Marian Hegemony

Revision as of 06:12, 7 March 2014 by BrokenMnemonic (talk | contribs) (→‎War With The Circinus Federation: I moved the bulk of the detail from here into a discrete article on the war itself.)


Crest of the Marian Hegemony
Marian Hegemony
Faction Profile
Time period: 2920 – present
Classification: Periphery
Controlled systems: approx. 12
Capital world: Alphard
Ruler title: Imperator (later Caesar)
Military: Marian Hegemony Armed Forces
Secret Service: Ordo Vigilis

Fact Sheet

  • Founding Year: 2920
  • Capital (City, World): Nova Roma, Alphard
  • National Symbol: The bust of an armored Roman warrior against a tan banner that bears the name "Marian Hegemony" in English at its center and the Latin words "Pax" (Peace) and "Mortis" (of Death) on its opposite ends.
  • Location (Terra relative): Coreward and anti-spinward, beyond Duchy of Tamarind-Abbey and Rim Commonality
  • Government: Monarchist Republic
  • Dominant Language(s): English and Latin (official), German, Spanish, Greek
  • Dominant Religion(s): Christianity (Lutheran), Judaism, Islam, Agnostic
  • Unit of Currency: Talent

Era Specific Data

2930

  • Ruler: Imperator Johann Sebastian O'Reilly
  • Total (Inhabited) Systems: 9[1]

3025

3055

3063

  • Total (Inhabited) Systems: 23

3067

3130

  • Ruler: Caesar Ignatius O’Reilly[2]
  • Total (Inhabited) Systems: 22
  • Estimated Population (3130): 28,605,000,000
  • Unit of Currency: Talent (1 talent = 0.22 C-Bills) (3130)

Origins and History

Founding

The origins of the Marian Hegemony stem from the demise of the old Alphard Trading Coalition during the First Succession War. A man named Johann Sebastian O'Reilly, who was a lostech prospector, was searching for reputed lost caches of Star League technology on the planet Alphard, but instead found a treasure trove of germanium worth billions upon billions of C-Bills.

Johann O'Reilly immediately hired some small mercenary companies with his newly found wealth, and colonized Alphard. This colony grew quickly with the addition of numerous refugees were fleeing the strife in the Inner Sphere. As he fancied himself something of a historian, he organized his new society along the lines of the old Roman Republic. Johann styled himself as Imperator and organized three classes: the upper-class patricians, the middle and lower-class plebeians, and the slaves.

Gaius O'Reilly

Gaius O'Reilly, the son of Johann Sebastian O'Reilly, left little impression on the history of the Marian Hegemony; by the 3060s, he was primarily remembered for two things: being the father of Marius O'Reilly, and for dying an ignominious death in 3009 when his horse stumbled into a chuckhole, causing Gaius to break his neck.[3]

Marian Hegemony logo, circa 3025

Marius O'Reilly

Although the Hegemony had well-established financial reserves on-hand due to Alphard's relatively rich germanium supply, the new nation was too small to attract new military forces without attracting the attention of one of the larger powers in the Periphery. Nevertheless, the Fourth Succession War brought the fledgling nation new possibilities. With most of the various pirate bands concentrating on the Inner Sphere, the new Imperator, Marius O'Reilly, saw a good opportunity to expand his nation.

The Imperator, using wealth gained from pirate raids and germanium supplies, embarked on an ambitious civic spending program designed to give the Hegemony better and more capable soldiers. O'Reilly built the Collegium Bellorum Imperium (the Imperial War College) to train Marian generals, which he hoped would eventually churn out top-quality soldiers capable of expanding the Hegemony. The Imperator proved to be popular with his citizens, and was widely considered to be a good ruler for the Hegemony.

Upon the death of Marius, he was replaced by his son Sean O'Reilly. A much less capable ruler than his father, he used his parental connections to gain a position spearheading a wave of colonization across the Periphery. Sean skimmed money off of the project to fund his mistresses, and a serious gambling problem. With one of those mistresses Sean had a son, whom he named Julius. When Marius learned of his son's embezzling, he threatened to remove his son from the line of succession and name his grandson Julius as his heir. Sean, sufficiently cowed, offered to pay off his debt to the nation, and immediately cut back on his gambling and mistresses. Mollified, Marius put Sean back in the line of succession. Nevertheless, Sean continued to fear being removed from the line of succession.

