Assassin’s Creed II primarily begins in 1476, when its Renaissance story introduces Ezio Auditore as a teenager in Florence.
The opening sequence presents Ezio’s family and his life as a young Florentine before the events that push him toward the Assassin Brotherhood. The game then follows his growth over several decades, moving through important moments in late-15th-century Italian history and ending in 1499 during the Vatican chapter.
The game’s setting includes Florence, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Forlì, Venice, and the Vatican. It uses historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo de’ Medici, and Rodrigo Borgia alongside fictional characters and the series’ modern-day storyline.
The date is sometimes confused with 1486, when Ezio’s father and brothers are executed, or with 1499, when the principal campaign reaches the Vatican. The opening year is 1476, which establishes Ezio before his transformation into an Assassin.