The Complete Assassin's Creed Timeline

Assassin’s Creed Shadows may be the latest installment in the acclaimed series, but its setting during Japan's Sengoku period places it squarely in the middle of the franchise’s sprawling historical timeline. The Assassin’s Creed series is renowned for its non-linear approach to history, jumping from ancient events like the Peloponnesian War in Greece to the early 20th century, just before the First World War.

With over a dozen mainline games, the Assassin’s Creed timeline has become increasingly intricate. IGN has meticulously analyzed every piece of lore to create a comprehensive timeline that connects all the pivotal moments in chronological order, shedding light on the overarching narrative and how each game fits into the saga.

The Isu Era
75,000 BCE

To understand the Assassin’s Creed timeline, it's crucial to delve into the lore of the Isu, an advanced civilization of beings that once ruled Earth. The Isu created humans as their servants, controlling them with powerful artifacts known as the Apples of Eden. However, humanity rebelled, led by Adam and Eve, who stole an Apple and sparked a revolution against their creators.

This war lasted a decade until a cataclysmic solar flare wiped out the Isu. The remnants of humanity emerged from the chaos to claim the world, setting the stage for the historical narratives that follow.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
431 to 422 BCE - Peloponnesian War

During the tumultuous Peloponnesian War, mercenary Kassandra uncovers The Cult of Kosmos, a secretive group manipulating the conflict. Among its members is her brother Alexios, kidnapped by the Cult in childhood and transformed into a formidable weapon. The Cult's interest in Alexios stems from his lineage, as he is a descendant of the Isu through their grandfather, the legendary Spartan King Leonidas.

Kassandra's journey leads her to thwart the Cult's plans, discovering their use of an Isu device to predict future outcomes and control the war. She eliminates the Cult's leaders, destroys the device, and brings peace to Greece. Along the way, she reconnects with her father Pythagoras, an Isu descendant, who entrusts her with the Staff of Hermes, granting immortality, and tasks her with guarding Atlantis.

Assassin’s Creed Origins
49 to 43 BCE - Ptolemaic Egypt

In the era of Cleopatra's rule, The Order of the Ancients, another shadowy organization linked to the Cult of Kosmos, abducts peacekeeper Bayek and his son. The Order seeks to unlock an Isu vault using Bayek's bloodline, but their plan fails. In the ensuing chaos, Bayek accidentally kills his son, fueling his quest for vengeance.

Together with his wife Aya, Bayek dismantles The Order, which controls Egypt through its puppet Pharaoh Ptolemy and by influencing Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. They uncover The Order's global ambitions to control politics and religion using Isu artifacts. To combat this, Bayek and Aya form The Hidden Ones, a secret society of spies and assassins operating from Egypt and Rome.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage
861 - Islamic Golden Age

Nearly a century later, The Hidden Ones have expanded, establishing strongholds like the Alamut fortress in Iran. Basim, a Baghdad street thief, is trained as an assassin and tasked with investigating The Order of the Ancients' activities. He uncovers their plan to access an Isu temple beneath Alamut, and helps thwart their invasion.

Inside the temple, Basim discovers a prison once holding Loki, an Isu revered as a god by the Norse. Learning he is Loki's reincarnation, Basim vows to exact revenge on those who imprisoned him in his past life.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
872 to 878 - Viking Invasion of England

In the following years, Basim joins a Viking clan in their quest to England, targeting The Order of the Ancients. Clan leader Sigurd and his sibling Eivor seek to establish their settlement, Ravensthorpe, while confronting King Alfred, a member of The Order aiming to impose a Christian regime.

After finding an Isu artifact, Sigurd experiences visions suggesting he is a god. Basim reveals that Eivor and Sigurd are reincarnations of Odin and Týr, the Isu who imprisoned Loki. Basim's attempt at revenge leads to a confrontation, resulting in Eivor trapping him in a simulated world. Sigurd, traumatized, relinquishes leadership to Eivor, who returns to England to defeat King Alfred and cement his legacy at Ravensthorpe.

Assassin’s Creed
1191 - Third Crusade

Over the next three centuries, The Hidden Ones evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood, while The Order of the Ancients transforms into the Knights Templar, both striving for global domination. During the Third Crusade, assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad is tasked with stealing an Apple of Eden from the Templars.

After a successful but costly theft, Altaïr must assassinate nine Templar leaders to atone for his mistakes. As he completes his mission, he uncovers a Templar plot to use the Apple's power, only to learn that his mentor, Al Mualim, had betrayed the Brotherhood for personal gain. Altaïr confronts and kills Al Mualim, taking command of the Assassins.

