Sylean Federation (-650 to 0)
Large interstellar federation which served
as the basis for the Third Imperium.
Established on Sylea in -650, the Federation grew slowly, absorbing
several surrounding worlds and increasing trade and interaction between worlds.
By -30, the real power in the Federation was an industrial consortium headed
by Cleon Zhunastu. Cleon, a
Solomani noble of great vision, used his family
industrial base and the support of other families (obtained by the persuasiveness
of his personality) to obtain behind-the-scenes control of the Federation
government and to begin an active campaign to increase the number of worlds
under its control.
After 30 years of economic and diplomatic maneuvering (and occasional military
action), Cleon had increased the size of the Federation and extended its
control to the edge of what is now Core sector. Cleon
envisioned a territory larger than a single sector, however, and concluded
that the tightly controlled, highly centralized nature of the government
of the Sylean Federation was not suitable for a large, starspanning empire.
Cleon decided the Federation had served its purpose, and he began plans for
a more suitable form of interstellar government, which would allow greater
local autonomy but maintain cohesion over large distances. In addition,
to restore the past glories of the Rule of Man
(and therefore lay claim to all former territories of the First and Second Imperiums), Cleon proposed to revive
the Imperium.
This was made possible by the fact that in the closing years of the period
known as Twilight, one of the last claimants
to the throne of the Rule of Man had made Sylea his capital. Cleon
traced the legitimacy of the Sylean Federation backwards through this emperor
to the Rule of Man and (since the Rule of Man claimed to be the lawful successor
to the Vilani Imperium) to the First Imperium
as well.
In the 651st year of the Sylean Federation, the Grand Senate of the Federation
"persuaded" Cleon to accept the Imperial crown. That year he was crowned
First Emperor of the Third Imperium, and he proclaimed the 651st year of
the Sylean Federation to be the Year Zero
of the Third Imperium.
-IE ld