Difference between revisions of "Successor States"

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In the [[fiction]]al ''[[BattleTech]]'' [[universe]], the '''Successor States''' (named such due to their being the "Successors" of the [[Star League]]) are the major [[military]] powers of the [[Inner Sphere]], each governed by one of the Great Houses. Each Successor State has its own [[culture]] and [[customs]].
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The '''Successor States''' (named as such due to their being the "Successors" of the [[Star League]]) are the major military powers of the [[Inner Sphere]], each governed by one of the Great Houses with its own customs and culture. After [[House Cameron]] was wiped out in the [[Star League Civil War]], the five remaining Great Houses spent [[Succession Wars (History)|the next several centuries fighting each other]] to determine who would succeed as the next [[First Lord]]. By the mid-[[thirty-first century]] the endless pursuit of this goal had left the Successor States ravaged by apocalyptic wars and widespread technological decline, but with no clear winner.  
  
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==The Great Houses of the Successor States==
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The [[Clan Invasion|surprise invasion]] by the [[Clans]] in [[3050]] temporarily led to an alliance between the Successor States, as they formed a [[Second Star League]] in [[3058]] to defeat the invaders. Once this goal was achieved, however, the Successor States fell back into struggling against one another, dissolving the new League in [[3067]].
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===House Davion===
 
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See also: [[Federated Suns]] and [[Federated Commonwealth]]  
 
  
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Strongly influenced by [[Great Britain]] and [[France]].<br>
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Despite working together again to defeat the [[Word of Blake]] during the Blakist [[Jihad]], the decades of peace that followed ended with the [[Blackout]] of [[3132]]. By the mid-[[thirty-second century]] all of the Successor States had again attacked their rivals, leading to a [[Dark Age|new era]] of constant warfare.
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Capital world, [[New Avalon (BattleTech)|New Avalon]].
 
  
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The Federated Suns is an interstellar nation set within the fictional BattleTech game universe introduced by FASA Corporation in the 1980s. The Federated Suns have been ruled by the Davion Family, or House Davion, since the nation's founding in 2317.
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==The Successor States==
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===Federated Suns===
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[[Image:Federated Suns Logo.png|right|150px]]
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''[[House Davion]]'' has ruled the [[Federated Suns]] since the nation's founding in [[2317]] by [[Lucien Davion (23rd c.)|Lucien Davion]], Prime Minister of [[New Avalon]], who negotiated a [[Crucis Pact|mutual defense and assistance agreement]] with several nearby star systems.  From their capital of New Avalon, the Anglo-French House Davion led the Federated Suns to become one of the largest and most militarily powerful states in the Inner Sphere. The Federated Suns traditionally sees itself as the champion of freedom, democracy, and human rights, especially compared to its authoritarian neighbors, although the reality is not so clear-cut.  Additionally, the state's economic growth was uneven, with a small number of overdeveloped worlds making up for the larger number of underdeveloped ones.  To counteract this deficiency and recover [[lostech]], the pursuit of scientific knowledge was strongly encouraged by Davion leadership, and the [[New Avalon Institute of Science]] quickly became the premier research and development center of the thirty-first century.<ref>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 4</ref><ref name=CBT166>''Classic BattleTech RPG'', p. 166</ref><ref name=MW2-115>''MechWarrior: Second Edition'', p. 115</ref>
  
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The Fedsuns was founded in 2317 by Lucien Davion, Prime Minister of New Avalon, when he negotiated a mutual defense and assistance agreement, known as the Crucis Pact, with 20 nearby star systems. Lucien became the federation's first president and New Avalon its capital. A member of the Davion family has led the Federated Suns in unbroken succession for the past 700 years. Presently on the throne is Yvonne Steiner-Davion, Youngest sister to the former ruler, Victor Steiner-Davion, Both are children of Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner, whose marriage effectively sealed the Federated Suns' alliance with the Lyran Commonwealth. The Federated Suns claim approximately 400 inhabited star systems under its aegis, nearly double the number of worlds controlled at the beginning of the Succession Wars. In addition, uncounted other worlds are claimed and exploited by Davion forces.
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For a brief period of time the Federated Suns joined with the Lyran Commonwealth to form the [[Federated Commonwealth]], a massive superstate spanning the length of the Inner Sphere. There was internal resistance to this merger of the two realms, particularly in the Lyran half, which bore the brunt of the Clan offensive. In [[3057]] the Lyran worlds seceded from the alliance, splitting FedCom in two and creating the [[Chaos March]].<ref name=CBT166/><ref name=MW2-115/>  The split was made permanent after the [[FedCom Civil War]].
  
