What is the name of the Assassin protagonist in the original Assassin's Creed?

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad is the Assassin protagonist of the original Assassin's Creed.

The game depicts Altaïr in 1191, during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land. At the beginning, he is a highly ranked Assassin whose failure during a mission causes him to lose his status. His mentor, Al Mualim, orders him to eliminate a sequence of targets so he can regain his rank.

Altaïr's name means “The Flying One” in Arabic, while Ibn-La'Ahad means “son of no one.” The character is often confused with Ezio Auditore, who leads the next major historical trilogy, but Ezio first appears in Assassin's Creed II.

Altaïr's story also remains important beyond the first game. His life, reforms, and leadership influence later Assassin characters, and his memories are connected to Desmond Miles through the Animus. This makes him one of the foundational figures in the series' fictional history.