Klingon Empire

The Klingon Empire is an interstellar political entity, headed by the Klingon Chancellor and High Council, based in the Great Hall in the First City on planet Qo'noS.

The empire was begun by Kahless the Unforgettable, who first united the Klingon people. Fifteen hundred years later, a clone of Kahless was installed as Emperor of the Klingon Empire, the first in three centuries, though given no political power. (TNG episode: Rightful Heir)

Non-Klingon subjects of the Klingon Empire are called "jeghpu'wI", a status greater than slave, but less than citizen. (TNG novel: Diplomatic Implausibility).

Formation of an Empire
The origins of the Klingon Empire began in around 854 AD, the so-called "Heroic Age of Qo'noS", when Kahless the Unforgettable united the many warring tribes of Qo'noS. Under Kahless's leadership, the Klingons began to expand their empire across the planet and out into the galaxy following the development of warp drive in 922 AD (TNG episode: "Rightful Heir" and novel: Kahless; ST reference book: Star Trek: Star Charts).

However, the "First" Klingon Empire fell in around 972 AD after the Hur'q, a race from the Gamma Quadrant, invaded Qo'noS and pillaged many of the Empires treasures, including the Sword of Kahless. However, the will of the Klingons soon resulted in the Hur'q withdrawing from Qo'noS in around the 1300s. The Hur'q withdrawal left Qo'noS resource poor, and many departed the Klingon system to establish other colonies using 7 great starships constructed on the order of Ch'gran. (DS9 episode: "The Sword of Kahless"; and TLE novel: The Art of the Impossible).

An age of conquest
Between the 2140s and early 2150s, the Klingon Empire would face much internal strife which had the potential of creating a civil war among their species. This was due to numerous strikes that were made against the Empire and blame being placed on various factions that threatened to tear the Empire apart. It was, however, learnt that the Suliban Cabal were responsible for these attacks and a courier, Klaang, was to deliver the information to the Klingon High Council. Attempt were made on the couriers life but he was saved by Humans of the United Earth government. This would mark the first contact the Empire would have with the Human species. (ENT episode: Broken Bow)

Numerous encounters would continue between the Empire and the United Earth government most of which would be tense if not hostile. Captain Jonathan Archer of the Earth starship Enterprise would also become infamous among the Empire and considered an enemy of the state with numerous attempts made to capture him.

A possible war nearly occured between Earth and the Klingon Empire during the Augment Crisis in 2154 when a Klingon bird-of-prey was captured and its crew killed by Augments from Earth. However, this did not come to pass when the USS Enterprise destroyed the rogue Humans that were attempting to destroy the Qu'Vat colony with a biogenic weapon in order to start the war. (ENT episode: Borderland)

After seeing the strengths of the Augments during that short encounter, the Empire feared that the Humans were attempting to breed genetically engineered super soldiers for use against them. In order to combat this, genetic samples were recovered from the Augments destroyed bird-0f-prey which were used to develop Klingon Augments by genetically engineering themselves to be superior in intelligence as well as strength. Unfortunately, this caused a side effect when one of the test subjects was suffering from Levodian flu which spread a deadly airborne plague among Klingon worlds. Furthermore, the Augment virus's superior genetic engineering rewrote part of the Klingon genetic code and resulted in it dissolving the forehead ridges. The original Klingon research team would kidnap Doctor Phlox from the Earth starship Enterprise and would force him to complete their research. However, he worked with Doctor Antaak in providing a cure but not giving the enhanced features to the Klingons. This also prevented the destruction of numerous Klingon colonies by the Imperial Fleet which were attempting to contain the infection. This part of their history would be a source of much embarrassment among the Klingons and would fuel their hatred of Humans for their part in the affair. (ENT episode: Affliction, Divergence)

One of the early conflicts with the newly formed United Federation of Planets was the Battle of Donatu V in 2244.