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Much of House Davion's growth over the past 200 years has taken place at the expense of Liao's Capellan Confederation. This was particularly true at the end of the Fourth Succession War, when the Federated Suns took more than 100 worlds from House Liao.
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====Notable Personalities====
 +
* [[Hanse Davion]]
 +
* [[Morgan Hasek-Davion]]
 +
* [[Victor Steiner-Davion]]
 +
* [[Yvonne Steiner-Davion]]
 +
* [[Harrison Davion]]
 +
* [[Caleb Davion]]
 +
* [[Julian Davion]]
  
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An even more serious enemy to the Federated Suns has been the Draconis Combine, ruled by House Kurita, which nearly succeeded in conquering the Davion realm during the First Succession War. By forging an alliance with the Lyran Commonwealth in 3022, Davion forced Kurita to spread its 'Mech resources along two frontiers, leaving many worlds thinly defended. Prior to the Fourth Succession War, Davion forces were able to exploit this vulnerability, seizing the Combine worlds of Tancredi II and Galatea, as well as Star League storehouses at Galtor and Rowe, while losing very few units themselves. With the outbreak of war, however, the Federated Commonwealth had to rearrange its priorities. By the end of the Fourth War, House Kurita had managed to seize 15 worlds, including Galtor, along its border with House Davion.
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===Draconis Combine===
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[[Image:Draccombine.gif|right|150px]]
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''[[House Kurita]]'' is the ruling family of the fearsome [[Draconis Combine]], the only Great House that proclaims unabashedly its right to rule all of the Inner Sphere.  House Kurita has dominated the Draconis Combine since its founding in [[2319]] by [[Shiro Kurita]], who imbued the state with its strong Japanese culture from the capital [[New Samarkand]], which would eventually move to [[Luthien]] in the [[twenty-seventh century]]. Embracing "the way of the warrior," the Draconis Combine has had a long history of antagonism with and aggression against its neighbors.  Personal honor and a self-reliance bordering on xenophobia are also encouraged by House Kurita.<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', pp. 6, 8</ref><ref name=CBT167/><ref name=MW2-120>''MechWarrior: Second Edition'', p. 120</ref>
  
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Surprisingly, the Clan threat has done much to destroy the traditional Davion-Kurita rivalry. There is even rumor of a love affair between Victor Steiner-Davion and Theodore Kurita's daughter, Omi Kurita, although official sources consistently deny the connection. It is known that Victor Davion led a mission to a Clan-held world to rescue Theodore Kurita's son, Hohiro Kurita (the younger). With the Clan threat diminishing for a time, tensions will no doubt resurface. Clashes, at least minor ones, between Davion and Kurita forces will recur.
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The Draconis Combine suffered significant territorial losses to the Federated Commonwealth during the [[Fourth Succession War]], mitigated somewhat when it willingly allowed the creation of the [[Free Rasalhague Republic]] as a buffer between it and the Lyran state. Greater losses were suffered at the hands of the Clan invaders, but in a historical turn of events Luthien was saved when the Kuritans allied with their traditional enemies against the Clan invaders. This ultimately resulted in the reconquest of nearly all Combine worlds lost to the Clans thanks to the Second Star League.<ref name=CBT167/><ref name=MW2-120/>
  
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====Notable characters====
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====Notable Personalities====
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Hanse Davion|Hanse Davion]]
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* [[Takashi Kurita]]
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Justin Allard|Justin Allard]]
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* [[Yorinaga Kurita]]
 +
* [[Theodore Kurita]]
 +
* [[Hohiro Kurita (31st c.)|Hohiro Kurita]]
 +
* [[Omiko Kurita]]
 +
* [[Vincent Kurita]]
 +
* [[Yori Kurita]]
  
