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Characters / Age Of Empires II HD Edition

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Age of Empires II Character sheets
Civilizations: Age of Kings/The Conquerors | HD Edition | Definitive Edition | Return to Rome (AoE1)
Campaigns: Age of Kings/The Conquerors | HD Edition | Definitive Edition
Non-Unique Units
Characters appearing in the campaigns introduced by Age of Empires II: HD Edition, including the Expansion Packs/DLCs The Forgotten, The African Kingdoms and Rise of the Rajas.
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The Forgotten Campaigns

Dracula (Turks, Slavs and Magyars)

    Vlad Dracula 
The protagonist of the campaign, and the head of the Kingdom of Wallachia. Represented by the Boyar unit, slightly reworked in Definitive Edition.
  • The Caligula: Veers into this by the fourth mission in the HD edition, where he murders a monk for flattering him unrighteously.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Surprisingly has his moments in the HD edition, commenting on the auspiscious start to his travel (he just got shipwrecked) and appreciating another boyar's decoration of his castle (impaled corpses).
  • Disproportionate Retribution: (HD only) He kills a monk for flattering him.
  • Dressing as the Enemy: In the third map (HD only), he disguises himself as a Turkish merchant (inexplicably represented with the king unit) to take over an Ottoman garrison.
  • Frontline General: Deconstructed in DE: personally leading a charge against the weakened and demoralized Turks in Târgoviște gets him killed by a volley of arrows, allowing the Turks to turn the tables on the Wallachians.
  • How We Got Here: The narration before the game (HD edition) is done by a bystander looking at Vlad's impaled head in Istanbul.
  • Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: This being Vlad the Impaler, it could only be expected. Happens to countless mooks through his campaign and eventually to Vlad himself (only his head, though and only in HD Edition).
  • Kick the Dog: (HD only) In the later levels, he stakes innocents and murders monks for flattering him.
  • Nightmare Fetishist: The first mission sees him praising a fellow Wallachian nobleman's sense of decoration... which is impaling people right in front of his castle.
  • Perspective Flip: DE does one by changing the character who "knew" Dracula to a peasant soldier who fought alongside Dracula. The DE narration emphasizes the popularity Dracula had among the peasantry, while leaving out or justifying the more unsavory things he did. DE also implies that the peasantry did not know the "true" Dracula, while the HD narration includes quotes from the man himself and a closer look at him, Warts and All.
  • Villain Protagonist: Arguably, the main character portrayed least sympathetic. He at one point murders a monk for flattering him, and stakes several hundred Ottoman soldiers, all of which happened in real life. The fourth mission of his campaign also requires the player to burn down undefended Wallachian villages.
  • We Used to Be Friends: To the Ottomans.
  • You Killed My Father: Vladislav killed his brother and father.

    Danislav, Jakub and Istvan 
The three voivode princes who become the closest allies to Dracula. Represented by a cataphract, a paladin and a cavalier, respectively, while in DE they're all heroic knights.
  • Demoted to Extra: They're not depicted beyond the first scenario in DE, and play no significant role to the story.
  • A Father to His Men: Seems primarily motivated by the well being of their peoples, rather than Dracula, who is motivated by spite and revenge.
  • Horseback Heroism: Through three different units, all of them are heavy cavalry sans Danislav in the first scenario, who's an Ax Thrower.
  • The Lancer: To Dracula.
  • Not Quite Dead: The narrator of the Dracula campaign in HD is Istvan, having survived the night raid on the Turks. Averted in DE, where the identity of the narrator isn't revealed, only that he's leading a pilgrimmage to Dracula's rumoured final resting place: the Monastery of Snagov.
  • La Résistance: Against Vladislav in their first appearance.
  • Surprisingly Sudden Death: After serving as somewhat important characters for the HD campaign, they all unceremoniously die in the final battle of the fourth level, where only Dracula survives, with nobody even mentioning their deaths.

    Vladislav II 
The leader of the Dăneşti clan, and the usurper of the throne of Wallachia, as well as the murderer of Draculas father and older brother. A secondary antagonist of the campaign. Represented by a cavalier unit, and later a king unit.
  • Hopeless Boss Fight: In his first appearance, his unit is ridiculously strong, and meant to be fled from.
  • It's Personal: With Dracula.
  • Starter Villain: Presented as a major threat, but is quickly defeated and killed off in the second mission.

    Murad II 
The sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who sends Dracula to Wallachia after Vladislav takes over. Represented by the King unit.
  • Big Good: Serves as this in his only appearance in the first level.
  • The Good King: Was sultan while he and Dracula were still allies. After his death, his ambitious and more ruthless son Mehmet took over, and things went awry.

    Mehmet II 
The son of Murad, becoming the enemy of Dracula unlike his father.
  • Arch-Enemy: To Dracula, after Vladislav and Murad's deaths.
  • Big Bad: Since he leads the Turks, the main enemies, from mission 3 and onward.
  • The Empire: The Ottoman Empire.

    Radu 
The younger brother of Dracula, and the leader of the Ottoman troops against him in the fourth mission.

Sforza (Italians)

    Francesco Sforza 
An Italian mercenary, captain of his platoon after his father's death, and the main protagonist of the campaign. Represented by a Condottiero unit in the HD edition, later given his own unit in the Definitive Edition.
  • Only in It for the Money: Well, he's a mercenary. He doesn't care for politics; he just needs his employers to be able to pay him. On the other hand, his famous granddaughter Caterina (contemporary of Machiavelli) was notorious for her political intrigues.

