The Imperial Family, also referred to as the House of Duval, comprises the members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of the Empire.[1] The House of Duval was founded in 2320 by Henson Duval, the first Emperor, and the Duval bloodline has reigned over the Empire in an unbroken succession to the present day and the current Emperor, Arissa Lavigny-Duval.
While the Emperor is the head of state and head of government of the Empire, only a few members of the Imperial Family get involved in politics, mostly by influencing and supporting friendly Senators from behind the scenes. Some members undertake public and official duties, others ceremonial and social duties, but are not involved in the government. These duties are passed down to their children.[2]
Succession[]
By law, the Imperial Senate holds the power to debate and approve a new Emperor by a majority vote, and a candidate for the Imperial throne "must be of royal blood or of royal marriage" in order to be considered.[3][4] This theoretically means that an individual outside the Duval bloodline could become Emperor, and Senator Denton Patreus is thought to have made a subtle bid for the throne himself in 3301 when he commented that acclamation by the people was sufficient grounds for the Senate to approve a candidate. In practice, however, the role of Emperor has been so closely linked with the Duvals for so long that considering anyone other than a Duval would be highly unorthodox.
Historically, the succession to the Imperial Throne passed in the male line of the Imperial lineage. The eldest son of the emperor would ascend to the throne when the emperor passed away. Hengist Duval changed the laws of succession so that daughters of the Imperial line could also become Emperor. When Harold Duval was declared not sound of mind, this allowed Arissa Lavigny-Duval to become the 16th Emperor.
Presently, Emperor Arissa has no consort and no declared successor. The only other living members of the Imperial Family by blood are Arissa's niece and nephew, Princess Aisling Duval and Hadrian Augustus Duval, and Hadrian's son Hector Mordanticus Duval.
Branches[]
The Loren "Lineage", which included the late Senator Algreb Loren and his daughter, Kahina Tijani Loren, was an Imperial noble family that was distantly related to the Duvals.[5] The Lorens ruled from the Haoria system until 3297, when Algreb forcefully annexed the Prism system and relocated his family there. All of the Lorens with the exception of Kahina were murdered in a rebellion in Prism in 3300. Kahina inherited her father's position of Senator, but was convicted of an assassination attempt against Senator Denton Patreus in 3302 and stripped of rank and title. She avoided imprisonment by faking her death, but was killed in the Anumclaw system by a bounty hunter the following year. No other Lorens are known to survive, and the branch is presumed extinct.
Funeral arrangements[]
By tradition, upon the death of a member of the Imperial Family who did not serve as Emperor, they are accorded a state funeral at the Hall of Martyrs on Capitol, where they lie in state for two weeks before being interred within the Hall. The funeral is preceded by a procession where the coffin is carried by members of the Imperial Guard, and marks the start a week-long period of official mourning throughout the Empire which concludes with a memorial ceremony at the Imperial Palace.[6][7] Funerals for Emperors differ in the scale and order of events.
List of Duval Emperors[]
- Main article: Emperor
Name | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
Henson Duval | 1st Emperor[8] | Founding Father of the Empire, 1st Emperor, and the brother of Marlin Duval.[8] |
Saik Duval | 2nd Emperor[8] | |
Trasken Duval | 3rd Emperor[8] | |
Hennick Duval | 4th Emperor[8] | |
Lucius Duval | 5th Emperor[8] | |
Anders Duval | 6th Emperor[8] | |
Hender Duval | 7th Emperor[8] | |
Trasken Duval II | 8th Emperor[8] | |
Trasken Duval III | 9th Emperor[8] | |
Olban Hensard Duval | 10th Emperor[8] | |
11th Emperor[8] | ||
12th Emperor[8] | ||
13th Emperor[8] | ||
14th Emperor[8] | ||
15th Emperor[8] | Son of Hesketh Duval. Father of Harold Duval, Hector Jansen, and Arissa Lavigny-Duval. Assassinated by Brendan Paul Darius of Emperor's Dawn on August 5, 3301.[9] | |
Arissa Lavigny-Duval | 16th Emperor[8] | Illegitimate daughter of Hengist Duval and Florence Lavigny. |
Other members[]
Name | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
Marlin Duval | None | Founder of the Republic of Achenar and sister of Henson Duval. Died with her spouse and children in a speeder crash in 2296.[10] |
Baylor Duval | Prince | Brother of Hesketh Duval. Father of Otto Lombardo-Duval. Uncle of Hengist Duval.[11] |
Otto Lombardo-Duval | Archduke | Son of Baylor Duval. Nephew of Hesketh Duval. Cousin of Hengist Duval.[11] |
Lucretia Roche-Duval | None | Descendant of a sibling of Hesketh Duval.[12] |
Anthea Viola Lampeter | Empress Regent | Wife of Hengist Duval and mother of Harold Duval. Married Emperor Hengist in 3238,[13] died sometime before 3300. |
Harold Duval | Prince | Son of Hengist Duval and his wife Anthea Viola Lampeter. Father of Aisling Duval.[14] Decreed not of sound mind and stripped of the title of Crown Prince in December 3300.[15] Assassinated by the Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army on September 14, 3306.[16] |
Aisling Duval | Princess | Daughter of Harold Duval and his wife Imogen Gabrielini. Born out of wedlock, which has weakened her position within the line of succession. |
Hector Jansen | Commander | Illegitimate son of Hengist Duval and an unidentified Imperial slave. Worked as a Pilots Federation-licensed trader. Died in 3302. |
Hadrian Augustus Duval | Commander | Born Hadrian Jansen. Son of Hector Jansen. Father of Hector Mordanticus Duval.[17] Originally a Pilots Federation-licensed trader. Reigned as the Imperator of the hardliner isolationist group Nova Imperium in Paresa between January 3305 and November 3307 before abdicating.[18] Although officially acknowledged as a Duval by blood, he has no royal title or formal position within the Imperial Family.[19] |
Astrid Minerva-Duval | Lady, Commander |
Born Astrid Minerva. Wife of Hadrian Augustus Duval. Mother of Hector Mordanticus Duval.[20][17] |
Hector Mordanticus Duval | None | Son of Hadrian Duval and Astrid Minerva-Duval. Born December 2, 3307.[21][17] |
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ GalNet: Arissa Lavigny-Duval Crowned Emperor
- ↑ Frontier Forums: Governments and politics in Elite Dangerous
- ↑ GalNet: Chancellor Blaine Opens Senate Debate
- ↑ GalNet: Synteini Slave Sale Honours Emperor
- ↑ Prism In-Game Description
- ↑ GalNet: Death of a Duval
- ↑ GalNet: State Funeral Held for Prince Harold Duval
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 Tourist Spot 0159, "The Line of the Duvals"
- ↑ GalNet: Emperor Hengist Duval Dead
- ↑ GalNet: Birth of an Empire
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 GalNet: Deliveries Requested to Commemorate Duval Family
- ↑ GalNet: Imperial Guard Defends Duvals
- ↑ Elite Dangerous Knowledge Base > Individuals > Hengist Duval
- ↑ GalNet: The Emperor is a Sick Man
- ↑ GalNet: Heir to the Throne Officially Mad
- ↑ GalNet: Prince Harold Duval Assassinated
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 GalNet: Empire Celebrates Newborn Duval
- ↑ GalNet: Hadrian Duval Accepts Senate Protection
- ↑ GalNet: Emperor Decides Hadrian Duval's Status
- ↑ GalNet: The Wedding of Hadrian Duval
- ↑ GalNet: An Heir for Hadrian Duval