Caterina Sforza

"One should always have the freedom to choose."

- Caterina to Ezio Auditore, 1500

Caterina Sforza (1463 – 1509) was the Countess of Forlì and Imola, and the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza, the Duke of Milan. She was engaged to Pope Sixtus IV's nephew, Girolamo Riario, at only 10 years of age, and consummated the marriage at 14.

As countess of Forlì, she became a strong ally of the Assassin Order, meeting the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze after her husband Girolamo had her trapped on a small island in Romagna. Eight years later, Caterina had her husband killed by the Orsi brothers after finding out that he was working for the Templars and for being a lousy husband.

Offering to keep the ancient artifact, the "Apple of Eden", safe in Forlì, Caterina and the Assassins Ezio and Niccolò Machiavelli found the city taken by the Orsi brothers, who were hired by the Templars. Re-taking the city, Ezio saved Caterina's children from the Orsi and killed the two brothers, though the Apple was eventually taken from him.

Caterina later traveled to the Italian Assassins' headquarters in Monteriggioni, requesting for aid against Cesare Borgia's army. Unexpectedly, Monteriggioni was besieged by Cesare the next day, causing the town to be destroyed and Caterina to be captured.

The next year, Caterina was transported to the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome for imprisonment. However, her imprisonment did not even last a day, as Ezio Auditore infiltrated the Castel, primarily hoping to kill Cesare and Rodrigo Borgia. With the two Borgias away from the Castel, Ezio freed Caterina with a key taken from Lucrezia Borgia, and a few weeks later Caterina returned to Florence to await the restoration of her lands.

Early life
Caterina was born in Milan, as the daughter of Galeazzo Maria Sforza and Lucrezia Landriani.

In 1473 at the age of 10, she was betrothed to Girolamo Riario, the nephew of Pope Sixtus IV. Four years later they consummated the marriage, and the next year Caterina gave birth to her first child, Bianca Riario.

Meeting Ezio Auditore
Close to the departure of Leonardo da Vinci from Forlì, Caterina was in the town as well, and had become trapped on a small rock in the middle of a lake. Luckily for her, Ezio Auditore heard her screaming for help, and came to her aid with a gondola and delivered her safely back to land. For this assistance, Caterina thanked Ezio by telling the captain of the Venetian ship to grant Ezio passage to Venice.

While sailing away from Forlì, Ezio stated that Caterina was his "next conquest", before being reprimanded by Leonardo, who explained Caterina's importance to Ezio and remarked that seducing her would not be such a good idea. Leonardo described her to be "as powerful and dangerous as she is young and beautiful." Ezio simply replied that Caterina was his "kind of woman."

Battle of Forlì
"Bastardi! (Bastards!) You think you can threaten me? I'll give you NOTHING! You want my children? Take them! I have the instrument to make more!"

- Caterina replying to the threats of the Orsi brothers.

In 1484, Caterina moved with her family to Forlì. In 1488, shortly after the murder of her husband, Caterina was contacted by her allies, the Assassin Order, who asked her if they could hide an "important artifact" inside the Rocca di Ravaldino in Forlì. Caterina agreed, and met with Niccolò Machiavelli and Ezio Auditore, who she previously had not known to be an Assassin, in the countryside of Romagna.

While walking towards Forlì, Caterina informed Niccolò and Ezio that she had hired the Orsi brothers to kill her husband, since he had been a Templar, as well as a "lousy father, boring in bed, and a pain in [her] ass."

As they drew closer to the city, they were met by a large crowd of Forlì's citizens fleeing. One of them informed Caterina and the Assassins that Forlì was being attacked by the Orsi brothers. Niccolò concluded that the two were working for Rodrigo Borgia, and were probably looking for the map that Girolamo had made of all the locations of the Codex pages.

Caterina took her soldiers to fight and reclaim her city, while Ezio served in the battle as both a soldier and protector to Caterina. By the time the group had reached the Rocca di Ravaldino, the Orsi brothers had taken two of Caterina's children hostage as a lure to steal the Apple of Eden, of which they had heard was in Ezio's possession.

When the brothers threatened to kill her children if she did not relinquish the Apple, Caterina lifted her skirt, showing her panties, and cried that she had the "instrument to make more."

Caterina did not wish the brothers to think that they were victorious, but she was desperate to get her children back, and requested Ezio to retrieve them for her. Ezio left the city immediately, found the children, and managed to kill Ludovico Orsi. Meanwhile, the Templars attacked the citadel again and took the Apple, which Ezio had placed in Caterina's hands.

After Ezio returned with Caterina's children and found out about the attack, he left Forlì and followed Checco Orsi into the countryside, where he assassinated him and retrieved the Apple. Checco managed to stab Ezio right before dying, and Ezio lost consciousness because of his wound; though not before seeing the Apple being stolen from him by a black robed monk with a missing finger.

Caterina's soldiers found Ezio's unconscious body next to Checco's, and took him to the Palazzo Comunale, where Caterina nursed him until he regained consciousness. Ezio then set off to find the monk, after Caterina gave him the map her husband had made of the Codex pages.

