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A few quick notes:
The CoDominium rules dozens of worlds but rests on an unstable alliance back on Earth. The Soviet Union and the United States retain approximately their twentieth-century structures, but with a much greater level of corruption. The CD's military force continues to ruthlessly enforce world peace.
In the USA, the Republican and Democratic parties have fused into the "Unity Party" (or "United Party") which espouses the CD platform; this mega-party, which controls the Presidency and Congress for decades still has a distinct Republican and Democratic "wings", although they are united when it comes to support for the CoDominium on Earth and elsewhere. American society has become a two-caste system: the productive, educated, and privileged "taxpayers" hand out benefits (but not real power) to the welfare-dependent "Citizens". Civil rights have been greatly diminished; even the right to legal counsel has been vitiated by the Thirty-first Amendment [FL 240 = Prince 206].
The political situation in the USSR is chaotic. The Communist Party continues to be the upper-class, but now devoid of any ideology – dogmatic Marxism exists only in Western universities. It is unclear whether the symbols of pre-1917 Russia are ever in vogue. The status of religion in the USSR is unclear; there is conflicting data in one story (Easter seems a relic of the past, and yet "mandatory churches" are mentioned), but the name "St Ekaterina" was presumably approved by the leaders of the USSR, despite its religious nature [WWPW 325, 331]. Around 2040 (during Lermontov's youth) the military briefly rules the USSR [FL 215]. At some point the East Prussian city of Kaliningrad returns to its German name of Koenigsberg, but it isn't clear whether this is due to a change in sovereignty [GTS 71]). Although the Soviet Union ships out hundreds of thousands of involuntary colonists, there are some voluntary Soviet colonists too: they settle on St. Ekaterina, and perhaps also on Stalin. [WWPW 394.] It is possible that St Ekaterina is the chosen home for families of Soviets in the Fleet, just as Sparta becomes home to the families of many Americans in the Fleet.
In countries other than the USA and the USSR, the CoDominium is resented but not resisted. It does manage to prevent the use of nuclear weapons almost completely – although Bakersfield is nuked by a militant group, and Seattle is held ransom by nuclear-equipped criminals. [FL 230; PS 320.] Kinetic-energy weapons launched from orbit are used by the CD in extreme cases, presumably to suppress revolts. [WWPW 352.]
The CoDominium is governed by the Grand Senate located underground on the moon (Luna). Grand Senators are elected from the United States and from the Soviet Union; Grand Senators from the United States typically belong to the same political parties as actual American representatives. The CD government does not appear to have an "executive branch" (none is ever mentioned; top-level military decisions are made by the Grand Senate and then passed directly to the Grand Admiral). Presumably the Constitution of the United States was amended when the CoDominium was created, establishing a clear line between CD authority (foreign policy, off-world policy, off-world military) and U.S. authority (internal economic and social policies, and control of the nearly irrelevant U.S. armed forces).
The Fleet – the CoDominium Space Navy and Marines – has complete control of nuclear weapons and space weapons, and effective veto power over all human military actions. The Fleet includes:
The Grand Admiral of the Fleet commands from Luna and worries about the preservation of the human race and the safety of the colony worlds. Meanwhile, most Grand Senators angle to maximize their profits from the colonies.
- the Navy: an armada of Alderson Drive space cruisers and smaller ships,
- the Fleet Marines: prestigious upper-class fighting units,
- the Garrison Marines: police-style riot suppressors stationed on the colonies,
- the Line Marines: rugged low-class fighters preserving the Foreign Legion military traditions.
By 2050, there are over 40 human colonies (not counting fuel stops and asteroid mines). Many human colonies now have limited self-government, but all remain subject to CD rule. Voluntary emigration levels off as the hardships of frontier life become more well-known. Some ethnic and separatist groups are "encouraged" to emigrate: this includes Eskimos, Inuits, Black Separatists, Mormons from the USA, and Finns and Russian Nationalists from the USSR. And after 2040, forced emigration of convicts and "undesirables" eventually reaches 15 million persons per year. Only a handful of colonies become truly pleasant places to live (usually those planets which were settled and subsidized by parent nations on Earth). According to Outies, rising sea levels destroy many peoples' homes, leading to even more emigration to outer worlds. [FL 302; PS 2; WWCD 111; WWD 119, 173; Outies 62-63.]
"Escape From a Dark Hole" (WWJ 60-61 only).
Jonathon Langston and Marie Ward are sentenced to deportation and labor for unauthorized research into physics. Langston is placed on a transport ship bound for Haven. Meanwhile, Prof. Hermann Stirner has Marie Ward removed from the transport ship to Tanith. He convinces Vice-Adm. Lermontov that the Grants are trapped near a black hole.
"He Fell Into a Dark Hole."
Bartholemew Ramsey and Marie Ward take the CDSS Daniel Webster to rescue the Lorelei, the Henry Hudson , and the Constellation from a black hole.
[I originally listed this as "c. 2078". See New Data from The Prince for details on the date change. Date of 2076 confirmed in "Escape" and WWJ, WWPW timelines. At this time, John Grant Jr. is commander of the Constellation.]
"Escape From a Dark Hole" (WWJ 61-68 only).
Luna Base: Vice-Adm. Lermontov and Grand Sen. Grant plan a black hole research facility on Sparta. Marie Ward asks them to bring Jonathon Langston back from Haven, but Langston's thirteen-month journey to Haven continues uninterrupted.
A tremendous increase in nationalism in all countries. Outside the USA and the USSR, this involves outright hatred of CoDominium. In the USA and the USSR, this means a revival of the 20th Century rivalry and demands that the superpower alliance be dissolved. The American and Soviet governments continue to support the CD, but compromise with nationalists by slashing the CD budget repeatedly.
The Unity Party (or United Party), formed by the merger of the Democratic and Republican parties, has ruled the USA for many decades, and its loyalists are convinced that only the CD stands between mankind and nuclear war. But its power is waning; President Lipscomb maintains his power through blatantly dishonest methods. The "Green" environmentalists have lost much of their power [GTS 51]. The welfare-dependent "Citizens" are freely supplied with the Tanith-grown drug "borloi" to keep them passive. Peace is no longer a novelty. New political factions begin to grow:
The situation in the USA seems typical: very few true democracies still exist on Earth. [PS 83.]
- the Patriot Party, led by Harmon, demands an end to the CD and a strong stance against the USSR.
- the Freedom Party, led by Harvey Bertram, aims to end corruption and attracts many young idealists.
- the Liberation Party, led by Millington, wants to abolish the Citizen/Taxpayer division. This is a radical left-wing party with ties to violent Marxists. It is outlawed sometime between 2080 and 2093. [FL 223; PM 34, 156; "Dark Hole" 20.]
In the USSR, anti-CD sentiment takes two main forms. One is the revival of hard-line Communism, led by Anton Kaslov. The other is the Pamyat movement, which advocates a return to pre-Soviet Russian nationalism. [FL 213, 228; WWCD 300.]
CoDominium Space is now 200 light-years in maximum diameter and contains 70 inhabited worlds. [These numbers are given on FL 297. GTS 248 counts "more than 100" human colonies, while PS 2 counts "more than 130" and the Mote prologue claims "200" by the end of the century. And New Washington is 320 light-years from Earth, per FL 432.] But as the CD weakens, it abandons worlds far from Earth or minor in economic value. It maintains Tanith and Fulson's World as common destinations for exiled convicts, and Haven as the main dumping ground for "undesirables" of every sort.
Science on Earth remains at a standstill (except for medical science, which develops sophisticated regeneration techniques). The main scientific marvels of this century are the Alderson Drive and advanced materials such as Nemourlon. However, scientific reserach is being quietly revived on Meiji, Xanadu, and Sparta. [GTS 97, 316, 335; PS 40. For technical details on the Drive, see "Building the Mote in God's Eye" 125-128 and "Dark Hole" 23-25. WWPW 60, 62 states that while other medical advances are permitted, regeneration and longevity research is officially suppressed -- but covert research into regeneration is performed on Sauron, Xanadu, and Meiji, with funding from Earth; these longevity treatments are available to the rich and powerful. However, this contradicts Prince 961, which indicates that ordinary officers have access to "regenn" treatments.] The government and military of Sauron are secretly conducting experiments on genetics and on rudimentary cyborgs, using agents untraceable to their homeworld working in labs on the planets Haven, Tanith, Comstock, and Frederick. [WWPW 166.] Meiji, Levant, Friedland, and Sauron are covertly engaged in military research, hiding their R&D centers on out-of-the-way planets to keep them hidden and preserve deniability in case the CD discovers them. [WWPW 274.]
