Gerald Marik (29th c.)

Gerald Marik II
Character Profile
Born 22 April 2801[1]
Died 3 March 2861[1]
Affiliation House Marik
Profession Captain-General
Parents Charles Marik II (father)
Siblings Philippa Marik
William Marik
Garth Marik
Children Maxwell Marik

Gerald Marik II (born 2801 - died 2861), became in 2854 the 37th Captain-General of the Free Worlds League[2]

Biography

Early Life

The eldest son of Charles Marik II, Gerald served on the front lines during the middle years of the Second Succession War, though the death of his brother William prompted his recall to Atreus in 2843. There Gerald's place as successor to his father was cemented with the League Parliament.[3] In 2853 Gerald spearheaded a largely successful campaign aimed at Shiloh although Lyran defensive strongpoints enabled House Steiner's troops to prevent the offensive from being a total success. Upon receiving the news of Charles Marik's death in 2854 he returned to Atreus to assume the Captain-Generalcy.[4]

Reign as Captain-General

A veteran military officer, Gerald remained on Atreus for only nine weeks before electing to return to a field command, leaving Speaker of Parliament Joost VanCamp to manage the rear-echelon logistical work. Despite repeated offensives on the Lyran front, Gerald was unsuccessful in securing a total victory; instead his efforts led to two salients of contested territory that would led to renewed hostilities between Houses Marik and Steiner after his death.[5]

Against the Capellans Gerald Marik's operations proved more successful. League troops, already advancing, accomplished even more when Gerald himself raised morale by visiting his soldiers and fighting in assaults. By 2861 the Free Worlds had reclaimed much of what had been lost during the ComStar War and even advanced beyond that border, although stiffening Capellan resistance and Parliamentary wrangling hindered the League advance. Nonetheless, Gerald Marik refused to heed those advocates of a cease-fire, declaring that no peace was possible until all League territorial losses from the ComStar War had been made good.[6] [7]

Death and Legacy

In 2861 Gerald died suddenly of a heart attack while at his command post on Andurien, and was succeeded by his sister Phillipa who immediately, though ultimately unsuccessfully, commenced peace overtures with the League's neighbors. Initially the death was accepted as being of natural causes, but soon rumors began circulating that more peace-minded elements of Parliament may have arranged for Gerald's death in an effort to end the war. Though nothing was ever proven, the conspiracy theory persisted.[8] [1] [7]

Gerald fathered a single child, Maxwell Marik, who became a Precentor in service to ComStar. Maxwell's serving ComStar over the League ensured that the two were not close, and so Maxwell's death during his father's reign did not have a great emotional impact for Gerald.[9] [10]

Titles and Positions

Preceded by Captain-General of the Free Worlds League
2854-2861
Succeeded by

Note

House Marik (The Free Worlds League) and Second Succession War give conflicting dates for Gerald's death in 2861. The House Marik sourcebook states that Gerald died in December that year, while Gerald's biography in Second Succession War puts the date at 3 March.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Second Succession War, p. 91, "Gerald Marik II"
  2. Handbook House Marik, p. 90
  3. Second Succession War, p. 66, "A Family Affair"
  4. Second Succession War, p. 69-70
  5. Second Succession War, p. 70
  6. Second Succession War, p. 70-71
  7. 7.0 7.1 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), p. 35
  8. Second Succession War, p. 72, "A Convenient Demise"
  9. Second Succession War, p. 71
  10. House Marik (The Free Worlds League), Marik Family Tree foldout

Bibliography