Haytham Kenway

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Haytham Kenway is a British Templar who attempts to build a presence for his Order in the colonies during the French and Indian War. He is the father of Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor, who becomes an Assassin to protect his people and avenge his mother's death. The game's plot follows the millennia-old struggle between the Assassins, who fight to preserve peace and free will, and the Templars, who desire peace through control. Haytham's story is set in 18th-century Colonial America from 1754 to 1783, and his actions are directly tied to the Templars' attempts to influence the outcome of the American Revolution. In the game's prologue, players control Haytham for the first three main sequences, establishing his role as the leader of the Colonial Templars before switching to Connor for the remainder of the narrative.

In Their Own Story

In *Assassin's Creed III*, Haytham Kenway is introduced as a British Templar operating in Colonial America during the French and Indian War. The game's prologue, consisting of the first three main sequences, puts players in control of Haytham as he works to establish a Templar presence in the colonies. His story is interconnected with that of his son, Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor, who is half-Mohawk and becomes an Assassin. Connor's motivation is to protect his people and avenge his mother's death, which leads him to battle the Templars' attempts to influence the outcome of the American Revolution. The modern-day framing story features series protagonist Desmond Miles using the Animus to relive the memories of his ancestors, including Haytham, to find a way to avert the 2012 apocalypse. A prequel, *Assassin's Creed Rogue*, detailing the rise and fall of the Templars and Assassins in Colonial America, was released in November 2014.

Reader's Guide

Haytham Kenway is a playable character in the prologue of *Assassin's Creed III*, which covers the first three main sequences. During these sequences, players control Haytham as he navigates 18th-century Colonial America, using combat and stealth abilities to eliminate targets and explore the environment. The game is set in an open world presented from a third-person perspective, with areas including Boston, New York City, and the American frontier. Haytham's section of the game establishes the Templar presence in the colonies and sets up the conflict that Connor will later face. After the prologue, the narrative shifts to Connor, Haytham's half-Mohawk son, who becomes an Assassin. The game also features a multiplayer component, allowing players to compete online in solo and team-based objectives including assassinations and evading pursuers. A remastered version of the game was released in 2019 for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, and in 2021 for Google Stadia.

Did You Know?

• Haytham Kenway is the father of Ratonhnhaké:ton / Connor, the main protagonist of *Assassin's Creed III*.
• Players control Haytham during the first three main sequences of *Assassin's Creed III*, which serve as the game's prologue.
• Haytham is a British Templar who attempts to build a presence for his Order in the colonies during the French and Indian War.
• A prequel, *Assassin's Creed Rogue*, detailing the rise and fall of the Templars and Assassins in Colonial America, was released in November 2014.
• Haytham's son, Connor, is half-Mohawk, and the game was one of the first major video game releases to prominently feature Mohawk people.