The strongest planets are becoming independent and establishing their own spheres of influence. Danube is the first planet to become independent; although its first two rebellions were suppressed (see entry for 2071 above), ultimately its endeavors succeed, and the Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Danube becomes a model for other planets to follow. [WWI 42; WWJ 59, 209.] Some of the most powerful planets establish their own space navies, including Danube (by 2071), Xanadu (by 2068/70 or 2082), Friedland (by 2068/70 or 2087), Dayan (by 2068/70 or 2094), Meiji (between 2081 and 2087), and Frystaat (by 2094). Covenant and Churchill may have small fleets as well. These planets are all quite rich and have populations as high as 50 million. [FL 229, 351; PM 143; GTS 20, 55-56, 102, 299; WWJ, WWPW timelines.]
Note, however, that there are varying degrees of "independence" possible, as shown by the complexity of Sparta's Treaty of Independence (see entry for 2062 above). Moreover, there are certain actions that the CoDominium forbids to all planets, even those which it recognizes as independent -- such as violations of the Laws of War, or the use of nuclear weapons. [Prince 1054, 1103.] During this era, while national wars and civil wars frequently erupt on individual worlds, but the CoDominium manages to prevent interplanetary wars of conquest.
Unable to use their military for off-planet conquests, some of the worlds (Friedland, Covenant, Xanadu) begin hiring out their national armies as mercenary bands to serve on other planets. This trains their soldiers and raises substantial revenue. [FL 348.] As this practice proves successful, truly independent mercenary units begin to appear as well. Through the early 2080's, the badly-enforced "Anti-Mercenary Codes" forbid such groups. Eventually the CD permits mercenary bands but requires the Fleet to enforce the "Laws of War". The Fleet is scrupulous in enforcing these conduct codes, especially in the case of atrocities against CD personnel or Earth corporations. As a result, the successful mercenary groups – the Nouveau Légion Étrangère, Moolman's Commandos, the Katanga Gendarmerie – tend to pride themselves on their precision and on their care in distinguishing combatants from civilians. [FL 205-209, 335-336.]
Despite the apparent balance of power, the CD leadership considers the growing power of its former colonies -- especially Danube, Sauron, Friedland, Meiji, Levant, Stalin, and Xanadu -- to pose a significant long-term danger. [WWPW 17.] Nonetheless, the Senate persists in under-funding the CD Navy. As Earth moves towards nuclear war and the colonies move toward interstellar anarchy, Senator Martin Grant, CIA Director John Grant Sr., Admiral Sergei Lermontov, Dr. Caldwell Whitlock, the Blaine family, and the Leontin family meet to discuss whether the CD is doomed and what might follow its demise. They contact King Alexander Collins of Sparta to discuss possibilities. The date of these discussions is unknown, except that Whitlock was invited around 2075/6. ["Dark Hole" 20; GTS 21; PS 73; WWPW timeline dates this as 2075.]
After the campaign, Owensford and Barton join Falkenberg's Legion, which has a recruiter on Thurstone.
[Note: It never stated that Falkenberg's Legion is involved in this civil war. Perhaps they have recruiters on many planets, or are on Thurstone to purchase rifles from the city of New Aberdeen. However, the Legion will involved in an unspecified military action in one of the nations of Thurstone during the next decade. GTS 11; PM 170.]
July to Nov: PRINCE OF MERCENARIES, chapters 5-6.
[Same as The Prince pp. 326-344, and "Silent Leges" sections 3-4.]
Tanith, spring and early summer: Working the fields.
Late in year:
New Washington: After two years, the war for independence from Franklin is going well. Then Franklin hires mercenaries from Friedland and Covenant; New Washington's rebellion is crushed in three weeks. Franklin begins a blockade of New Washington and contemplates further conquests. The remaining Washington rebels decide to contact Falkenberg's Legion for help.
[FL 349-351]
Nov:
Sparta: King Alexander has second thoughts about his plans for Lermontov and Falkenberg. Prince Lysander leaves for Tanith (five month journey). [PM 97]
Feb to early April: PRINCE OF MERCENARIES, chapter 7.
[Same as The Prince pp. 345-352, and "Silent Leges" section 5.]
Tanith, late summer to harvest: Working the fields.
Mid-April: PRINCE OF MERCENARIES, chapters 1-2, 8.
[Same as The Prince pp. 293-307, 353-366.]
Tanith: Lysander arrives. He meets Ursula Gordon, Gov. Blaine, and Col. Falkenberg.
Late April to Early May: PRINCE OF MERCENARIES, chapters 9-10.
[Same as The Prince pp. 367-384, and "Silent Leges" sections 6-7.]
Tanith, autumn: Fuller in Free State for ten days. Raid.
Mid-May: PRINCE OF MERCENARIES, chapters 11, 14 from p. 171 on, 15-20.
[Same as The Prince pp. 385-387, 414-465.]
Tanith, autumn: Parties, plans, and scouting. Falkenberg receives a request for aid from New Washington and sends a reply.
[PM 174, 195]
Late May: PRINCE OF MERCENARIES, chapters 21-27.
[Same as The Prince pp. 466-529.]
Tanith, autumn: Campaign against rebel planters.
Early June:
Tanith: Barton's Bastards absorbed into Falkenberg's Mercenary Legion, bringing its size to around 4400 soldiers. [GTS 11]
June: FALKENBERG'S LEGION, Part 2, chapter 12.
[Same as The Prince pp. 287-290, and The Mercenary chapter 12.]
Luna: Lermontov and Martin Grant learn of Falkenberg's victory on Tanith.
July:
New Washington: Falkenberg's reply received. Howard Bannister heads for Tanith (4 month journey) while Glenda Ruth Horton organizes ranchers.
c. July: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 1 pp. 22-28.
[Same as The Prince pp. 627-632.]
Earth: Senator Bronson and Geoffrey Niles lay plans.
July: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 1 pp. 8-12, 14-21; chapter 2 pp. 38-47.
[Same as The Prince pp. 617-620, 622-627, 639-646.]
Tanith: Peter Owensford promoted to Major, commanding 5th Battalion of Falkenberg's Legion. The batallion departs for Sparta (5 month journey).
c. Oct: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 1 pp. 12-14, 28-34; chapter 2 pp. 47-53.
[Same as The Prince pp. 620-622, 632-637, 646-650.]
Sparta: Skilly Thibodeau leads the Helot terrorist group. (Around this time, Melissa von Alderheim has an altercation with Dion Croser and Skilly.) [PS 175-6]
Oct: Troop request from Edgar Blaire ("Fire and Ice" prologue in WWCD 367-369 = WWI[2nd] 156-157 = "Rostov's Zeks" prologue in WWPW 297-298).
Haven: Consul-General Edgar Blaire complains of the CD's unwillingness to suppress the bandit free corps.
[The original versions (WWCD 367 and WWI[2nd] 156) date this October 2089 and spells his name "Blair", but the revised version (WWPW 297) dates it October 2094 and spells it "Blaire".]
At an unknown time during 2094: "Fire and Ice" (WWCD 370-392 = WWI[2nd] 158-178 = WWPW 275-296).
Haven: A new high-tech military project led by General von Verwoerd creates soldiers with altered emotions who lack fear of death. The General concludes that such soldiers would be useful only in rare circumstances.
[Originally estimated as c. 2089 based on the date of the prologue. WWI[2nd] gives the date as 2089. However, WWPW gives the date as 2094. Unlike the project in "The Toymaker and the General", this project is being run entirely by Sauron, and the CD knows nothing of it (WWCD 391; WWPW 295).]