The Empire would make initial contact with the Sha'Kurian Ducal Territories in 2245. Their attempt at conquering this 'divided' race would be repelled and the Klingons would cease making active incursions in that region of space. (TOS video game: Klingon Academy)

Conflicts with the Federation
The Empire would remain tense with his newly developed state that threatened the Klingon people and a cold war of sorts would remain for many years between the two. Finally, tensions nearly brought a bloody war when negotiations broke down in 2267 and war was declared against the Empire by the Federation. The Klingons launched an immediate offensive in order to seize many Federation worlds which included the planet Organia. Surprisingly, the war ended at this point when it was revealed that the native Organians were powerful non-corporeal beings who enforced a peace treaty between the two combatants by the formation of the Organian Peace Treaty. This would form the Klingon Neutral Zone as a clear boundary between the Federation and the Empire. The distribution of those planets along the border would be supervised by the Organians themselves which brought a tense but short peace in the region. (TOS episode: Errand of Mercy, The Trouble with Tribbles)

There would be no active war between the Empire and the Federation at this point as the Klingons feared the retribution of the Organians for breaking the peace treaty. Despite this, numerous small skirmishes would continue with the Federation for sometime.

In order to secure some advantage againstthe Federation, the Empire would form an unlikely alliance with the Romulan Star Empire in 2268. This would form the Klingon-Romulan alliance which resulted in an exchange of technology with the Empire recieving newly developed cloaking devices while the Romulans recieved Klingon starships. The alliance would end violently and would result in the Klingon and Romulan empires remaining blood enemies. (TOS episode: The Enterprise Incident)

The Klingons would engage in a brief alliance with the rogue Vulcan T'Uerell in 2270 who aided them in developing an energy beam weapon for use against the Federation. The prototype would be destroyed by the USS Enterprise which had infiltrated Klingon space. The alliance would end by 2272 when T'Uerell abandoned her allies and used 'cybernetic creatures' to assimilate Klingon vessels for her own use before escaping. (video game: Legacy)

The Empire would engage in skirmishes with both the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire in their attempts to colonize the newly revealed region of space known as Tabula Rasa. (TOS video game: New Worlds)

A lasting peace
A turbulent time would arrive in Klingon history in 2291 when power struggles would engulf the Empire with an attempted coup against Chancellor Lorak by Kalnor. This would end when General Chang engaged in a blood duel against Kalnor which prevented a possible civil war. However, Lorak would die of old age and his successor, Chief of Staff Gorkon was next in line to the Chancellorship but was blocked by Melkor who started the Klingon Civil War. This war was secretly aided by the Romulan Star Empire and resulted in a great level of damage to the Klingon Empire with the destruction of one of their chief energy production facilities, Tal'Ihnor Gates, before Melkor was killed. Despite this, factions in the Empire still loyal to Melkor were present and attempted to make a hostile coup against the leadership of the empire. Luckily, loyalist Klingon forces managed to prevent this and Gorkon became the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. After taking stock of the Empire's current state, it became painfully obvious that the war had crippled the Klingon people and new drastic action was needed in order to survive. (TOS video game: Klingon Academy)

Though the Empire was considered to be hostile towards the Federation, this would change in 2293 when the Klingon military as well as economy suffered a massive crisis with the destruction of Qo'noS's moon of Praxis. Due to the massive amount of the budget spent on their military, the Klingons were incapable of dealing with this problem. This opened the opportunity for diplomatic relations to be founded by both parties which was made by Chancellor Gorkon, which was considered a controversial move by his people considering the hostilites with the Federation. A meeting would be accomplished but shadow factions with both governments threatened to destroy the possibility of peace when Gorkon was assassinated; apparently by the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) which was ot serve as its Federation escort. However, Gorkons daughter, Azetbur, would continue her fathers will despite a second assassination attempt which was prevented and it was learnt that Chief of Staff General Chang was responsible for the attacks which ended upon his death. (TOS movie: The Undiscovered Country)

The peace would be formed by the signing of the Khitomer Accords at the Khitomer Conference. This would cement a new peace between the former enemies for many years to come.

