In the Assassin's Creed series, which historical figure is the real-life inspiration for Ezio Auditore?

In the Assassin's Creed series, Ezio Auditore is not based on a single real-life historical figure.

Ezio is a fictional character created for Assassin's Creed II and its related games. His family, career, and decades-long life are invented, although he interacts with real people and moves through accurately recognizable Renaissance locations and political circumstances.

Historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo de' Medici, and Niccolò Machiavelli appear in Ezio's story. Their presence can make the character seem biographical, but these figures are supporting characters rather than the model for Ezio himself. The games combine documented history with fictional conspiracies and secret organizations.

Ezio's surname, Auditore da Firenze, means Auditore of Florence, reinforcing his connection to a real city rather than identifying a historical dynasty. He is also distinct from Altaïr and Edward Kenway, whose stories belong to different periods and fictional family lines.