Nov or Dec: FALKENBERG'S LEGION, Part 2, chapters 13-14.
[Same as The Prince pp. 534-544, and The Mercenary chapters 13-14.]
Tanith: Bannister arrives and hires remaining four battalions of Falkenberg's Legion. They depart for New Washington (4 month journey).
["Mercenary" gives the year as "2093", but this date was deleted when the story was reprinted in "Falkenberg's Legion". See Inconsistencies: Falkenberg's History.]
Late Dec: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 3; chapter 4 pp. 69-88.
[Same as The Prince pp. 651-674.]
Sparta: 5th Brigade arrives on Sparta. First progress report sent to Falkenberg. [PS 129]
Jan or Feb: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 4 pp. 88-98.
[Same as The Prince pp. 674-682.]
Sparta, autumn: Niles meets with Skilly.
Feb: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 5.
[Same as The Prince pp. 683-701.]
Sparta, autumn: Riot in the Spartosky.
Early in the year:
Luna Base: Adm. Lermontov learns that Sauron has secret research labs on Haven. He orders an expedition to destroy them.
[WWI(2nd) 201, which also refers to the CD having withdrawn forces from the Tanith Sector.]
At an unknown time during 2095: "Our Reliance Upon Orbital Decay: Rostov's Zeks" (WWPW 299-322, 350-371 only).
Haven: Rostov's Zeks wipe out a small squad of CD Marines, leaving only one survivor. They march to Lermontovgrad, wipe out the small garrison there, and take over the city.
[Date in WWPW 300, 373.]
After the previous entry:
Haven: The Marines consider retaking Lermontovgrad from Rostov's forces, but decide against it.
[WWPW 373.]
Probably during 2095: "Farewell to Haven" (WWCD 393-396).
Haven: Arthur John George Waltham, the last Consul-General of Haven, departs for Earth. The CD withdraws from Haven.
[This story is dated 2102, but that is not possible. It most likely takes place in 2095, as it is elsewhere attested (WWPW 272) that Governor Arthur G. Waltham, the last governor of Haven, left for Earth in 2095 -- and despite inconsistencies of date, middle initials, and job title, these probably refer to the same person and same event. This story also claims that the CD Marines left Haven before the civilian government (WWCD 394), which contradicts several other sources. For details, see Inconsistencies: When Did the CoDominium Abandon Haven?.]
Before March 2095:
Earth: Vice-Admiral Townsend, grandson of Sen. Bronson, continues to undermine Adm. Lermontov's plans. John Grant Sr. dies. Capt. John Grant Jr., commanding CDSN Intrepid, heads for New Washington (timing unknown, but after he learns of his father's death.) Unity Party election prospects look grim. Whitlock prepares to leave Earth permanently.
[FL 429; PS 65]
c. March: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapters 6-8.
[Same as The Prince pp. 702-745.]
Sparta, late autumn: Dion Croser elected to Sparta Senate. King Alexander's Own Regiment formed.
April: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 9.
[Same as The Prince pp. 746-759.]
Sparta, autumn/winter: Ursula undercover.
[Dates from GTS 205, 256.]
April: FALKENBERG'S LEGION, Part 2, chapter 15.
[Same as The Prince pp. 545-554, and The Mercenary chapter 15.]
New Washington: Falkenberg's Legion lands. Allansport secured. Falkenberg receives Owensford's 12/94 progress report, and sends his own (which is apparently garbled in transmission, confusing Allansport with Astoria).
[PS 129-131]
May?: FALKENBERG'S LEGION, Part 2, chapters 16-21.
[Same as The Prince pp. 555-603, and The Mercenary chapters 16-21.]
New Washington: Battle for Astoria. Falkenberg sends another progress report. Campaigns in the north. Return to Allansport.
[In the text, there is no reason to suppose the gap between the first securing of Allansport and the battle for Astoria is much more than the three day sea journey (FL 366). But Karantov claims this communique is "somewhat more recent" than the first one (PS 151). Oddly, Falkenberg mentions Glenda Ruth Horton in his message (PS 374).]
June: ? FALKENBERG'S LEGION, Part 2, chapter 22.
[Same as The Prince pp. 604-610, and The Mercenary chapter 22.]
New Washington: John Grant Jr. arrives in the CDSN Intrepid, and intervenes on Falkenberg's behalf.
July: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapters 10-14.
[Same as The Prince pp. 760-852.]
Sparta, mid-winter: "Battle of the Dales".
[PS 96 shows this is not the very end of winter; PS 7, 14 show that it is two months prior to spring. Spartan seasons last an average of 4.75 months.]
Late July: GO TELL THE SPARTANS, chapter 15.
[Same as The Prince pp. 853-857.]
Sparta, winter: Hal Slater speaks of the need for Empire.
Between July and Nov:
New Washington: Franklin grants independence to New Washington. John Christian Falkenberg III appointed Protector of New Washington. He sends message to Sergei Lermontov (possibly via John Grant Jr.?).
[PS 374 = Prince 1144]
August:
Sparta, late winter: Follow-up campaigns in the Dales. Ursula marries an exchange student, and they move to Friedland. Around this time, Jason Freedman dies, and his son David Freedman becomes King.
[PS 37, 66, 96]
Sept: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapter 1; chapter 2 pp. 30-37.
[Same as The Prince pp. 865-891.]
Sparta, early spring: Mopping-up operations.
[PS 14, 24]
Oct: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapter 2 pp. 38-48; chapter 3 pp. 50-54.
[Same as The Prince pp. 891-904.]
Sparta, early spring: Croser plans referendum.
Oct or Nov: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapter 3 pp. 54-61; chapter 4.
[Same as The Prince pp. 904-929.]
Sparta, spring: Whitlock arrives from Earth. Referendum begun. Four companies of ex-Helots sent to New Washington.
[Note that Whitlock's comments about New Washington on PS 87 must refer to the parts of that planet already sympathetic to the rebels, since PS 129 makes it clear that there is as yet no news of Falkenberg's campaigns. Also, there is insufficient time for the Helot troops to reach New Washington before the end of "Prince of Sparta", much less send a message back to Owensford. Presumably his comments are in error or refer to their training on Sparta. PS 66, 301.]
Probably late 2095: "Behind Closed Doors" prologue (WWPW 372-377).
Haven: General Thomas Kane prepares to take the First Battalion of the 77th CD Marine Regiment back to Earth; the Second Battalion under Col. Sean Dempsey is expected to follow in three months. Individual Marines with dependents may choose to stay and join the militia. Kane promotes Kenneth Flint to Colonel, and places him in charge of the Haven Volunteers.
[The text explicitly puts this in 2096, but this would make it nearly impossible for the 77th to arrive on Sparta in May 2096. Therefore, late 2095 is much more plausible. For details see Inconsistencies: When Did the CoDominium Abandon Haven?.]
Nov or Dec: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapter 5.
[Same as The Prince pp. 930-956.]
Sparta, spring: Lysander at Colchis Gap.
Jan and Feb:
Earth: Major budget crisis in USA. Political crisis in USSR. First mutiny breaks out in a CD warship. By February, probably more mutinies, confusion, disinformation. Admiral Lermontov receives Falkenberg's Summer '95 report.
[PS 261, 304]
Late Feb or Early March:
Luna: Senator Bronson makes speech decrying terrorism on Sparta.
[Dated 17 May 2094 on PS 126, but this contradicts date of council meeting. See Inconsistencies: Falkenberg's History.]
Late Feb or Early March: "Behind Closed Doors" (WWPW 379-384).
Luna Base: Adrian Bronson tells Marshall Wainwright that he has the votes to dissolve the Grand Senate, and asks his help in arresting Admiral Lermontov. Wainwright agrees to help Bronson.
[WWPW 379 dates this 2096. Bronson plans to dissolve the Senate "next week"; assuming these plans stay on track, this story takes place one week before the Senate's dissolution in March 2096.]
Early March: "Midwatch" (WWI[2nd] 180-193).
