Hesketh Duval was the 14th Emperor of the Empire from 3182 to 3233.[1]
In 3184, Hesketh sent the Imperial XV fleet to Alioth, a response to Federal President Loric Trander's decision to authorise a force of privateers following the murder of an official named Riley Dain who had been investigating the abuse of permitted quotas in Alioth's gas mining sector. The resulting conflict lasted until 3198, with neither the Empire nor the Federation achieving anything of note.[2]
Late in Hesketh's reign, his son Hengist Duval had a brief affair with a slave of the Imperial household. When Hesketh discovered this, he covered up the incident and dismissed the slave, who went on to give birth to Hengist's illegitimate son, Hector Jansen.[3]
After a long illness, Hesketh died in 3233 and was succeeded by Hengist Duval. The Imperial Senate had been growing in power during Hesketh's long illness, and there were significant tensions around the succession.[4]
Hesketh had multiple siblings. A brother of his was Prince Baylor Duval, who married into the House of Lombardo, and whose son is Archduke Otto Lombardo-Duval. Lucretia Roche-Duval also descends from a sibling of Hesketh.[5][6]
Timeline[]
11 MAR 3308
- Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval has ordered the Imperial Guard to provide increased security to surviving members of the Duval dynasty. Many Imperial Family members, including Prince Harold, were assassinated by the NMLA. Sources close to Emperor Arissa state that she is determined to preserve the remaining Duval bloodline as well as deter any future attacks. The Imperial Guard is a legion of elite warriors under the direct control of the Emperor. Although typically seen performing ceremonial duties, they are a highly trained fighting force. It is understood that their numbers have been boosted by a focused enlistment drive from other areas of the Imperial military. A cohort of Imperial Guard has been placed at the service of Princess Aisling Duval. She has gratefully accepted their presence and integrated them with her existing security team. Similar squads have been posted to the households of Archduke Otto Lombardo-Duval and Lucretia Roche-Duval, both of whom are descended from the siblings of Emperor Hesketh. Legionnaires were also assigned to direct relations of Emperor Arissa, including her prominent cousins Admiral Lucius Lavigny and Countess Guinevere Lavigny. Only Hadrian Duval declined the offer of additional protection, stating that he will rely on his Praetorian Guard. He reassured his followers that a hand-picked corps permanently surrounds his infant son Hector Duval.[5]
07 DEC 3304
- Isolationist group Nova Imperium has revealed its choice for Emperor – an eighteen year old man named Hadrian Augustus Duval. The group's leader, Imperator Mordanticus, broadcast this message: "It is incumbent upon me to reveal that Hengist Duval fathered not one but two illegitimate children in his younger days. A few years before meeting Florence Lavigny, he had a brief affair with a slave in the Imperial household. When Hengist's father discovered this, the matter was hushed up and the slave dismissed. The slave's son went on to sire a child of his own: Hadrian Duval, grandson of Emperor Hengist Duval. Hadrian was unaware of this until we located him and genetically confirmed his lineage. Arissa Lavigny-Duval is a weak Emperor who must be removed. We call for Hadrian Duval to be recognised as the true heir to the throne!" The Imperial Herald's political journalist Cassia Carvalho observed: "This announcement has shaken the Empire to its very foundations. Having Hadrian as a figurehead has rallied those hardliners more comfortable with the idea of a male Emperor. With a single stroke, Nova Imperium has gained considerable credibility and massively increased its support."[3]
09 AUG 3301
- In respect of the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval the planned article for this week has been moved to next week so that historian Sima Kalhana relates some of the key moments from his life. Emperor Hengist Duval was the 15th in the Imperial Duval bloodline to lead the Empire and he saw a great deal of change in his comparatively short reign. He was born in 3163, only a few days before the death of his grandfather Hender Saik Duval. Some claim that the spirit of Hender had already passed to Hengist such were the similarities in looks and manner noted in Hengist's later years. When his father, Hesketh Duval, died in 3233, Hengist assumed his place on the throne. The live broadcast of the coronation created an impression of a serene transition. However lurking beneath this appearance lay significant tensions. Most significant of which was the growing power of the Senate which had developed during the extended period of his father's illness. A parallel with the situation with Hengist's coma can be seen in recent months. At the start of his reign the cold war between the Empire and the Federation was starting to thaw, a process which continued for decades, although friction has recently resumed with the rise of certain powers like President Hudson and Senator Patreus. Hengist's reign witnessed a major technological advancement with the introduction of the new frame shift drive. This sped up travel between stars systems and even inside systems by an incredible margin. It created a more quickly shifting political, military and commercial landscape as reacting or causing changing became much easier. Hengist fell ill early in 3300, and he managed to continue light duties throughout the first half of the year. His sickness worsened as the year progressed and during this time he remained in seclusion with only rare visits to the Senate. At the turn of 3301 he slipped into a coma. Many expected him to not awaken from the coma and it was a great surprise when he recovered several months later. Near the close of 3300, Hengist decreed that his only legitimate child, Harold (who is Aisling Duval's unmarried father), was not of sound mind and so unfit for rule, and in any case had no legitimate children himself. Following this announcement Arissa Lavigny-Duval declared that she was the illegitimate child of Hengist. The Emperor supported this claim by announcing his forthcoming marriage with Arissa's mother, Florence Lavigny, and was expected to formally adopt Arissa and cement her claim to the throne. With his murder and the marriage not completed the succession to the Imperial throne is again not clear cut and many fear the potential instability this could cause to the Empire if not decided quickly after the Emperor's funeral.[4]
References[]
- ↑ Tourist Spot 0159, "The Line of the Duvals"
- ↑ Tourist Spot 0120, "Riley Dain Murder"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 GalNet: Nova Imperium Unveils Figurehead
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 GalNet: The Reign of Emperor Hengist Duval
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 GalNet: Imperial Guard Defends Duvals
- ↑ GalNet: Deliveries Requested to Commemorate Duval Family
| Preceded by | Title | Succeeded by |
| Hender Saik Duval | Emperor | Hengist Duval |