Difference between revisions of "Klingon Empire"

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The Klingon Empire is an aggressive, expansionistic power located on the United Federation of Planets' spinward-rimward frontier. Bordered by open space toward its rimward and spinward frontiers, the Klingon Empire shares its coreward border with the Romulan Republic. The Klingon Empire is arguably the most powerful military force in the known Beta Quadrant and rivals the Federation and Tholian Assembly in terms of amount of territorial control.

Political Structure

The Emperor

Kahless the Unforgettable

For most of Klingon history, the Empire was ruled by a single figure in the guise of the Emperor of the Klingon Empire. Originally directly from Kahless' bloodline, subsequent Emperors following the Hur'q invasions would wield power through their own personal honor and fighting prowess. The last of the Emperors with any real political and military power were eclipsed by 2067 CE.

Emperor Kahless I

In 900 CE, Kahless the Unforgettable rose to defeat the Tyrant Molor and his Fek'Ihri allies. Though a common-born man, his personal charisma would go on to shape the future Klingon Empire for centuries. For five hundred years his bloodline would rule the Empire until the arrival of the Hur'q. Kahless was responsible for laying the groundwork for most of the concepts of law and tradition that Klingon practice today. The Emperor was seen as the defender of those ideals.

First Empire: Emperors of the Blood

The First Klingon Empire, founded by Kahless the Unforgettable in 900 CE was an inherited dynastic monarchy, though one with living memory of the tyranny of Molor. The Emperor's power had some checks by members of the Klingon Great Houses who sat on the High Council. At that time, the High Council numbered ten members. The sons and grandsons of Kahless' line would succeed Kahless for the next five hundred years. This formed a limited feudal monarchy where the aristocratic Great Houses pledged loyalty to the Emperor and in return, the Emperor promised them glory and a path to Sto-vo-kor. This model of rulership would eventually be returned to during the post-Emperor eras, but without the element of dynastic inheritance.

Second Empire: Emperors by the Sword

With Qo'noS and a handful of off-world throne worlds in chaos after the Hur'q Invasions, The Klingon Empire dissolved into a series of inter-house wars and blood feuds. Kahless's only heir was missing- there was no clear successor to the Blood of Kahless and the throne of the Emperor. Worse, the quasi-deific tool of the Imperial Line's right to rule- the Sword of Kahless- had been stolen by the Hur'q.

The Second Empire rose after the Interregnum when a series of Emperors took unilateral control of Qo'noS and imposed overarching stability by the sword. Though none were related to Kahless, they had enough military and political clout to eventually quell unrest. The Great Houses would never so easily fell in line as they had under Kahless. From 1500 until 2067, the Emperor-Council relationship was far more contested.

During the Second Empire, many Emperors ruled by their decree alone, using the High Council only as a body of advisors. Emperors tended to not be dynastic and were deposed of when the climate of political control shifted away from them- generally due to age. The Emperor, to offset rebellion or turmoil at home, tended to lead the Empire in aggressive expansion through conflict.

"Emperor" Kahless the Reborn in 2369

Barely two years into his reign, Gowron was faced with the "return" of Kahless. Initially, this figure nearly ripped the Empire into a second civil war. It turned out that the Monks of Boreth has cloned Kahless. Eventually, Gowron was persuaded to recreate the title of Emperor as a figurehead. The modern "Emperor" of the Klingon Empire resides on Boreth and stands as a paragon of tradition and honor. His role is to inspire Klingons to return to their traditions, which the monks had feared Klingons were losing sight of.

The Chancellor

K'mpec, a Klingon Chancellor

The Chancellor's role in Klingon politics has changed greatly. Originally the Chancellor was the Emperor's Second, the man who would rule the Council when the Emperor was leading his forces to war. Later, during the Hur'q Crisis and the disappearance of Kahless' heir, the Chancellor held emergency powers normally vested in the Emperor. In the Second Empire, the Chancellor was little more than a figurehead who played the role of the Voice of the Council.

