Atticus Obellan Duval was the 12th Emperor of the Empire from 3061 to 3132.[1]
Atticus Obellan Duval ascended to the Imperial throne in 3061,[1] and his arrival triggered noticeably less celebration than the coronation of his theatrically-inclined father, Gaylen Trasken Duval, due to his dour and bitter countenance. In 3082, Emperor Atticus sent a second mission to Exioce to terraform the planet Experiment and establish a permanent Imperial presence there, putting an end to Federal ambitions in that system.[2]
In 3098, Federal Governor Raul Santorini of Tau Ceti was assassinated. The Federal press was quick to blame the Empire; despite Santorini's budget-conscious actions in Federal Congress indirectly paving the way for the Empire to colonise Cemiess and Exioce, he had been known for lambasting the Empire in his speeches. In an unusual move for an Emperor, Atticus elected to personally rebut the accusation, but in 3101 Imperial colonists escorted by Imperial warships settled on the planet Emerald in Cemiess. The Federation responded to this perceived provocation by sending military forces to Emerald under Admiral O'Brien, triggering a war for the planet that would rage for the next 30 years.[3][4]
Atticus contracted a debilitating illness in 3122, and the Imperial Senate took on some of the Imperial throne's authority, ostensibly to allow the Empire to continue running smoothly as its leader declined. In his final years, Atticus attempted to remove his young son, Hender Saik Duval, as his heir to make way for a stronger successor, but this was overruled by the Senate and the noble houses. As Atticus had no other children and his political clout had atrophied, he was forced to accept this decision. Upon the death of Atticus in 3132, Hender Saik was crowned the next sovereign of the Empire.[4]
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| Preceded by | Title | Succeeded by |
| Gaylen Trasken Duval | Emperor | Hender Saik Duval |