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* Victor Steiner-Davion
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===Capellan Confederation===
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* Yvonne Steiner-Davion
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[[Image:Capellan Confederation logo.png|right|150px]]
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* Jackson Davion
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The [[Capellan Confederation]], and its ruling family ''[[House Liao]]'', has long been considered the underdogs of the Inner Sphere.  The smallest of the Successor States, the socialistic Capellan Confederation was the last to form, created on [[Capella]] by neighboring states in [[2366]] as a "temporary" alliance in response to Davion aggression.  Tracing their lineage back to the controversial [[Elias Liao]],  House Liao gave the Confederation its Han Chinese character and ensured the survival of the realm through strong (if frequently erratic) rule from the Celestial Throne on [[Sian]].  Although popularly disparaged as a totalitarian police state, many citizens enjoy a high degree of personal freedom and willingly serve the State in return for the generous services it provides.<ref>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', p. 5</ref><ref name=CBT167/><ref name=MW2-127>''MechWarrior: Second Edition'', p. 127</ref><ref name=CBT167/>
  
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===House Kurita===
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During the Succession Wars, the Capellan Confederation lost three-fourths of its original territory to Davion and Marik invasions.  The Fourth Succession War was particularly devastating, with parts of the Confederation seceding to form the [[St. Ives Compact]] and [[Tikonov Free Republic]].  The Confederation was untouched by the Clan invasion though, and thanks to the efforts of Sun-Tzu Liao the realm was able to rebuild and [[Operation Guerrero|reconquer]] much of its former territory, including the Compact.<ref name=CBT167/><ref name=MW2-127/>
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See also: [[Draconis Combine]]
 
  
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Strongly influenced by [[Japan#Culture|Japanese culture]].<br>
+
====Notable Personalities====
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Capital world, [[Luthien (BattleTech)|Luthien]].<br>
+
* [[Maximilian Liao]]
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The [[Free Rasalhague Republic]] (FRR) was once part of the Draconis Combine.
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* [[Romano Liao]]
 +
* [[Candace Liao]]
 +
* [[Kai Allard-Liao]]
 +
* [[Sun-Tzu Liao]]
 +
* [[Daoshen Liao]]
 +
* [[Danai Liao-Centrella]]
  
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In the fictional BattleTech universe, House Kurita is the ruling family of the fearsome Draconis Combine. The only Great House that proclaims unabashedly its right to rule all of the Inner Sphere, House Kurita has dominated the Draconis Combine since its founding in 2319. Its progenetor was Shiro Kurita, the first Coordinator of the Draconis Combine. The current Lord of House Kurita is Coordinator Theodore Kurita, who succeeded his father Takashi Kurita in 3054. House Kurita has had a long history of antagonism with and aggression against its neighbors. Though its official symbol is the serpentine Chinese dragon, humorist Homer Kellogi thought the octopus a more appropriate symbol, since House Kurita's tentacles are everywhere. Though driven by an archaic sense of honor spelled out in the Dictum Honorium, House Kurita is not above using subterfuge and guile to further its goals.
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===Free Worlds League===
 +
[[Image:Free Worlds League logo.png|right|180px]]
 +
The [[Free Worlds League]], the oldest of all Successor States, was long ruled by ''[[House Marik]]'' as a matter of custom rather than decree.  Founded in [[2271]] after the collapse of the [[Terran Alliance]], the League was an open, multicultural state, consisting of many great and small realms loosely joined together.  It was also the only one to lay claim to being (on paper at least) a true democracy, with Parliament meeting on [[Atreus (FWL)|Atreus]]. This same openness also left the state politically fragile and frequently riven with instability; throughout its history the League fought against itself almost as much as it did the neighboring Lyran and Capellan nations. House Marik relied heavily on free trade and technological advancement to keep pace with its rivals.<ref>''House Marik (The Free Worlds League'', pp. 6, 8</ref><ref name=MW2-124>''MechWarrior: Second Edition'', p. 124</ref>
  
