Katherine Steiner

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Katherine Steiner
Personal
Born	2367
Died	2446
Affiliation	House Steiner
Profile
Profession	Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth
Family
Spouse	Alistair Marsden Deven Reynolds
Children	Alistair Steiner Michael Reynolds

Katherine Steiner (b. 2367 - d. 2446) was a Lyran politician and the 3rd Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.

Character Description

Katherine Steiner was a German-Scandinavian descendant, whose family originally came to the Protectorate of Donegal as employees of the Marsden family's Donegal Freight and Goods transportation company. In her thirties, she was a tall, blonde, athletic woman, whom was considered to be very beautiful. She was courageous, shrewd, and possessed a considerable amount of determination. She also had respect for others' emotions.

Character History

Early Life

Katherine was an associate professor of military history at Tharkad University. In 2399, she had been hired by Lyran Military High Command to give lectures to their staff when she met Archon Alistair Marsden. They developed friendship shortly after their meeting, finding they shared the same views on many things. During her courtship with Alistair, she handled the limelight of being the love interest of the interstellar statesman with calm, confidence and courtesy. When she married Alistair in 2405 their marriage was celebrated thought the Commonwealth. This was a bright spot of the period as war soon erupted throughout the Inner Sphere.

In early 2407 her husband set off on a military campaign to invade the Draconis Combine while she was pregnant with their first child, to whom she gave birth to in December. Unfortunately, her husband was killed during the tank offensive against Combine stronghold on Menkent a month later. Alistair's body was returned to Tharkad, where she gave a moving eulogy and showed the distaste of what the conflict had cost her.

Archon of the Commonwealth

In March of 2408, Katherine changes her & sons surnames from Marsden for her maiden name. Then she proclaimed herself Archon, that her son would be Heir-designate to the throne. By this act, she became first of the Steiner dynasty to take the throne. However, the Dukes of Tamar and Skye had lost much their political power after ascendance of Alistair's bother, Robert. They decided to meet with Katherine and the late Archon's uncle, Timothy Marsden, offering their support but in exchange for greater policy-making powers. Timothy balked at the two Dukes' suggestions, citing that the Archon was supreme ruler, which Katherine immediately agreed as well.

In April, she was confirmed by the Estates General, and was officially recognized as the new Archon. During the meeting she had assembled her advisors whom would help her govern the Commonwealth. She then designated Duke Devon Reynolds of Fatima, as head of Lyran military on Combine Border. She dispatched former Archon's second command to Meachem where he routed Kurita forces from the planet. The leaders of the Tamar and Skye regions supported the move to entrust the region's defense to the Duke.

During her early reign as Archon, Katherine conducted a number of changes to the Commonwealth's make up. Showing her ability to gain affinity of the masses and its rulers. In special meeting of the Estates General, she has her infant son brought into the meeting wearing a tiny military uniform. Using it her son as a example to of wishing her son grow up only playing soldier and not having to become one. By doing so, she also expressed her wishes to the Commonwealth at large that her realm would be peaceful instead of being plunged into a civil war. She later re-organized the Commonwealth's economic structure, where she eliminated the red tape that hampered trading between provinces.

She was one of the signatories of the Ares Conventions in 2412, strongly believing in civilizing warfare so that civilian populations would not suffer as harshly as they had in the past.

In 2413, she signed into law the Brandenberg Edicts that has the military re-organized adding the title of "Duke" and has the military become more unified into what became modern Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces known in later times. The non-inheritable titles "Duke" and other titles, were only to bolster her military's egos and leaving no real power behind them. Katherine also created the Commonwealth Scout Corp during the same year. The organization, consisting of specially modified JumpShips, helped to establish new colonies within the Commonwealth. As well, as administered social make up changes to the Commonwealth, adding Germanic stylizes to its culture, including adding enacting the . She such changes included; replacement of Greek three-stringed lyre with German like gauntlet of her royal house.

By 2414, with the Commonwealth embroiled in multiple conflicts of the Age of War, she had her political enemies out of her way. Such as her step Uncle Timothy Marsden sent to lead Free World League military front and perish in the fighting. Katherine enjoyed happier times, such also marrying Duke Deven Reynolds on Fatima. Where she and he have child together, but signs agreement that their child would not be able assume the throne of Commonwealth. Katherine is faced with political challenges by her own House of Representatives, where they begun attempt to force her to step down from office. However, she deployed the Royal Guards to "safe guard" the representatives in a political move to prevent the Lyran citizenry from harming them for their inflammatory statements.

Her happiness is disrupted however when her second husband is killed in assault to re-take world of St. John from Draconis Combine in 2443.

During her later years, she attempts to send her LIC to try acquire plans for the Terran Hegemony's new BattleMech designs. However, when her son Alistair attempts to raid Hegemony for the plans, she ensure that he is called elsewhere.

After 37 years on throne, she resigned her post due to her failing health in 2445. She dignity, has her son Alistair take throne and quietly leaves public life. She retired to Gallery where she last days on estate there writing her memoirs and riding horses in dark forests of the planet.

Family & Legacy

With her marriage with Alistair Marsden, she has her son Alistair Marsden Steiner. Later with her brief marriage to Duke Devon Reynolds produces her second son, Michael Reynolds.

Bibliography

• House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)
• Handbook: House Steiner