Ian Davion (31st c.)
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- This article is about the First Prince. For the noble during the Reunification War, see Ian Davion (26th c.).
Ian Davion | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Also known as | The Hound |
| Born | 2980[1] |
| Died | 21 October 3013[See Notes] |
| Affiliation | House Davion |
| Profile | |
| Title(s) | First Prince |
| Profession | Noble |
| Family | |
| Parents | Andrew Davion (father) Jennifer Campbell (mother) |
| Siblings | Marie Davion (half-sister) Hanse Davion |
Ian Davion was the twenty-ninth First Prince of the Federated Suns.[1]
Contents
History[edit]
Ian Davion was the eldest son of Andrew Davion and ruled the Federated Suns from 2999 until his death during the Third Battle of Mallory's World in 3013[2] at the hands of Yorinaga Kurita. Known as "The Hound," he preferred combat to politics and did not care much for statecraft. Because he had no wife or children, he was succeeded as First Prince of the Federated Suns by his younger brother Hanse Davion.[3]
As the elder son, Ian was trained from early age to succeed his father as a First Prince.[4] He was described as a large man, with a large nose and a longer face.[5]
Dragoons arrive[edit]
In 3005, Ian faced a totally unexpected situation: the appearance, in orbit above Delos, of an unknown multiregiment army. Not hostiles, they were asking employment as mercenaries. Ian sent Duke William Schuler-Davion to meet them. The new arrivals called themselves Wolf's Dragoons. Ian was wary of their offer, especially when the Dragoons asked for a planet to serve as a home base. Duke William pressed Prince Ian to accept them, which he did, becoming the first client of the Dragoons: as the Federated Suns territory had been raided by Capellan Confederation units, he sent the mercenaries to the Capellan March, giving them the planet New Valencia. The Dragoons crushed the Capellans with devastating effect, becoming one of the Suns' top units.[6] Ian Davion was also behind the mercenary group Wild Geese posing as a Davion unit.[7]
Alliance with Katrina[edit]
Around 3002, Ian won a battle named the "Third battle of Harrow's Sun." In 15 November 3010, Ian was in Tharkad, the Lyran capital, where he joined a party. There, he met Morgan Kell and Patrick Kell. He had a heated discussion with the latter, almost ending in fighting.[8] The reason for his presence was revealed later, in a private reunion with Morgan Kell and Katrina Steiner: he wanted to form a secret alliance between the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth.[9]
The Archon accepted his offer, and agreed to joint military exercises with Federated forces on the Lyran planet Zavijava. The Kell Hounds, the mercenary group founded recently by the Kell brothers, was contracted to provide escort to Ian.[10] Initially, the Hounds remained on Galatea, and Patrick at Tharkad, to attract all attention, while Morgan, with two of his men, traveled to Zavijava with Ian. They arrived at their destination at end of December. Morgan and Ian were given a tour on horseback, with the prince proving he was a very good horseman, when they saw incoming DropShips. They set off in the direction of the landing zone. The DropShips carried a new pirate group (in reality a group of actors posing as Pirates,) the Ion Knights.[11] The Pirates attacked a winery, where they were attacked by a militia officer, Lieutenant Rosen, but managed to force him to retreat before looting the winery.[12] Morgan and Ian arrived on site after the ransack by the pirates and spoke with the lieutenant. Together they left for the capital, to speak with the militia leader, Colonel Chancy Wittenberg who happened to be an "old friend" of Morgan. The pair studied together at the Nagelring, but Chancy violated the rules and was expelled. Since then, Chancy had a grudge against Morgan. For this, Chancy ignored all the warnings from Morgan about the pirates, even accusing him to be a spy for them. Irate, Morgan struck Chancy. For this both Morgan and Ian were arrested and thrown in a cell.[13] Ironically, after crushing the militia, the Ion Knights freed Morgan and Ian, ignoring their real identities. When they suggested the pirates loot the jewelry held at a local museum, the pirates agreed - pressing both Morgan and Ian into helping them carry the loot. Ian and Morgan cooperated to spy on the pirates. With the help of two Kell Hounds on planet, Morgan and Ian killed several Ion Knights and made off with three 'Mechs, destroying three more before fleeing the city.[14] After finding Lieutenant Rosen and a group of militiamen, company-sized, Morgan and Ian joined them. Ian revealed his real identity, giving the militiamen an inspiring speech to restore their morale. Liberating the group, Ian and Morgan waged a devastating guerrilla war against the Knights. In the final battle, however, they were outgunned and only saved by the arrival of the rest of the militia, led by Chancy, and a full regiment of the Kell Hounds.[15]
