What historical period is depicted in the original Assassin's Creed?

The original Assassin's Creed is set during the Third Crusade.

Its historical sections take place in 1191, when Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad carries out missions in the Holy Land. The principal cities are Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus, all portrayed through the game's stylized interpretation of medieval architecture and politics. The story also includes Masyaf, the mountain settlement associated with Altaïr's Assassin group.

The Third Crusade lasted from 1189 to 1192 and involved European rulers including Richard I of England, Philip II of France, and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. The game uses real names and events as a backdrop, but its secret conflict between Assassins and Templars is fictionalized for the series.

Players sometimes place the game in the broader medieval period without identifying the specific crusade. The 1191 setting is important because it distinguishes the original game from later entries set in Renaissance Italy, colonial North America, the Caribbean, and ancient Egypt.