    Muzio Sforza 
The father of Francesco. After his death, Francesco takes over his soldiers. Represented by a Condottiero unit.
  • Adapted Out: The Definitive Edition has Sforza's campaign start after Francesco takes over his soldiers, meaning that his death is not shown (in fact, he only receives a mention in one of the post-episode slides).
  • Anti-Hero: More so than his son.
  • Bad Boss: Dialogue with Francesco has him berating his son for letting his soldiers eat and rest at all. This said, he's not a tyrant, just a hardass.
  • Parting-Words Regret: He calls his son Francesco a coward for not wanting to follow him across a river with a strong current. Muzio ends up drowning in said river.
  • Pet the Dog: Dialogue implies that he gave Francesco a proper childhood, despite his ruthlessness.
  • Suicidal Overconfidence: Wanders straight into a powerful current, and unsurprisngly dies for it.

    Carmagnola 
A Venetian mercenary general, and the closest the campaign has to a main antagonist. Represented by a cataphract unit.
  • Arch-Enemy: To both of the Sforzas. Averted in DE, which moves the whole campaign forward in time and thus Carmagnola is a minor obstacle in the battle for Brescia and promptly disappears.
  • Batman Gambit: Used by him against Malatesta, and later by Sforza against him.
  • Big Bad: Until the third mission, at least.
  • Demoted to Extra: His camp is on of the two obstacles for the conquest of Brescia in DE, then he doesn't reappear again. Justified since the reworked campaign focus more on Francesco's later life than his initial trials.
  • I Surrender, Suckers: Pulls this off to trick and defeat Malatesta.
  • Out-Gambitted: Goes both ways: In the second mission, he completely out-gambits Malatesta through Xanatos Speed Chess, in the third however, he is Out-Gambitted by Sforza.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: After his forces are defeated in the third mission, he disappears from the campaign. In real life, Venice pulled off a You Have Failed Me: they called him back under the pretence of discussing the future, and he was promptly tortured and executed, and this is offhandely mentioned in the cutscene.
  • Xanatos Speed Chess: Pulls this off to defeat Malatesta, after the destruction of his siege tower.

    Filippo Maria Visconti 
The Duke of Milan, and Sforza's distrustful employer. Represented in-game by a king unit.
  • Da Chief
  • Parental Substitute: A really weird and screwed up example; as noble Italian families were used to internal backstabbing and feuding, his alternatively abusing and rewarding Sforza was basically acknowledging he considered the mercenary as the son he didn't have.
  • Smug Snake: Distrustful and paranoid, one moment he has Sforza blamed and incarcerated for Carmagnola's escape, the other he's offering him the hand of his daughter if he defeats the Venetians.
  • The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter: Filippo Maria himself is described as ugly and unsightly, but his daughter Bianca Maria is briefly seen as a Ms. Fanservice.
  • Ungrateful Bastard: Blames Malatesta's death on Francesco and has him thrown into jail. Surprisingly averted in DE, where when Francesco, who previously ditched him despite being engaged to his daughter, returns to Milan and asks for help against the King of Naples, Visconti welcomes him back and allows him to marry his daughter. In turn, this alienates his other employee, Piccinino.

    Sigismondo Malatesta 
A mercenary employed by Filippo, fighting against Carmagnola. Represented by a paladin unit.

    Simone and Geremio 
Two spies sent by Sforza to infiltrate Carmagnola's camp. Represented by a man at arms unit.
  • Adapted Out: They do not appear in Definitive Edition, as the campaign in DE focuses more on Sforza's battles against Piccinino and Micheletto.
  • Badass Normal: While they have the health and armor of normal man at arms, they have a ludicrously high attack, enabling them to One-Hit Kill pikemen, necessary to retain stealth during the attack. However, they retain that high damage after the scenario turns into "build and destroy", making them lethal units.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Geremio, whom upon seeing a rat in the sewer, goes on rambling about how rats caused the plague. While they are on their way to a lethal stealth mission. Simone quickly shuts him up.
  • No Sympathy: Simone towards his teammate.
  • Straight Man and Wise Guy: Geremio has to be reminded of their mission by Simone.
  • Terrified of Germs: Geremio freaks over the possiblity of rats bringing back the plague.
  • Those Two Guys: They act together for the first part of the scenario.

    Niccolò Macchiavelli 
A mere college student who's very interested by Sforza's many adventures. He only appears in HD Edition.
  • Adapted Out: He does not appear in Definitive Edition. note 
  • I Should Write a Book About This: Ultimately, he feels so inspired by Sforza's tale he announces his decision to write a full-blown criticism essay about ruling and power. note 
  • Machiavelli Was Wrong: Downplayed — he's rather quick to assume Sforza should have used more extreme methods, only for the old condottiero to point why it would have failed. So, it's about Machiavelli growing closer to the pragmatic approach his book actually preaches, instead of the full Kick the Dog strategy his thinking was flanderized into.
  • Plot Device: His interest to learn about Sforza's struggles gives the Narrator a reason to tell the campaign.
  • Pragmatic Hero: Completely fascinated by the concept. He himself has shades of it, noting that the man holding interesting information is cold and hungry and so letting him enter into the library to warm himself and giving him food, subtly bribing him into telling his story.
  • Through His Stomach: Entices the old condottiero telling Sforza's life-story to continue by giving him food. The man is happy to let himself being bribed as he was hungry.
  • Young Future Famous People: At this point in time, Machiavelli is a mere student who only has the barest hints about the book he's gonna write.