Haven: The 77th CD Marine Regiment is mobilizing to leave Haven permanently. A new Haven government, the "Haven Council of Equals" -- based in Castell City -- has been recognized by the CD as the legitimate successor to the departing CD government. Lt. Pete Thompson and some of his men refuse to leave.
[There is conflicting information regarding the date of these events. For details, see Inconsistencies: When Did the CoDominium Abandon Haven?.]
At an unknown time during 2096: "The Denisovan Flu" (WWI[2nd] 201-202 only).
Haven: Major Jaspers, carrying out Admiral Lermontov's orders, destroys the Sauron research station in which General von Verwoerd once carried out genetic experiments.
[WWI(2nd) 201 specifies the year. It is not stated in this story whether the CD government and 77th Marines are still on Haven. Lermontov was arrested in March 2096, but "Denisovan Flu" could take place after that, since travel time to Haven can take over a year, although communication time is somewhat quicker. Also, the reference to the town of Falkenberg may be an error: it is not known when Pilgrim City in the Shangri-La Valley is renamed "Falkenberg", but this seems much more likely in the First Empire era then during the CoDominium, when Falkenberg is a CD Colonel and then a mercenary, who visited Haven only briefly.]
Early March: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapter 7 pp. 169-177.
[Same as The Prince pp. 988-994.]
Sparta, early summer : Referendum complete.
[Voting did not quite take "half a year", as Croser boasts on PS 170.]
March:
Earth and Luna: Grand Senate dissolved. New elections look unlikely. A group of Grand Senators led by Bronson meet as a "Rump Senate"; although their authority is dubious, they issue orders for Admiral Lermontov's arrest. Grand Senator Bronson (now Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee) sends orders to Col. Marco Ciotto of the 77th to gain control of Sparta. Vice-Admiral Townsend (or General Nguyen?) orders the arrest of Falkenberg's troops on Sparta. Lermontov sends his final message, and is probably arrested or killed shortly thereafter.
[PS 321, 351, 365, 374. Forrest is wrong to interpret this as the "breakup of the CoDominium".]
March: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapters 8-10.
[Same as The Prince pp. 995-1052.]
Sparta, early summer (but still snow in the mountains): Incident at the Stora Mine.
April: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapters 11-13.
[Same as The Prince pp. 1053-1082.]
Sparta, summer: Meeting of CD officers. Spartan Senate meets (17 April) and enacts the Ultimate Decree. Attack on Helot base.
[PS 274, 284, 287]
May: PRINCE OF SPARTA, chapters 14-18.
[Same as The Prince pp. 1083-1151.]
Sparta, summer: The 77th CD Marine Regiment, led by Marco Ciotti, arrives on Sparta. Battle of Sparta City: Ciotti's officers mutiny, and the Spartan forces triumph. Death of King Alexander; Lysander becomes king. Lermontov's final messages are received, including news about Falkenberg's victory on New Washington. The forces loyal to Lermontov stationed on Sparta -- including Caldwell Whitlock, Hal Slater, several officers of the CoDominium Navy (led by Fleet Captain Clayton Newell of the Veracruz) and the CoDominium Marines (Col. Boris Karantov, Lt. Col. Scott Farley) and the leaders of Falkenberg's Legion on Sparta (including General Peter Owensford and the Colonels Alana) -- swear allegiance to King Lysander.
"The Sylph in the Tinderbox" (WWPW 420-438 only).
Earth: Several American-bloc and Neo-Soviet-bloc nations put forward resolutions in the CoDominium Senate to free themselves from the domination of the United States and the Reformed USSR. Sauron submits a resolution that would make the colonies more independent from Earth. Serafinova and Wardlow are kidnapped by Harvey Bertram. NeoSoviet Premier Kaslov calls for an end to the CoDominium.
[Bertram is called a "Libertarian" on WWPW 428, but his party is actually the Freedom Party, as correctly stated on WWPW 394.]
The Great Patriotic Wars erupt between the United States and the Reformed USSR, as well as many other nations. A "full-scale nuclear exchange" between the United States and the Reformed USSR breaks out, causing massive devastation, including the total annihilation of both Moscow and Washington. End of the CoDominium.
[WWPW 438. Date in all timelines, WWTO 426, and WWPW 438.]
Thousands (millions?) of people evacuate Earth using any available spaceships.
[WWPW 438.]
"The Sylph in the Tinderbox" (WWPW 438-441 only).
Sauron: Wardlow, safely back home, contemplates the devastation of Earth.
"Exodus of the Fleet": the former CD Navy abandons Earth and seeks a new home. Russian elements of the Fleet choose St Ekaterina as the home for their dependents.
[Date given in all timelines as 2103 (misstated as 2108 in WWTO 427). The exact details are unclear. GTS 299 and PS 72, 97, 377-8 suggest that interstellar war would probably follow the collapse of the CD, but the timelines, "Sylph" and Mote 179 suggest that while Earth is devastated by planetary wars in 2103, interstellar war does not begin until 2111.]
(This must be the same Lysander as before; he is probably also the "Lysander the Great" of Hand 58, 96. It's unclear what new title or position he receives in 2110. Perhaps he is crowned emperor of St Ekaterina as well as Sparta? It is also unclear what happens to King David, Lysander's co-monarch on Sparta, for there is no mention of a dual monarchy after this point.)
(The timelines refer to a "marriage of dynasties", but it's unclear which Spartan ruler could get married in 2110. When Prince of Sparta ends in May 2096, it seems that a marriage between Lysander and Melissa von Alderheim is imminent. So Lysander will not be free to marry in 2110 (unless his first marriage ends in divorce, or Melissa's dies young). If Lysander and Melissa have a child, he or she would be no older than 13 in 2110 -- too young to marry, but perhaps old enough to be promised in marriage?)
[Date given in all timelines; also see GTS 3-4.]
Earth's Great Patriotic Wars of 2103 are brief but devastating. After this point, Earth will never again be a major player in interstellar politics, and for the next thousand years no human planet will ever approach the population of 20th or 21st Century Earth (Mote 245).
The extent of the damage is unclear. WWIII 9 claims this ends all life on Earth, and this is also implied by the Saurons' use of the term "Earthed" (WWBS 152, 178; WWBS[2nd] ch. 16:ii, 19:i), but this cannot be correct. WWI 65, 227 refer to the "virtual depopulation of Earth". There are a lot of nuclear weapons in use: WWBS 152 (WWBS[2nd] ch. 16:ii) describes "cobalt-encased thermonuclear bombs" used to make the planet (or part of it) uninhabitable. Yet WWPW 438 suggests that the nuclear exchange is limited to the USA and the Reformed USSR; both Moscow and Washington are annihilated: "there were not even ruins left" of these two capitals. Nuclear wars are also mentioned in Mote 275, WWTO 426, and WWIV 146; the last of these speaks of the nuclear winter and the "years without summers" which followed. Entire regions become uninhabitable: Afghanistan is annihilated (WWIII 37), and "large portions of the Earth" are now "a poisonous mass grave" (WWTO 427). Nonetheless, some areas avoid significant harm, including Jamaica and the Tyrolean Alps (Mote 254, 275). Many Indian and Pakistani survivors of the Great Patriotic Wars flee to the Himalayas; some of their communities will still flourish in the 31st century (WWI[2nd] 527, 530).
The loss of Earth devastates those colonies which are not self-sufficient. 75% of Haven's population dies, and the inhabitants of the orbital station Ayesha flee to Haven and found the undersea city of Castalia (WWBF 1; WWIV 32, 185-8).
Among the surviving human worlds this is a period of war and interstellar anarchy. The "Spartan Hegemony" manages to protect Sparta from major damage, but is unable to protect St Ekaterina -- the Russian planet is badly hurt during the Formation Wars (Mote 179).