The High Council

The Houses

Women in Politics

L'rell, Mother of Klingons

Despite Gowron's claims that women do not rule or sit on the High Council, history and precedent disagree with him. In the last one-hundred and fifty years, the High Council has seen two female Chancellors, both highly regarded and successful politicians: L'rell and Azetbur. Several Klingon Great Houses have sent women to the High Council: Dennas of the D'Ghor and, most recently, L'kor of the Mo'Kai in 2394.

While the Klingon Empire has a patriarchal tendency, women can exercise power and lead their Houses in the Empire as readily as any male. The Klingons, with few exceptions, look to battle prowess and personal honor as the measure of a great leader, not their gender. If a woman has established herself as the dominant figure, her gender is a non-issue for her subordinates; she has proven that her heart is Klingon and that she hears the call of the warrior.

Some Klingon Houses- both Great and Minor- have traditions of their own and will readily allow a woman to rule; the Great House of Mo'Kai and the now-defunct House of D'Ghor are notable examples.

Subjected Species

The Klingon Empire is an institution long built on the backs of servile non-Klingon species. Most of the mining and agricultural efforts, as well as the unseen day to day toils of the Empire are done by aliens that the Klingons have conquered, occupied, and- in some cases- enslaved. Though the Federation has had to draw a curtain over this practice out of the necessities of the Khitomer Accords, the Klingon state has changed very little since the days of First Contact.

Rulership over the dozens of client worlds differs. These worlds do have some upward mobility depending on how long and how servile the occupied world has been. Worker worlds that have seen no insurrection, pay their tributes, and generally accomplish what the Klingons demand of them are allowed a degree of self-rule. Such rulership, however, is never equal: Klingons are conquerors. Worlds that are newly conquered or troublesome are little more than occupied police states under Klingon martial law.

Most aliens in the Empire go "unseen" but they are there in large numbers and on every Klingon world. Klingons do not toil. Even relatively common-born Klingons can expect to not be subject to the lowest forms of labor. Aliens in such positions know to stay out of sight and out of mind, and they tend to stay in alien-only zones. Visitors are not welcome in alien ghettos by decree of the Klingon government. Aliens do not generally serve on Klingon Defense Force ships without special dispensation, though the occasional non-Klingon scientist or doctor may be found aboard House vessels.

Liberation is Brief

Historians can count the number of planets that have rebelled successfully enough to push the Klingons off-world on one hand. Klingons do not settle for defeat easily. Planets that accomplish this level of "success" see the worst impulses of the Klingon regime: they are usually bombarded from orbit until very little is left. The Klingons may reoccupy the smoldering remains and disperse the surviving population across the Empire to toil on other servile worlds. Or they will leave it a ruined, likely uninhabitable husk for the next few centuries. The Klingon mind has little issue with genocide.

Imperial History

Postwar Rebuilding: 2376-2390

The Sovereignty of Kahless: 2388-2391 CE

The Mo'Kai Challenge: 2391-Present

L'kor, Daughter of T'kona of House Mo'Kai

The current head of House Mo'Kai is the Lady L'kor, Daughter of T'kona. With the death of her father in late 2394, L'kor ascended to the High Council as the representative of the Mo'kai. L'kor is a patient but an ardent believer in the Old Way and does believe that honor, glory, and tradition have taken a sideline to peace with the Federation and the Romulan Republic.

L'kor is a very capable warrior. She has already killed two High Councillors in honorable trial-by-combat when they accused her family of sedition against the Empire. What makes her doubly dangerous is that she has taken great care to guide the boys that have replaced their fathers, schooling them in the traditions of the council. She is potentially nurturing new allies in those so impressionable.

L'kor is known as "Silk and Iron," among the Councillors. As the head of the Mo'kai, L'kor doubles as the Head of Klingon Intelligence. For the last six years she has been assuring that the Wo'vaD qu'- the "Eyes of the Empire"- are loyal to her. L'kor has effectively (at least for now) put the Empire in blinders, allowing them to see only what she wants them to see.

The Current Year: 2399

Among the challenges of the House of Mo'Kai, the Empire has lately struggled with the rising threat of the Hunters of D'Ghor.

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