The Empire would make extended contact with the Cardassian Union in 2328 when the IKS Wo'bortas shadowed a Cardassian vessel into the Betreka Nebula and discovered the remains of one of Ch'gran's starships on the planet Raknal V. This would be the start of the infamous Betreka Nebula incident which would last eighteen long years. (DS9 episode: The Way of the Warrior) The source of the dispute was a matter of Klingon honor and part of the ancestry of high ranking Klingon members which threatened to destabilize the quadrant. The Romulans would attempt to ignite the conflict while the Federation worked hard to find a peaceful resolution to the dispute. This conflict would finally end in 2346 when the Empire decided to abandon the find and colony to the Cardassians. (The Lost Era novel: The Art of the Impossible)

Though there was a level of peace between the Empire and the Federation, it was a tense one at best. During the early part of 2340's, after the incident with the Cardassians, itwould appear that war would break out between the Klingons and the Federation. However, the actions of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C) accomplished a single courageous act that would cement the friendship between the Empire and the Federation. This was when the Starfleet vessel recieved a distress call fro the Klingon colony of Narendra III which was being attacked by the Romulans. Despite being outnumbered, the Enterprise fought for the defense of the colony and was lost in battle. Seeing the honor that was demonstrated by their enemy in saving one of their colonies, the Klingon people became immensely impressed and viewed that peace was perhaps possible. This would culminate in the signing of the Treaty of Alliance in 2353 which established a firm friendship between the former enemies and fulfilling what the Organian species said eighty years earlier that the two would become allies in the future. (TNG episode: Yesterday's Enterprise & DS9 episode: The Way of the Warrior)


 * For an alternate timeline where the above Narendra III colony was not saved, consult the Alternate Timeline section.

The Modern Age
The years of peace within the Empire would shatter when internal politics once against plagued the Klingon people. Two rival factions would develop one of which was led by Gowron and the other by Duras, Son of Toral. This would develop more 2367 when Chancellor K'Mpec died after a long reign and it was learnt that he had been secretly assassinated. Before his death, he would appoint at the Arbiter of Succession Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), a Human which was an unprecedented move in Klingon history. His duty was to decide on who would become the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. During the course of this time, it was learnt that the House of Duras was secretly supported by the Romulan empire who wished to destroy the Klingon-Federation alliance and form a new Klingon-Romulan alliance. Duras would be killed and it appeared that victory would be Gowrons. (TNG episode: Reunion)

However, this would not be the case as the Sisters of Duras, Lursa and B'Etor, discovered Duras's son, Toral. They would attempt to win the Arbiters vote but would fail after Captain Picard ruled that Toral was too young for leadership. Gowron became the new Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. However, many members of the Klingon High Council were loyal to Duras's House and departed which would begin the Klingon Civil War. The war would finally end when Federation forces discovered that the Romulans were secretly sending cloaked convoys across their border to support the House of Duras's military campaigns. After this was discovered, the supplies stopped and victory was declared by Gowron's forces after assaulting the House of Duras's stronghold. (TNG episode: Redemption & Redemption II)


 * For more information, see Klingon Civil War.

Despite Gowrons ascent into the Chancellorship, there would be numerous small scale conflicts that threatened to destabilize the Empire. One would be the Gonraii Rebellion which would be put down by the military loyal to the Chancellor. (TNG novel: Kahless). Another event that marked the Empire's history would be an attempted assassination attempt on Gowron's life by factions loyal to the House of Duras which worked in secret to take control of the empire. The latter would be stopped by the Honor Guard after discovering one of its own was involved in the assassination attempt. (TNG video game: Klingon Honor Guard)

Post Dominion War period
Though the Klingons and their allies were victorious in the battle against the Dominion, peace would not remain within the Empire. In 2364, Toral of the House of Duras instigated a new rebellion that divided the Empire once more and challenged the forces loyal to Chancellor Martok which would begin a new Klingon Civil War. The House of Duras would once again be secretly supported by the Romulan Star Empire. However, power returned to the loyalist forces when Worf retured with the Sword of Kahless. The rebellious forces would be brutally crushed. Toral would escape and end his alliance with the Romulans.

