In the original Assassin’s Creed, which historical period does Altaïr’s story mainly take place in?

The original Assassin’s Creed mainly takes place during the Third Crusade.

The game’s historical sections are set in 1191, when Christian and Muslim forces were fighting for control of the Holy Land. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, the game’s central Assassin, travels among major cities including Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus while pursuing targets connected to the conflict.

The Third Crusade lasted from 1189 to 1192 and included figures such as Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, and Saladin. Assassin’s Creed uses real locations and historical personalities but adds fictional characters, conspiracies, and organizations to create its story.

A common mix-up is placing the game in the Renaissance, because Assassin’s Creed II is set in that later period. The first game’s medieval setting is several centuries earlier, before the Italian adventures of Ezio Auditore da Firenze.