Haytham Kenway leads the Templars in Assassin’s Creed III.
Haytham is introduced at the beginning of the game as a central playable character before the story shifts to his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton, who is commonly known as Connor. Haytham’s activities in colonial North America are connected to the Templar effort to build influence and pursue long-term control.
The Templars are the recurring rival faction of the Assassins throughout the franchise. In Assassin’s Creed III, the conflict unfolds during the era of the American Revolution, with major settings including Boston, New York, and the frontier. Haytham’s relationship with Connor gives the game’s central conflict a personal and family dimension.
The Order of Ancients is an earlier organization featured in Assassin’s Creed Origins and later historical periods. It is therefore not the organization Haytham leads in Assassin’s Creed III. The Assassins are Connor’s faction, not Haytham’s.