When Marius died in 3048, in what was officially labeled a "climbing accident", Sean became the new Imperator.

Sean O'Reilly

After a 10-day period of mourning for his late father, Sean proclaimed himself to be the new Caesar of the Hegemony. He immediately enacted new decrees based on the structure of the old Roman Empire (as opposed to the original laws of the Roman Republic). He enacted many oppressive laws designed to keep the plebs in their place. The military was expanded from one legion to three, which he used to help silence his critics within the Hegemony.

His domestic problems in a temporary lull, Sean commenced a massive military buildup aimed at expanding the Hegemony through conquest. To this effect, he invaded the Lothian League, a small nation of less than 10 planets, in 3054. The conflict was brief, and the Caesar's legions had conquered the nation within one year of the invasion. Sean garrisoned the League worlds with his Second Legion and enacted several oppressive policies aimed at preventing rebellion. Instead, the Lothians started a rebellion on the worlds, which occupied the Second Legion with peacekeeping duties and gave Sean's government a reputation for ruthlessness.

Soon after the Lothian conquest, the Caesar was approached by the Word of Blake, who sought to gain control over the few HPG stations located within the Hegemony's borders. In exchange for expelling all ComStar personnel, the Caesar would be given high-quality BattleMechs and weapons for his dreams of conquest. Sean accepted, and started a heavy conscription effort that expanded his military to five legions. He was now ready to begin his conquests.

In 3057, Sean O'Reilly invaded the world of Astrokaszy. The site of one of his father's few defeats, he hoped to use the planet as a staging ground for later invasions. Although he exploited the constant infighting endemic to the planet, the sudden arrival of Magistracy of Canopus troops prevented the world from falling to the Hegemony. The Caesar returned to Alphard to find his Lothian subjects on the brink of open rebellion. Although the expansion of the military allowed Sean to post the Third Legion to the Lothian worlds to quash the rebellion, a second problem arose for him.

His son Julius, a recent graduate of the Collegium Bellorum Imperium, had been recently promoted to command a century in the First Legion. He quickly gained the attention of several powerful anti-Caesar military leaders and Senators, who built up a power base centered around the young heir. However, his father noticed, and transferred Julius to command of a cohort of the Second Legion on Lordinax. The unit was highly demoralized from Lothian raids, however, and Julius began to openly question his father's path of conquest.

Julius O'Reilly

Julius began to covertly build a power base within the Second Legion, to whom he promised an end to the Lothian troubles. The war was a cycle of death, as recruits poured into the Second Legion at a quick rate and Lothian civilian casualties steadily mounted due to the Caesar's bloody reprisals.

Julius, however, sensed a quick opportunity in 3063 to end the long war. His forces had recently captured the leader of the Lothian resistance, Elena Logan. The daughter of the former leader of the Lothian League, she sat down with Julius and bargained a truce amongst the populace. In exchange for a cessation of reprisals, a position in the Hegemony government, and a position as an adviser on Julius' personal staff, she agreed to end the brutal guerrilla war. Within a year of landing on Lordinax, Julius had ended the resistance, and was ready to make his next move.

Realizing that he could only govern the Hegemony as a respected conqueror, he departed Lordinax with the Fourth, Second, and elements of the Third Legion for the Illyrian Palatinate, leaving only one cohort of the Third and some auxiliaries in place on the planet. The conquest of the Palatinate lasted only a short while, as the small nation was only defended by two mercenary units, the Arms of Thor and Cavanaugh's Commandos. Although his forces were originally stopped by the sheer power of the Arms and Commandos, Julius struck a deal with Cavanaugh's Commandos in which they would stand down in exchange for a payment and a place in the Hegemony Armed Forces. The Hegemony forces quickly overran the Arms of Thor in their bases, collecting much intact salvage for Julius. He left the Palatinate under the control of local citizens, guarded by the rest of the Third Legion, and returned to Alphard a conquering hero.

