Antonio Maffei da Volterra (1450 – 13 May 1478) was an Italian presbyter, clergyman, and

Papal The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

notary A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems. A notary, while a legal professional, is disti ...

. He was born into a noble family in the town of

Volterra Volterra (; Latin: ''Volaterrae'') is a walled mountaintop town in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its history dates from before the 8th century BC and it has substantial structures from the Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval periods. History Volter ...

, then part of the

Florentine Republic The Republic of Florence, officially the Florentine Republic ( it, Repubblica Fiorentina, , or ), was a medieval and early modern state that was centered on the Italian city of Florence in Tuscany. The republic originated in 1115, when the Flo ...

ruled by the

Medici family The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...

. He is best remembered for the role he played in the Pazzi conspiracy, a plot to remove the Medici from power by those dissatisfied with their rule. Maffei was exasperated against Lorenzo since the sacking of Volterra. On Easter Sunday, 26 April 1478, Maffei and other conspirators attempted to assassinate

Lorenzo de' Medici Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (; 1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492) was an Italian statesman, banker, ''de facto'' ruler of the Florentine Republic and the most powerful and enthusiastic patron of Renaissance culture in Italy. Also known as Lorenzo ...

and his brother Giuliano inside the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

. Together with fellow conspirator Stefano da Bagnone, Maffei tried to strangle Lorenzo and managed to wound him in the throat. However, while Giuliano was successfully killed, Lorenzo survived his injuries. After the failure of the assassination plot, Maffei found refuge in the Badia Fiorentina church in Florence, but was later arrested and

hanged Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...

from the

Palazzo della Signoria A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...

on 3 May.

In popular culture

Antonio Maffei is featured as a minor antagonist in the video game '' Assassin's Creed II'', in which he is depicted as a member of the

Templar Order , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

, who within the game's storyline are responsible for the Pazzi conspiracy. Rather than being executed in Florence after the failure of the plot, he flees to

San Gimignano San Gimignano () is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of ...

, where he is later assassinated by Ezio Auditore. Maffei also makes a minor appearance in the game's prequel film, '' Assassin's Creed Lineage'', played by

Shawn Baichoo Shawn Baichoo (born 4 December 1979) is a Canadian voice actor and motion capture artist who has been acting since 1998. Career He started theatre studies in Montreal and has worked in television, film, theatre, fight choreography, stunts, anima ...

References

{{reflist 1450 births 1478 deaths People executed by Florence 15th-century Italian Roman Catholic priests Italian male criminals Notaries People executed by hanging