Dune - The Imperium of Man Explained | Dune Lore

oracus the planet Dune is just one of infinite worlds cast across the cosmos they're disperate in climate in civilization in worth and purpose but delicately connected throughout the known universe under the opes of the ever-reaching Imperium of mankind humanity and its insatiable drive for knowledge and Conquest has long spread past Earth's confines in pursuit of Untold opportunity beyond the void of space time built an Empire that claims millions of planets and commands Mega trillions of lives a United Banner of humankind this great Empire has already existed for Millennia by the time of the DU novels itself built upon the ashes and anguish of past Empires and Promises to remain for centuries more in equilibrium it is however a tentative balance interwoven with the subtle nuances of politics wealth diplomacy subterfuge assassination and devious minations how did these forces interact to support the status quo how does an Empire rule over countless planets separated by light years its voice booming to pierce the Silence of space where does power truly lie these questions and more will be explored as we discover the reality of the far future and Humanity's Imperium let's dive in a triangle is the sturdiest shape known it absorbs any external force and evenly distributes it cross all sides each side shares equal responsibility for maintaining the Integrity of the whole but a triangle is also the most vulnerable remove a single side and the entirety collapses unable to endure even the slightest burden in utter instability this is true for shapes as it is for governments and the Imperium of mankind is the most conspicuous triangle in the known universe it can withstand any external assault but Is tragically prone to internal plots the Grim work of which threatened to remove a side threatened to cast all into chaos the Imperial tripod extends from three bases of power whose interactions maintain peaceful stability they are the pesha emperor and the Imperial household the great houses within the lanat council and the spacing Guild that connects all Humanity force is perilously distributed between these three entities in dynamic balance each performs unique consequential duties and the remaining two act as a check of opposition should any one consolidate two cre of influence thus it is that mankind flourishes at Top This tripod the pesha emperor holds titular position as head of the Imperium and point of the triarchy also known as the Emperor of a million worlds or emperor of the known universe the lion Throne of influential house Kino is a position of hereditary succession that has been retained for more than 10,000 years this venerable house established Primacy during the definitive Battle of Corin against thinking machines in ages long past following the tumultuous violence of the butlerian Jihad and Humanity's victory over oppressive artificial intelligence a great Council convened to unite old titles in Military and religion into the single dominant position of emperor that could once again bring stability From the Ashes of turmoil though this ancient period has been Twisted by myth and mystery the next several thousand years saw house Corino solidify its position and acrew ever greater Prestige across its expanding Empire Empire the pesha emperor is a figurehead a symbol of authority and Direction vested with the power to unify people and planets separated by vast distances through a progressively localized tiered system of feudal governance the emperor's will is known and enacted the emperor bestows thiefs to the Lords of great houses who in exchange for homage to their Lee rule systems in the emperor's name gather wealth and ACR personal clout the Imperial household is responsible for maintaining cere harmonious tradition for arbitrating disputes between Nobles and for granting or redistributing planetary foms but more than a mere symbol the pesha Emperors of house Corino are empowered by their standing army of Sardar the Sardar Legions are Infamous across the Empire as the most brutal most efficient and most vile Warriors who strike trembling fear in those who oppose kinao will we hear the influence of Sardar in an excerpt from Princess iron describing her father p sh Emperor shadam IV he seldom appeared in public wearing other than a Sardar uniform and a bur's black helmet with the Imperial Lion in Gold upon its Crest the uniform was an open reminder of where his power lay Legend maintains a mysticism around Sardar whose training and military tactics are kept secreted away on the Imperial Prison Planet of salusa secundus though the emperor sits alone at top the lion Throne as a Sublime being the power is far from absolute standing both in service of The Emperor's government and in opposition of its tyranny is the Council of great houses known as the lands rad influence in clout trickles down from the emperor into dynastic seats of governmental power known as houses houses across the Empire vary in scope in Holdings and in import most command a single planet or a small collection within a star system they administer local rule for the Imperial household and ingratiate themselves in court some houses have Noble Heritage Peerless leadership and cunning guile that over centuries gathered under their rule entire star systems are clusters they preside over trillions and command countless Legions to contend with another both in Council and on Battlefield these families of influence are known as great houses their duplicity is so much a part of Imperial culture that poison snooping devices stand vigilantly over every parcel of food or sip of drink in family estates though the great houses secretly plot against another in Covetous plays for power they openly gather together in the lrat league the lrat is a representative body of all houses within the Imperium where discourse flows Agreements are brokered and grievances are aired this forum meets regularly to discuss the Imperial State the L rat owe much of their standing to Imperial blessing but they are far from mindlessly obedient though power is derived from the lion Throne all houses fear Imperial ambition and huri will lead to admonition and that the pesha will move to destroy them to rely on a thing means to be utterly susceptible the houses realize their vulnerability to their ruler membership in the lrat guarantees safety from Imperial machinations the High Council Works within as a check against the emperor's encroachment a United military force of all great houses would be enough to match even the famed Sardar the emperor would never willfully and openly strike against a great house lest it should stir lrad retribution fortunately for the PESA only Grievous affronts to the balance of power would unite the lrad most often the great houses distract themselves with Petty squabbles and deadly vendettas that drain their resources to move against the lion Throne is impossible without the blessing of the third power base the spacing Guild the universe is an infinite expanse even planetary systems in relative proximity are separated by Lighty years of EMP void the Imperium extends to the very fringes of the known universe and holds within its borders Untold dazzling constellations of countless planets a vulnerable thread weaves throughout