    Micheletto (Attendolo) 
Cousin of Francesco.
  • …And That Little Girl Was Me: At the end of the campaign in Definitive Edition, the narrator reveals himself to be Micheletto, both ally and enemy of Francesco.
  • Worthy Opponent: In the epilogue, Micheletto harbors no ill will towards Francesco, despite having fought against him

    Piccinino 
A former butcher and now condottiero mercenary serving Visconti, he's first an ally of Francesco, and later enemy when he deserts Visconti. Only appears in Definitive Edition.
  • Fluffy the Terrible: "Piccinino" sounds like a cute form of "Piccino", meaning "small, tiny". Not exactly the name you'd expect from a cruel and ruthless mercenary captain.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Implied, as he deserts Milan and challenges Francesco when the latter is forgiven by Visconti and allowed to marry Bianca Maria, pretty much assuring him the position of Duke.
  • The Rival: He's a friendly one in the first scenario, then he becomes Francesco's opponent for a while.
  • Smug Snake: Incredibly so in Prodigal Son, where he will often make snide remarks and downright childish taunts as you mind your business and prepare your forces.
  • Surrounded by Idiots: In His Own Man he will angrily and rhetorically asks his soldiers why they think he pays them for when his final stronghold is breached.
  • We Used to Be Friends: He and Sforza were overall on amiable terms, as much as two mercenary captains of that time could be.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Downplayed, but in His Own Man he criticizes Sforza's use of the relic to conquer the various cities, pointing out that he's far from a saint.

Alaric (Goths)

    Alaric 
The protagonist of the campaign, and king of the Goths. Represented by a huskarl, and later a cavalier unit. In Definitive Editon, he gets his own unit, which resembles a mounted huskarl.
  • Action Duo: With Athaulf.
  • Dark and Troubled Past: He lost three of his brothers to wars against the Huns and witnessed their brutality first-hand.
  • The Dog Bites Back: The first three scenarios have him trying to obtain a land for his people from the Romans. In the final scenario, he has enough and decides to show the Romans how much he and the Goths are fed up with their plotting.
  • The High King: Of the Goths, along with Athaulf.
  • Pet the Dog: During the sack of Rome he orders his men to leave churches intact, for some reason.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: Like, you know, looking for a proper land for his people and sacking Rome.

    Athaulf 
The second-in-command of Alaric. Represented by a woad raider, and then a knight unit in HD, while he gets represented as an heroic unique Champion in DE.

    Honorius 
The emperor of the Western Roman Empire, and thereby the main antagonist of the campaign.
  • Big Bad: Though whether he is a Hero Antagonist is debatable, he is certainly the main antagonistic force in the campaign.
  • Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: The reason he ultimately fails. He is close to an alliance twice with Alaric, but both times breaks it for no apparent reason. Eventually, Alaric gets fed up with this. Though the second time, Saurus did it without the permission or order of Honorius.
  • Dirty Coward: During the sack of Rome, he is nowhere to be seen, but the people and even his sister have been left behind.
  • The Emperor: The Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
  • The Ghost: He is never actually seen in the game.

    Saurus 
A Gothic chieftain, responsible for attacking Alaric for no reason, destroying the option of peace. Represented by a knight lancer hero unit in HD and by an heroic Champion in the Definitive Edition.
  • Dirty Coward: As remarked by Alaric, when his fortress is defeated, he is nowhere to be seen. Averted in A Kingdom of Our Own, where he makes a last stand against Alaric's forces in an attempt to prevent them from conquering Gallia.
  • The Dragon: To Honorius. He still fights for the Empire in Definitive Edition
  • Driven by Envy: Implied to be the case, as he distrusts Alaric (the man who became king of the Visigoths in his place) and he possibly sabotages the diplomatic attempt at Ravenna hoping that Alaric dies in the following war against Rome.
  • Knightly Lance: HD only, he gets a massive sword for the Definitive Edition.
  • Villain Ball: Grabs it when he attacks Alaric and Athaulf, bringing a whole lot of unnecessary trouble onto himself.

    Galla Placidia 
The sister of Honorius. Represented by the Joan the Maid unit.
  • Adapted Out: From the definitive edition.
  • Damsel in Distress: Unusual case, where you have to kidnap the Damsel in Distress.
  • The Ingenue: Implied. She simply acts confused when Athaulf pretty plainly states that he will not harm her.
  • Like Father, Unlike Son: Poor gal was an innocent victim from the sacking of Rome and certainly didn't ask to be married to a Goth warlord. Her daughter Honoria later went and proposed to Attila, which made her partially responsible for the Hun attacks against the Roman empire. Historical sources confirm it provoked a huge rift between Galla Placidia and Honoria.

