In what year does Assassin's Creed II begin?

Assassin's Creed II begins in 1476. The opening introduces Ezio Auditore as a teenager in Renaissance Florence before a family betrayal changes the course of his life.

The game then follows Ezio over more than two decades, ending in 1499. During that time he becomes an Assassin, travels through major Italian locations, and confronts the Templars' plans. The historical backdrop includes the Medici family, the Pazzi conspiracy, Venice's political world, and the papacy of Rodrigo Borgia.

The date is easy to confuse with 1486, when several later events occur, or with 1500, the principal year of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Assassin's Creed II's opening date is tied to the start of Ezio's personal story, not to the birth of the Assassin Brotherhood or the earliest historical events shown in the franchise.