Editing Catherine Humphreys

{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Catherine Humphreys (revised).jpg
| caption             = 
| name                = Catherine Humphreys
| birthdate           = [[2951]]<ref>''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', p. 149: Catherine Humphreys/Profile - Age of character at 74 from 3025 game date from the original House book</ref>
| died                = 19 March [[3040]]<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', pp. 47–48, 92: Catherine Humphreys profile; date of death on p. 92</ref>
| othernames          = 
| affiliation         = [[House Humphreys]]
| rank                = 
| title               = [[Duchess of Andurien]]<br>[[Duchess of Xanthe]]
| position            = 
| profession          = Noble
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = [[Michael Humphreys]]<br>[[James Humphreys (31st c.)|James Humphreys]]<br>[[Mildred Humphreys]]<br> [[Conrad Humphreys]]<br>[[Laurence Humphreys]]<br>[[Richard Humphreys (31st c.)|Richard Humphreys]]<br>[[Louise Humphreys]]
}}
'''Catherine Humphreys''' (Born [[2951]]; died 19 March [[3040]]) was a [[Free Worlds League]] noblewoman, aerospace pilot, and political leader of the [[Duchy of Andurien]].

==Character Description==
A scion of [[House Humphreys]] and successor to her aunt [[Morgaine Humphreys]] who was assassinated in [[2988]], Dame Catherine Humphreys wore the mantle of Duchess of Andurien from 2988 through the secession of the Duchy of Andurien from the Free Worlds League in [[3030]], the subsequent ill-fated war on the [[Capellan Confederation]] together with the Duchy's ally, the [[Magistracy of Canopus]], and eventually the reintegration of her nation into the Free Worlds League by force of arms. She died of a heart attack at the age of 89 before she could stand trial for the secession.

Always gracious and dignified, she was nevertheless an outspoken opponent of [[Janos Marik]] for decades.

==History==
===Early Life & Military Career===
Humphreys began her early military career as an [[aerospace fighter]] pilot, serving with the [[1st Defenders of Andurien|First Defenders of Andurien's]] Remington Air Squadron. However, her military career as the squadron's commander ended when Duchess Morgaine died in a hail of bullets in an attempted military coup [[2988]].<ref>''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', p. 149: Humphreys profile mentions short military career as aerospace pilot</ref><ref name=BW18>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 18: Timeline of Anton's Revolt sidebar</ref> Catherine, as Morgaine's niece and designated heir, defiantly resisted and became a focal point for resistance against the coup, foiling it through sheer determination.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 42</ref>

===As the Duchess of Andurien===
====Highlights of her Political Career====
Catherine succeeded her aunt Morgaine to title of Duchess of Andurien in 2988,<ref name=BW18/> whereupon she began her political career. She continued Morgaine's drive to separate Andurien from Free Worlds League politics.

[[File:Catherine Humphreys.jpg|right|190px|thumb|At age 74]]

As Duchess, Catherine adopted a stance of total opposition to the [[Captain-General]], invoking the [[Home Defense Act]] in response to any call that would take away her Duchy's [[Defenders of Andurien]] [[Regiment]]s for wars of aggression against other realms. Concentrating her efforts on putting the interests of the Duchy above all others, she became known for saying "No" to almost everything.<ref>''House Marik (The Free Worlds League)'', p. 149: Original House Marik Profile of Catherine Humphrey</ref>

Secretly, she sought the destruction of the [[Capellan Confederation]], and to win independence from the League for Andurien. After the [[Fourth Succession War]], she developed ties with [[Magestrix]] [[Kyalla Centrella]] of the [[Magistracy of Canopus]]. This culminated in the [[Andurien Secession]] from the League in [[3030]] and a newfound alliance between Andurien and Canopus. (Catherine's fifth son, [[Richard Humphreys (31st c.)|Richard]], was to marry the Magestrix's daughter [[Emma Centrella]], but the marriage fell through.) The Alliance conducted a military campaign against House Liao, which achieved some early successes. But when the Capellans rallied, the Alliance was forced to fall back.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', pp. 47–48: Minor update of Humphreys profile and background history</ref>