Battle of Bari (Byzantines)

    Panos, Michael and Andreas Nautikos 
The main protagonists of each of the missions of the campaign. All represented by champion units, except in DE where Michael is a Long Swordsman while Andreas is a Cavalier.
  • Generation Xerox: Subverted in DE, where each hero of the Nautikos family looks different.
  • The Leader: Mostly Panos, who leads the siege of Bari first against the Emir and later against the Lombard, and Michael, who gathers troops to fight the rebellious Melus. Andreas does contribute to the defense against the Norman siege, but at the last moment decides that the resistance is futile and leaves.
  • Meaningful Name: The bloodline founded by a sailor was given the name "Nautikos", Greek for the sea.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Andreas Nautikos eventually decides that he had enough fighting Normans and leaves Bari with a merchant. Downplayed in DE, where he does his part to the very end and boards a ship to Byzantium to ask for more reinforcements.

    Louis II 
The Carolingian emperor, appearing in the first mission. Represented by a king unit, and a cavalier.

    Admiral Melus 
A Byzantine admiral of Lombardi descent, rebelling against the empire in the second mission. Represented by a Cataphract.
  • Army of Thieves and Whores: What his army essentially is. Michael got suspicious when he gathered such army in the first place.
  • Ascended Extra: He gets much more screentime and is a bigger threat in DE.
  • Big Bad: Of the second mission. In DE he's arguably one for the whole campaign.
  • The Quisling: In DE he pretty much sides with the Lombards and later encourages the Papal States and the Empire to attack Bari.

    Stephanos Pateranos 
The commander of the garrison at Bari during the Norman invasion. Represented by a cataphract in HD and a King in DE.

    Basilius Boioannes 
Byzantine general sent by the Emperor to quell Melus' rebellion and protect Apulia from the combined forces of Lombards, Italians and the Holy Roman Empire. Only appears in DE.
  • Adaptation Expansion: He and the scenarios focused on him expand the story of the Byzantine domain in Apulia and tells what happened to Melus and his brother Dattus.
  • Combat Pragmatist: In The Best Laid Plans he decides to build a huge fortress to hold off the enemies and is more than happy to resort to underhand strategies (such as causing an avalanche or raiding a defenseless monastery) to deprive his enemies of advantages.

El Dorado (Spanish and Incas)

    Francisco de Orellana 
The main protagonist of the campaign. Represented by a Conquistador unit.
  • Big Damn Heroes: In one mission, he saves one native tribe from an aggressive neighbor. In the next mission, while exploring the Amazon jungles, de Orellana can optionally save the region from a volcanic eruption by diverting a river into it's path. In the mission right after this, he goes out of his way to save the crew of a Spanish ship from bloodthirsty cannibals.
  • Dark Is Evil: Black hair, black eyepatch and rather prone to slaughter or exploit natives.
  • Eyepatch of Power
  • I Did What I Had to Do: One mission, while exploring the Amazon jungles, de Orellana orders his soldiers to massacre the first native village he comes across. He says that they desperately need the food from that village to avoid starvation, and for the rest of the mission the player can choose to ask the rest of the villages for food peacefully.
  • Just Following Orders: In the first mission, de Orellana assassinated four men on orders from Gonzalo Pizarro.
  • Kick the Dog: Several missions feature de Orellana launching unprovoked attacks on natives, using threats of violence to extort food or supplies from them, outright enslaving them, plundering their temples (thereby destroying their heritage), carrying out assassinations, and blackmailing adulterous merchants.
  • Villain Protagonist: He is a conquistador, and he acts like it. While some of his atrocities are carried out on orders of the expedition leader, Gonzalo Pizarro, most of them were done freely.
  • Wrongly Accused: Of abandoning Pizarro, while in actuality, the strong current of the river kept him from returning.

    Gonzalo Pizarro 
The commander of Orellanas expedition, until he is lost. Represented by a conquistador unit.
  • Villain Protagonist: A conquestador, and not above ordering the assassination of a rival explorer's sergeants.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: A consequence of following the events strictly through the eyes of Orellana. He is never mentioned again after Orellana is forced to abandon him. In Real Life, he returned to Quito with a starving expedition, but rebelled against the king and was executed six years later.

    Delicola 
A suspicious Native American chieftain who leads Orellana astray with his stories. Represented by a plumed archer unit.
  • Escort Mission: In the short time he is in the players control, it feels like this, as he is not a hero unit, but a fairly weak renamed regular unit, that has to be kept alive.
  • Hero Antagonist: Could be seen as this, as he works against Orellana, but mainly to save his people.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: Done deliberately as he flees from the conquistadors. This carried on into real life, where he was never heard of again.

    Juan Cortejo 
The leader of another Spanish expedition team who got shipwrecked and kidnapped by cannibals. He and his crew got rescued by Francisco de Orellana.
  • Darkest Hour: He admits that he abandoned hope of surviving his captivity.
  • Forced to Watch: The cannibals who kidnapped his crew killed and ate some of his crewmen, and left the corpses of three impaled on stakes in his holding pen.
  • Revenge Before Reason: He says he wants revenge against the cannibals, but de Orellana just wants to escape the jungle. Downplayed in that the player needs gold to build the fleet that will take them out, and one of the options for getting it is to attack the cannibals.
  • Say Your Prayers: He did this while held by the cannibals, and attributes de Orellana rescuing his crew to God answering said prayers.

Prithviraj (Gurjarasnote )

    Prithviraj 
Warrior king of India, represented first by a crossbowman unit, then by a heavy horse archer, who becomes unique in DE.