Assassin’s Creed 2
1476 to 1499 - Italian Renaissance

In the vibrant setting of the Italian Renaissance, Ezio Auditore da Firenze joins the Assassin Brotherhood to avenge his family's execution by the Templars. Equipped with his father's tools and innovations from Leonardo da Vinci, Ezio battles the Templar-aligned Borgia family.

His quest leads him to an Apple of Eden, which reveals an Isu vault beneath the Vatican. The Templars, led by Pope Rodrigo Borgia, also seek the vault. Ezio confronts Borgia in a dramatic showdown and enters the vault, where he is visited by the Isu Minerva. She warns of an impending apocalypse in 2012, hinting that Isu vaults worldwide hold the key to humanity's survival.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
1499 to 1507 - Italian Renaissance

After sparing Pope Borgia, Ezio faces repercussions when Borgia's forces seize Monteriggioni and the Apple of Eden. In response, Ezio strengthens the Brotherhood, eventually leading the Italian Bureau. The Assassins overthrow the Borgia regime in Rome, reclaim the Apple, and secure it in an Isu vault beneath the Colosseum, thwarting Templar access.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations
1511 to 1512 - Ottoman Civil War

Seeking further Isu knowledge, Ezio journeys to Masyaf, discovering a library built by Altaïr. The Templars, however, have already begun searching for the library's keys. Ezio allies with the Ottoman Assassins in Constantinople to halt the Templars' progress and secure the keys.

Inside the library, Ezio finds Altaïr's remains and an Apple of Eden, which projects a message from the Isu Jupiter. The message reveals data crucial for humanity's survival is stored in the Grand Temple. Recognizing this knowledge is for a future observer, Ezio leaves the Apple in the library and retires, later succumbing to his accumulated injuries.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows
1579 - Sengoku Period

Though details about Assassin’s Creed Shadows' storyline are sparse, it's set during Japan's Sengoku period. An African mercenary, alongside a Catholic Jesuit missionary, arrives in Japan and meets Oda Nobunaga, a lord unifying the nation's warring clans. The mercenary, named Yasuke, becomes one of Nobunaga's samurai and participates in the invasion of Iga province.

In Iga, Yasuke encounters Naoe, daughter of a shinobi master, and despite their opposing sides, they unite for a common cause.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
1715 to 1722 - Golden Age of Piracy

During the Golden Age of Piracy, rogue Edward Kenway inadvertently becomes embroiled in a Templar conspiracy after killing an Assassin. He learns of the Templars' quest for The Observatory, an Isu device capable of global surveillance, which can only be accessed by the 'Sage,' a reincarnation of the Isu Aita.

Edward aligns with pirates to locate Bartholomew Roberts, the current Sage, and disrupt the Templars. Their partnership sours when Roberts betrays Edward, but Edward escapes, tracks down Roberts, and avenges the betrayal. He then assassinates the Templar leader Laureano de Torres y Ayala and secures The Observatory's artifact, prioritizing the world's safety over personal gain. Edward returns to England to live with his family.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue
1752 to 1776 - French and Indian War

Shay Patrick Cormac, an Assassin, is sent to retrieve an Isu artifact from Lisbon, inadvertently triggering an earthquake that devastates the city. Stricken with guilt, Shay defects from the Brotherhood, stealing their map of Isu temples. Rescued by Templars, Shay rises through their ranks, targeting prominent Assassins.

His quest leads him to confront his former mentor, Achilles, in the Arctic, where he and Haytham Kenway, Edward's son, injure Achilles to prevent further Isu temple excavations. In 1776, Shay suggests the Templars ignite a revolution in France in response to the American uprising sparked by the Assassins.

Assassin’s Creed 3
1754 to 1783 - American Revolution

The Templars aim to unlock the Isu's Grand Temple, with Haytham Kenway acquiring the key in London and journeying to the American Colonies. There, he falls in love with Kaniehti:io, and they have a son, Ratonhnhaké:ton. Haytham abandons his family, and years later, after Kaniehti:io's death and the destruction of their settlement, Ratonhnhaké:ton, now known as Connor Kenway, trains as an Assassin under Achilles.

Against the backdrop of the American Revolution, Connor battles the Templars within the British forces, eventually confronting his father, Haytham. Their conflicting visions lead to a fatal confrontation, with Connor killing Haytham and burying the Grand Temple key, thwarting the Templars' plans.

