Catherine Humphreys
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Catherine Humphreys | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Personal | |
| Born | 2951 |
| Died | 19 March 3040 |
| Affiliation | House Humphreys |
| Profile | |
| Profession | Duchess of Andurien Duchess of Xanthe |
| Family | |
| Children | Michael Humphreys James Humphreys Mildred Humphreys Conrad Humphreys Laurence Humphreys Richard Humphreys Louise Humphreys |
Catherine Humphreys (Born 2951[1] to 19 March 3040[2]) - Free Worlds League noblewoman, aerospace pilot, and political leader of the Duchy of Andurien.
Contents
Character Description
A scion of House Humphreys and successor to her aunt Morgaine Humphreys who was assassinated in 2988, Dame Catherine Humphreys wore the mantle of Duchess of Andurien from 2988 through the secession of the Duchy of Andurien from the Free Worlds League in 3030, the subsequent ill-fated war on the Capellan Confederation together with the Duchy's ally (the Magistracy of Canopus), and eventually the re-integration of her nation into the Free Worlds League by force of arms. She died of a heart attack at the age of 89 before she could stand trial for the secession.
Always gracious and dignified, she was nevertheless an outspoken opponent of Janos Marik for decades.
Character History
Early Life & Military Career
Humphreys began her early military career as an AeroSpace Fighter pilot, serving with the 1st Defenders of Andurien's Remington Air Squadron. However, her military career ended as the Squadron's commander when Duchess Morgaine died in 2988.[3]
As the Duchess of Andurien
Highlights of her Political Career
In 2989, ascended to title of Duchess of Andurien, where she began her political career. Like her predecessor, she continued Morgaine's drive to isolate Andurien from Free Worlds League politics.
As Duchess, Catherine adopted a stance of total opposition to the Captain-General, invoking Home Defense Act in response to any call that would take way her Duchy's Defenders of Andurien Regiments for wars of aggression against Great House's neighbors. She was credited to having to say "No" to almost all politics. She concentrating efforts to putting interests of the Duchy.[4]
Secretly, she had wished the destruction of the Capellan Confederation and win to independence from League for Andurien. After the Fourth Succession War, she began a political correspondence with Magestrix Kyalla Centrella of the Magistracy of Canopus.
This culminated in the Andurien Secession from the League in 3030 and a newfound alliance between her Andurien and Canopus. The Alliance conducted a military campaign against House Liao, which achieved some early successes. But when the Capellans rallied, the Alliance was forced to fall back.[5]
When the alliance dissolved, the League was in low-level backroom talks with her about the possibility, she refuted any move for her Duchy return to League control. After a bomb took the lives of Captain-General Janos Marik and some of his children, newly appointed Captain General Duncan Marik declared that diplomacy with her had ended.[6]
League Invasion of the Duchy and Catherine's downfall
In 3035, the Captain-General sent a series of raids into the Duchy to test her nation's defenses and gain intelligence on the situation on the ground.
In the initial invasion of the Duchy, Catherine saw half her outer worlds lost to League forces. It was on Xanthe III in 3037 that Duncan Marik was killed in action only to replaced by more competent Thomas Marik.[7]
Captain-General Thomas Marik used ComStar to mediate a surrender of Andurien instead of what he predicted to be bloody and fanatical defense of planet. Catherine dispatched negotiators to Terra, where they meet with League representatives in city of Geneva. From late April through May, her diplomats meet with League officials and haggled the fate of her nation and her. However, talks fell down to one point: if Andurien did not surrender herself and disband the Defender regiments, the League would blockade the planet, only allowing for humanitarian aide. Catherine's diplomats refused to the terms of the surrender and rejoining the League. ComStar's Primus Waterley vowed to protect the Andurien HPG station and capital city Jojoken's main hospital from all aggressors and announced that her "newly" formed ComGuards would be their assets on planet. She had diplomats from both parties see the firepower and capacities of ComStar's armed forces.[8]
With no solution at hand, the diplomats returned to Catherine and she began to prepare for her nation's final stand from being annexed back into the league. Catherine, knew fully that her concentrated force was hopelessly outmatched by whatever expeditionary force would be sent against Andurien. She decided, despite there being no way to win, to exact as much damage on the occupation forces as possible.[9]
On December 2nd, 1st Fusiliers of Oriente, penetrated Catherine's capital city defenses and scattered the 5th Defenders of Andurien. The 1st Fusiliers managed to seize Humphrey's palace, however Catherine has slipped away before they had arrived. By the 19th, she was discovered in an adjacent suburb across from the capital city where she found it was impossible slip by the 11th Atrean Dragoons's blockade of region. After surrendering to the 11th Atreus, she announced that the Duchy and planet had surrendered to Marik forces. Catherine was charged with treason against the League, but continued to refuse to admit defeat. However, she would later die of a massive heart attack on March 19th, 3040.[10]
Family & Legacy
Catherine had seven children:[11]
- Michael Humphreys (born 2981)
- James Humphreys (born 2984)
- Mildred Humphreys(born 2986)
- Conrad Humphreys (born 2990)
- Laurence Humphreys (born 2994)
- Richard Humphreys (born 2998)
- Louise Humphreys (born 3001)
After her death Richard Humphreys would have been her heir, but following its reintegration the Duchy received a federally appointed regent; also, Richard had been too close to the taint of the secession and Canopus alliance. It would be his daughter Dalma Humphreys, Catherine's granddaughter, who resumed House Humphreys' authority over Andurien in 3048.[12]
Titles and Positions
Notes
She was also the Duchess of Xanthe, which is the home of Humphrey's family.[13]
References
- ↑ House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 149 Catherine Humphreys/Profile - Age of character at 74 from 3025 game date from the original House book.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, pp. 47-48 Catherine Humphrey's profile; date of death on p. 92
- ↑ House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 149 - Humphrey's profile mentions short military career as Aerospace pilot.
- ↑ House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 149 - Original House Marik Profile of Catherine Humphrey.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, pp. 47-48 - Slight update to Humphreys profile and background history.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 68 - 3035: Crucible - Talks with Catherine end with a bomb, with new Captain-General eager for war.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, pp. 74-75 Xanthe III (Phase 1 & 2, February 3037 to May) - Duncan dies in battle, return of Thomas Marik assumes control of the battle for the Duchy.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars p. 79 Andurien and everything after - Catherine diplomats go to Terra fail reach agreement with League officials.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 80 The Landings - Duchess Humphreys decides to commit her forces to fight to the bitter end despite knowing it was futile.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 82 - A Tale of Two Cities: Baroda and Jojoken - Catherine slips out of the palace before it is seized by Marik forces, but captured in police station later.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 58 The Devil's Brood - Catherine's children mentioned and their careers.
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 82
- ↑ Historical: Brush Wars, p. 74 - Thomas's Reappearance & Xanthe III (Phase 1 - February 3037) - Information reveals Xanthe III is home world of the Humphrey's clan.