Star League Day (holiday)
Sarna News
Star League Day was an important holiday within the First Star League, and later amongst the Clans, celebrating the Star League.[1][2][3]
Description[edit]
First Star League[edit]
During the First Star League, Star League Day was commemorated on 9 July,[1] the anniversary of the signing of the Star League Accords on 9 July 2571.[4] It was the most well celebrated holiday during the period of the First Star League, exceeding even the popularity of Reunification Day, which was observed on 21 March to celebrate the League's final victory in the Reunification War.[5] The Star League Defense Forces marked each Star League Day by holding popular public events, to help encourage recruitment in the service.[6] This included staging close order drill events open to the public by SLDF units, such as the 328th Royal BattleMech Division, which inspired awe and fear in spectators.[7]
The holiday was however also marked by events held by parties interested in promoting anti-Star League interests, including the Draconis Combine's Department of Indoctrination,[6] and protests by the Periphery Freedom Movement after its foundation in 2723.[1]
Clans[edit]
Amongst the Clans, as the descendants of the Star League-in-Exile, Star League Day continued to be celebrated though with a number of key differences. The date of its observance was transferred to 27 December, to commemorate the anniversary of the assassination of First Lord Richard Cameron on 27 December 2766. Thus becoming a far more solemn holiday, reflecting on the fall of the Star League rather than its founding, the Clans used the day as an expression of their hatred for the Great Houses who they blamed for the League's destruction.[3]
However despite its solemnity, which was reflected even in children's media such as Clan Spaniel holovid show,[8] the Clan's Star League Day did include festive aspects such as fireworks displays.[9]
Following the Clan Invasion, this aspect of the holiday made it a flashpoint within the Clan's Occupation Zones, with violent clashes often arising between populations of Inner Sphere and Clan origins.[3] In spite of this controversial aspect, by the time of the foundation of the Clan inspired Third Star League in 3151, in the Inner Sphere Star League Day had become purely associated with Clan date and meaning.[2] These resonances of its celebration at this time, also favored the Alaric Ward-led ilClan and its new Star League amongst some Clans, as it cast those who would oppose it as the hated enemies remembered during the holiday.[10]
References[edit]
- ↑ a b c Era Report: 2750, p. 28
- ↑ a b Shrapnel 3: "Voices of the Sphere: Star League Day"
- ↑ a b c The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, p. 50
- ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 12
- ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 23
- ↑ a b Era Report: 2750, p. 71
- ↑ Field Manual: SLDF, p. 223: "328th Royal BattleMech Division"
- ↑ Clan Spaniel Sourcebook, p. 37
- ↑ IlClan, p. 7
- ↑ Tamar Rising, p. 60