The original Assassin's Creed is mainly set during the Third Crusade. The game follows Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, an Assassin operating in the Levant in 1191, when the conflict between European crusaders and Muslim forces shaped the region's politics and military campaigns.
The principal cities—Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus—were important locations during the period. The story also includes historical figures such as Richard the Lionheart and Saladin, although the game's secret societies and supernatural elements are fictionalized.
The Third Crusade lasted from 1189 to 1192 and began after Saladin captured Jerusalem in 1187. It included campaigns led by Richard I of England, Philip II of France, and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.
This setting is distinct from later Assassin's Creed games, which move to Renaissance Italy, colonial America, ancient Egypt, and other periods.