Florence
Caterina was later exiled to Florence, where she married Giovanni de' Medici. They had one son, baptized as Ludovico. However, after Giovanni's death in 1498, Caterina re-Christianized her son's name to Giovanni.

Siege of Monteriggioni
In 1500, Caterina and some of her soldiers went to temporarily stay in Monteriggioni, in order to forge an alliance with the mercenaries working for the Villa. Though she spoke with Ezio about this, he said that they would discuss it later, after he told the others about what he had discovered during his travel to the Vatican.

When Ezio was relaxing in his bathtub after the meeting, Caterina entered his room and took her dress off. The two kissed and spent the night together. However, the next morning, they were interrupted as the town was besieged by the Papal army, under the command of Cesare Borgia.

Caterina joined her soldiers in the defense outside the city, but was caught by some of Cesare's soldiers. She was held captive by Juan Borgia, and was forced to witness the execution of Mario Auditore at Cesare's hands.

Imprisonment in the Castel Sant'Angelo
"Good people of Roma, stay strong! You will be free, your time will come, I swear it!"

- Caterina encouraging the Roman citizens before being taken into the Castel.

In 1501, Caterina was brought to Rome in a carriage, and was seen being taken out of it just outside the Castel Sant'Angelo. Lucrezia Borgia "welcomed" her to Rome, and warned the nearby citizens that the same would happen to any of those who opposed Cesare. After a heated argument between the two, Caterina was taken away by the guards, and held captive within the Castello.

Shortly after this, Ezio infiltrated the Castel Sant'Angelo in order to assassinate Rodrigo and Cesare Borgia. Unfortunately, Cesare left before Ezio could face him, and evidently, Rodrigo had not been at the Castello for some time. Nevertheless, Ezio eventually found Caterina locked up in a cell, and witnessed her being beaten by Lucrezia. Ezio then pursued Lucrezia, as she had taken the key to Caterina's cell.

After killing a few guards, Ezio carried Lucrezia back to Caterina's prison, ignoring Lucrezia's protests. Caterina slipped her hand into Lucrezia's dress, taking the key and unlocking the door. Ezio and Caterina both forced Lucrezia into Caterina's old cell, with Caterina banging Lucrezia's head against the door to knock her unconscious.

As she was unable to walk due to her injury, Ezio carried Caterina out of the Castello, making sure that the way was clear. Upon reaching the walls, the two rode on horseback, and Ezio ordered her to go to Tiber Island while he stayed behind to distract the guards. La Volpe found Caterina and brought her safely to the Assassin headquarters, where she was tended to by a doctor.

Later life and death
"I am of no use to anyone without Forlì. I leave to be with my children and await the restoration of my lands."

- Caterina, before leaving Rome.

Caterina, knowing she was of little use to anyone without Forlì, decided to leave Rome in order to care for her children and await the restoration of her lands.

She intended to leave unannounced on horseback, though Ezio caught her just before she left. She then encouraged Ezio to unite the Assassins as their leader, and take back Rome. Her last words before galloping out of Ezio's sight were "Vittoria agli Assassini!" (Victory to the Assassins!).

Having returned to Florence, she made a petition to regain control of Forlì, though this was denied. She eventually died of pneumonia on 26 May 1509.

Personality and characteristics
"That woman is as powerful and dangerous as she is young and beautiful."

- Leonardo da Vinci regarding Caterina.

Caterina was depicted as a strong, fierce woman, but also seemed to be quite maternal and caring. Her colorful vocabulary was displayed in taunts and vulgarities shouted at her enemies during the Battle of Forlì.

Assassin's Creed II

 * In the novel Assassin's Creed: Renaissance, the scene where Ezio first meets Caterina slightly differs from that of the game. As she walks on the port, she is seen arguing with her husband. Tired of her, Girolamo tells Caterina to sit in the nearest gondola, and she does, he then gives her a powerful shove to the prow and walks away. As the gondola drifts farther from land, she begins to shout, and Ezio, who has watched the scene unfold, comes to her assistance.
 * Caterina, like every other character in Assassin's Creed II besides Ezio, cannot swim. When she is trapped on the small rock, she will shout for help, swear, and will sometimes yell out her inability to swim.
 * During the Battle of Forlì memory sequence, she uses the butcher knife as her weapon.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

 * After rescuing her from the Castel Sant'Angelo, Ezio asks, "Caterina, did they-? Did Cesare-?", to which Caterina replies "No. My name must still have some value. I was left... unspoiled." Historically, she was raped by both Rodrigo and Cesare.
 * As Ezio carries Caterina out of the Castello, she reveals to him that the night that they spent together at the Villa was not out of passion, but merely out of politics.
 * Caterina is less foul-mouthed in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood; where her colorful vocabulary seems to have passed on to Bartolomeo d'Alviano.
 * The Elegant Gown item in Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy is Caterina's dress in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
 * According to the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel, her hair smells of vanilla and roses.
 * Caterina suffers more abuse from Lucrezia during the novel than in the game.