There are other small empires besides the Spartan Hegemony. The "Republic of Frystaat" controls a small dominion; it later joins the Spartan Hegemony as a semi-autonomous member, and its "Jarnsveld's Jaegers" become the Hegemony's irregular shock troops (WWI 227-8). The "Falkenberg Protectorate" – presumably based on New Washington – is almost certainly allied with Sparta, but remains somewhat separate for a while. Tanith is part of the Falkenberg Protectorate, and is thus shielded from major damage during the Formation Wars (WWII 166). At the end of Falkenberg's Legion, John Christian Falkenberg III was contemplating marrying Glenda Ruth Horton and founding a dynasty on New Washington; if this occurs, then it's reasonable to suppose that the Falkenberg Protectorate is based on New Washington, but this is not stated, and it's worth noting that Tanith is a great distance from New Washington. Outies states that the imperial family hails from New Washington: this is probably just an error, but it might indicate a dynastic marriage between the Spartan imperial family and Falkenberg's New Washington descendants (Outies 80).
By the year 2250, the Spartan Hegemony controls all of human space. (WWI 121 = WWLE 37 refers to "wars with the Outies in the early days of the Empire", but presumably that refers to the pre-2250 period, since the period from 2250 to 2603 is otherwise treated as a pax Spartana.)
The 22nd century sees the revival of aristocracy. The Spartan royal family is at the head of this, but the names Blaine, Barton, and (surprisingly!) Townsend also become marks of nobility. (For what it's worth, there are no "Falkenbergs" mentioned in First or Second Empire stories; nor Grants, nor Lermontovs, nor Bronsons.) The nobility are quite popular in this era, probably due to their willingness to lead from the front rather than from the rear, and also due to their perceived concern for their subjects. Nine centuries later (Hand 75), Lysander II will be remembered for tearing down the old CD prison in Sparta City and turning it into a park for his people.
Colonists from the "True Church" on Maxroy's Purchase colonize a planet in a nearby system, naming the planet "New Utah" and their settlement "Saint George". They submit the "New Utah True Church Founder's Report" to the Elders of Maxroy's Purchase, but the report contains little information about the planet except near Saint George.
[Hand 13; Outies timeline, 355, 367-68]
For over three and a half centuries, the Empire of Man rules hundreds of human planets and prevents the outbreak of interstellar war. There are a few minor local wars and rebellions, but the Marines mostly function as planetary police (timelines; WWI 58). The period from 2250 to 2603 is perhaps the longest and most widespread peace in human history.
The exact size of the Empire is not stated. It contains "hundreds of planets" (WWII 35); moreover, since the revived Empire in the early 31st Century does not seem to be settling new planets, we can assume that the First Empire is at least as large as the Second, which is around 1000 light-years in diameter and contains over 400 (and possibly as many as a thousand) human worlds (Mote prologue, 458; Hand 73, 83).
Not much is known about the government of the First Empire, though it may be similar to that of the Second. The Emperor is a descendant of the Collins Kings of Sparta. There is an Imperial Parliament and an Imperial Senate; the latter, at least, does not have representatives from every planet. The armed forces are held in respect, and veterans are given land grants on various planets (KDS 54; WWI 61, 122; WWIII 61, 319; WWLE 38).
Despite its Spartan origins, the Empire of Man still retains a number of the characteristics of the CoDominium. Newly-settled planets are divided into American and Russian "spheres of influence", which may merely refer to different internal governmental systems (although this point is stated only once, on Hand 138). Unpleasant and out-of-the-way planets – including Maxroy's Purchase and Haven – are still used as penal colonies for criminals or other transportees (Outies timeline; WWBV 17). The Imperial standard has an illustration of a Phoenix, but there is no mention of the Eagle-Hammer-Sickle of the CoDominium and the Second Empire (WWIII 319).
The Imperial Orthodox Church – a state-sponsored Christian church – is the official religion of the Empire. However, this fact is only mentioned twice ("Motelight" 122 and WWIV 138), so it is possible that the Church is not as central to the First Empire as it will be to the Second. This church may be the same as the reunified Christian Church led by Pope John XXVI in the 2020's (PM 143). It was probably the monarchy on St Ekaterina that pushed for the idea of an official Church, since there is evidence of significant religiosity among the Russians there (e.g., Prince 974), while it's hard to imagine that Sparta, with its libertarian bent, would have lobbied for an official religion of the Empire! (The role of churches on 21st-century Sparta is unclear. Back in the 2090s, Sparta had "established and nonconformist" churches, "the Archbishop" was expected to officiate at Prince Lysander's wedding, and Melissa prayed from "the Church of Sparta Book of Hours" [Prince 869, 1086, 1122], but certainly the Church had no say in official policies, and the Freedman kings may have been be Jewish.) In any event, the Church probably makes its home at the city of New Rome on Sparta – as this will be the home of the Church in the Second Empire, per Mote 415. Despite the official status of the Church, there is complete religious freedom in the Empire. Indeed, some planets have very few members of the established Church: Dayan remains mostly Jewish, Levant mostly Muslim, Covenant (and New Scotland?) mostly Presbyterian, and Sauron mostly atheist. Moreover, centuries of peaceful commerce and migration have blended the cultures of many planets (WWI 84).
Science reaches a peak early in the First Empire; by 2350 knowledge of physics reaches a plateau (WWI 83, 85). The Langston Field, discovered but not perfected in the late CoDominium era, has been thorougly investigated and greatly improved; by the 2600's entire cities can be covered with Langston Fields (WWII 20, 61; Mote 227; WWPW 57, 59; see "Building the Mote in God's Eye" 130 for technical details). Spaceships power their Alderson Drives with deuterium fusion. There are tethers connecting connecting small planets to space stations in geosynchronous orbits which can be used to transfer fuel or personnel. Biology is understood well enough that a computer can design a vaccine and an antidotes for a virus once its genetic structure is read. Other engineering marvels include mono-filament cables, direct-conversion units which draw their power from "the heat in water", guns which can generate contained fusion reactions, food conversion machines, and nearly-indestructible windshields and fabrics. (KDS 245; Mote 28, 468; WWI 66, 82; WWII 171; WWIV 2, 96, 147.) The Sauron Unified State (the government of Sauron, a member of the Empire_ acknowledges their late-twenty-first-century experiments with Cyborgs, but insists that these efforts were abandoned long ago -- despite rumors that there are still hidden Sauron laboratories on Comstock and Frederick. [WWPW 166.]
Sauron launches a sudden and massive attack on St Ekaterina. Around one billion Katerinas perish. Sauron and the Coalition of Secession declare independence. Beginning of the Secession Wars.
[All timelines; Mote 30-31, 179; WWII 35; WWLE 85. WWBS(2nd) prologue refers to this attack as an "invasion" which is ultimately repulsed; during these events an Imperial Fleet is defeated but much of St. Ekaterina is "wrecked". ]
As interstellar law breaks down, the war becomes three-sided. In addition to the loyal "Imperials" and the Sauron-led "Secessionists", a royal pretender leads a "Claimant" faction.
[WWI 57, 68, 74, 78, 228; 59, 83, 87. The Claimants appear before the First Battle Off Makassar, which is either 2623 or 2637.]
Haven: Cummings arrives to coordinate the redeployment of the Land Gators. Maj. Adam Soltyk returns to Haven.
[WWIV timeline; WWI 62]
It is probably around this time that Makassar, a sparsely-settled recreation world, is fortified for war. [KDS 64]
The Saurons have been unable to inspire many allies, and their original partners in the "Coalition of Secession" have proved to be less than helpful. Anti-Sauron propaganda has filled the Empire, and even the human-norm Saurons are seen as monsters. Sauron attacks are being rebuffed, although Imperial counter-strikes are rarely successful either.
The damage to the Empire has been awesome. A dozen of their worlds have been sterilized by the Saurons. The Imperials have been forced to compromise with local secessionists ("Outies") so that they can focus on the Saurons.
Hoping for a route into the heart of the Empire, and needing borloi for its anaesthetic properties on Cyborgs, the Saurons begin probing the Tanith Sector again.
[WWII 4-5, 8-10, 31, 79; WWIII 61]
Jan/Feb?: THE BATTLE OF SAURON, chapters 5:iv-8:ii.
[Revised version of "The Face of the Enemy" (WWII 42-70 only).]
Imperial convoy (half of the 11th Fleet) and Sauron Second Fleet arrive in Tanith system. Loyalists give no quarter in battle. Sauron First Fleet arrives and turns the tide. Saurons occupy Tanith.
