Assassin's Creed Shadows, the latest installment in this sprawling franchise, might seem chronologically misplaced, nestled within the series' rich tapestry of history. But its feudal Japan setting actually places it near the middle of the Assassin's Creed timeline. The series famously doesn't follow a strict chronological order; instead, it leaps through time, exploring pivotal historical events from the Peloponnesian War in Ancient Greece to the eve of World War I.

With 14 mainline games and counting, the Assassin's Creed timeline is undeniably complex. To navigate this centuries-spanning saga, IGN has meticulously pieced together the lore, unraveling the overarching narrative and connecting the individual games. What follows is a chronological exploration of the key events in the Assassin's Creed universe.

The Isu Era

75,000 BCE

Before we delve into the historical narratives, a crucial piece of lore needs explaining. Long ago, a highly advanced civilization of god-like beings, the Isu, ruled the Earth. They created humanity to serve as their slaves, maintaining control through powerful artifacts known as the Apples of Eden. Humanity, naturally, resisted. Eve and Adam, two humans, stole an Apple of Eden and escaped, igniting a decade-long revolutionary war. This conflict was abruptly ended by a devastating solar flare, obliterating the Isu and leaving humanity to inherit the Earth.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

431 to 422 BCE - Peloponnesian War

Amidst the turmoil of the Peloponnesian War in Greece, Kassandra, a mercenary, uncovers the Cult of Kosmos, a clandestine organization secretly manipulating the conflict. She discovers her long-lost brother, Alexios, kidnapped as a child and transformed into a demigod-like weapon by the Cult. Alexios's lineage, a direct descent from the legendary Spartan King Leonidas (himself an Isu descendant), makes him a key target. Kassandra's quest to thwart the Cult's plan to dominate Greece leads her to an Isu device capable of predicting futures. She eliminates the Cult's leaders, destroys the device, and brings an end to the war. Her journey also reunites her with her father, Pythagoras, another Isu descendant, who bestows upon her the Staff of Hermes, granting immortality, and tasks her with protecting Atlantis.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

49 to 43 BCE - Ptolemaic Egypt

During Cleopatra's reign, Bayek, a Medjay peacekeeper, and his wife Aya confront the Order of the Ancients, another shadowy organization working with the Cult of Kosmos. The Order's kidnapping of Bayek and his son, driven by the belief that Bayek's bloodline holds the key to an Isu vault, tragically leads to his son's death. Fueled by revenge, Bayek and Aya dismantle the Order, exposing their puppet Pharaoh Ptolemy and their influence over Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. Their fight reveals the Order's global reach and ambition to control politics and religion through Isu artifacts. In response, Bayek and Aya establish the Hidden Ones, a secret collective of assassins operating across Egypt and Rome.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

861 - Islamic Golden Age

Centuries later, the Hidden Ones, now firmly established, operate from Alamut in Iran. Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief from Baghdad, undergoes assassin training and investigates the Order of the Ancients' activities in his city. His investigations lead him to an Isu temple beneath Alamut, where he confronts the Order and discovers a technologically advanced prison holding Loki, an Isu considered a god by the Norse. Basim's discovery of his own connection to Loki fuels his quest for revenge.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

872 to 878 - Viking Invasion of England

Basim accompanies a Viking clan to England, continuing his pursuit of the Order. Sigurd and Eivor, the clan's leaders, establish Ravensthorpe and confront King Alfred, a Templar leader aiming to impose a Christian regime. The discovery of an Isu artifact triggers visions in Sigurd, revealing his and Eivor's identities as reincarnations of Odin and Týr, Loki's jailers. Basim's revenge attempt is thwarted, leaving Eivor to defeat King Alfred and lead the clan. Basim is trapped within a simulated world generated by the Yggdrasil Isu computer.

Assassin’s Creed

1191 - Third Crusade

Over the next three centuries, the Hidden Ones evolve into the Assassin Brotherhood, facing off against the Knights Templar, the evolved Order of the Ancients. During the Third Crusade, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad steals an Apple of Eden from the Templars, but his arrogance leads to a fellow assassin's death. His subsequent mission to assassinate nine Templar leaders unveils Al Mualim's betrayal and his plan to use the Apple for world domination. Altaïr ultimately confronts and kills his former mentor.