After discovering the Romulan's part in the Civil War, the Klingons would engage in hostilities with the Star Empire. During this time, the Klingons would also combat an attempted invasion by the Borg Collective into the Alpha and Beta quadrants. A renewed alliance would form between the Federation, Klingon and Romulan governments to fight the Borg which would be successful and end their attempted assimilation for now. (TNG video game: Armada)


 * In an alternate timeline, the Borg had succeeded in their invasion and assimilated Earth. Presumably, in this timeline, they had also assimilated the Klingon Empire.

Six months after this, the Klingons would remain behind while Starfleet engaged in combat with the Borg Collective. First in the Alpha quadrant and later in the Delta quadrant through the use of a Borg Transwarp portal. At this point, the Cardassian's would engage in a massive attack against the Federation which the Klingons would defend. The attacks were orchestrated by Gul Kentar who was secretly being supplied by the Romulan Star Empire which started the Kentar Uprising. This supply line would be cut and numerous conflicts would continue between the Cardassian Union and Klingon Empire in this Second Cardassian-Klingon War. This would end when the Klingons assaulted Cardassia and Kentar's secret base in the Hubrik system. Minor conflicts would happen between the Empire and the incursions made by the extradimensional species known as Species 872 but the Empire would not be involved in large scale attacks against this menace. (TNG video game: Armada II)

An era of peace would last by 2379 for the Empire with the alliance with the Federation being strong and benefiting both states. The two would work in the construction of Unity One, however, tension would erupt when sneak attacks were orchestrated by the Romulan Star Empire which sought to end the alliance and destroy both of their sworn enemies. (TNG video game: Starfleet Command III)

Alternate Timelines
A variant timeline was encountered where the Enterprise C did not participate in the defense of the Narendra III colony by escaping into a temporal fissure. This single event altered the course of history and in an alternate 2366 a state of active war was present between the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets. During this war, the Klingons were winning and it was projected that the Federation would eventually lose the war. This timeline was averted when the Enterprise C was sent back through the rift where it fought against the Romulans at Narendra III and secured the Klingons as allies. (TNG episode: Yesterday's Enterprise)

In one possible future that Jean-Luc Picard saw while suffering from temporal jumps to the past (2364), present (2370) and future (2395) due to Q, it was revealed that the Romulan Star Empire was conquered by the Klingon Empire. The Empire would also be hostile to the Federation of this era. However, once the temporal anomaly was stopped, it became likely that this future would not come to pass (and, in fact, a number of subsequent events unfolded differently than in that timeline). (TNG episode: All Good Things...)

Politics
Officially, the Klingon Empire is a feudal monarchy, with power residing in the Emperor, who is traditionally a descendant of Kahless. In reality, however, the power lies with the Klingon High Council, which is led by the Chancellor. The position of emperor was abandoned (but not officially abolished) in the mid-21st century, but was revived in 2369 when a group of clerics created a clone of Kahless, who was accepted as the new Emperor, albeit only as a figurehead. (TNG episode: "Rightful Heir")

The true power of the Empire is held by the Chancellor and the High Council, which consists of 24 members representing various Great Houses (essentially, the nobility).

Women are not normally permitted to hold seats on the High Council. (TNG episode: "Redemption, Part I") However, Azetbur, the daughter of Chancellor Gorkon, was permitted to succeed him as Chancellor in 2293. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

It is believed this was permitted because she was made the head of her house, due the unusual circumstances of her father's death. Various factions almost constantly challenge the leadership of the Empire, and so over time the Klingons have developed a strict and rigorous Rite of Succession to determine their leader. According to tradition, one may challenge the leader on the grounds of cowardice or dishonorable conduct and fight in single combat. Should the challenger slay the incumbent, he assumes the role as the new leader. (DS9 episode: "Tacking Into the Wind")

Because of the Klingon propensity for violence, some shrewd Klingon chancellors have redirected hostilities outward, when they would otherwise cause a civil war. In the 2150s, the Klingon chancellor instructed Duras to recapture Jonathan Archer after the latter escaped imprisonment on Rura Penthe. In this way, the chancellor focused the blame for certain internal problems on an external cause. (ENT: "The Expanse") Likewise, Gowron focused his soldiers' energies on invading first the Cardassian Union and later the Federation in order to avoid internal conflicts at home. (DS9 episode: "The Way of the Warrior", "Apocalypse Rising")

