Barbara Liao

Barbara Liao

Barbara Liao (b. 1 May 2731 - d. 18 November 2794) was the Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation. who led the realm through the first of the Succession Wars.

Biography

Barbara Liao had a baptism of fire upon assuming the Emerald Throne; four days after her ascension news of the nuclear attack on Demeter reached Sian and the Confederation and Federated Suns were plunged into war.

Barbara was not warlike, but neither would she flinch from a confrontation. This stance typified her involvement with the Star League as she didn’t look for trouble but was quite prepared to fight for her corner. After the Coup she refused to aid Kerensky in his moves against Amaris, citing a legal pretext that it was an “internal Terran matter,” (the same reason given for the SLDF’s non intervention in the Marik Civil War). While this was not popular with her people, Barbara believed the Confederation’s involvement in the dispute would weaken it in the face of Free Worlds and Federated Suns militarism.

Political unrest resulted and eventually the Chancellor gave her permission for the SLDF to use Confederation worlds, though she stopped short of offering comfort and support to the campaign. When the Star League collapsed, Barbara’s foresight became clear and the CCAF made significant gains against the Federated Suns in the First Succession War. The Confederation was less fortunate in its clashes with the Free Worlds League, costing the lives of Barbara’s sons.

She died from a rare blood disorder in 2795, and the reeling Confederation came under the sway of Sandol Quinn who was Chancellor until her granddaughter Ilsa Liao came of age.

Children and Succession

Barbara Liao had two sons, both of whom died during the First Succession War. The next Chancellor in the bloodline would be Ilsa Liao a daughter of one of her sons.

Bibliography

• Historical: Liberation of Terra Volume 1
• House Liao Sourcebook