Two Sauron Soldiers desert and take an escape pod to Tanith. They raid the Curtis farm. [WWII 186]
Imperial Command orders all available fleets to Tanith system. [WWII 77]
Feb?: THE BATTLE OF SAURON, chapters 8:iii-9.
[Revised version of "The Face of the Enemy" (WWII 70-83 only).]
Several Imperial fleets arrive in system. Fomoria escapes with cargo of borloi. The Second Battle Off Tanith: First and Second Sauron Fleets destroyed. Tanith city and spaceport destroyed. Massive Imperial casualties do not deter them from completely annihilating all Saurons in the Tanith system.
[Also WWIII, WWIV timelines; WWIV 322-3.]
Feb/Mar?: THE BATTLE OF SAURON, chapters 10:i-16:ii.
Sauron: The Fomoria returns to Sauron. Sauron allies arrive.
[WWBS 104 puts this "less than twelve days" after "Face of the Enemy"; WWBS(2nd) ch. 11 changes this to "less than twenty days". At the beginning of WWBS(2nd) ch. 10 the year is given as "2550", but this is incorrect.]
Feb/Mar?:
Sparta: More pretenders to the throne arise – three new nobles claim to be the rightful Emperor. Senate in turmoil. [WWII 79]
Mar/Apr?: THE BATTLE OF SAURON, chapters 17:i-18:ii.
Sauron: The Wallenstein arrives. Galen Diettinger becomes dictator of Sauron. Preparations for invasion begin.
[WWBS 157 says that three weeks pass; WWBS(2nd) ch. 17:iii makes this two months.]
Apr/May/June?:
Levant liberated from the Saurons. [WWI 54]
c. May to August: "Brenda" (WWII 170-2, 176-7, 178-182, 185-7, 190-4, 199-201 only).
Tanith: Lt. Terry Kakumee, veteran of the Second Battle of Tanith, meets Brenda Curtis.
[Tanith local time Nov 2640A to March 2640B, thus middle of standard 2640.]
July/Aug/Sept:
The Offensive of 2640. Imperials, flush with victory, drive towards the core of Sauron power.
[WWI 54; WWII 78]
July/Aug/Sept?: THE BATTLE OF SAURON, chapters 19:i-20:iii.
Sauron: Preparations for invasion continue.
[WWBS 179; WWBS(2nd) ch. 19:ii]
c. Oct: THE BATTLE OF SAURON, chapters 21:i-30:ii.
The Battle of Sauron. Massed Imperial fleets attack Sauron system. Sauron Home Fleet destroyed. Sauron homeworld assaulted with laser and nuclear bombardment. The damage is so great that the planet's crust cracks and magma is exposed; the oceans boil above the obliterated undersea cities.
[All timelines; WWI 145, 150-1; WWIV 323. Invasion begins on December 1 on the Sauron calendar per WWBS 193 (WWBS[2nd] ch. 20:i).]
THE BATTLE OF SAURON (2nd ed.) chapters 31:i-32; "Some Things Survive" (second half of prologue: WWII 221-3 only); "The Coming of the Eye" prologue (WWI 144 = WWI[2nd] 305).
[The Battle of Sauron chapter 31 is the same in both editions; chapter 32 is unique to the 2nd edition.]
The Fomoria eludes assault craft of INSS Centurion and jumps out of the Sauron system. Imperial ships are unable to track them due to the unusual nature of their Alderson jump.
[All timelines; WWIV 323; WWI 145. In the original version, the Fomoria performed a "random jump". This was later changed to better account for the nature of Alderson travel. See Inconsistencies: The Random Jump for details.]
Oct/Nov?: "The Boatswain" prologue (WWIV 125-6).
Haven: Haveners believe the wars are far from their planet.
Late Nov: THE BATTLE OF SAURON (2nd ed. only) chapters 33-34; WAR WORLD: THE LIDLESS EYE, chapters 7-9:ii, 10:iii.
[Expanded version of "The Coming of the Eye" (WWI 145-151, 154-156 only); same as The Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) 292-309, 317-319.]
The Fomoria enters the Byers' System. Vessel First Rank Diettinger and Second Rank Althene choose to hide their ship's Sauron identity by masquerading as pirates, styling their titles after The Lord of the Rings. Fomoria renamed Dol Guldur.
[Also WWIII, WWIV, WWI(2nd) timelines]
Dec 3: "Introduction" (WWIV 1-13); "The Gift of the Magi" (WWIV 188-198 only); WAR WORLD: THE LIDLESS EYE, chapter 11:i.
[Lidless Eye passages are an expanded version of "The Coming of the Eye" (WWI 157-159 only); same as The Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) 322-323.]
Fomoria destroys refueling station tethered above Haven's sister-moon Ayesha. A few Ayeshans survive. Sauron fighters begin small raids on Haven.
Dec 4: WAR WORLD: THE LIDLESS EYE, chapters 10:i-10:ii, 11:ii-13:iii, 15:i-16:i, 17:i, 17:iii-18:ii; "The Railroad" (WWIV 17-29 only).
[Lidless Eye passages are an expanded version of "The Coming of the Eye" (WWI 151-154, 156-157, 159-178 only); same as The Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) 310-317, 320-322, 323-333, 341-350, 356-357, 360-366.]
Haven: Fomoria's scout craft engage aircraft from Redfield Satrapy and Novy Finlandia.
Dec 5: WAR WORLD: THE LIDLESS EYE, chapters 18:iii-18:iv, 14, 16:ii, 17:ii; "The Railroad" (WWIV 29-45 only); "The Boatswain" (WWIV 127-134 only).
[Lidless Eye passages are an expanded version of "The Coming of the Eye" (WWI 178-180 only); same as The Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) 366-368, 334-340, 350-355, 357-360.]
Haven: Bombardment of Haven begins. Nuclear destruction of Castell City, Hell's-A-Comin', and Falkenberg (including the University). Other sites destroyed by beam weapons.
[Ft Fornova not nuked, despite WWIV 128-9.]
Dec 6-8: WAR WORLD: THE LIDLESS EYE, chapters 19:i-19:iii.
[Expanded version of "The Coming of the Eye" (WWI 180-182 only); same as The Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) 369-376.]
Haven: Col. Kettler meets iwth Gen. Cummings at Fort Fornova. Bombardment continues for three days. Redfield Satrapy and Khanut nuked.
[Also WWBF 499.]
c. Dec 9-15: "The Boatswain" (WWIV 134-140 only).
Haven: Raft leaves Ellington. Around this time, Saurons begin ground actions in Shangri-La Valley and occupy the Citadel in Karakul Pass.
Dec 28-29: WAR WORLD: THE LIDLESS EYE, chapters 20:i-26:iv.
[Expanded version of "The Coming of the Eye" (WWI 183-213 only); same as The Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) 377-434.]
Haven: Fomoria downed. The Citadel becomes the new Sauron headquarters. Galen Diettinger takes the title of "First Citizen".
Dec 29?: WAR WORLD: CYBORG REVOLT, prologue.
Haven: Baron Albert Hamilton considers possible ways to deal with the Sauron occupation.
Dec 29-30: WAR WORLD: CYBORG REVOLT, chapters 1:i-4:ii.
[Expanded version of "A Better Kind of War" prologue (WWIV 47-52), plus "A Better Kind of War" (WWIV 53-54 [which also appeared as WWBS(1st) epilogue section v] and WWIV 54-64 only), plus Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) epilogue section iii.]
Haven: Cyborg Rank Köln surveys the Shangri-La Valley. Cummings and Kettler coordinate the Haven resistance. Saurons plan their occupation. Staff meeting.
c. Jan 20-30: WAR WORLD: CYBORG REVOLT, chapters 4:i-16:i.
[Expanded version of "A Better Kind of War" (WWIV 64-124 only), plus Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) epilogue section ii, plus "Death's Head Patrol" prologue (WWII 84-86) = WWBS(1st) epilogue section iv.]