Assassin’s Creed 2

1476 to 1499 - Italian Renaissance

In the Italian Renaissance, Ezio Auditore da Firenze joins the Brotherhood, seeking revenge for his family's murder at the hands of the Templars. His quest leads him to an Apple of Eden, revealing a hidden Isu vault beneath the Vatican. His confrontation with Rodrigo Borgia, the Templar Grand Master and Pope, results in victory and the discovery of a message from Minerva, warning of an impending apocalypse in 2012 and revealing a network of Isu vaults as a potential solution.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood

1499 to 1507 - Italian Renaissance

Following the theft of the Apple of Eden, Ezio rebuilds the weakened Brotherhood in Rome, reclaiming the Apple and securing it in an Isu vault beneath the Colosseum.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations

1511 to 1512 - Ottoman Civil War

Ezio's search for Isu knowledge leads him to Masyaf, where he uncovers Altaïr's library and confronts the Templars. His journey to Constantinople involves thwarting the Templars' attempt to restore the Byzantine Empire. Within the library, Ezio discovers Altaïr's remains and a message from Jupiter, revealing the location of the Grand Temple and its importance for humanity's survival. Ezio's final years conclude with his death after a lifetime of service.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

1579 - Sengoku Period

[Details about Assassin's Creed Shadows' storyline are currently limited, but it involves an African mercenary in 16th-century Japan, encountering Oda Nobunaga and forming alliances amidst the Sengoku period conflicts.]

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

1715 to 1722 - Golden Age of Piracy

Edward Kenway, a pirate, becomes embroiled in a Templar conspiracy centered around The Observatory, an Isu device capable of global surveillance. His quest to find Bartholomew Roberts, the current Sage, leads him to disrupt the Templars' plans and ultimately secure The Observatory, eliminating Laureano de Torres y Ayala and safeguarding the artifact.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue

1752 to 1776 - French and Indian War

Shay Patrick Cormac, after causing an earthquake in Lisbon while retrieving an Isu artifact, defects from the Assassin Brotherhood to the Templars. His actions lead him to hunt down his former mentors, culminating in a confrontation with Achilles in the Arctic. Shay's involvement in the French and Indian War and his suggestion for a French revolution mark his significant contributions to the Templar cause.

Assassin’s Creed 3

1754 to 1783 - American Revolution

Haytham Kenway, son of Edward, leads the Templars' pursuit of the Grand Temple, ultimately fathering Connor, who becomes an Assassin during the American Revolution. Connor's quest for revenge and his eventual confrontation with his father, Haytham, highlight the conflict between the Assassins and Templars.

Assassin’s Creed Liberation

1765 to 1777 - Spanish Occupation of Louisiana

Aveline de Grandpré, an Assassin in New Orleans, uncovers a Templar plot to control Louisiana, involving the use of slaves to excavate an Isu temple. Her actions reveal her stepmother's involvement and lead to the discovery of a Prophecy Disk detailing Eve's rebellion against the Isu.

Assassin’s Creed Unity

1789 to 1794 - French Revolution

Arno Dorian, orphaned and raised by Templars, becomes an Assassin during the French Revolution. His pursuit of François-Thomas Germain, a Templar extremist, leads to the discovery of Germain's identity as the Sage and his attempt to use a Sword of Eden. Arno's actions ultimately result in Élise's death and Germain's demise.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

1868 - Victorian England

Jacob and Evie Frye, twin Assassins, confront the Templars' control over Victorian London, pursuing The Shroud. Their efforts lead to the assassination of Crawford Starrick and the securing of The Shroud. Evie's later actions include the elimination of Jack the Ripper, while Lydia's involvement in World War I concludes with the assassination of another Sage.

Transition Period

1914 to 2012

The Templars establish Abstergo Industries, aiming for world domination through capitalism and the Animus, a virtual reality machine used to explore ancestral memories.

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

2012

Desmond Miles, an Assassin descendant, uses the Animus to locate Isu artifacts, aided by Lucy Stillman. His journey through his ancestors' memories leads to the discovery of the Apple of Eden and the revelation of Juno's plans. Desmond's sacrifice at the Grand Temple prevents the apocalypse.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

2013

Abstergo's continued search for Isu technology through Edward Kenway's memories involves The Noob, a researcher, and John Standish, the modern-day Sage, whose plans are thwarted.

Assassin’s Creed Unity

2014

Abstergo's Helix project allows players to relive Arno Dorian's memories, leading to the discovery of Germain's remains.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

2015

The initiate explores Jacob and Evie Frye's memories, revealing Abstergo's plan to create a living Isu using The Shroud, and Juno's interference.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

2017

Layla Hassan, an Abstergo researcher, uses Bayek and Aya's DNA to relive their memories and is later recruited by the Assassins.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

2018

Layla explores Kassandra's memories, discovering Atlantis and receiving the Staff of Hermes.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

2020

Layla explores Eivor's memories, discovering the Yggdrasil computer and working with Basim and Desmond's consciousness to prevent future apocalypses.

Assassin's Creed: The Complete Playlist