Difference between revisions of "Kalvin Liao"

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'''Kalvin Liao''' (d. 13 March [[2530]]), nicknamed "The Mad" and "The Devourer", was a Chancellor of the [[Capellan Confederation]] during the [[Age of War]]. Often cited as the archetype of the Capellan "Mad Chancellor", his reign was characterised by bloody purges and costly foreign wars.<ref name=HLTCC_p39>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', p.39</ref>
{{Update Needed|[[Paladin (short story)]]}}
 
'''Kalvin Liao''' (b. [[2492]] - d. 13 March [[2530]]), nicknamed "The Mad" and "The Devourer", was a Chancellor of the [[Capellan Confederation]] during the [[Age of War]]. Often cited as the archetype of the Capellan "Mad Chancellor", his reign was characterised by bloody purges and costly foreign wars.<ref name=HLTCC_p39>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', p.39</ref>
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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Coming to power after decades of peace and prosperty in [[2520]], the handsome and intelligent Kalvin Liao was considered to be a portent of a better future. One of the first accomplished Mechwarriors at the age of 28, he had styled himself as protector of the weak.<ref name=HLTCC_p36>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', pp.36f</ref>
 
Coming to power after decades of peace and prosperty in [[2520]], the handsome and intelligent Kalvin Liao was considered to be a portent of a better future. One of the first accomplished Mechwarriors at the age of 28, he had styled himself as protector of the weak.<ref name=HLTCC_p36>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', pp.36f</ref>
  
===Chancellorship===
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===Corruption===
 
Upon assuming the throne of the Capellan Confederation from his uncle Hendrik, he quickly discarded the congenial mask he had worn all his life, and used his position to indulge himself in all kinds of vices.
 
Upon assuming the throne of the Capellan Confederation from his uncle Hendrik, he quickly discarded the congenial mask he had worn all his life, and used his position to indulge himself in all kinds of vices.
  
To further his own personal wealth, he used the [[Maskirovka]] to investigate wealthy nobles for treason. Upon acquiring or manifacturing such evidence, the noble would be quickly murdered or blackmailed out of his fortune, which would be added to the Chancellor's personal fund.  
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To further his own personal wealth, he used the [[Maskirovka]] to investigate wealthy nobles for treason. Upon acquiring or manifacturing such evidence, the noble would be quickly murdered or blackmailed out of his fortune, which would be added to the Chancellor's personal fund. Still not satisfied, he established the Courts of Philosophical Inquiry to help with his personal crusade against "traitors" (which would eventually include his own father). One of their first victims was his predecessor, Hendrik Liao. Denounced by the Duke of St. Ives and judged guilty by manufactured evidence, Kalvin had his uncle killed not even two years after assuming chancellorship.<ref name=HLTCC_p36 />
  
Kalvin Liao established the Courts of Philosophical Inquiry to help with his personal crusade against "traitors" (which would eventually include his own father). One of their first victims was his predecessor, Hendrik Liao. Denounced by the Duke of St. Ives and judged guilty by manufactured evidence, Kalvin had his uncle killed not even two years after assuming chancellorship.<ref name=HLTCC_p36 />
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A failed assassination attempt by a young noble from [[Nanking]] in [[2523]] gave Kalvin Liao an excuse to grab even more power. After publically drawing and quartering the would-be assassin, the Chancellor's ire turned against possible co-conspirators. The same year, assorted mercenaries killed 10% of the [[Dictionary#H|House of Scions]], who Kalvin held responsible for the assassination attempt. A year later, the House was closed altogether, and finally in [[2525]] the paranoid Chancellor deeply cut the rights of all Capellan nobles, instead instituting a military government, the Diem, which was only answerable to him.<ref name=HLTCC_p36 />
  
 
===Foreign Wars===
 
===Foreign Wars===
When Kalvin Liao was introduced to Messilia Allard, the daughter of the Duke of Andurien in [[2518]], sparking an obsession that would rule him through the rest of his life. After several hundred marriage proposals were rejected by Duke Allard, Kalvin Liao launched the [[Second Andurien War]] in [[2528]].  
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In [[2518]], Kalvion Liao was introduced to [[Mesillia Allard]], daughter of the Duke of Andurien, during a state visit. While Mesillia was largely unimpressed by Kalvin, he in turn became obsessed with her. Although he kept his obsession secret until his assumption of the throne, after his rise to the post of Chancellor he immediatly started bombarding the Duke of Andurien with marriage proposals. Despite several hundred of them asking - and some demanding - the hand of his daughter, the Duke refused them all.
  
To assauage his feelings, Kalvin changed the laws of the Confederacy into allowing polygamy, immediatly taking three Capellan noble wives. Eventually, he was also wed to the daughter of the Protector of the [[Taurian Concordat]], [[Ariana Calderon]], some time near (or before) [[2520]].  The marriage was one of political convenience, a way to forge an alliance between the Concordat and the Confederation. However, Kalvin forgot (or simply disregarded) the politics, and married more women; by [[2527]], Kalvin had a large harem of wives, numbering more than 26.  Then, in a manic fit, Kalvin ordered all of his wives executed for treason. <ref>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', p.38</ref>  The event prompted the first aggressive military campaign targetted at an Inner Sphere nation undertaken by the [[Taurian Concordat]], a series of punitive strikes against several Capellan border worlds known as [[Ariana's War]].<ref>''The Periphery (sourcebook)'', p.20</ref>
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Frustrated by his lack of progress, Kalvin Liao forced through a decree legalising polygamy and distracted himself with marrying his first three wives. By [[2527]] he had married twenty-six women, including [[Ariana Calderon]], daughter of the Protector of the Taurian Concordat. His unrelenting courtship of Mesillia remained unsuccessful however, and in a manic fit the increasingly unstable Chancellor ordered all his wives executed for treason. Enraged, the Concordat attacked Capellan border worlds in a bloody series of raids known as [[Ariana's War]].<ref name=TPSB_p20>''The Periphery (sourcebook)'', p.20</ref>
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Finally fed up with his unrequited courtship, Kalvin Liao launched the [[Second Andurien War]] in [[2528]] in a mad attempt to win both Mesillia Allard and Andurien.
  
