Robert de Sable

"That man is our greatest enemy."

- Altaïr about Robert Robert de Sable was the Grand Master of the Templar Order from 1190 to 1191, and a Lieutenant in King Richard I's Crusader army.

Early life
Born into a powerful family, Robert de Sable was immersed into nobility from birth. Though many events during De Sable's life are difficult to pin down, at some point he became lord and ruler of Briollay, France.

Grand Master of the Templar Order
"All the men I've layed to rest have worked together, united by this man."

- Altaïr about Robert.

Subsequently, Robert de Sable entered the order of the Knights Templar and reigned as their "Grand Master" from 1190 to 1191. During the Third Crusade, Robert and the Knights Templar laid siege to the city of Acre, which soon fell. Throughout August 1191, they also recaptured many fortresses and cities along the Palestinian coast, which had previously been lost.

Quest for the Apple of Eden
"I want this through the gates before sunrise. The sooner we can possess it, the sooner we can turn our attention to those jackals at Masyaf."

- Robert telling his men to get the Ark of the Covenant.

In 1191, Robert and a group of guards entered Solomon's Temple, attempting to retrieve the Apple of Eden that was hidden there. However, right after Robert sent his guards to climb up to the artifact, a group of Assassins consisting of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Malik A-Sayf and Kadar A-Sayf ambushed them. Altaïr attempted to assassinate Robert while being in the open, thus Robert was able to stop Altaïr's attack. Altaïr was then thrown out of the room, which as a result caused the entrance back to be blocked by falling rubble. Robert and his guards then focused their attention on the A-Sayf brothers, killing Kadar and severely wounding Malik's left arm.

However, Malik was able to steal the artifact from the Templars, flee Jerusalem, and return to his Master, Al Mualim. Robert however, determined to regain the artifact, pursued the Assassins out of Jerusalem and towards the Assassin fortress of Masyaf. Two of the Assassins defected to the Templars, opening the gates of the town for Robert and his Templar infantry. The Templars stormed the village and killed many of the town's civilians and Assassin guards. Though the Assassins led an assault against the Templars, they were eventually driven back to the safety of the fortress. Arriving at the fortress, Robert demanded that they return the artifact to him, saying it was in his property. Al Mualim refused to do so, stating he had no claim to it. Robert rebuked this, claiming he played a dangerous game and they could out wait the Assassins. Al Mualim ignored this threat and signaled Altaïr to activate a trap that caused tree logs to fall on the Templar soldiers. Robert and the remaining Templars retreated from the town, having suffered too many casualties to continue.

Loss of power
"You have laid waste our plans. First the treasure then our men. Controllers of the Holy Land slipped away. But then, he saw an opportunity. To reclaim what has been stolen, to turn your victories to our advantage."

- Maria Thorpe talking to Altaïr about Robert's plans.

Robert managed to convince many Crusaders and Saracens to secretly defect to the Templars, promising them power in the "New World". The Assassin Altaïr was demoted because of his failure at Solomon's Temple, and was assigned by Al Mualim to eliminate each of these Templars in order to regain his lost rank. Over the

course of around a month, Altaïr was successful in eliminating each of the eight Templars, until Al Mualim appointed him to Robert's assassination. Robert, having foreseen that he'd be the next target, had his Lieutenant, Maria Thorpe, disguise herself as Robert and attend the late Templar Majd Addin's funeral - a trap for Altaïr - while Robert himself would be joining the battlefield at Arsuf alongside King Richard. Altaïr fell for the trap, but was able to defeat Maria and learned of Robert's true whereabouts and intentions. He then rode for Arsuf, determined to take Robert's life, after sparing Maria's life as she wasn't his target.

Battle of Arsuf and death
"Robert de Sable is now all that stands between us and victory. It's his mouth that gives orders, his hand pays the gold. With him dies the knowledge of the Templar treasure."

- Al Mualim about Robert de Sable.

Robert stood by King Richard's side for the course of the Battle of Arsuf, and while doing so, was able to convince Richard to ally himself with Saladin against a common enemy - the Assassins - as they had caused numerous deaths on both sides. Altaïr fought his way through Arsuf against Crusaders and Saracens alike, eventually

arriving at the Crusader camp, where he met Richard and Robert. Altaïr tried to convince Richard that the men he killed were secretly Templars, and that Robert was going to rebel against Richard, though Robert defended himself by saying that the Assassins were master deceivers. Richard, not sure who to believe, left God to decide who was speaking the truth, and had Altaïr fight against the Templars. Altaïr stood victorious against the Templars, but then was left to face Robert himself. Robert was Altaïr's toughest enemy to date, but he was nonetheless defeated.

Before dying, Robert enlightened Altaïr to the fact that Al Mualim was secretly a Templar as well, he wanted to have the Apple of Eden for his own and he sent Altaïr to kill the nine targets in order to keep them from gaining possession of the Apple. After saying that by taking his life, Altaïr had ended his own, Robert passed away.

Characteristics and personality
Robert was a very manipulative man, able to recruit various members to the Templar cause by offering them power in the New World. At the same time, Robert made King Richard trust him where at the same time Robert was plotting his downfall. Robert was also an ingenious stratigest, turning Al Mualim's plan to kill his supporters into a trap to destroy the Assassin Order. Robert was a supreme fighter as well, able to almost match the skill of Altaïr.

However, due to his disregard for the Templars' rule to not consort with women, he wasn't held in high regard by all of his fellow Templars, among which was his own successor Armand Bouchart.

Final words

 * Altaïr: It's done, then. Your schemes, like you, are put to rest.
 * Robert: (laughing coldly) You know nothing of schemes. You are but a puppet. He betrayed you, boy, just as he betrayed me.
 * Altaïr: Speak sense, Templar, or not at all!
 * Robert: Nine men he sent you to kill, yes? The nine who guarded the treasure's secret?
 * Altaïr: What of it?
 * Robert: It wasn't nine who found the treasure, Assassin; not nine, but ten!
 * Altaïr: A tenth? None may live who carry the secret. Give me his name!
 * Robert: Oh, but you know him well, and I doubt very much you'd take his life as willingly as you've taken mine.
 * Altaïr: Who?! 
 * Robert: It is your master, Al Mualim.
 * Altaïr: But he is not a Templar!
 * Robert: Did you never wonder how it is he knew so much? Where to find us, how many we numbered, what we aspire to attain?
 * Altaïr: He is the master of the Assassins!
 * Robert: Oui, master of lies. You and I are just two more pawns in his grand game. And now, with my death, only you remain. Do you think he'll let you live, knowing what you do?
 * Altaïr: I have no interest in the treasure!
 * Robert: Ah, but he does. The only difference between your master and I is that he did not want to share.
 * Altaïr: No.
 * Robert: Ironic, isn't it, that I, your greatest enemy, kept you safe from harm? But now you've taken my life... and in the process, ended your own!

Trivia

 * In the game, Robert was in his mid 30's when he was killed by Altaïr. In real life, he was relatively old when he died of natural causes. Robert died in the Holy Land on 23 September 1193.
 * Robert appears to have one of the largest physical builds in the game; being a head taller than Altaïr himself, and appearing to have bigger muscles. Though it is likely that this appearance is due to the armor he constantly wears.

Video
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Source

 * Assassin's Creed