House of Barbarigo

The Barbarigo family were a Venetian noble family during the late 15th Century, and for the most part, members of the Knights Templar.

History
Since at least 1476, the Barbarigo family had been members of the Knights Templar, with both Marco Barbarigo and his cousin Silvio regularly attending Templar meetings in Rome, during one of which they expressed to worry over the Assassin Giovanni Auditore da Firenze.

The Barbarigo remained with the Templars after the execution of Giovanni Auditore and two of his sons, and following the failure of the Pazzi family to overthrow Lorenzo de' Medici of Florence, and assume control of the city in the name of the Knights Templar, the Grand Master of the Order – Rodrigo Borgia – approached the Barbarigo family with an offer seemingly to good to refuse.

Despite the death Emilio Barbarigo at the hands of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the son of Giovanni, in 1485, the Barbarigo family remained steadfast. That same year, following the assassination of Doge Giovanni Mocenigo by the Templar Carlo Grimaldi, Marco Barbarigo assumed the title of Doge; a point of much contention among his fellow Templars. With Venice under Templar control, the Barbarigo's were able to utilise the entire city's resources in their mission to regain the Apple.

The joyous time was short-lived however; Marco was assassinated during Carnevale, and replaced by his brother Agostino – a friend of the Assassins. Not long afterward, Ezio sided with the Venetian Mercenary guild and assaulted the city's military district, which had remained under the control of Silvio and his servent Dante Moro. As the condottiero Bartolomeo d'Alviano distracted the Templar soldiers, Ezio managed to sneak into L'Arsenale di Venezia and eliminate Silvio and Dante; ending the Templar presence amongst the Barbarigo family.