Haven: Cyborgs Köln and Sargun confer. Baron Hamilton refuses to join the resistance. Attack on Russian village.
Feb 9-11: WAR WORLD: CYBORG REVOLT, chapters 17:i-20:i.
[Expanded version of "Death's Head Patrol" (WWII 87-99 only), plus Battle of Sauron (1st ed.) epilogue section i.]
Haven: City of Evaskar renamed "Nûrnen". Cummings uses his last nuke on Sauron Firebase One. His militia retakes Fort Kursk. Saurons nuke Fort Kursk.
[In WWLE this takes place a bit later -- "eight weeks" after the Sauron invasion (WWCR 150) rather than the "six weeks" originally stated (WWII 95).]
Mid and Late Feb: WAR WORLD: CYBORG REVOLT, chapters 20:ii-34:ii.
[Expanded version of "Death's Head Patrol" (WWII 99-139 only).]
Haven: John Hamilton joins militia. Sorties against Boyle and Sargun's troops. Cyborg Revolt at the Citadel.
[Also see WWBF 119; WWBV 341.]
Late Feb: "The Gift of the Magi" (WWIV 198, 200-4, 205-9 only).
Haven: Ayesha survivors land on Haven. They soon find Castalia. After another year passes, they will begin covertly supplying helpful technologies to outlying communities.
[Also see WWIV 199.]
Mid-2641(?): "A Mouthful of Eels" (WWI[2nd] 372-394).
Haven: Two scholars discover the wreckage of the University. Fleeing the Saurons, they find refuge with gypsy king Zoltan.
[Story begins during the Haven summer or shortly after, and ends in the autumn (WWI[2nd] 377, 392-393). The Saurons are now sending out patrols to the hinterlands, but much of Haven is unaware of the Sauron presence. That suggests this story takes place in 2641, before the first post-invasion winter. The University is probably the same one destroyed on 12/5/2640, as it is unlikely that Haven has two such institutions.]
The early Secession Wars, from 2603 to 2640, were devastating, yet the villainy of the Saurons also roused a unifying battle spirit within the core of the Empire. After the fall of Sauron, this ended, and the First Empire of Man quickly fell apart.
Second Empire historians will later assign the date of "2640" to the end of the First Empire, but Sparta still claims a small dominion well past this point. The core of the Empire – Sparta, St Ekaterina, Crucis, Dayan (now "Dyan"), Tanith, Frystaat – is still theoretically united in the late 27th Century, but fewer and fewer ships actually travel between star systems. [Mote, Hand, Outies timelines; WWI 361-2, WWII 1, 169, 182, 196, 219, 224, 229; WWBF 1]
The later wars, from 2640 to around 2800, are no longer conflicts spanning human space. Most of them are more localized battles between planets trying to secede and planets loyal to the nearly powerless "Empire of Man". Interstellar trade had broken down almost completely. Terry Kakumee's small ship has few competitors when trading from planet to planet, but must avoid the regions controlled by the "Outies". (Kakumee doesn't even know if his ancestral home Nuliajuk is still in the Empire!) There is peace near Frystaat in the 2670's (indeed, its government believes the wars are over). [WWII 182, 196, 219, 224, 226, 229]
Most of the former Empire worlds are entering "dark ages", or even collapsing all the way back to barbarism. This is due to the damage sustained during the wars and the lack of supply shipments from more advanced worlds. Local conflicts and civil wars are widespread. [WWIV 295]
Earth itself was involved in the Secession Wars, and injuries to man's homeworld from these wars are heaped on top of the destruction of the Formation Wars. Most of Earth is ruined and uninhabitable after this era, though a few places (including Jamaica and the Tyrolean Alps) have survived undamaged. [Mote 254, 275; KDS 27, 61; WWBF 408; WWBV 156]
The extent of devastation on the planet Sauron is unclear. The War World stories and the novel Battle of Sauron indicate that the war of 2640 left the planet uninhabitable: massive nuclear and laser bombardment that cracked the planet's crust to expose the mantle, and boiling the seas above the underwater cities [WWI 145, 150-1; WWIV 323; WWBF 1]. By 2643, Imperial scholars were sifting through the ruins to study Sauron customs [WWII 2, 220]. Yet the Second Empire stories, set in the 31st century, include Sauron natives who appear to be descended from the planet's original inhabitants [Mote 31, 155-56; Hand 193].
On Haven, the descendants of the last Sauron warship have made themselves rulers of the native population. However, Haven is completely cut off from the rest of human space (and will remain so at least until the late 31st Century), so the rulers of the dwindling Empire of Man are completely unaware of this.
(Quilland Base is established about this time, per WWIII 271. Angband Base is already in use, according to WWIV 259, but it must still be under construction, since it will still be unfinished in 2674 per WWIV 283, 291.)
(A variety of quotes from these figures are strewn through the War World books. See WWII 261, 275, 349-350; WWIII 167, 174, 205-6.)
(Hel Diettinger is the last to hold the title of "First Citizen". A "First Soldier" Diettinger will be mentioned in 2708; this is very possibly Hel himself. As late as 2993 there is an "Acting First Citizen" Ansel Diettinger. See WWIII 86, WWBF 491, WWBV 143.)
This will be the last "Grand Muster" of Saurons for two hundred years. After this point, the Citadel begins to lose control of distant groups of Saurons, including those in Angband Base and Quilland Base.
[WWBF 121, 499; WWBV 341; WWIII 272. For dates between the 2790's and the 2990's marked with asterisks, see Blood Feuds / Blood Vengeance Ambiguities.]
By the year 2800, the wars have ended. (Although Second Empire historians will give "2870" as the official end of the Secession Wars, the only interplanetary war mentioned between 2800 and 2870 is between New Scotland and New Ireland, two planets in the same star system.)
The collapse of interstellar civilization is now complete. Sparta manages to keep in contact with a few nearby systems, including Crucis, but for the most part interstellar communication has ended. Although the former Imperial fleet succeeded in defending Sparta during the Secession Wars, it was wiped out in the process. [Mote, Hand, KDS, Outies timelines; "Reflex" 17; "Motelight" 118-9]
At some unspecified point, the Spartan monarch apparently drops the now-pretentious title of "Emperor of Man". It may even be that the monarchy itself is abandoned for a while, though Lysander's bloodline is not lost.
New Scotland: Persecution of the Church of Him on New Scotland. Many of its members ("Himmists") emigrate to New Ireland.
[Outies timeline, 141, 354.]
(A variety of quotes from this text are given. See WWIII 1, 8, 81, 116.)
WAR WORLD: BLOOD FEUDS, chapters 7-9 (pp. 148-209 only).
[Expanded version of "Seven Against Nûrnen" (WWIII 207-228 only).]
Haven: Sigrid leaves the Citadel and begins to roam. Aisha found on the steppe by Barak bar Heber and Josepha bat Golda. Hammer-of-God Jackson tells of the haBandari alliance with the Sons of Liberty and the New Soviet Men.
WAR WORLD: BLOOD VENGEANCE, Prologue.
Haven: Shulamit learns the truth about Sigrid.
Around this time, an Imperial ship arrives at Makassar and establishes a small outpost in Jikar. The planet is classified as "primitive"; the Imperials are unaware of the Library in Batav.
[KDS 6, 168-169; Mote 29]
The Second Empire of Man has spread through a large region of space, annexing (peacefully or otherwise) human colonies which were once part of the First Empire. Some of these worlds are actually being rediscovered, although it is hard to picture what kind of disaster in the Secession Wars would have annihilated every electronic and paper atlas on each of hundreds of worlds.
The capital is still on Sparta, although a much-devastated Earth is the "honorary capital". The Imperial Naval Academy is kept at New Annapolis on Earth, and by 3017 it is customary for the royal heir to spend some time in the Navy (KDS 27, 61; Mote 6, 108). The Imperial Seal features a crown-and-spaceship, an American eagle, and a hammer-and-sickle (Mote 6); this may be a deliberate attempt to claim a continuity with the CoDominium, since the Spartan flag was a crowned mountain (PS 378)and the First Empire's standard was a Phoenix (WWIII 319). (Of course, these latter two are from much later writings.) The emperors -- descended from the Spartan kings of the 21st century and the emperors of the First Empire -- usually continue the tradition of Greek names ("Leonidas IV" in 2903, "Leonidas IX" in 3017, "Lysander", "Alexander", "Aeneas"), although one source mentions an Emperor Francis Parker Mondrian (WWI[2nd] 528).
