House Hasek

House Hasek
Family Profile
Title(s) Duke of New Syrtis
Duke of Elidere
Founded 2829
Cadet branch(es) House Hasek-Davion

House Hasek traditionally hold the title of Duke of New Syrtis the capital world of the Capellan March. The Duke or Duchess of New Syrtis also holds hereditary title to the position of Minister of the Capellan March. Unless unqualified for some reason, or occupying a superior position, the head of the Hasek family is also the director of the Capellan March command (which carries the rank of Field Marshal). This effectively concentrates civilian and military authority for the border march in the hands of one individual, who can then use all the resources at his or her disposal to deal with any military threats. The people of the March have traditionally nurtured a deep hatred of the neighboring Capellan Confederation. Also, despite family ties to House Davion, the Haseks frequently have a tense relationship with New Avalon, sometimes nearly to the point of rebellion.


Origins

First Prince Paul Davion moved his field headquarters to New Syrtis on the 7th of July[1] 2829 after the death of Chancellor Ilsa Liao of the Capellan Confederation as a part of concentrating his attentions against the Capellans. One of Paul's first acts was to appoint a hero of the Federated Suns defense on Demeter earlier as Duke of New Syrtis. That hero was Colonel Damien Hasek, the first of the Hasek family to rule New Syrtis; Damian was invested with all of the powers that had previously been enjoyed by the Princes of the Capellan March when it had been a Principality, centuries before.[2] Hasek was accepting a difficult legacy; the First Succession War had claimed four Lords of the Capellan March in battle alone, with two more suffering injuries severe enough that they couldn't continue to rule as March Lord. While Prince Paul's appointment of Damien Hasek was a purely political one, it was also an inspired choice, and Damian established a legacy of capable and loyal service to the Federated Suns.[3]

By this time the easily mined veins were exhausted and large mining companies were beginning to arrive with the intention of strip-mining the rest of the world. Whether the Haseks acted out of concern for their world or a desire to control all the wealth it produced is uncertain,[4] but rather than see the delicate arctic ecosystem disrupted, the Hasek's arranged for the mining trade to be heavily monitored and regulated, and for the equatorial belt to be converted into agricultural land that could be used to sustain the planetary population. The result was the sustained long-term financial solvency of the Hasek family and the long-term viability of New Syrtis.[5][6]

Members of the family

References

  1. Handbook: House Davion, p. 61, "Timeline: Second Succession War"
  2. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 69, "War Heats Up"
  3. Handbook: House Davion, p. 57, "The Hasek Legacy"
  4. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 195, "New Syrtis"
  5. Handbook: House Davion, p. 89, "New Syrtis"
  6. Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, pp. 42-43, "House Davion Key Worlds"
  7. 7.0 7.1 Era Report: 2750, p. 45
  8. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 71 "Ovetures of Peace"
  9. NAIS The Fourth Succession War Military Atlas Volume 2, p. 45
  10. House Davion (The Federated Suns), p. 137 (pdf version), "Ridgebrook PDZ"
  11. Grave Covenant, Ch. 5
  12. Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 54
  13. Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 72
  14. Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns, p. 42, "Damon Hasek-Greer Profile"
  15. Technical Readout: 3145, p. 134, "Byron DuVall-Hasek Profile"

Bibliography