Julius returned to the capital at the head of the Second and Fourth Legions, where he was hailed as a great hero and conqueror by the citizens of the Hegemony. Julius, guarded by select members of the Second Legion, went into the Senate building and received the imperial crown of the Hegemony in a nationwide broadcast. Julius' father was nowhere in sight. In a second speech, Julius declared his father unfit to rule the Hegemony, and declared himself the new leader of the nation. The Senate confirmed his appointment by acclamation.

However, Sean O'Reilly still lived, having holed up in his Palace with the entire First Legion. He refuted his son's claim to the throne, and instructed his Legion to put down the, in his terms, rebellion that had sprung up. When the forces engaged, half of the First Legion surrendered instantly, while the others were destroyed by the Second Legion. Julius and his soldiers confronted the former Caesar in his throne room, and offered him the chance to gracefully resign. Sean refused, attacked his son, and was cut down quickly by the assembled Second Legionnaires. Julius was now the full leader of the Marian Hegemony.

During the early years of his rule Julius launched extensive reforms within the Hegemony, giving his subjects more say in how they were governed; in addition to giving them a voice, he also took representatives from the nations conquered by the Hegemony and made them trusted advisors. Under Julius' rule the Hegemony grip on the worlds of the former Illyrian Palatinate and Lothian League tightened, but Julius also established some freedoms for the inhabitants of those worlds that they hadn't possessed during their independent rule.[4]

War With The Circinus Federation

Main article: Circinus Federation-Marian Hegemony War

Despite the reforms initiated by Julius and his focus on building both unity and goodwill within the Hegemony, Julius didn't give up his ambitions to expand the Hegemony by conquest as well. As Caesar, Julius intended to invade and annex the nearby Circinus Federation, with the groundwork for his invasion beginning to be laid in 3063.[4]

The war was a victory for the Marian Hegemony, although it achieved less than Julius had hoped; the war left the Hegemony rebuilding its Legions and in possession of two Circinian worlds and a considerable quantity of advanced salvage intended originally supplied by the Word of Blake for the Black Warriors. It also left the Hegemony with the knowledge that the Federation had received or was receiving aid from the Word as well as the Magistracy of Canopus and the Rim Collection, and left the Federation firmly in the grasp of the Word.[5][6]

Jihad

In early 3069 the Marian Hegemony found itself facing potential revolt in the conquered Illyrian and Lothian provinces as both passive and active rebellions began spreading through both regions in a wave.[7]

During the Word of Blake Jihad, the Marian Hegemony fought the Blakists' proxies, the Circinus Federation, in a bloody conflict that saw the small Periphery holding vanquished and partially occupied by the victorious Marian troops. The Marian Hegemony also at some time gave the Lothian League back its freedom (as shown on maps dating from the 3120s), although the reasons are as yet unclear.

Raiders from the Marian Hegemony are credited with conducting a raid on the Niops Association world of Niops V in August 3077 that sacked the Association world and shattered the defending Niops Association Militia forces.[8] On the 11th of November 3077 the Marian Hegemony attacked four Free Worlds League worlds, Kendall, Lahti, Landfall and San Nicolas. On Kendall the defending FWLM forces resorted to desperate tactics against the Marians, using tactical nuclear devices against II Legio to devastating effect; the Legio was largely destroyed, the survivors retreating back to Landfall, but at the cost of thousands of casualties.[9]

It was reported in the media on Alphard in September 3077 that couriers from the Circinus Federation border of the Hegemony were bringing news that a Marian offensive against the Federation had died effectively stillborn, with probing attacks on the planets of Thadora's Land and Zorn's Keep being rebuffed by significantly stronger Federation forces.[10]

Post-Jihad Era

In the period immediately after the Jihad, the Marian Hegemony Armed Forces faced a period of rebuilding their strength after the damage inflicted during the attempted annexation of several Free Worlds League planets - the exception being V Legio, which had been struck from the rolls of the MHAF after defecting to become the principle military force of the new Lothian state.[11] Aiding in the rebuilding efforts was the fact that much of the Hegemony's limited miltiary industry survived the Jihad. Despite the destruction of Nova Roma by neutron bombing, Alphard's industrial base survived largely intact. The Hegemony introduced local BattleMech manufacturing with the addition of RetroTech production lines in 3074 on Alphard, and by 3081 rumours were circulating that the Hadrian Mechanized Industries plant on Pompey was expanding to include BattleMech production. While intelligence agencies hadn't confirmed the fact, Caesar Cassius O'Reilly had ordered that the Hegemony's military production should expand, to prevent a single deliberate attack destroying the bulk of the realm's industrial base, as had nearly happened once already.[12]

