Sollan Empire
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For more than sixteen thousand years the Sollan Empire had been expanding, its influence spreading across an ever-widening and lengthening wedge of the galaxy, spreading along the spiral arms until at last some brave pioneers made the leap across the gulfs that separated one arm from the next.
— Hadrian Marlowe[1]
The Sollan Empire is the largest and oldest single polity within human-controlled space.[2] As of the early seventeenth millennium ISD, the Empire encompasses half a billion habitable planets—as well as billions of airless moons and station outposts—across four of the galaxy's spiral arms.[3] Throughout its history, the Empire has been continually ruled by the Aventine House.
The Empire is comprised of innumerable ethnic groups, countless religions, hundreds of thousands of nobile families—palatine and patrician—and tens of millions of soldiers, and thus its population cannot be counted, but the best estimates put the number at more than one quintillion human souls.[3] Natives of the Sollan Empire are formally called Sollan Imperials, but more commonly referred to simply as Imperials.[4]
Culture
Caste System
The Imperial culture is divided into four main castes: palatine, patrician, plutocrat, and plebeian. The palatines represent the Imperial aristocracy, and are descended from the humans who resisted the Mericanii. Genetically enhanced, they may live for several centuries. Alongside the patricians, they are collectively known as the nobiles. Patricians are drawn from plebeian or plutocrat stock, elevated through genetic augmentation bestowed by the palatine caste as a reward for loyal service.
The plebeians comprise the vast peasantry of the Empire, descended from unaltered human settlers carried aboard the oldest colony ships, and are expressly forbidden to employ high technology. Plutocrats, by contrast, are wealthy plebeians who have been able to purchase genetic augmentations for themselves, thereby attaining a status effectively equivalent to that of the patricians.[2]
Religion
Holy Terran Chantry
The Holy Terran Chantry is the state religion of the Empire. It teaches of the icona—spirits or gods embodying an ideal, virtue, or natural law. Among these, the Four Cardinals—Justice, Fortitude, Prudence, and Temperance—are venerated above all others. Central to its morality are the Twelve Abominations, the most grievous sins defined in the Chantry’s Index. Those who are found guilty of such transgressions are stripped of all legal privileges. Apart from being a purely religious body, the Chantry also functions as the judicial arm of the state, especially where the use of forbidden technology is involved.[2]
The highest ecclesiastic office of the Chantry is Synarch, whose most important function is the coronation of new Emperors. The Synarch also presides over the Synod—the ruling body of the Chantry.[2] Furthermore, the Chantry maintains a catalog of punishments—monetary, corporal, and capital—which are enforced by its judicial branch, called the Inquisition.[2][5]
Museum Catholic Church
The Museum Catholic Church is an adorator cult centered on the planet Caritas, believed to have existed since the Golden Age of Earth and protected on reservations by Imperial decree.[2] Their symbol is a cross.[6]
Cid Arthurianism
Cid Arthurianism is a syncretic religion founded late in the fourth millennium ISD as an offshoot of Buddhism, recognizing the British King Arthur as a Buddha, emphasizing chivalric virtue as a means of pursuing enlightenment.[8] They have not been recognized by the Chantry, and thus, have not been granted adorator status.[9]
Other Religions
There exist several other religions and cults in the Sollan Empire, of which only some are granted adorator status and thus tolerated by the Terran Chantry.[2] Among these are the Orthodox Hindus and Buddhists, the Seekers, the Cinarians, and the Jaddian Zoroastrians.[7][12]
Languages
Galstani (Galactic Standard)
Galstani, also called Galactic Standard, is the common language of the Sollan Empire.[2] It is descended from Classical English, and many scholars have dedicated their careers to unraveling its evolution. It bears heavy Hindi and Franco-Germanic influences, with aspects of Bengali and Urdu.[10] The script is written in block letters.[11]
Classical English
Also called the King's English, Classical English is the language used by the early Imperial settlers on Avalon, still used by Imperial scholiasts.[10] Classical English was also used by the ancient Mericanii.[2]
Politics
Imperial Family
The Empire has been ruled by the the Aventine house ever since the reign of the first Emperor, William Windsor. As of the rule of Emperor William XXIII, the royal line numbers two hundred and fifty-one monarchs, going back some seventeen millennia.[13] During the majority of this time, House Avent has—in the royal line—married only itself, relying on the ministrations of the High College to prevent mutation.[14]