 
===Death and Legacy===
 
===Death and Legacy===
Kalvin was later assassinated by a member of his own guards, the [[Red Lancers]] on March 13 [[2530]].<ref name=HLTCC_p39 />
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As the Second Andurien War escalated into a dozen more systems and Mesillia disappeared during the fighting on Andurien, Kalvin's mental health deteriorated further. His reign of terror was finally ended at the hand of one of his own guards, a [[Red Lancers|Red Lancer]] on March 13 [[2530]]. It would be up to Kalvin's sister Mica who had lived in exile to pick up the pieces. <ref name=HLTCC_p39 />  
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
''The [[The Periphery (sourcebook)]] implies that [[Ariana Calderon]] was Kalvin's first wife, but the [[House Liao Sourcebook]] indicates she may have been one of his first three wives.  There is no record of any children by these 'wives' surviving.''
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''[[The Periphery (sourcebook)]] implies that [[Ariana Calderon]] was Kalvin's first wife, but the [[House Liao Sourcebook]] indicates she may have been one of his first three wives.  There is no record of any children by these 'wives' surviving.''
  
 
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Revision as of 07:58, 20 March 2013

Kalvin Liao (d. 13 March 2530), nicknamed "The Mad" and "The Devourer", was a Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation during the Age of War. Often cited as the archetype of the Capellan "Mad Chancellor", his reign was characterised by bloody purges and costly foreign wars.[1]

History

Early Life

Coming to power after decades of peace and prosperty in 2520, the handsome and intelligent Kalvin Liao was considered to be a portent of a better future. One of the first accomplished Mechwarriors at the age of 28, he had styled himself as protector of the weak.[2]

Corruption

Upon assuming the throne of the Capellan Confederation from his uncle Hendrik, he quickly discarded the congenial mask he had worn all his life, and used his position to indulge himself in all kinds of vices.

To further his own personal wealth, he used the Maskirovka to investigate wealthy nobles for treason. Upon acquiring or manifacturing such evidence, the noble would be quickly murdered or blackmailed out of his fortune, which would be added to the Chancellor's personal fund. Still not satisfied, he established the Courts of Philosophical Inquiry to help with his personal crusade against "traitors" (which would eventually include his own father). One of their first victims was his predecessor, Hendrik Liao. Denounced by the Duke of St. Ives and judged guilty by manufactured evidence, Kalvin had his uncle killed not even two years after assuming chancellorship.[2]

A failed assassination attempt by a young noble from Nanking in 2523 gave Kalvin Liao an excuse to grab even more power. After publically drawing and quartering the would-be assassin, the Chancellor's ire turned against possible co-conspirators. The same year, assorted mercenaries killed 10% of the House of Scions, who Kalvin held responsible for the assassination attempt. A year later, the House was closed altogether, and finally in 2525 the paranoid Chancellor deeply cut the rights of all Capellan nobles, instead instituting a military government, the Diem, which was only answerable to him.[2]

Foreign Wars

In 2518, Kalvion Liao was introduced to Mesillia Allard, daughter of the Duke of Andurien, during a state visit. While Mesillia was largely unimpressed by Kalvin, he in turn became obsessed with her. Although he kept his obsession secret until his assumption of the throne, after his rise to the post of Chancellor he immediatly started bombarding the Duke of Andurien with marriage proposals. Despite several hundred of them asking - and some demanding - the hand of his daughter, the Duke refused them all.

Frustrated by his lack of progress, Kalvin Liao forced through a decree legalising polygamy and distracted himself with marrying his first three wives. By 2527 he had married twenty-six women, including Ariana Calderon, daughter of the Protector of the Taurian Concordat. His unrelenting courtship of Mesillia remained unsuccessful however, and in a manic fit the increasingly unstable Chancellor ordered all his wives executed for treason. Enraged, the Concordat attacked Capellan border worlds in a bloody series of raids known as Ariana's War.[3]

Finally fed up with his unrequited courtship, Kalvin Liao launched the Second Andurien War in 2528 in a mad attempt to win both Mesillia Allard and Andurien.

Death and Legacy

As the Second Andurien War escalated into a dozen more systems and Mesillia disappeared during the fighting on Andurien, Kalvin's mental health deteriorated further. His reign of terror was finally ended at the hand of one of his own guards, a Red Lancer on March 13 2530. It would be up to Kalvin's sister Mica who had lived in exile to pick up the pieces. [1]

Notes

The Periphery (sourcebook) implies that Ariana Calderon was Kalvin's first wife, but the House Liao Sourcebook indicates she may have been one of his first three wives. There is no record of any children by these 'wives' surviving.

Preceded by Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation
2520-2530
Succeeded by

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), p.39
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 House Liao (The Capellan Confederation), pp.36f
  3. The Periphery (sourcebook), p.20

Bibliography