viernes, 27 de marzo de 2015

Characters that History will not remember (I):the assassin



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I would like to broadly develop the reasons that make interesting Seville, during the Baroque era, as a posible historical setting for a hypothetical Assassins Creed Saga videogame... In this way, we would point out the importance of the port of Seville, known as "Puerto de Indias", thanks to the seaway as alternative to trade with the most exotic and valuable products, from both America and Asia; therefore, Seville was the focus of all interests, mercantile, monetary, political and even to the poorest and most disadvantaged: everyone could find in Seville his chance - even if it was the "picaro" style: that is, cheating and stealing...

It was no wonder, because it is recognized Seville in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as the "economic capital" of the very Catholic Kingdom of Spain (however, these riches were lost, first, because English and Dutch piracy, and secondly, due to wastage invested by the Spanish kings in their wars in old Europe - for his own personal glory, not for the good of his Spanish vassals, lest we forget)... 

In any case, the Counter-reformist Seville was the perfect breeding ground for bringing together all walks of life, and all kinds of adventures can germinate: We could find in the city an important headquarter for the oppressive and dangerous Inquisition or "Holy Office"; sailors of all nationalities swarmed the harbor taverns, accompanied by local payroll prostitutes, pimps and gamblers; the noble houses (such as Guzman and Ponce de León families) daily competed with each other for supremacy in the city, clashing forces in the streets, under the helpless gaze of the officers of the King; old licensed soldiers of the "Tercios de Flandes", impoverished and unemployed noblemen, looking rent their sword, if not embroiling in duels, seeking to safeguard his honor; how not to mention the brotherhood of organized criminals, known as "Germania" (mentioned by Cervantes himself) with its complex hierarchy, their secret jargon and their shady business; of course, we could find in Seville one of the professed houses of the intriguing Society of Jesus, not to mention  the Jail Pirates of the House of Trade (Casa de Contratación) and, finally, all sorts of characters as priests, monks, scholars, painters, poets, artisans and merchants of all kinds, attracted by the riches that the city promised...

As regards the secular and secret race for power between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Order of the Temple, Seville else can not provide an ideal scenario for her quarrels and intrigues, plus a wide range of historical monuments to climb and do parkour ..

(to be continued)

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