Ezio is the first name of the Italian assassin from the Auditore family in Assassin's Creed II.
Ezio Auditore da Firenze is introduced as a young Florentine nobleman in fifteenth-century Italy. After a conspiracy destroys much of his family, he becomes involved with the Assassin Brotherhood and begins a long campaign against the forces responsible. The game follows his growth from inexperienced fighter to accomplished Assassin.
Assassin's Creed II visits several Renaissance locations, including Florence, Monteriggioni, Venice, and Forlì. Historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Caterina Sforza appear as allies or associates. Leonardo also creates equipment and weapons based on designs supplied through the story.
Ezio's story continues in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Assassin's Creed: Revelations. Together, the three games are commonly called the Ezio trilogy. The character is distinct from Altaïr, whose memories appear in the first main game and whose life later intersects with Ezio's narrative.