Aside from challenges to the primary leadership of the Empire, there is also frequent feuding between the various Great Houses. Most often, the challenge is made on the floor of the High Council and resolved on the battlefield. However, on occasion, some "dishonorable" House leaders have chosen to make more insidious attacks by undermining the standing of their enemies; D'Ghor underhandedly attacked the House of Kozak in this way in the early 2370s. (DS9 episode: "The House of Quark")

Groups

 * Clerics of Boreth
 * Cult of the Kuvah'magh
 * Great Houses
 * House of Duras
 * House of Grunnil
 * Honor Guard
 * Klingon Defense Force
 * Klingon Diplomatic Corps
 * Klingon High Council
 * Klingon Imperial Intelligence
 * Klingon Oversight Council
 * Klingon Contacts Branch
 * Order of the Bat'leth
 * Order of Kahless
 * Yan-Isleth

Diplomatic Treaties

 * Federation Alliance
 * Klingon-Romulan alliance
 * Khitomer Accords
 * Neutral Zone Treaty
 * Organian Peace Treaty
 * Treaty of Alliance

Military
The Klingon Empire is a warrior culture and embraces these attributes. The role of expansion and defence are both prided and conducted by the Klingon Defense Force. While the agency controls the starships that bring new worlds into the empire, it is the Planetary Regiments that conquer the world itself and secure it in the name of the Empire. The upper levels of the Defense Force consists of the Klingon High Command.

There appears to be an elite academy group consisting of young warriors known as the First Cadre which seems as the Empire's equivalent of Starfleets Omega Squad.

A prestigious award known as the Star of Kahless is awarded to those inducted into the Order of Kahless. (DS9: When It Rains...)

Being a warrior culture, the Klingons developed several combat tactics to use in battle one of which is the N'yengoran strategy which details ways of attacking fortified ground based enemy positions. (DS9 episode: Blood Oath)

One such military tactic is the BIng maneuver.

Ranks & Titles

 * General
 * Brigadier General
 * Colonel

Starship classes

 * see Klingon starship classes

Culture
Klingon law is quite brutal towards offenders of the crime with sentences including imprisonment on the ice mines of Rura Penthe or even death. During the trial, the Judicial Charter of Koloth allows the Advocate to attack the charges made against them at any point during the tribunal. (ENT: Judgment).

Klingon colonies tend to be equipped with special structures that appeal to the Klingon race such as the Hunting Grounds and Hall of Learning. (TNG video game: Birth of the Federation)

Artefacts

 * Shroud of Kahless
 * Emperor's Crown
 * Sword of Kahless
 * Shroud of the Sword
 * Knife of Kirom
 * Torch of G'boj
 * Sabak's armor

Planets

 * Qo'noS
 * Boreth
 * H'atoria
 * Ogat
 * Ty'Gokor

See also Klingon worlds

Star Systems

 * Khashah system
 * Plyrana system
 * Chu'Degh system
 * Kura system
 * Kandru system
 * Kahless system
 * Korreg system
 * Laktar system
 * N'derial system

Other

 * Ch'grath Stellar Cluster
 * Thaleris asteroid belt

Conflicts

 * Battle of Tong Vey
 * Demon War
 * Battle of Klan sa'
 * Battle of Kolm-an
 * Tribble Extermination Campaign
 * Battle of D'drazal V
 * Wars of Internal Dissension
 * Four Years War
 * Battle of HarOs
 * Khitomer Massacre (2346)
 * Betreka Nebula Incident
 * Klingon Civil War (2367-2368)
 * Battle of Mempa (2368)
 * Klingon-Cardassian War (2372-2373)
 * Second Federation-Klingon War (2372-2373)
 * First Battle of Deep Space 9 (2372)
 * Battle of Ajilon Prime (2373)
 * Dominion War (2373-2375)