In which historical period is the first Assassin’s Creed game mainly set?

The first Assassin’s Creed game is mainly set during the Third Crusade.

Its historical sections take place in 1191, when Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad undertakes missions in the Levant. The principal cities are Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus, all represented through the game’s fictionalized historical world.

The Third Crusade lasted from 1189 to 1192 and involved European leaders including Richard the Lionheart, Philip II of France, and Frederick Barbarossa. The game incorporates these real political and military tensions into its conflict between Assassins and Templars.

The modern-day framing story is set in the early twenty-first century, so the entire game is not confined to the medieval period. Its main playable historical setting, however, is the Third Crusade.