Assassin's Creed II begins Ezio Auditore's story in 1476.
The game opens in Florence during the Italian Renaissance, where Ezio is introduced as a young nobleman before becoming involved in the Assassin–Templar conflict. The date places the opening several years before the Pazzi conspiracy of 1478, a major historical event represented in the game.
Ezio's personal journey then expands across several Italian locations, including Florence, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Forlì, Venice, and the Vatican. The campaign covers much of his transformation from an inexperienced young man into a trained Assassin.
A common mix-up is confusing the game's opening date with the dates of later sequences. Assassin's Creed II spans multiple decades, and its ending reaches 1499. The follow-up games Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations continue Ezio's life after the events of the second game.