Political and Social Structure

The Marian Hegemony is an absolute monarchy, with absolute power vested in the Caesar, who can enforce his will by decree. The Hegemony also has a Senate, composed of patricians from every world of the nation (although the number of Senators sent vary by population). The Senate itself acts as a debate forum that rubber-stamps the Caesar's decrees, although the support of its members is one of the factors that let Julius become Caesar. Initially, the Senate was restricted to only full Hegemony Worlds, but Caesar Julius granted the worlds of the Lothian League and Illyrian Palatinate full status and gave them Senators.

The Hegemony itself is divided into three classes of people: the Patricians, the Plebeians, and the various slaves. The Patricians are the self-perpetuating nobility of the Hegemony. Only they can serve in the Senate of the Hegemony, and they also make up the upper command structure of the Legions.

Directly below them are the plebs, who serve as the middle and lower-class of the Hegemony. They have little political power, and rarely advance in the ranks of the bureaucracy or the military. Before Caesar Julius' reforms, they had no voice in their leaders' selection, but Julius allowed them to vote for Planetary Tribunes (Governors) and for a special People's Tribune to be sent to the Senate.

The Hegemony is the largest Periphery nation to practice slavery, and openly condones it. Most slaves are prisoners of war, however, as it is forbidden to buy or sell a citizen of the Hegemony.

Manufacturing Center

A detailed list of some Marian Hegemony manufacturers centers.

Major Defense Industries

3067


Foreign Relations

Inner Sphere: The Free Worlds League and the Capellan Confederation are the only two Successor States that have any formal relations with the Marian Hegemony. In the past, Marian raids on Free Worlds League border planets kept relations between them chilly. The recent Taurian-Canopian alliance, however, has prompted Thomas Marik toward friendlier ties with the Hegemony as a possible counter to aggressive moves by the Magistracy of Canopus. Trade between the two states remains as healthy as it has always been; Marik merchants eagerly buy germanium from the Hegemony, and sell any number of League-made goods to Hegemony customers. It is frequently said in the Hegemony that Marik merchants own the bazaars on the world of Suetonius. Following Thomas Marik's lead, the Capellan Confederation has also strengthened its ties to the Marian state.

Periphery: The Hegemony has almost no good relations with the other Periphery nations. Relations with the Magistracy of Canopus remain strained, due to a long history of raiding and looting brought on by Marian pirates. The Hegemony's war against the Lothian League angered the Protector of the Taurian Concordat, who then allied himself with the Magistrix against any potential Marian aggression.

The only Periphery nation to have any good relations with the Hegemony was the Circinus Federation, primarily due to their former mutual dislike of the Illyrian Palatinate. Although they had tried for a joint alliance to divide the Palatinate, that deal fell through, and relations became strained as a result.

Historical Maps Gallery

  • Marian Hegemony at Founding in 2930

  • Marian Hegemony after the 3rd Succession War 3025

  • Marian Hegemony in 3050

  • Marian Hegemony post-Lothian Invasion in 3055

  • Marian Hegemony at post-Illyrian Invasion in 3063

  • Marian Hegemony in 3067

  • Marian Hegemony post-Jihad in 3079

  • Marian Hegemony at the beginning of the Dark Age 3130

References

  1. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 163, "Marian Hegemony at various stages"
  2. ↑ Touring the Stars, p. 93, "Marian Hegemony" 3130 Fact Sheet
  3. ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 154, "Spotlight: The Caesar"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Field Manual: Updates, p. 194-195, "Historical Brief"
  5. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 195, "The Marian Legions"
  6. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 197, "The Caesar's War"
  7. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 46, "The Jihad In Review"
  8. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 57, "The Jihad in Review"
  9. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 58, "The Jihad in Review"
  10. ↑ Jihad Hot Spots: Terra, p. 53, "Federation Build-Up"
  11. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 116, "Marian Hegemony"
  12. ↑ Jihad: Final Reckoning, p. 117, "Marian Hegemony"
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Tactical Operations, p. 16, "Marian Hegemony"

Bibliography

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