Editing Melissa Davion

{{Update Needed|[[Handbook: House Davion]]|[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]|[[Second Succession War (sourcebook)]]}}
{{refimprove}}
{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = 
| name                = Melissa Davion
| birthdate           = [[2829]]
| died                = November [[2892]]<ref name=HB:HDp64>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 64</ref>
| othernames          = "Rebecca Davion"
| affiliation         = [[House Davion]]
| rank                = 
| title               = [[First Prince of the Federated Suns|First Prince]]
| position            = 
| profession          = Noble
| parents             = [[Michael Davion]] (father)<br/>[[Margaret DuVall]] (mother)
| siblings            = [[Carl Davion]]<ref name=HB:HDp63>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 63</ref><br/>[[Joseph Davion II]]<ref name=HB:HDp64/>
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}
'''Melissa Davion''' was the daughter of [[Michael Davion]] by his first marriage, to Margaret Duvall. She is best known for formulating the combined arms doctrine of the [[AFFS]].<ref name=HB:HDp112>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 112, "Leaders of the Federated Suns"</ref>

==History==
==="Rebecca"===
In [[2861]], under the false name "Rebecca" Melissa led the Davion Assault Guards in a highly successful attack on [[St. Ives]]; at the time, St. Ives was serving as the capital for the [[Capellan Confederation]] Chancellor, [[Dainmar Liao]], and the attack terrified Dainmar badly enough that he immediately sued for peace, even going so far as to acknowledge all of the territorial gains made by the [[Federated Suns]] during the Succession Wars up to that point as being legitimate holdings.<ref name=HBHDp112>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 112, "Leaders of the Federated Suns"</ref>

===First Prince===
Melissa was forty-seven and commander of the [[Second Avalon Hussars]] when her brother [[Carl Davion]] died on [[David]], fighting the [[Draconis Combine]]. Like him, she enjoyed the thrill of combat, but she also saw her first responsibility as being to her people. She also took an important role in raising her younger half-brother [[Joseph Davion II]].

She was responsible for many sweeping reforms of the AFFS, replacing the previous ad hoc Regimental Combat Teams with permanent formations to encourage cooperation between different regiments. She also streamlined the administration and logistics of the AFFS. These changes could have been seen as an attack on tradition, but Melissa was careful to move slowly and secure support for her changes from her Marshals and the senior nobility.

Melissa's 'Model Army' proved its mettle on [[Robinson]] when her former regiment drove the [[Third Sword of Light]] off the planet after a month of brutal fighting. Shortly afterwards, Melissa contracted Joshallan Fever, the cure for which had been lost during the [[Succession Wars era|Succession Wars]], and died only a few weeks later.

==Quotes==
{{Quote|''I too enjoy the thrill of combat, but I am not foolish enough to allow myself that luxury. I know how much my people need me, and that is my greatest responsibility. My brother was a fool; I am not.''|Princess Melissa Davion, in an unpublished letter to [[Field Marshal]] Lennox, a trusted adviser and friend, [[2877]]<ref name="HD(TFS)p79">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 79, "Creation Of The Model Army"</ref>}}

{{Quote|''When two armies of equal strength face off, victory will go to the side whose soldiers genuinely care for each other and will, therefore, willingly risk their lives for their comrades.''|Princess Melissa Davion, in an unpublished letter to Field Marshal Lennox, [[2892]]<ref name="HD(TFS)p80">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 80, "Battle For Robinson"</ref>}} 

==Titles and Positions==
{{S-start}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Carl Davion]]}}
{{S-title|title=[[First Prince of the Federated Suns]]|years=[[2876]] - [[2892]]<ref name=HB:HDp112/>}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Joseph Davion II]]}}
{{S-end}}

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Handbook: House Davion]]''
* ''[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]''

[[Category:Federated Suns Characters|Davion, Melissa]]
[[Category:First Princes|Davion, Melissa]]
[[Category:Federated Suns Rulers]]