  • Dying Moment of Awesome: Blinded and tortured, he's challenged by his enemy Mohammad Godhi into a contest of archery. Using hearing alone, Prithviraj shoot him dead in the chest.
  • Elopement: When Sanyogita's father refused to consider Prithviraj and tried to have her married to someone else, he sneaked into the city and eloped with her.
  • Refuge in Audacity: He tended towards recklessness in grand style. Case in point, he outright abducted his beloved princess from her father's palace the day she was to pick a husband.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: Makes himself a powerful Raj and repeals the armies of Godhi.
  • Together in Death: His wife Sanyogita commits suicide upon learning of his demise.

    Sanyogita 
A princess of India who falls in love with Prithviraj and later marries him, which causes a huge amount of problems. Represented by a powerless Queen unit.
  • Dating What Daddy Hates: Jayachandra really wasn't happy when his daughter decided to marry his bitterest foe, but had to swallow the pill after being trounced by Prithviraj in war.
  • Elopement: Her father tried to lock her away to dissuade her from persisting in her love for Prithviraj. The third mission is all about Prithviraj taking her away and fighting dad-in-law for it.
  • Engagement Challenge: If Prithviraj decides to visit the guru, it results in this. Sanyogita declares her love for the prince when he manages to beat her champion.
  • Love Ruins the Realm: The narration subtly hints at this. You can't deny pursuing her came with many, many complications for Prithviraj.
  • Plucky Girl: She defied her father to marry Prithviraj. And by "defy", we mean she openly picked him as the man she wished to wed in front of Jayachandra and a whole army of suitors vying for her hand.
  • Together in Death: Upon learning of her husband's demise, she immediately threw herself on a pyre to join him.
  • Women Prefer Strong Men: The first map gives Prithviraj three ways to make Sanyogita fall for him, either killing an entire pack of wolves, or rescue her from a rival king, or thoroughly trashing her champion in her Engagement Challenge.

    Chand Bardai 
A poet in Prithviraj's court and the narrator of the campaign.
  • Action Survivor: Chand is not a warrior, yet he follows Prithviraj everywhere, be it for hunting tigers or warring against another raja.
  • Crutch Character: Despite being a hero, his usefulness rapidly drops off once you get ordinary monks in on the action, as he can neither convert units, nor pick up relics.
  • Healing Hands: His unit basically functions as a monk, so he can do this.
  • Purple Prose: Courtesy of being a poet, his speech slightly leans towards the violet-tinged end of the spectrum.
  • The Storyteller: His function was to record and spread his king's exploits. It's rather appropriate for him to narrate the campaign.

Battles of the Forgotten

    Khosrau II 
The protagonist and leader of the Persians in the Bukhara scenario. Represented by a heroic Elephant Archer.

    Aelia of Northumbria 
King of Northumbria and main antagonist of York scenario.
  • Big Bad: He killed Ragnar Lodbrok, causing his sons to invade the British Isles to avenge the death of their father.
  • Family-Unfriendly Death: The Blood Eagle is hardly a nice way to go, or to be displayed after death.
  • Laser-Guided Karma: What? You thought that you could kill the big bad viking Ragnar Lodbrok and go away unscathed? Too bad for you and Northumbria...

    Álmos 
  • Blood Oath: Upon the Magyars' arrival in Etelköz, the seven chieftains of the Magyars take an oath to pledge their loyalty to Álmos.
  • Horse Archer: He is represented by a Mangudai unit.

    Árpád 
  • Exact Words: Svatopluk of Moravia allows the Magyars to 'take as much as you want' when Árpád's messenger comes to buy land from him. The Magyars then proceed to seize Svatopluk's kingdom from him.
    Árpád: Leave our land, Svatopluk, until it is not too late!
    Svatopluk: How come it is your land?
    Árpád: We paid for it with the horse! You gave us grass, soil and water. Now we own everything.
  • Founder of the Kingdom: The founder of the Principality of Hungary at the end of the Honfoglalás.

    Minamoto no Yoshinaka 
  • The Lancer: To his brother, Minamoto no Yoritomo, as defender of Kurikara.
  • The Ghost: He's not playable once you take control of Kurikara.

    Taira no Kiyomori 
  • Big Bad: Leader of the Taira clan, enemy of Minamoto and notorious villain even in other Japanese media.
  • Duel Boss: When it's time to siege Kyoto, he's your ally and cannot be harmed. Once you have conquered the town he can be fought, though you don't have to take him one on one, unless you invoke it.
  • Defiant to the End: He still fights after the deaths of his vassals, the destruction of his army and the loss of the capital.

    Osman Bey 

  • Founder of the Kingdom: The petty beylik that he creates would eventually become the mighty Ottoman Empire.
  • From Nobody to Nightmare: Starts as an envoy of the Rum Sultanate, then inherits a small Byzantine village as a fief, and will eventually become the founder of the mighty Ottoman Empire.
  • Horse Archer: He's represented by a Heavy Horse Archer unit.