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A massive tome comprising many volumes, the Dictum Honorium would require several lifetimes to master. It spells out in fine detail the code of conduct for all citizens of the Draconis Combine, from the Coordinator to his Samurai to the lowest Unproductive. Due to its length and general impenetrability, few manage to read more than a few pages, and the Dictum has little actual effect on daily life. Several passages, such as the special rules allowing the taking (instead of summary execution) of prisoners of war valuable to military intelligence and ransom are kept secret from the public.
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The Free Worlds League was untouched by the Clan invasion, allowing it to become the industrial base to supply the other Successor States in fending off the invaders.  The League underwent an economic growth that quickly made it one of the richest Successor States.  However, during the [[ComStar Schism]] House Marik chose to side with the [[Word of Blake]].<ref name=CBT167>''Classic BattleTech RPG'', p. 167</ref>  The dire result of this alliance was the Free Worlds League's destruction during the [[Jihad]], though efforts to re-form the League during the thirty-second century have taken place.
  
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Common Nicknames: Kuritan
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====Notable Personalities====
 +
* [[Janos Marik]]
 +
* [[Anton Marik]]
 +
* [[Thomas Marik]]
 +
* [[Corinne Marik]]
 +
* [[Jessica Marik]]
 +
* [[Nikol Marik]]
  
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Applicable Pejoratives: Drac, Snake
+
===Lyran Commonwealth===
 +
[[Image:House Steiner Logo.jpg|right|150px]]
 +
The [[Lyran Commonwealth]], largely under the leadership of ''[[House Steiner]]'', has long been considered the Inner Sphere's greatest economic power.  Formed in [[2340]] from the combination of several smaller defense pacts, its original capital was on [[Arcturus]] before moving to [[Tharkad]], where it came under the stewardship of the Steiner family and gained its Germanic trappings.  With many resource-rich worlds, shrewd business acumen and a strong industrial base, the Lyran Commonwealth prospered even during the worst of times: in spite of the destruction of the Succession Wars, overall industrial output and average standard of living exceeded that of any other Successor State.  This vast wealth helped the Lyran state weather any military reversals - especially [[Social General|self-inflicted]] ones - by quickly replacing their matériel losses.<ref>''House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)'', p. 8</ref><ref name=MW2-116>''MechWarrior: Second Edition'', pp. 115–116</ref>
  
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====Notable characters====
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In the early part of the thirty-first century, the Lyran Commonwealth joined in a political union with the Federated Suns to form the [[Federated Commonwealth]], a vast superstate spanning the length of the Inner Sphere.  Resistance to this merger was strong within the Lyran state, and both its economy and territorial integrity suffered heavily during the Clan invasion.  Katherine Steiner-Davion successfully engineered the secession of the Lyran worlds from the FedCom alliance in [[3057]], forming the [[Lyran Alliance]] in its place.<ref name=CBT166/>
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Hohiro Kurita|Hohiro Kurita]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Omi Kurita|Omiko Kurita]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Theodore Kurita|Theodore Kurita]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Yorinaga Kurita|Yorinaga Kurita]]
 
  
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===House Liao===
+
====Notable Personalities====
−
See also: [[Capellan Confederation]]
+
* [[Katrina Steiner]]
 +
* [[Melissa Steiner]]
 +
* [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]]
 +
* [[Peter Steiner-Davion]]
 +
* [[Adam Steiner]]
 +
* [[Melissa Steiner (32nd c.)|Melissa Steiner]]
 +
* [[Trillian Steiner-Davion]]
  
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Strongly influenced by [[China#Culture and Religion|Chinese culture]].<br>
+
==References==
 +
<references/>
  
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The Capellan Confederation has long been considered the “underdogs” of the InnerSphere, known for mentally unstable leaders that are often violently oppressive towards their own people and great military losses in each succession war leading them to a shadow of their former size.
+
==Bibliography==
 +
*''[[Classic BattleTech RPG]]''
 +
*''[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]''
 +
*''[[House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)]]''
 +
*''[[House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)]]''
 +
*''[[House Marik (The Free Worlds League)]]''
 +
*''[[House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth)]]''
 +
*''[[MechWarrior: The BattleTech Role Playing Game, Second Edition]]''
  
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However in more recent years the Capellan Confederation has strengthened incredibly under the leadership of Sun-Tzu Liao.  Often manipulative but the best leader the empire has seen in years, the Confederation has a strong alliance with the Free Worlds League resulting in rapid technological increase as well a social reformation among the people (Known as Xin Sheng) restoring their pride.  This cumulated in the Confederation re-taking a pocket of territory on the Davion border known as the St. Ives Compact which revolted with Federated Commonwealth help in the 4th succession war, during Sun-Tzu’s grandfather’s rule. 
 