Janos Marik made it clear to the Capellan Confederation that he would not tolerate them seizing the Duchy in a counterattack, and through low-level diplomacy tried to rein in the wayward Duchy. Catherine refused to bow to him or bring Andurien back into the League, however. After a bomb took the lives of Captain-General Janos Marik and some of his children, newly appointed Captain General [[Duncan Marik]] declared that diplomacy with her had ended.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 68: 3035: Crucible - Talks with Catherine end with a bomb, with new Captain-General eager for war</ref>

====League Invasion of the Duchy and Catherine's downfall====
In [[3035]], the Captain-General sent a series of raids into the Duchy to test her nation's defenses and gain intelligence on the situation on the ground.

In the initial invasion of the Duchy, Catherine saw half her outer worlds lost to League forces. It was on Xanthe III in [[3037]] that Duncan Marik was killed in action leading League forces against Andurien, only to be replaced by the much more competent [[Thomas Marik]].<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', pp. 74–75: Xanthe III (Phase 1 & 2, February 3037 to May) - Duncan dies in battle, return of Thomas Marik to control the battle for the Duchy</ref>

Captain-General Thomas Marik used ComStar to mediate a surrender of Andurien instead of what he predicted to be bloody and fanatical defense of planet. Catherine dispatched negotiators to [[Terra]], where they met with League representatives in Geneva. From late April through May, her diplomats haggled with League officials over the fate of her nation and her person. However, talks fell down to one point: If Andurien did not surrender herself and disband the Defender regiments, the League would blockade the planet, only allowing for humanitarian aid. Catherine's diplomats refused to the terms of the surrender and rejoining the League. ComStar's Primus [[Myndo Waterly]] vowed to protect the Andurien HPG station and capital city Jojoken's main hospital from all aggressors and announced that her "newly" formed [[Com Guards]] would be their assets on planet. She had diplomats from both parties see the firepower and capacities of ComStar's armed forces.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 79: Andurien and everything after - Catherine diplomats go to Terra fail reach agreement with League officials</ref>

With no solution at hand, the diplomats returned to Catherine and she began to prepare for her nation's final stand against being annexed back into the League. Catherine knew fully well that her concentrated force was hopelessly outmatched by whatever expeditionary force would be sent against Andurien. She decided, despite there being no way to win, to exact as much damage on the occupation forces as possible.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 80: The Landings - Duchess Humphreys decides to commit her forces to fight to the bitter end despite knowing it was futile</ref>

On December 2nd the [[1st Fusiliers of Oriente]] penetrated Catherine's capital city defenses and scattered the [[5th Defenders of Andurien]]. The 1st Fusiliers managed to seize Humphreys' palace, but Catherine slipped away before they arrived. By the 19th, she was discovered in an adjacent suburb across from the capital city where she found it was impossible slip past the [[11th Atrean Dragoons]]' blockade of region. After surrendering to the 11th, she announced that the Duchy and planet had surrendered to Marik forces. Catherine was charged with treason against the League, but continued to refuse to admit defeat. However, she would die of a massive heart attack on March 19th, [[3040]].<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 82: A Tale of Two Cities: Baroda and Jojoken - Catherine slips out of the palace before it is seized by Marik forces, but is captured in a police station later</ref>

==Legacy==
After her death her fifth son, Richard Humphreys, would have been her heir, but following its reintegration into the Free Worlds League the Duchy received a federally appointed regent, suspending Humphreys suzerainty over the Duchy; also, Richard had been too close to the taint of the secession and Canopus alliance. It would be his daughter [[Dalma Humphreys]], Catherine's granddaughter, who resumed House Humphreys' authority over Andurien in [[3048]].<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 82</ref>

==Notes==
*She was also the Duchess of [[Xanthe III|Xanthe]], which is the home of Humphreys family.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 74: Thomas's Reappearance & Xanthe III (Phase 1 - February 3037) - Information reveals Xanthe III is homeworld of the Humphreys Clan</ref>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]''
* ''[[House Marik (The Free Worlds League)]]''


[[Category:Free Worlds League Characters|Humphreys, Catherine]]