The African Kingdoms Campaigns

Tariq ibn Ziyad (Berbers)

    Tariq ibn Ziyad 
The main protagonist of the Berber campaign, represented by an heroic Genitour unit, gets a unique makeover for DE.
  • Horse Archer: Sort of.
  • Javelin Thrower: His weapon of choise are javelins.
  • Out of Focus: He's much more present in the conquest of Iberia, but vanishes as the action shifts to France.
  • Put on a Bus: Along with Musa, he is returned to Damascus while the campaign continues.
  • The Rival: A friendly one with Musa

    Musa ibn Nuzayr 
The second protagonist of the Berber campaign, represented by a Camel Archer unit.
  • Big Damn Heroes: His first appearance when he brought reinforcement for Tariq
  • Deuteragonist: Once he appears in the second mission, the player controls both his and Tariq's army in the following missions.
  • Horse Archer: Camel Archer to be exact.
  • Out of Focus: Likewise, he disappears after the third mission where al-Ghafiqi takes over.
  • Put on a Bus: He is returned to Damascus after the third scenario.
  • The Rival: A friendly rival of Tariq as the narrator points out.

    Abd ar-Rahman al-Ghafiqi 
The new protagonist after the third scenario, represented by a Genitour unit.
  • Horse Archer: He is a Genitour
  • It's Personal: He wants revenge for when the Franks defeated him 10 years earlier.
  • Sympathetic P.O.V.: He is the enemy in the Tours single mission which was released much earlier than The African Kingdoms. Also the Berbers' player colour is yellow, similar to what it is in the Tours mission. Given that the final mission takes place just before Tours, and the narrator points out that they are going to face off with Charles Martel next in the epilogue.
  • Tempting Fate: After he defeats Count Odo, al-Ghafiqi mocks Charles Martel as a "fool" and that "his feeble army will crumble and flee". Guess what happened in real life, as shown by scenario "Tours".

Sundjata (Malians)

    Sundjata 
Young prince of the Mali, born lame and weak, he has to defend his country from the wicked Sumanguru and forge a powerful empire. Appears as an heroic Light Cavalry unit but gets a unique makeover for DE.
  • Beat Them at Their Own Game: Since most of the African countries fear Sumanguru's sorcery, Sundjata claims that he has sorcery on his side in the form of his baobab wood crutch, which is used as a relic to gather allies under his wing.
  • Combat Pragmatist: When he learns of the mines of gold and salt around Djenné he decides to pillage them to weaken Sumanguru's power.
  • The Chosen One: His birth and destiny were prophetized by an old shaman to the king.
  • The Good King: Contrasting the wicked Sumanguru.
  • Handicapped Badass: Born lame and weak, he grew into the Emperor of the strong Mali Empire.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: Like actively winning back his kingdom from the much stronger Ghana Empire.
  • Sickly Child Grew Up Strong: Was born frail but with the help of a fallen branch to brace himself with, he developed a strong body and later a strong empire.

    Sumanguru 
The main villain of the Malian Campaign, he's the emperor of Ghana and Sundjata's rival. He's rumored to be a sorcerer. Represented in game as a heroic Cataphract unit in HD and by a unique mounted lancer in DE.
  • Achilles' Heel: Rumors said that he can only be killed with the spur of a rooster. In game, disrupting his control over the rich mines of Djenné weakens his grip on his allies.
  • Bad Boss: Implied, as in the pivotal battle against Sundjata, both his allies can be persuaded to betray him and switch sides.
  • Big Bad: Of the Malian Campaign as a whole.
  • Defiant to the End: After his defeat he retreats in his capital where he has to be eliminated once and for all.
  • Sorcerous Overlord: He's rumored to be a sorcerer, who can summon the spirits and grant victory to his armies in battle thanks to his magical instrument.

Francisco de Almeida (Portuguese)

    Francisco de Almeida 
Nobleman, soldier and explorer. He distinguished himself as a counsellor to King John II of Portugal and later in the wars against the Moors and in the conquest of Granada in 1492.
  • Anti-Hero: Fights loyally for his king, but became ruthless in the aftermath of his son's death.
  • Outliving One's Offspring: His son was killed in Egypt between the fourth and fifth scenarios. Francisco's grief is a leading point in the fifth scenario, appropriately titled "A Son's Blood".
  • Roaring Rampage of Revenge: He kills the Emir by destroying his castle out of anger for said Emir's Face–Heel Turn. And then, when his son dies, he betrays Afonso de Albuquerque and goes on a rampage against his enemies on anger.

Yodit (Ethiopians)

    Princess Yodit 
The royal princess of Ethiopia who was betrayed by her greedy nephew Gidajan and forced to flee Ethiopia and brew a terrible revenge on her kingdom. As Princess Yodit, she's represented as a defenceless Queen unit, but she also has a model as a heroic Gbeto unit.

    Dagnajan 
King of Aksum and Yodit's brother, father of Gidajan. He's the main enemy in the third scenario and appears as a heroic unique Elephant Archer.
  • Advancing Boss of Doom: After 50 minutes in game, his humongous army will march towards the unsufficiently protected mountain pass, and you will be defeated if he makes it to the pass. The only way to win the scenario is to stop him earlier.
  • Horse Archer: Well, Elephant Archer, so not as fast. Still a Mighty Glacier to deal with.
  • Misplaced Retribution: Technically, the one who conspired against Yodit was Gidajan. However, killing him does bring havoc on Aksum, as Gidajan and his brother take advantage of Dagnajan's demise to fight for the throne.

