sparking a revolutionary war. This conflict raged for a decade until a catastrophic solar flare decimated the Isu, allowing humanity to rise and inherit the Earth.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
431 to 422 BCE - Peloponnesian War
During the tumultuous Peloponnesian War in Greece, mercenary Kassandra uncovers The Cult of Kosmos, a secretive group manipulating the conflict. She learns that her brother Alexios, kidnapped by the Cult and transformed into a formidable weapon, is a direct descendant of the legendary Spartan King Leonidas, himself an Isu descendant. Kassandra's mission to dismantle the Cult leads her to destroy an Isu device they use to predict future outcomes, thus ending their control over the war. In her journey, Kassandra reunites with her father, Pythagoras, another Isu descendant, who entrusts her with the Staff of Hermes, granting her immortality and the duty to guard Atlantis.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
49 to 43 BCE - Ptolemaic Egypt
Set in Cleopatra's Egypt, Assassin’s Creed Origins follows Bayek, a peacekeeper whose family is targeted by The Order of the Ancients, a shadowy group linked to the Cult of Kosmos. After a tragic incident resulting in the death of his son, Bayek and his wife Aya set out to dismantle The Order. Their efforts reveal a global conspiracy aimed at controlling politics and religion through Isu artifacts. In response, they establish The Hidden Ones, the precursor to the Assassin Brotherhood, dedicated to countering The Order's influence from bases in Egypt and Rome.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
861 - Islamic Golden Age
Nearly a century later, The Hidden Ones have established strongholds worldwide, including the fortress of Alamut in Iran. Here, Basim, a former street thief from Baghdad, is trained as an assassin and tasked with investigating The Order of the Ancients' activities. His discoveries lead him to an Isu temple beneath Alamut, where he learns of his past life as Loki, an Isu imprisoned within the temple. Driven by this revelation, Basim vows to seek revenge on those who confined him.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
872 to 878 - Viking Invasion of England
Following his discovery, Basim joins a Viking clan in their quest against The Order in England. The clan leaders, Sigurd and Eivor, navigate the political landscape, confronting King Alfred, a member of The Order aiming to impose a Christian regime. After uncovering an Isu artifact, Sigurd experiences visions suggesting he and Eivor are reincarnations of Isu gods Odin and Týr, respectively, targeted by Basim, who seeks revenge for his imprisonment as Loki. Eivor traps Basim in an Isu-generated simulation, while Sigurd, traumatized, hands leadership to Eivor, who then defeats King Alfred and returns to their settlement as a hero.
Assassin’s Creed
1191 - Third Crusade
Three centuries later, The Hidden Ones evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood, facing off against The Knights Templar, the evolved form of The Order of the Ancients. During the Third Crusade, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a member of the Brotherhood, steals an Apple of Eden from the Templars. Tasked with assassinating nine Templar leaders to atone for his mistakes, Altaïr uncovers their plan to use the Apple to control the world. He learns of his mentor Al Mualim's betrayal, who sought the Apple for personal power. Altaïr kills Al Mualim and takes command of the Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed 2
1476 to 1499 - Italian Renaissance
In the Italian Renaissance, Ezio Auditore da Firenze joins the Assassin Brotherhood to avenge his family's execution by the Templars. Armed with his father's equipment and innovations from Leonardo da Vinci, Ezio targets the Templar-aligned Borgia family. His quest leads him to an Isu vault beneath the Vatican, where he encounters a vision of the Isu Minerva. She warns of an impending global catastrophe in 2012 and reveals a network of Isu vaults that might hold the key to humanity's survival.
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
1499 to 1507 - Italian Renaissance
After sparing the life of the Templar Pope, Ezio faces the consequences when the Papal Army steals the Apple of Eden. He rallies the weakened Assassin Brotherhood, becoming its leader and working to dismantle the Borgia regime in Rome. The Assassins reclaim the Apple, which Ezio hides in an Isu vault beneath the Colosseum, safeguarding it from the Templars.
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
1511 to 1512 - Ottoman Civil War
Seeking more knowledge about the Isu, Ezio travels to Masyaf to investigate Altaïr's library. The Templars, already searching for the library's keys, force Ezio to intervene in Constantinople, aligning with the Ottoman Assassins against the Byzantine Templars. Inside the library, Ezio discovers Altaïr's remains and an Apple of Eden. A message from the Isu Jupiter reveals crucial data for humanity's survival, which Ezio leaves for future generations. He then retires, succumbing to injuries sustained over decades of service.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
1579 - Sengoku Period
Set in the Sengoku period of Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows follows an African mercenary, Yasuke, who arrives with a Jesuit missionary and becomes a samurai under Oda Nobunaga. His journey intersects with Naoe, a shinobi from Iga province, as they navigate the conflict between opposing forces, eventually uniting for a common cause.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
1715 to 1722 - Golden Age of Piracy
During the Golden Age of Piracy, Edward Kenway, a rogue pirate, infiltrates a Templar meeting and learns of their quest for The Observatory, an Isu device capable of spying on anyone. Edward allies with pirates and the Sage, Bartholomew Roberts, to unlock The Observatory. After a betrayal, Edward reclaims the device and assassinates the Templar leader, sealing away the artifact. He then returns to England, where he lives out his days with his family.
