Edward Kenway

Edward Kenway (unknown - 1735) was an English privateer and occasional pirate, and a member of the Assassin Order. He was the father of Haytham Kenway, who would later be converted to the Templar Order by Edward's former employee Reginald Birch. Accompanying this, Edward was also the grandfather of Ratonhnhaké:ton and an ancestor of Desmond Miles.

Biography
Edward was described as a charming and charismatic man of British descent who grew up in poverty, which led to him becoming quite reckless and selfish. Upon adulthood, his only real career option was to join the British navy, and once accepted, he was stationed in the Caribbean. However, the lure of gold, glory and fame eventually led him to become a pirate. It was as a pirate that Edward first encountered the Assassin Order, and became enamored with their struggle.

Edward was married at some point to Caroline Scott, with whom he had a daughter, Jenny. Under unknown circumstances, his marriage eventually ended and he married his second wife, Tessa Stephenson-Oakley, some time afterwards.

Through Tessa's family connections, she had assisted him in purchasing a manor in in London, and the two had a son, Haytham, in 1725. Edward trained Haytham to become an Assassin from an early age, by things such as tutoring him on how to use a sword, despite Haytham barely being six years old at the time. Edward would also encourage his son to think for himself, and dispute others' opinions.

On December 4, 1733, on Haytham's eighth birthday, the Kenway family was walking home from a trip to on Chesterfield Street, when the group was attacked by a mugger. Reginald Birch, an associate of Edward's who was also with them, threatened to kill the man, whose attempt to rob Tessa of her necklace had failed. However, he was dissuaded by Edward, who was infuriated at Reginald's harsh vigilantism. When the family returned home that day, Edward asked his son whether he thought that the thief should have been allowed to go free. Haytham replied that he had initially held feelings to enact revenge, but would have offered the man clemency, to which Edward presented him with a steel short sword.

During another one of Reginald Birch's visits, the two men had a loud argument some time after Birch had Haytham unknowingly reveal the location of Edward's most prized and hidden possessions. The argument ended with Birch storming out of the office.

On 3 December 1735, the Kenway household was infiltrated by masked men, who kidnapped his daughter, Jenny Kenway, and killed several of the servants. During this time, they cornered Edward in the games room, and in a prolonged fight, they killed him.

Trivia

 * At some point in Haytham's childhood, Edward took him to see  at the Theatre Royal in London.
 * During his time as a privateer, Edward has been shown to have had at least four flintlock pistols and two swords on him at one given time.
 * "Edward" means "rich guard", derived from the Old English elements ead "rich, blessed" and weard "guard."
 * "Kenway" is an Old English name meaning "brave royal fighter."
 * Unlike many known Assassins, Edward did not wear a beaked hood.
 * Edward has been shown to bear multiple facial scars: one through his right eyebrow and corner of eye, another across the bridge of his nose, and a third from his right ear through his cheek.
 * However unlike other Assassins such as Desmond Miles, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore Da Firenze and Aveline de Grandpré he did not possess a scar across his lip.
 * This brings him in line with his son, Haytham Kenway, and grandson, Ratonhnhaké:ton, as none of them possessed scars on their lips.