Rules of Succession
The heir to the Solar Throne is traditionally selected by the ruling Emperor in their will.[15] Often, the throne is inherited by one of the Emperor's oldest children, though sometimes a younger child is favored.[16] The will is then read and executed by the Imperial Council, who, along with the Chantry, have some power to resist the Emperor's choice if they disapprove of it.[17][18]
Known Emperors
| Emperor | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| William VII Windsor | ISD 0[2][19] – Unknown | The first Sollan Emperor, deified by the Chantry.[19] |
| Unknown number of emperors | ||
| Alexander II & Victor IV | First or second millennium | Unclear whether they jointly ruled, or if one succeeded the other.[24] |
| George III | First or second millennium | Ruled during the Kin Wars.[24] |
| Michael III | First or second millennium | Ruled during the Kin Wars. Son of George III.[24] |
| Sebastian the Great | Around ISD 1443[24] | Ruled during the ratification of the Great Charters.[24] |
| Unknown number of emperors | ||
| Gabriel II | Fifth millennium | Ruled at the start of the Hundred Year Terror, during which he was overthrown by Boniface Grael. Following the civil war, Gabriel II was reinstated as emperor, and was responsible for moving the Imperial Archives from Avalon to Colchis.[20] |
| Raphael IV | Early sixth millennium | Began constructing the Eternal City on Forum in the early sixth millennium. Possibly Gabriel II's successor.[20] |
| Unknown number of emperors | ||
| Cyrus II | Around ISD 6112[24] | Established the palatine and patrician castes.[24] |
| Unknown number of emperors | ||
| William XXII | Around ISD 14000[24] | |
| Sebastian XII | Around ISD 14125[fn 1] | |
| Unknown number of emperors | ||
| Aurelian III | Unknown – Around ISD 14970[fn 2] | |
| Titania Augusta III | Before ISD 15326[fn 3] – ISD 15826[20] | Ruled during the Empire's first contact with the Cielcin.[20] |
| William XXIII | ISD 15826[20] – Unknown | |
Laws
Religious Laws
Slavery
Foreign Relations
Principalities of Jadd
Durantine Republic
Lothrian Commonwealth
Military
Command Structure
Equipment
Training
List of Planets
- Delos
- Forum (capital)
- Renaissance
Full series spoliers below, proceed with caution.
History
Preceding the Books
Founded approximately two thousand years after the development of space travel, the Sollan Empire began when William Windsor, King of Avalon, defeated the last bastion of the Mericanii Empire at Earth. Crowning himself Emperor of Man on the Aventine Hill in Rome, William Windsor launched the greatest dynasty in human history. The renamed Aventine House has ruled for sixteen thousand years in line unbroken, maintaining its control of the lesser nobility through a careful breeding program that has wrested reproductive control from the nobile houses and placed it in the hands of the Imperial Office. His line and Empire have endured several threats throughout its long history, none greater than the invasion of the Cielcin.
In The Lesser Devil (Novella)
In Howling Dark
In Queen Amid Ashes (Novella)
In Ashes of Man
In The Dregs of Empire (Novella)
In Tales of the Sun Eater & Other Stories
Trivia
See Also
Notes and References
Footnotes
- During a conversation with Hadrian Marlowe, Emperor William XXIII stated that the Atropos expedition, commisioned by Emperor Sebastian XII, took place "some three thousand years ago".[21] Taken that that conversation happened in ISD 17125, it places Sebastian XII's rule at around ISD 14125.
- At one of Count Mataro's banquets, a guild factionarius said that Emperor Aurelian III ruled "twelve hundred years ago".[22] As the banquet took place at around ISD 16170, it presumably places the end of Aurelian III's rule at around ISD 14970.
- Was stated to have ruled for "more than five hundred years", thus placing the start of her reign sometime prior to ISD 15326.[23]
References
- Demon in White, Chapter 3
- Empire of Silence, Lexicon: A Note on Translation
- Kingdoms of Death, Dramatis Personae: In The Sollan Empire
- Ashes of Man, Chapter 15
- Empire of Silence, Chapter 38
- Kingdoms of Death, Chapter 17
- Disquiet Gods, Chapter 34
- Kingdoms of Death, Lexicon: A Note on Translation
- Ashes of Man, Chapter 11
- Disquiet Gods, Chapter 59
- Demon in White, Chapter 57
- Disquiet Gods, Chapter 47
- Ashes of Man, Chapter 16
- Demon in White, Chapter 30
- Kingdoms of Death, Chapter 9
- Demon in White, Chapter 4
- Ashes of Man, Chapter 31
- Ashes of Man, Chapter 32
- Howling Dark, Lexicon: A Note on Translation
- Demon in White, Dramatis Personae
- Ashes of Man, Chapter 17
- Empire of Silence, Chapter 53
- Demon in White, Chapter 46
- Queen Amid Ashes, House Marlowe of Delos: A Brief History