Assassin’s Creed Rogue
1752 to 1776 - French and Indian War
Shay Patrick Cormac, sent by the Assassin Brotherhood to retrieve an Isu artifact, inadvertently causes a devastating earthquake in Lisbon. Stricken with guilt, he defects to the Templars, stealing the Brotherhood's map of Isu temples. Over years, Shay rises through the Templar ranks, eventually confronting his former mentor, Achilles, and preventing further Assassin excavations of Isu sites. He suggests the Templars spark a revolution in France in response to Assassin activities in America.
Assassin’s Creed 3
1754 to 1783 - American Revolution
Haytham Kenway, Edward's son, seeks to unlock the Isu's Grand Temple, but his efforts lead to the birth of his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, who later becomes Connor Kenway. After his village is destroyed and his mother killed, Connor trains as an Assassin and fights the Templars during the American Revolution. His path leads him to confront Haytham, resulting in a tragic clash over their conflicting visions. Connor buries the key to the Grand Temple, thwarting the Templars' plans.
Assassin’s Creed Liberation
1765 to 1777 - Spanish Occupation of Louisiana
Parallel to Connor's journey, Aveline de Grandpré, an Assassin in New Orleans, uncovers a Templar plot to control Louisiana. Her investigation reveals a larger conspiracy involving the 'Company Man', who uses slaves to unearth an Isu temple. Aveline collects components of an Isu device, the Prophecy Disk, and discovers her stepmother is the Company Man. After confronting her, Aveline activates the Prophecy Disk, learning of Eve's rebellion against the Isu.
Assassin’s Creed Unity
1789 to 1794 - French Revolution
Arno Dorian, orphaned by Shay Cormac, grows up with the Templar Grand Master's family. Framed for murder, he joins the Assassin Brotherhood to clear his name and avenge his adoptive father. His quest uncovers a Templar plot to ignite the French Revolution. Alongside his sister, Élise, Arno confronts the Templar leader, François-Thomas Germain, who is revealed to be the current Sage. After a dramatic confrontation, Arno seals Germain's remains away in the Paris Catacombs.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
1868 - Victorian England
In Victorian London, twin Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye seek The Shroud, an Isu device. They discover the Templars have infiltrated the city's power structures. While Jacob targets Templar leaders, Evie searches for The Shroud. After thwarting the Templars' plans, the twins return The Shroud to its vault, securing another victory for the Assassins. Later, Evie tracks down Jack the Ripper, and the siblings eventually retire to the countryside, where Evie raises her daughter, Lydia, as an Assassin.
Transition Period
1914 to 2012
The Assassin’s Creed series features a modern-day framing story, with the Templars establishing Abstergo Industries in 1937. This pharmaceutical company aims to control the world through capitalism and develops the Animus, a virtual reality machine that allows exploration of ancestral memories. Abstergo's goal is to use these memories to locate Isu artifacts and control the future.
Assassin’s Creed 1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3
2012
In 2012, Desmond Miles, a descendant of Altaïr, is abducted by Abstergo to locate Isu artifacts. With the help of an Assassin mole, Lucy Stillman, Desmond escapes and joins the modern Assassin Brotherhood. Exploring Ezio's memories, Desmond learns of an impending apocalypse and sets out to prevent it. After locating the Apple of Eden and facing a traumatic event, Desmond sacrifices himself to activate Isu technology that averts the apocalypse, releasing the villainous Isu Juno.
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
2013
Using Desmond's DNA, Abstergo continues its search for Isu technology through Edward Kenway's memories. An unnamed researcher, "The Noob," explores these memories and is manipulated by John Standish, the modern-day Sage, who plans to use The Noob as a host for Juno. However, Standish's plans are thwarted when he is killed by Abstergo security.
Assassin’s Creed Unity
2014
Abstergo releases "Helix," a public software allowing users to experience genetic memories. An Assassin initiate relives Arno Dorian's life to locate the remains of Sage François-Thomas Germain, which are safely hidden in the Paris Catacombs, out of Abstergo's reach.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
2015
The initiate's next mission is to find The Shroud in London through the memories of Jacob and Evie Frye. Abstergo beats the Assassins to it, intending to use The Shroud to create a living Isu. Juno, however, manipulates Abstergo's plans, aiming to sabotage them.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
2017
Layla Hassan, an Abstergo researcher, develops a new Animus version that can explore memories via DNA samples. In Egypt, she relives the memories of Bayek and Aya, learning about the origins of The Hidden Ones. William Miles recruits her to the Assassin Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
2018
Using DNA from the Spear of Leonidas, Layla explores Kassandra's memories, uncovering the location of Atlantis. Kassandra, kept alive by the Staff of Hermes, reveals to Layla the need for balance between Assassins and Templars. As her final act, Kassandra gives Layla the Staff, passing on her duty.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
2020
Layla investigates magnetic field disturbances linked to Desmond's actions in 2012. Exploring Eivor's memories, she discovers the Yggdrasil computer in an Isu temple in Norway. Entering its simulation, Layla works to stabilize the magnetic field with the help of Desmond's consciousness. Meanwhile, Basim escapes the simulation, claiming the Staff of Hermes and joining the Assassin Brotherhood to pursue his own agenda.
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