  
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More recently the confederation has gained strong alliances with both major Periphery factions on it’s borders, giving it access to the rear guard of both the Free Worlds League and Federated Commonwealth (Federated Suns in the post civil war era), as well as strong – but technologically inferior – military allies.  This leaves the Confederation as one of the strongest factions in the post-civil war classic period.
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[[Category:Inner Sphere Culture]]
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Capital world, [[Sian (BattleTech)|Sian]].
 
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====Notable characters====
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Maximillian Liao|Maximillian Liao]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Sun-Tzu Liao|Sun-Tzu Liao]]
 
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===House Marik===
 
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See also: [[Free Worlds League]]
 
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Multicultural, with strong [[Europe|European]], [[North America|American]], and [[India|Indian]] overtones.<br>
 
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The Free Worlds League is notable as the first successor state founded in the Inner Sphere.  While their history is wracked with many vicious civil wars and tensions along the Liao border – much of the League’s territory there originally having belonged to the Cappelan Confederation – the dawn of the Clan invasion changed their role in the galaxy considerably as one of the two untouched nations and – until Operation Serpent – neutral faction in the war. 
 
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This brought the Free Worlds League to being an economical powerhouse, supplying materials ranging from food to ‘mechs, to other factions in need; often trading for advanced Clan technology.  During this time the split between the Word of Blake and Comstar impacted the League as well, making them the first house to remove Comstar for interstellar communications in favor of the Blakeists. 
 
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The Free Worlds League has a strong emphasis on combined arms tactics, with almost all of their regiments featuring a large number of infantry, armor and aerospace assets as well as one of the largest navies in the InnerSphere.  The focus on ‘mechs however does exist within their elite regiments that make up the Knights of the InnerSphere in an effort to return to Star League tradition of minimizing loss of life by reducing war to just a handful of combatants. Near the end of 3067, the Free Worlds League had a space navy that greatly outpaced those of the other Successor States.
 
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After the Word of Blake Jihad, the Free Worlds League dissolved and is now a defunct power.
 
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Capital world, [[Atreus (BattleTech)|Atreus]].
 
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====Notable characters====
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Thomas Marik|Thomas Marik]]
 
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===House Steiner===
 
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See also: [[Lyran Alliance]], [[Lyran Commonwealth]] and [[Federated Commonwealth]]
 
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Greatly influenced by [[Scandinavia]] and [[Germany]]
 
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The Pre-Civil War Lyran Commonwealth was considered the Inner Sphere’s greatest economical power.  While as much involved with the Succession Wars as every other state, their focus had historically been on defense and border skirmishes more than invasion.  The only enemy to challenge the Lyran Commonwealth frequently is the Draconis Combine, which no doubt helped lead to the creation of the Fedearated Commonwealth in later years, when the Lyran Commonwealth merged with the Federated Suns.
 
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The Lyran Commonwealth is also classically known for inept military commanders, who gain their status through social settings and favors rather than training and skill – often hailing from rich families.  This has been known as a crippling factor for the successor state, as their equipment and technology easily outpaced their rivals in the first three succession wars.  The trend of poor commanders continued into the Federated Commonwealth era and continued into the civil war, doubtlessly leading to their eventual defeat.
 
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Capital world, [[Tharkad (BattleTech)|Tharkad]]
 
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====Notable Characters====
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Melissa Steiner|Melissa Steiner]]
 
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----
 
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===House Steiner-Davion===
 
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See also: [[Federated Commonwealth]], [[Federated Suns]] and [[Lyran Alliance]]
 
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The Federated Commonwealth came into being with the marriage of [[List of BattleTech characters#Hanse Davion|Hanse Davion]] and [[List of BattleTech characters#Melissa Steiner|Melissa Steiner]], joining the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth into what was the most powerful of the Successor States.
 