the emptiness of space and holds the empire together a thread that can be severed in an instant at the whim of the spacing Guild The Guild is an ancient School of Navigators and steersmen trained exclusively in the precarious ways of faster than light travel long ago humans relied on thinking machines to perform per form rigorous calculations necessary for safe Interstellar travel but in the fiery wake of the butlerian Jihad all technology was eradicated to prevent the Empire's collapse the required dangerous and volatile calculations of space travel fell on human Minds that were ill prepared to assume such responsibility f space jumps were erratic and under human control one in 10 never made it to their destination obliterated by stars supernovas black holes and other obstacles that rendered travel a great risk discovery of the spice mange on araus and its mind dilating properties rescued Humanity from the dangers of space Fairing and restored stability in the Imperium the early spacing Guild found malange when taken in consistently high doses grants a limited future site called prean that allows Navigators to chart predetermined safe routes through space folds from such Visions The Guild held its secrets for safe travel close maintained an aura of mysticism around its Endeavors and over centuries developed a total Monopoly on Interstellar Commerce and trade no ship dare risk a jump without a space Guild Navigator and no other helmsmen can replicate their skills so great is the organization's cultural and political significance that dates are marked in relation to the Guild's founding and an entire period of human history is known through the lens of the guild peace the peace is a time of relatively limited Intergalactic upheaval between houses major and minor born from the Guild's oppressive monop on Space fairing the reality is nothing transpires across the Imperium without Guild services without Guild approval the great houses control isolated star systems unable to reach each other alone even the Imperial household is helpless to fulfill its minations without the stamp of the spacing Guild a strong dependency exists where all humankind relies on the opes of the enigmatic helmsmen far from a philanthropic Endeavor The Guild charges vast sums on its cornered Market it extorts great houses houses minor the Imperial seat all who seek f space travel payments most often demanded in spice which frees the guild to continue performance of its duties The Navigators are Covetous and fueled by self-preservation they back only the faction that ensures full coffers they dare not diminish their influx of vital spice the political tripod that maintains humanity is tenuously balanced the lion Throne of the emperor is checked by the combined lrat houses neither of which can strike each other without the parasitic Guild leeching their stores the system has been born from and is perpetuated by a culture of technological and social regression bizarre to the far distant future the proscriptions on machines violently enacted by the butlerian Jihad has empowered a society that fearfully shuns most technological advancement they see artifice as Abomination and handle metal with much trepidation this is compounded by the stagnation achieved in weapons of war the Advent of shielding Technologies and the prohibition of atomic weapons outlined by the Lans Rad's great convention document rendered many armaments Obsolete and standing armies have reverted to use of handheld melee weapons what all these variables produce is regression to technologically primitive Society dominated by a feudalistic structure the class system ruling the Empire is known as the FES established from these cultural forces a central domineering figure is necessary to harness and guide human Endeavors when faced with such expansive opportunity as found in the vastness of space to unite Humanity across the known universe the emperor stands as supreme ruler their presence felt and will enacted in local systems by the great houses who rule in their name like the great monarchies of ancient Earth the emperor bestows thiefs and power among the Lords in exchange for loyalty establishing a class system down to the Local Peasant that permeates the fuus system this invariably leads to resentment jealousy and ambition which is played out on a grand scale houses spy sabotage blackmail and engage in assassination to gather Prestige to remove Rivals assume their titles and ingratiate themselves in Imperial Court Cutthroat in terminal the political Intrigue gripping the Imperium is most dangerous true measure of power however comes in the Holdings of the interstellar Mega Corporation known as the combine hanet Ober advancer meriles or Chom Chom is responsible for production manufacture shipping Mining and refining of all Goods within the Empire from the mundane to the Exotic Alia atres describes the scope of CH as such it was much more than House of tradies much more than Dune much more than the priesthood or malan it was ink fins Wier Shiga wire ixian artifacts and entertainers trade in people and places the hve those products which came from borderline legality of te axu technology it was addictive drugs and medical techniques it was transportation and all of the super complex Commerce of an Empire if it can be bought or sold it falls within chom's purview the houses of the Empire all hold stock and CH in some fashion those who maintain a larger percentage of the company gain influence and the wealth that comes from skimming company funds ownership in chum represents military political and Financial power it's the metric by which all houses are measured humankind's Imperium a fragile tripod of Relentless Interstellar forces intermingling against the backdrop of Neo feudalism and technological abhorrence the culture that has arisen from Millennia of tumult is one of peaceful coexistence under the guidance of house corino's lion Throne by the era of paulat trates the Empire is a wellestablished constancy of rival entities competing to achieve a balance but nothing lasts forever the Imperium is questioned the tripod tested by Paul and those who come after humanity is no stranger to uncertainty or the violence produced by it is the Empire which has lasted countless centuries able to withstand petr's terrible purpose or will its future be cast into the unknown void of Oblivion only time will tell thanks so much for watching and listening to this video briefly exploring the forces that be in Mankind's Imperium now I want to hear from you let me know your thoughts on the lion Throne houses great and minor as well as suggestions for future videos in the comments below and if you're a fan of Lauren storytelling be sure to subscribe to the channel check out the podcast where content is uploaded frequently I want to thank my amazing supporters over on patreon who make all of this possible and I couldn't do it without their fantastic support if you'd like to become a lord luminary for access to me a great Community written scripts and early video drops head to the larians to learn more until next time go forth and explore the [Music] Lord

Channel: The Lorebrarians

Views: 17,323

Keywords: Dune, Lorebrarians

Id: CpNp5l5r-zU

Length: 15min 21sec (921 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 10 2023