    Gidajan 
Yodit's nephew, a scheming bastard who tries to take the power in Aksum but is fought and defeated by Yodit. Appears in game as a unique unit resembling an Eastern Swordsman hero.
  • Asshole Victim: On the receiving end of a rather cruel revenge, he still deserves it.
  • Big Bad: Of the whole campaign, being the cause for Yodit's exile and the final enemy she must overcome.
  • Cain and Abel: His war with his brother which allowed Yodit to gain some grounds from him.
  • Defiant to the End: Even after conquering Aksum and bringing down his castle you have to kill his hero unit in order to stop his continuously spawning army.
  • Evil Nephew: He framed Yodit for blasphem, which would have meant a life imprisoned if she hadn't escaped. It rightfully ticked her off.
  • Hoist by His Own Petard: His plot to frame and exile Yodit ends up biting him in the end.
  • Sinister Scimitar: His weapon of choice.

Rise of the Rajas Campaigns

Gajah Mada (Malay)

    Gajah Mada 
The main hero and Majapahit general for the campaign; appears as a unique, champion-like unit. Unusual for the series, Gajah is the narrator for his own campaign, a trait he shares with Bayinnaung.
  • Cool Sword: Wields a longsword with both hands, though apparently his weapon of choice in real life was a combo of spear and shield.
  • Downer Ending: He's had a good career going on nearly uniting the Malay Archipelago, until his plot to make Sunda submit went awry. His career crashes down and many people want him dead. Hayam Wuruk gives him an exile mansion far away in honor of his services, but Gajah Mada considers it a Fate Worse than Death and spends the rest of his time recounting that he was not a hero, but an ambitious fool who was just paying the price of his ambition. And for those who knew Indonesian history? That marks the decline of the Majapahit empire that he built so far.
  • Fate Worse than Death: After his downfall, Gajah Mada considers death as something better than being demoted, exiled and having to spend the rest of his life in obscurity, contemplating the brutal consequences of his hubris. However, it may be subverted that he, the narrator of his own campaign, never said he was Driven to Suicide, meaning that while he considered a glorious death in battle better than exile, death by suicide was worse (even if his belief never forbade suicide).
  • Foil: To Bayinnaung. Both men were the right-hands of their sovereigns before said sovereigns' assassinations note , and had far greater capabilities than their sovereigns. Their sovereigns also became well-known for their vices before their deaths. However, unlike Bayinnaung who was humble but decided to crown himself, Gajah was ambitious but never ascended the throne. In the end, Bayinnaung died a king covered in glory and fame, while Gajah was exiled.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Saving the life of his king from the rebels was good, but this act made the king arrogant and tyrannical, which resulted in his assassination.
  • Walking Shirtless Scene: He goes in battle bare-chested, imitating the look of modern statues. According to texts, he had the good sense of wearing a breastplate.

Suryavarman I (Khmers)

    Suryavarman I 
The main hero of the campaign who became king of Angkor, appears as a unique Elite Battle Elephant hero.
  • The Good King: Despite the below-mentioned coup d'etat, he's this.
  • The Usurper: The first scenario of his campaign involves Suryavarman's usurpation of the throne from King Udyadityavarman.

Bayinnaung (Burmese)

    Bayinnaung 
The main character of the Burmese campaign, represented by an Elite Battle Elephant hero and later by a monk. Like Gajah Mada, he's the narrator of his own campaign, a rarity for the series.
  • Animal Motifs: He often compares himself to a tiger, a mighty predator for his enemies.
  • Badass Pacifist: In The White Elephant, Bayinnaung decides to subjugate his enemies by showing them the power of the Buddhist faith and sends relic-carrying monks to subdue them.
  • The Call Has Bad Reception: A prophecy announcing the rebirth of the Cakkavatti (a Pali term for Universal Ruler) was obviously about the newborn prince, rather than said prince's milk-brother, born on the same day.
  • Dying Moment of Awesome: Bayinnaung's son note  certainly thinks so, as he believed that his father willed himself to die, in order to "conquer himself".
  • Foil: To Gajah Mada. Both men were the right-hands of their sovereigns before said sovereigns' assassinations note , and had far greater capabilities than their sovereigns. Their sovereigns also became well-known for their vices before their deaths. However, unlike Bayinnaung who was humble but decided to crown himself, Gajah was ambitious but never ascended the throne. In the end, Bayinnaung died a king covered in glory and fame, while Gajah was exiled.
  • The Good King: He's ultimately hailed as the Universal Ruler, a prophesied prince renowned for his wisdom and might.
  • The Hero Dies: In the final scenario, after visiting all four Buddhist temples, he dies, leaving his sons to finish the scenario.
  • Rage Against the Heavens: By the time of the penultimate scenario, Bayinnaung has grown tired of the Nat shamans and has to fight the Nat Enchantresses on the mountains to prove the strength of Buddhism.
  • Take Up My Sword: He succeeds his brother-in-law as king of Toungoo after Tabinshwehti's assassination.
  • Undying Loyalty: To his milk brother, Tabinshwehti. Even when the King started to show himself Unfit for Greatness, Bayinnaug refused to hear about usurping him.