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The Union lasted only 20 years when unrest caused by the Clan invasion and the assassination of [[List of BattleTech characters#Melissa Steiner-Davion|Melissa Steiner-Davion]] enabled Melissa and Hanse's second child [[List of BattleTech characters#Katherine Steiner-Davion|Katherine Steiner-Davion]] to seize the much of the former Lyran Commonwealth from her brother, [[List of BattleTech characters#Victor Steiner-Davion|Victor Steiner-Davion]]'s control. Katherine went on to stage a [[coup]] against her younger sister, Yvonne Steiner-Davion and took control of the former Federated Suns half of the Commonwealth while Victor was off fighting Clan Smoke Jaguar. This lead to a civil war which raged for five years before Victor's allied forces successfully defeated Katherine and her supporters.
 
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Rather than try to reforge the union of the two nations, Victor opted to aid the healing process by returning both nations to their prior separate constitutions and abdicating as Archon-Prince in favor of his surviving younger siblings; Archon Peter Steiner-Davion and Regent Yvonne Steiner-Davion.
 
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Capital worlds, [[Tharkad (BattleTech)|Tharkad]] and [[New Avalon (BattleTech)|New Avalon]].
 
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====Notable characters====
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Katherine Steiner-Davion|Katherine Steiner-Davion]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Victor Steiner-Davion|Victor Steiner-Davion]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Kai Allard-Liao|Kai Allard-Liao]]
 
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==ComStar==
 
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:See also [[ComStar]]
 
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While not strictly being one of the Successor States, ComStar is [[politics|politically]] influential, as it maintains a [[monopoly]] over the [[HyperPulse Generators]], which are crucial to [[interstellar medium|interstellar]] [[communication]]; the threat of a [[communications blackout]] makes ComStar a significant power within the [[Inner Sphere]].
 
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ComStar itself is composed of quasi-mystical technicians who tend the [[BattleTech technology#HyperPulse Generators|HPG]] arrays. They profess to be neutral to the [[politics]] of the Inner Sphere. [[List of BattleTech characters#Jerome Blake|Jerome Blake]] is something of a religious figure to ComStar; oaths such as "''By the blessed Blake''" or epithets such as "''Blake's Blood!''" are not uncommon. [[List of BattleTech characters#Jerome Blake|Jerome Blake]] was the original founder of ComStar, after the [[Star League]] fell, and is considered by those within ComStar to be the savior of the [[Inner Sphere]].<br>
 
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Capital, and only world, [[Terra (BattleTech)|Terra]].
 
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The story of ComStar is heavily influenced by Isaac Asimov's Foundation books.
 
−
 
 
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===Notable characters===
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Anastasius Focht|Anastasius Focht]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Jerome Blake|Jerome Blake]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Julian Tiepolo|Julian Tiepolo]]
 
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* [[List of BattleTech characters#Myndo Waterly|Myndo Waterly]]
 
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==Word of Blake==
 
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:''See also [[Word of Blake]]''
 
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The '''Word of Blake''' was once part of ComStar, part of the fictional [[Battletech]] universe, but splintered from the order due to a difference in beliefs. It was founded by Demona Aziz, then Precentor of Atreus. Created after the death of Primus Myndo Waterly and the Battle of Tukkayid that halted the Clan invasion, it at first received support and refuge from the Free Worlds League, who employed them to control their hyperpulse communications network. However, it launched an invasion of Inner-Sphere territory, and eventually captured [[Terra]] from ComStar in 3058. Ultimately, and after the Clan invasion and the FedCom civil war of 3067, when the Star League was disbanded in 3067 the Word of Blake launched a [[jihad]] against the rest of the [[Inner Sphere]], The opening of the Jihad included an attack by allegedly rogue mercenary units on the Wolf's Dragoons homeworld of Outreach as well as assaults on Tharkad, New Avalon and Luthien as well as several other important worlds. The goal of the Word of Blake Jihad was an extension of the original plans of Comstar's founder Jerome Blake, called Operation Silver Shield, to capture some of the Terran Hegemony worlds and hold them under Comstar's control.
 
