Francesco de' Pazzi

"Your day is done, Lorenzo! Your entire family dies by my sword!"

- Francesco mocking Lorenzo de' Medici at the Duomo, 1478.

Francesco de' Pazzi (1444 – 26 April 1478) was the father of Vieri de' Pazzi and a member of the Pazzi conspirators. Secretly a Templar, he was one of Florence's wealthiest nobles. Francesco loathed the Medici family and the rising middle class with a passion.

Templar Associate
In 1476, Francesco was accused of murder by Giovanni Auditore. Giovanni was ready to present his evidence in court, however, he was betrayed by Uberto Alberti, who was a secret ally of the Templars. Subsequently, Giovanni and his sons Federico and Petruccio were executed. With Giovanni dead, Francesco was cleared of all charges.

Pazzi Conspiracy
In 1478, Francesco met with a group of Templars consisting of Jacopo de' Pazzi, his son Vieri de' Pazzi, and the then Grand Master, Rodrigo Borgia in San Gimignano to discuss their plan to overthrow the Medici family. Soon after Francesco left, Vieri was killed by Ezio Auditore during an attack on the city by Mario Auditore. Later that same year, Francesco met with another group of Templars, this time consisting of Bernardo Baroncelli, Stefano da Bagnone, Jacopo and Rodrigo in the catacombs under Santa Maria Novella in order to finalize their plans to gain control of Florence. The next morning during High Mass at the Duomo, Francesco and his co-conspirators attacked the Medici family, killing Giuliano de' Medici and injuring Lorenzo de' Medici, however Ezio fought them off before they could finish off Lorenzo.

Death
"You again? Why aren't you dead? Men! Slaughter him!"

- Francesco upon sighting Ezio.

After transporting Lorenzo to safety, Ezio set off to kill Francesco, who he was told, was leading a battalion around the back of the Palazzo della Signoria. Arriving at the prison, Ezio was greeted by Francesco who was atop the prison walls, and ordered his men to kill Ezio. Making his way to the top of the Signoria, Ezio confronted Francesco who cursed the Assassin and jumped off the top of the walls and into a bale of hay. Ezio followed Francesco, eventually catching up to him and assassinated him. Later, Francesco's body was hung from the top of the Palazzo della Signoria by the Medici supporters.

Final words
Ezio: Now Firenze will judge you for what you've done.

Francesco: ''It's over... It's all over...''

Ezio: Meglio essere felici in questa vita che aspirare a esserlo nella prossima. (Better to be content in this life, than aspire to it in the next) Requiescat in Pace. (Rest in peace)

Characteristics and personality
Francesco de' Pazzi has a deep hatred for the middle-class who makes their way to the top. This was shown in his database that he hated them especially in the ascension of Lorenzo de Medici. There is also a hint that Francesco ignores his son, Vieri. It is stated in the letter of Fra Giocondo that Vieri wants the approval and the attention of Francesco.

Trivia

 * It is peculiar that Vieri is Francesco's son, as the latter had to have been 10 when Vieri was born.
 * Francesco de' Pazzi had a daughter as well. Hinted in the game's start, "Boys will be boys", Ezio comments "Your sister seemed quite satisfied with the handling I gave her earlier" to Vieri de' Pazzi just before their fight. In addition, in Assassin's Creed: Renaissance, Ezio specifically stated her name as Viola.
 * In real life, Francesco de' Pazzi was reputed to have stabbed himself in the thigh accidentally, while killing Giuliano de' Medici in a frenzy. He was dragged from the Palazzo Pazzi and then hanged naked from the tower of the Palazzo della Signoria on April 26, 1478. His body was then cut down and desecrated.
 * When being pursued by Ezio, Francesco de' Pazzi leaps off the Palazzo della Signoria into a haystack for a quick escape. This was the only known example for a non-Assassin committing a form of a Leap of Faith, until it was shown that in the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer modes, the playable Templar characters can also perform a Leap of Faith.
 * Francesco executes a Leap of Faith method different to the eagle dive regularly performed by Ezio.
 * The voice actor who does the voice for Francesco, (Andreas Apergis) also does the voice for Checco Orsi, as well as the voice of Cesare Borgia in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Videos
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