- "The death of all tyrants will set the people free."
- ―A famed declaration by Lawrence
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Richard Lawrence
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Born
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1800
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Died
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1861 (aged 61)
Washington, D.C
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Occupation
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House painter
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Affiliations
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Richard Lawrence (1800 – June 13, 1861) was a house painter and a member of the Assassins. Lawrence attempted to shoot President and Templar puppet, Andrew Jackson, outside the United States Capitol on January 30, 1835.
Attempted assassination of Andrew Jackson[]
U.S President Andrew Jackson was a member of the Templars and had been placed in the Presidency in order to advance the Order's cause. Including, the mass displacement of Native Americans, which had been done in order to help quash a potential future Native resistance against Templar goals.
Due to Jackson's tie to their enemies, the Assassins began plotting to kill the President. It was eventually decided among the Brotherhood, that Richard Lawrence would be the one to preform the Assassination.
Lawrence's plan was to shoot Jackson using his hidden gun, as the President left a funeral service being held at the U.S Capitol. As Jackson passed the pillar, Lawrence stepped out and prepared to shoot him. However, Lawrence's hidden gun misfired and before he could attempt another shot, he was beaten to the ground by a mob.
Fall into insanity[]
After being detained, Lawrence was interrogated by the Templars, notably among them, Francis Scott Key. His interrogators discovered the Assassin insignia tattoo on his finger and began to question him of the Brotherhood's secrets. Refusing to betray the Order, Lawrence was tortured, both physically and mentally, before finally becoming psychologically broken. The Templars would later use many of Lawrence's ramblings to convince the American public that he was simply a lunatic and did not act as part of a conspiracy. Claiming he had been disturbed since his 30s.
Following his trial, Lawrence was found "not guilty by reason of insanity" and was set to be committed.
Death and legacy[]
On June 13, 1961, Lawrence died in a hospital for the insane.
Lawrence's quote, "the death of all tyrants will set the people free", became infamous among Assassins. Clay Kaczmarek used the phrase in the Glyphs left in the Animus, during a segment titled "Guardians", which covered Templars and Templar affiliates killed by the Brotherhood.