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However, resistance began to grow when Professor David Lear and the [[Republic of the Sphere]]'s future founder, Devlin Stone, escaped from a Word of Blake reeducation camp and organised a local resistance movement that destroyed Word of Blake forces on Kittery. Soon, the resistance developed into a widespread organization that was joined by ComStar, the Successor States, the Clans, and the mercenary unit Wolf's Dragoons, and, thence united, succeeding in pushing the Word of Blake back until their final defeat on Terra in 3081.
 
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==Mercenaries==
 
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Also not truly a Successor State, '''mercenaries''' play a large role in the [[Inner Sphere]], and some of the larger groups have considerable [[politics|political]] and [[military]] influence.
 

Latest revision as of 01:52, 10 January 2024

The Successor States (named as such due to their being the "Successors" of the Star League) are the major military powers of the Inner Sphere, each governed by one of the Great Houses with its own customs and culture. After House Cameron was wiped out in the Star League Civil War, the five remaining Great Houses spent the next several centuries fighting each other to determine who would succeed as the next First Lord. By the mid-thirty-first century the endless pursuit of this goal had left the Successor States ravaged by apocalyptic wars and widespread technological decline, but with no clear winner.

The surprise invasion by the Clans in 3050 temporarily led to an alliance between the Successor States, as they formed a Second Star League in 3058 to defeat the invaders. Once this goal was achieved, however, the Successor States fell back into struggling against one another, dissolving the new League in 3067.

Despite working together again to defeat the Word of Blake during the Blakist Jihad, the decades of peace that followed ended with the Blackout of 3132. By the mid-thirty-second century all of the Successor States had again attacked their rivals, leading to a new era of constant warfare.

The Successor States[edit]

Federated Suns[edit]

Federated Suns Logo.png

House Davion has ruled the Federated Suns since the nation's founding in 2317 by Lucien Davion, Prime Minister of New Avalon, who negotiated a mutual defense and assistance agreement with several nearby star systems. From their capital of New Avalon, the Anglo-French House Davion led the Federated Suns to become one of the largest and most militarily powerful states in the Inner Sphere. The Federated Suns traditionally sees itself as the champion of freedom, democracy, and human rights, especially compared to its authoritarian neighbors, although the reality is not so clear-cut. Additionally, the state's economic growth was uneven, with a small number of overdeveloped worlds making up for the larger number of underdeveloped ones. To counteract this deficiency and recover lostech, the pursuit of scientific knowledge was strongly encouraged by Davion leadership, and the New Avalon Institute of Science quickly became the premier research and development center of the thirty-first century.[1][2][3]

For a brief period of time the Federated Suns joined with the Lyran Commonwealth to form the Federated Commonwealth, a massive superstate spanning the length of the Inner Sphere. There was internal resistance to this merger of the two realms, particularly in the Lyran half, which bore the brunt of the Clan offensive. In 3057 the Lyran worlds seceded from the alliance, splitting FedCom in two and creating the Chaos March.[2][3] The split was made permanent after the FedCom Civil War.

Notable Personalities[edit]

Draconis Combine[edit]

Draccombine.gif

House Kurita is the ruling family of the fearsome Draconis Combine, the only Great House that proclaims unabashedly its right to rule all of the Inner Sphere. House Kurita has dominated the Draconis Combine since its founding in 2319 by Shiro Kurita, who imbued the state with its strong Japanese culture from the capital New Samarkand, which would eventually move to Luthien in the twenty-seventh century. Embracing "the way of the warrior," the Draconis Combine has had a long history of antagonism with and aggression against its neighbors. Personal honor and a self-reliance bordering on xenophobia are also encouraged by House Kurita.[4][5][6]

The Draconis Combine suffered significant territorial losses to the Federated Commonwealth during the Fourth Succession War, mitigated somewhat when it willingly allowed the creation of the Free Rasalhague Republic as a buffer between it and the Lyran state. Greater losses were suffered at the hands of the Clan invaders, but in a historical turn of events Luthien was saved when the Kuritans allied with their traditional enemies against the Clan invaders. This ultimately resulted in the reconquest of nearly all Combine worlds lost to the Clans thanks to the Second Star League.[5][6]