The government has a variety of deliberating bodies. The multi-house Imperial Parliament has great powers; each Sector also has its own Parliament. The Imperial Council, Senate, and Assembly are also mentioned; these may be part of the Parliament (KDS 162, 350; Mote 75-6). The Imperial Traders Association has great influence over policy, but any defense-related policies are prerogatives of the Crown (KDS 32, 184-5; Mote 79). Aristocrats are given significant roles in the government; by now, the Collins, Blaine, and Townsend lines are over nine hundred years old. (Note, however, that the Blaines have only held the "Marquis of Crucis" title for eleven generations; see entry for "2670's".)
After Sparta, planets subject to the Empire are given various degrees of power:
By the late 2900's, only worlds which have space travel when contacted by the Empire are ranked Class Two or above. These rules were not so strict in the early 2900's. [KDS 27-28, 78-81, 162, 308, 350; Mote 14]
- The Member Kingdoms are allowed strong militaries and possibly semi-autonomous space fleets. These have representatives in all the levels of the government. Most have aristocratic rulers, but at least one is a republic.
- The "Class One" and "Class Two" worlds are allowed self-government. They each send observers to the Court and one Representative to the Imperial Parliament's lower house. These Classified Worlds also get Imperial Naval protection from aggression, Imperial advice on extra-planetary policy, and open access to all technology.
- "Class Three" (and maybe "Class Four") worlds are Colonies. The Empire appoints Civil Service bureaucrats to administer these planets and noble families to rule them. Prior to classification, no new technology may be introduced on such worlds. Once Imperial rule has been established, advanced technology is gradually introduced: typically the Imperial Trade Association pushes for fast importation of technology to increase profits, while the imperial rulers try to slow down the process to prevent sudden social changes, as these can lead to chaos.
- Primitive ("Class Five") worlds may end up with small military outposts or furnish sources of trade, but are primarily left alone under a paternal watch by the Empire. These planets are under strict technological quarantine, though the Empire does not insist that its existence be kept secret from the natives.
A few planets outside of the Empire are advanced enough for space travel. In some cases, these planets are in contact with each other and are maintaining some degree of resistance to the Empire. In other cases, these worlds even forment rebellion on planets already annexed by the Empire. These "Outies" are the most significant military threat to the Empire in the era from 2903 to 3017. [KDS 69, 82, 328; Mote 436, 455, 461, 504]
Technology is not quite as advanced as that of the First Empire, but is similar in most ways. In 3018, Dr. Horvath estimates that the Second Empire will pass the First in science and engineering by the year 3100, but this progress is radically altered by contact with the Mote.
The Imperial Church is the official religion of the Empire; it is based at New Rome (which is probably on Sparta; Mote 415 implies it's a city, not a planet). The Church seems similar in structure to the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican Churches of the second millenium; it apparently preserves traditional Christian orthodoxy, and Latin is used for some purposes (but not in all parts of public liturgy). Jews, Muslims, and various Mormon sects enjoy full religious freedom, although the established Church is considered the norm on most planets [KDS 65-66; Mote 54, 87, 93, 162, 405; Outies 354-357]. The reference in Outies to Armenian Catholic, Syrian Catholic, and Russian Orthodox churches may refer to rites coexisting within the Imperial Church, as there is elsewhere no indication of rival churches with traditional Catholic/Orthodox hierarchies [Outies 161].
Many of the planets in the Second Empire as well as those outside it have returned to traditional male/female roles and divisions of labor, in varying degrees. Some 31st century sociologists believe this resulted from the imbalance of sexes after many males were killed during the Secession Wars (KDS 53-55; Mote 200). It is unclear how gender affects royal and dynastic succession. There is no mention of any ruling Empresses. Rod Blaine claims that if he dies there will be no heirs to his father's earldom, even though his sister has a son (Mote 456, 538), and yet later his two children are both called "heirs" even though one is female (Mote 557 -- but the fact that one of his children is a girl might not have been intended when this was writte, as it is not mentioned until Hand).
In 3017, the Empire is at least 650 light-years in diameter. In 3029, it contains 200 worlds and has a diameter of around 1000 light-years. By 3046, the Blaine Institute has collected specimens from 400 Imperial worlds and 30 Outie worlds. (Also in 3046, Renner claims the Empire rules "1000 worlds", but this is perhaps an exaggeration.) [Mote prologue, 390, 458; Hand 73, 83]
"Reflex".
New Chicago system: The INSS MacArthur, under Bruno Cziller, enters the New Chicago system and battles the Defiant. Horst Staley brings his bomb on board. Cmdr. Rod Blaine becomes prize master of the Defiant.
[Also Mote 2, 141-2, 199; one week before "Mote" begins.]
New Chicago: Rod Blaine lands with at least one company of Marines. Sally Fowler's prison camp liberated.
[Like "Reflex", this was a scene cut from "Mote"; it seems to never have been reprinted. Also Mote 6-8, 19-20.]
THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, chapters 1-3.
New Chicago: Rod Blaine given MacArthur. Departure from New Chicago.
THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, chapters 4-11.
New Caledonia System: The MacArthur refuels at Brigit and intercepts Crazy Eddie Probe. Political and religious arguments on New Scotland.
THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, chapter 12.
The Lenin and the MacArthur depart from the New Caledonia system. The ships dive into Murcheson's Eye.
[Hand timeline puts departure from New Scotland in 3017. Connections between Mote and KDS allow dates to be narrowed down to within a third of a year.]
THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, chapters 13-22.
The Mote System: Ships arrive in Mote System. Rendezvous with Engineer. Ambassador ship arrives with Mediators.
THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, chapters 28-45.
The Mote System: Kaffee Klatsch. Struggle for the MacArthur. Midshipmen in the countryside. Lenin heads to the Crazy Eddie Point. Three Motie ambassadors received.
THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, chapters 46-47.
Second passage through Murcheson's Eye. Rod and Sally depart aboard the Hermes.
"Haven's Hell" (WWI[2nd] 531-555 only).
Haven: The Precious Bane, arrives in the Byers' Star system. It makes a rough landing on Haven, splashing down in Dire Lake. Many perish, including the Marchioness Blaine. The few hundred survivors found a settlement, which they name "Coral Reef Settlement".
[The Marquis Blaine in this story cannot be the Roderick Blaine's father, for the latter became Marquis of Crucis before 3017 and is still active in politics in 3046 (per Hand 76), whereas the Blaine in this story is presumably still on Haven (or dead) in 3046. Also, his personality -- greedy, willing to sell children into slavery, mistreating the body of his wife, unaccustomed to space flight, praying to "Holy Rand" (531, 545, 550, 554) -- is very different than that of Rod's father, Marquis Blaine of Crucis. So either there are two distinct Marquises Blaine in 3018, or the date of 3018 is incorrect.]
THE GRIPPING HAND, Part 3, chapter 2.
New Scotland: Meeting with the Commission on Moties.
THE GRIPPING HAND, Part 3, chapters 3-6.
The Sinbad leaves the New Caledonia system for the red dwarf MGC-R-31. Trip through Crazy Eddie's Sister. The Hecate takes a similar route shortly thereafter.
THE GRIPPING HAND, Part 3, chapters 7-8; Part 4, chapters 1-8.
The Mote System: The Sinbad in the custody of Medina. The Hecate in the custody of the Crimean Tartars. More activity through the Sister. Stern Chase.
[This story is told from Ali Baba's point of view in Outies 32-36.]
OUTIES, chapters 17-19.
New Utah: Laser cannon used for launch. Intermittent jump point opens; Sinbad arrives. New Utah applies for membership in the Second Empire of Man.
Chronology of Jerry Pournelle's Future History
Updated 22 February 2018 by Larry King
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