    Tabinshwehti 
Bayinnaung's sworn brother and King of Burma, he appears as a unique Elephant Archer and is playable in the first part of the campaign.
  • The Alcoholic: Deconstructed, as the attachment to Portuguese liquor brings about his ruin and death.
  • Artistic License – History: Bayinnaung's narration implied that his addiction to alcohol took place over several years. Historically, between his addiction and his demise, only about a year had passed.
  • Big Damn Heroes: In the second scenario, finding his camp soon enough can turn the tide on your Shan opponents, as his advanced units and siege weaponry can make short work of their defenses.
  • Family of Choice: Since Bayinnaug was his milk-brother, Tabinshwehti showered him with honors and considered him his most trusted general and advisor. Bayinnaung actually was a title Tabinshwehti bestowed upon the guy, meaning "the King's Elder Brother".
  • Refused by the Call: Everyone believed the Cakkavatti (World Ruler) prophecy was about him. Tough luck, since the fated prince was his sworn brother Bayinnaug.
  • Royals Who Actually Do Something: At first, though eventually he becomes slobbish and weak due to the influence of alcohol, which leads to his demise.
  • Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Not him, but the Portuguese who introduced him to drink. note 

Lê Lợi (Vietnamese)

    Lê Lợi 
The hero of the Vietnamese campaign, leading his people in war against the Ming. He appears as a souped up Champion unit in HD Edition. In Definitive Edition, he's represented by a unique champion-like unit.
  • Arch-Enemy: He's this to the Ming. Subverted in the outro of the final battle, where he acknowledges that the Ming are simply too powerful to remain as enemies and decides to mend fences as soon as the siege ends, going as far as inviting Wang Tong and the surviving Chinese generals to a lavish banquet. note 
  • Combat Pragmatist: Since he cannot fight the Ming head on, he resorts to guerrilla tactics.
  • Cool Sword: He wields a massive sword said to be of divine origins, which also represents his campaign. According to legends, its blade was found by one of his generals, then he discovered its handle and assembled the whole sword. After Lê Lợi was done with fighting the Ming, he threw the sword in a lake, where a massive dragon turtle took it back. His campaign marker is in fact a giant turtle holding a sword in its mouth.
  • Pet the Dog: After a grueling and tiresome siege with his nemesis, he not only invites Wang Tong and his lieutenants to a banquet to celebrate peace, but he also allows the surviving Ming soldiers to return home without further delay or harassment.
  • The Protagonist: Lê is the main focus of the eponymous campaign. He's also more present in combat compared to the other heroes in the previous campaigns.
  • Worthy Opponent: For Wang Tong, and vice versa.

    Lê Lai 
One of Lê Lợi's allies, represented first by an heroic Two-Handed Swordsman and later by a Champion in HD Edition, and by a unique cavalry unit in Definitive Edition.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: When the Vietnamese army is under siege by the much stronger Ming forces, Lê Lai volunteers to pretend to be Lê Lợi and leads a charge against the Ming with his loyal men, acting as a decoy to help his lord and the rest of the army escape. While his ploy is successful, Lê Lai is captured and executed by the Ming.

    Đinh Lễ, Lê Triện, Lưu Nhân Chú, Bùi Bị 
The four lieutenants of Lê Lợi aiding him in the battle against the Ming. They are represented by a Cavalier, a Champion, an Arbalest and a unique Monk unit.

  • Badass Boast: Each of them has one if you select them in the beginning of the battle.
  • The Big Guy: Lê Triện, who is tasked with the bloody task of stopping the enemy reinforcements and starts with all the military buildings available.
  • Elite Four: They serve as this for Lê Lợi, acting as his trusted lieutenants to coordinate the three-pronged siege of Nghệ An.
  • Master Swordsman: Lê Triện's main skill is swordsmanship.
  • Not Afraid to Die: Đinh Lễ is ready to ride for his country, even if it means to die.
  • You Shall Not Pass!: Lê Triện's part in the fifth scenario is to hold back the Ming reinforcement and prevent them from enlarging Wang Tong's troops.

    Wang Tong 
The cunning general of the Ming Empire, who appears as a unique Cataphract hero in HD Edition, and as a unique cavalry unit like Lê Lai in Definitive Edition.
  • Artistic License – History: Before revealing his identity, Wang claimed that he "fought in many more Ming wars before retiring". Historically, Wang was severely punished for his failure against Lê Lợi. note  He was only pardoned in 1439 (more than 5 years after Lê Lợi's death), and managed to have a Career Resurrection in 1449 with the coronation of a new emperor. Soon after, he proved himself during the defence of Beijing against the Oirats led by Esen Taishi, and was rewarded with a promotion, along with having his confiscated properties returned to him. He died in 1452, while still holding the second post.
  • …And That Little Girl Was Me: At the end of the campaign in HD Edition, the narrator reveals himself as Wang Tong, the Ming general and nemesis of Lê Lợi. In Definitive Edition, the identity of the narrator was not revealed, but likely to be a Vietnamese historian recalling the feats of a great king.
  • Big Bad: As the commander of the Ming armies in Vietnam, and sent by the Ming Emperor himself, he serves as the main antagonist of the Lê Lợi campaign.
  • The Dreaded: His reputation preceeds him, as noted when he decides to take arms and march against Lê Lợi after the fall of Hanoi's garrison halfway through the campaign.
  • Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: His voice actor is definitely not a native Mandarin speaker, as he mispronounces his own surname.
  • Warts and All: In his narration, he noted that while Lê Lợi did much good during his reign, the state of affairs deterioriated under his successors, something that the unnamed narrator in Definitive Edition does not mention. Similarly, Wang did not shy away from the sufferings the Ming occupiers inflicted upon the Vietnamese peasants.
  • Worthy Opponent: After his defeat, he regards Lê Lợi as an opponent worthy of respect.

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