Notable Personalities[edit]

Capellan Confederation[edit]

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The Capellan Confederation, and its ruling family House Liao, has long been considered the underdogs of the Inner Sphere. The smallest of the Successor States, the socialistic Capellan Confederation was the last to form, created on Capella by neighboring states in 2366 as a "temporary" alliance in response to Davion aggression. Tracing their lineage back to the controversial Elias Liao, House Liao gave the Confederation its Han Chinese character and ensured the survival of the realm through strong (if frequently erratic) rule from the Celestial Throne on Sian. Although popularly disparaged as a totalitarian police state, many citizens enjoy a high degree of personal freedom and willingly serve the State in return for the generous services it provides.[7][5][8][5]

During the Succession Wars, the Capellan Confederation lost three-fourths of its original territory to Davion and Marik invasions. The Fourth Succession War was particularly devastating, with parts of the Confederation seceding to form the St. Ives Compact and Tikonov Free Republic. The Confederation was untouched by the Clan invasion though, and thanks to the efforts of Sun-Tzu Liao the realm was able to rebuild and reconquer much of its former territory, including the Compact.[5][8]

Notable Personalities[edit]

Free Worlds League[edit]

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The Free Worlds League, the oldest of all Successor States, was long ruled by House Marik as a matter of custom rather than decree. Founded in 2271 after the collapse of the Terran Alliance, the League was an open, multicultural state, consisting of many great and small realms loosely joined together. It was also the only one to lay claim to being (on paper at least) a true democracy, with Parliament meeting on Atreus. This same openness also left the state politically fragile and frequently riven with instability; throughout its history the League fought against itself almost as much as it did the neighboring Lyran and Capellan nations. House Marik relied heavily on free trade and technological advancement to keep pace with its rivals.[9][10]

The Free Worlds League was untouched by the Clan invasion, allowing it to become the industrial base to supply the other Successor States in fending off the invaders. The League underwent an economic growth that quickly made it one of the richest Successor States. However, during the ComStar Schism House Marik chose to side with the Word of Blake.[5] The dire result of this alliance was the Free Worlds League's destruction during the Jihad, though efforts to re-form the League during the thirty-second century have taken place.

Notable Personalities[edit]

Lyran Commonwealth[edit]

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The Lyran Commonwealth, largely under the leadership of House Steiner, has long been considered the Inner Sphere's greatest economic power. Formed in 2340 from the combination of several smaller defense pacts, its original capital was on Arcturus before moving to Tharkad, where it came under the stewardship of the Steiner family and gained its Germanic trappings. With many resource-rich worlds, shrewd business acumen and a strong industrial base, the Lyran Commonwealth prospered even during the worst of times: in spite of the destruction of the Succession Wars, overall industrial output and average standard of living exceeded that of any other Successor State. This vast wealth helped the Lyran state weather any military reversals - especially self-inflicted ones - by quickly replacing their matériel losses.[11][12]

In the early part of the thirty-first century, the Lyran Commonwealth joined in a political union with the Federated Suns to form the Federated Commonwealth, a vast superstate spanning the length of the Inner Sphere. Resistance to this merger was strong within the Lyran state, and both its economy and territorial integrity suffered heavily during the Clan invasion. Katherine Steiner-Davion successfully engineered the secession of the Lyran worlds from the FedCom alliance in 3057, forming the Lyran Alliance in its place.[2]

Notable Personalities[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 4
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 166
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 MechWarrior: Second Edition, p. 115
  4. ↑ House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), pp. 6, 8
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 167
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 MechWarrior: Second Edition, p. 120
  7. ↑ House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p. 5
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 MechWarrior: Second Edition, p. 127
  9. ↑ House Marik (The Free Worlds League, pp. 6, 8
  10. ↑ MechWarrior: Second Edition, p. 124
  11. ↑ House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 8
  12. ↑ MechWarrior: Second Edition, pp. 115–116

Bibliography[edit]

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