Invasion of New Aragon (3008)[edit]
On 3008, Ian led a multi regimented army, including all Wolf's Dragoons' units, to take New Aragon. The battle raged for weeks, culminating into a total victory. A grateful Ian decorated Jaime Wolf with the Crucis Cross. On 3010, when the Dragoons' contract was to expire, he attempted to keep them permanently under his service, offering them New Valencia as landhold, and a knighthood for Jaime... but in vain: Wolf refused, signing a new contract with the Capellan Confederation.[16]
Battle of Mallory World and Death[edit]
On 3013, Ian contracted the Kell Hounds for three years, with a 15 percent of pay increase, to act as defensive unit as part of his planned invasion of the Draconis Combine. Stationed on Mara, the elite force easily defeated a Combine raid, even capturing a JumpShip.[17] Meanwhile, Ian began the preparing work of the invasion of Halstead Station, with a two pronged attack. Unluckily for him, a Combine invasion force surprised him on Mallory's World, pinning his forces. His brother Hanse, leading three regiments in other planet, wanted to come to his rescue, but Ian refused, ordering him to focus on their target. To come at his rescue he called the nearest unit: the Kell Hounds. Meanwhile they came, Ian led his Fourth Davion Guards in a running battle against Second Sword of Light. Taking his men into the planet's desert region, he led the defense against the Second into a deep canyon. Ian's Atlas was always the first to attack and the last to retreat, until the day in which, to save his men, he faced a duel against the Sword's commander: Yorinaga Kurita. Ian fought his last battle like a demon, almost defeating Yorinaga's Warhammer, but at the end, his 'mech fell, with him dying into his cockpit. But before Yorinaga's men could claim the Prince's body, the Hounds arrived at their rescue, driving the Kuritans off. That began a feud between Yorinaga and Morgan which would last decades.[18]
Legacy[edit]
Ian's death led the fate of the Federated Suns to fall to his younger brother Hanse Davion.[4] After a short fight for the power between Hanse Davion and his brother-in-law Michael Hasek-Davion, Hanse emerged as First Prince of the Federated Suns. Ian's death fostered in Hanse a deep hatred of the Draconis Combine. Even during the Clan Invasion Hanse could not see them as a potential ally because of the killing of his brother.
Hanse continued his brother's policy of alliance with the Lyrans, however, eventually culminating in both states forming into one - the Federated Commonwealth. Despite the fact that this new kingdom was created by Katrina Steiner and Hanse, it was, in fact, Ian's policy that put foundations for this new state in place.[4]
Hanse would give his brother's name to his first son: Victor Ian Steiner-Davion.
BattleMechs[edit]
Ian Davion piloted an Atlas at the time of his death.[19]
Notes[edit]
^ Various sources have given different dates for the death of Ian Davion in the battle for Mallory's World in 3013. Most notably, the most recent source Historical Turning Points: Mallory's World gives the date as 21 November. It was confirmed by author Herbert A. Beas II that the official, correct date is 21 October 3013 and that any other dates are in error.[20]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Handbook: House Davion, p. 113: "Leaders of the Federated Suns"
- ↑ House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), p. 87: "Attitude Towards His Rivals"
- ↑ The Kell Hounds, p. 32
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Historical: War of 3039, p. 16
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 216
- ↑ Mercenary's Handbook 3055, p. 27
- ↑ Mercenaries Supplemental II, p. 64
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 217
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 222
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 223
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 247
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 256
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 261
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 282
- ↑ A Clever Bit of Fiction, p. 309
- ↑ Wolf's Dragoons, pp. 13–15
- ↑ The Kell Hounds, p. 7
- ↑ The Kell Hounds, pp. 8–9
- ↑ The Kell Hounds, p. 8
- ↑ In this thread on the official BattleTech forum; answer also archived on this article's talk page.