In Assassin's Creed, which Assassin is the protagonist during the Third Crusade in 1191?

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad is the protagonist of Assassin's Creed during the Third Crusade in 1191.

Altaïr is introduced as a highly skilled Assassin whose arrogance leads to a demotion after a failed mission. His mentor, Al Mualim, sends him to eliminate nine targets across cities including Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus. Each target reveals more about the conflict between the Assassins and Templars.

The game presents Altaïr as an ancestor of Desmond Miles, whose genetic memories are explored through the Animus. Altaïr's story is therefore both a medieval adventure and part of the modern framing narrative that connects the series' historical settings.

Players sometimes confuse Altaïr with Ezio Auditore, the hero of the next major game. Ezio's adventures begin in Renaissance Italy, more than two centuries after Altaïr's campaign, while Altaïr's story establishes many of the series' recurring themes, including free will, secrecy, and the pursuit of forbidden knowledge.