What is the name of the first Assassin's Creed protagonist, an Assassin active during the Third Crusade?

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad is the first Assassin's Creed protagonist, an Assassin active during the Third Crusade. He is the central historical character experienced by Desmond Miles through the Animus in the original game.

Altaïr begins as a highly skilled but overconfident member of the Levantine Assassin Brotherhood. After failing an important mission, he is demoted and sent to eliminate a series of targets in Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus. These assignments gradually expose a larger political conspiracy.

The character's name is commonly rendered with a modified Arabic spelling and an apostrophe: Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. “Ibn-La'Ahad” is translated as “son of no one,” matching the series' use of hidden identities and secret allegiances.

Altaïr's life is explored further in later games and media, including Assassin's Creed: Revelations. He is distinct from Ezio, whose Renaissance story forms the next major protagonist arc.