Assassin’s Creed Liberation
1765 to 1777 - Spanish Occupation of Louisiana

Parallel to Connor's journey, Aveline de Grandpré in New Orleans uncovers a Templar plot to control Louisiana. She discovers a larger conspiracy involving the 'Company Man,' who uses slaves to unearth an Isu temple. Aveline's quest leads her to confront her own stepmother, the Company Man, and to activate the 'Prophecy Disk,' which tells the story of Eve's rebellion against the Isu.

Assassin’s Creed Unity
1789 to 1794 - French Revolution

Orphaned Arno Dorian grows up with the Templar Grand Master's family until he's framed for murder and imprisoned. In the Bastille, he joins the Assassin Brotherhood to find his father's killer. Their investigation reveals a Templar faction led by François-Thomas Germain, who ignites the French Revolution.

Arno and his sister Élise track Germain to a Templar crypt, where he attempts to use a Sword of Eden. The weapon backfires, killing Élise and wounding Germain, who reveals himself as the current Sage. Arno seals Germain's remains in the Paris Catacombs, ensuring they remain out of Templar hands.

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' control over the city through industry, politics, and crime. Jacob focuses on assassinating Templar leaders, while Evie races to find The Shroud first.

Despite losing key lieutenants, Templar leader Crawford Starrick locates The Shroud beneath Buckingham Palace. The twins thwart his plans, assassinate him, and secure The Shroud in its vault. Jacob leads the London Assassins, and Evie later tracks down Jack the Ripper. Their daughter, Lydia, becomes an Assassin during World War I, confronting a Templar espionage network led by another Sage.

Transition Period
1914 to 2012

The Assassin’s Creed series features a modern-day framing narrative. During the transition from the Victorian era to the modern storyline, the Templars establish Abstergo Industries in 1937, a pharmaceutical company aimed at controlling the world through capitalism. By the late 1970s, Abstergo develops the Animus, a virtual reality device that allows users to explore their ancestors' memories to uncover Isu artifacts.

Assassin’s Creed 1, 2, Brotherhood, Revelations, and 3
2012

In 2012, bartender Desmond Miles is abducted by Abstergo to explore his ancestor Altaïr's memories and locate Isu artifacts. With the help of Assassin mole Lucy Stillman, Desmond escapes and joins the Brotherhood, where he uses the Animus to explore Ezio's memories.

Through Ezio, Desmond learns of an impending apocalypse and the existence of Isu vaults. He retrieves an Apple of Eden, but it's possessed by the Isu Juno, who forces Desmond to kill Lucy. Despite a coma, Desmond relives Ezio's final memories, discovering the Grand Temple's location.

Awakening, Desmond and his team locate the Grand Temple, where he sacrifices himself to activate Isu technology that prevents the apocalypse, releasing Juno in the process.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag
2013

Using Desmond's DNA, Abstergo continues their search for Isu technology through Edward Kenway's memories. The Noob, an Abstergo researcher, is tasked with finding The Observatory but is manipulated by John Standish, the modern-day Sage, who aims to host Juno. Standish's plans fail, and he's killed by Abstergo security.

Assassin’s Creed Unity
2014

Abstergo releases Helix, allowing public access to genetic memories. An Assassin initiate, guided by Bishop, explores Arno Dorian's life to locate the remains of Sage François-Thomas Germain, secured by Arno in the Paris Catacombs.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
2015

The initiate searches for The Shroud in London through Jacob and Evie Frye's memories. Abstergo beats the Assassins to The Shroud, planning to create a living Isu. Juno manipulates Abstergo employees, attempting to sabotage their efforts.

Assassin’s Creed Origins
2017

Layla Hassan, an Abstergo researcher, develops a new Animus version and uses it to explore the memories of Bayek and Aya, uncovering the origins of The Hidden Ones. She's recruited by the Assassin Brotherhood.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
2018

Using DNA from the Spear of Leonidas, Layla explores Kassandra's memories, discovering Atlantis and meeting the immortal mercenary. Kassandra reveals Layla's role in balancing the Assassins and Templars, passing on the Staff of Hermes before dying.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
2020

Layla investigates magnetic field disturbances, exploring Eivor's memories and discovering the Yggdrasil computer in Norway. Inside the simulation, she meets Basim and Desmond's manifestation, The Reader. Layla sacrifices her mortal form to prevent future apocalypses, while Basim escapes, claiming the Staff of Hermes and joining the Assassins to find Loki's children.