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WOMEN IN THE 25TH CENTURY
The rise and fall of individual philosophies,
religions, and cultural trends did not leave many
marks on the tapestry of Davion history. The
NeoBaroque style of art, architecture, and music
of the late 24th century meant little to the politics
of the time; neither did the general collapse and
rebirth of Catholicism in the same period. One of the few
trends that was crucial, however, was the changing role
of women between 2400 and 2500.
Marie Davion, President and Prime Minister of the
Federated Suns from 2371 to 2417, was her people’s ideal
of late 24th century womanhood. She had taken over from
her reclusive brother Paul as leader of an interstellar community,
watching over it like a maiden aunt, until the new
generation was ready to take up the reins of power. Like
most women of her day, she had equal opportunities with
men. Indeed, she was far better qualified than Paul to rule
the Federated Suns.
Within the next 50 years, however, the status of
woman changed drastically. By 2450, woman’s main role
had degenerated to that of caring for husbands and children.
In an edict passed by James Davion, females were
forbidden to serve in any of the purely combat arms of the
Federated Suns military, though they might serve as staff
officers and other support personnel. A widely circulated
study purported to “prove” that women were unable to
use neurohelmets to control ‘Mechs because of a deepseated
psychological resistance to union of the feminine
mind with any outside force. As in an earlier, less enlightened
period of Human history, women were defined as
the weaker sex, with more and more educational or career
opportunities denied them.
When Ellen Davion ascended to the post of First
Prince in 2467, the trend began to reverse itself. Though
Ellen came to the job ill-prepared, she rose to meet the
challenge in exemplary fashion. Under her guidance, the
role of women shifted back to what it had been under
Marie. She reversed several laws that excluded her sex
from military and other opportunities, and funded independent
research that disproved the previous “studies”
on the innate inferiority of women. If anything, the new
evidence demonstrated that certain feminine characteristics
actually enhanced the effective use of neurohelmets.
As a result of Ellen Davion’s influence and good example,
two of her grand-nieces would one day seek to grasp the
ring of power for themselves.
—From The Changing Role of Women, by Frieda du
Quoy, Sargasso Press, 2602
WILLIAM THE FAIR
He is a man of sound character, honest, and trained
to serve the people. You ha ve heard of his exploits on
the Draconis frontier, as you have heard of his good work
in a dozen embassies and missions on my behalf. When
I promised this august body that he would be my heir, no
one knew what kind of man we had chosen. By the Grace
of God, we could not have chosen better.
—Ellen Davion, from a speech before the High Council, 2502
The millennium’s midpoint was a transitional era throughout
the Human Sphere. The Rim Worlds Republic became a hereditary
fiefdom of House Amaris in 2488. The extraordinary Siriwan
McAllister, who would change the course of Kuritan history, was
born in 2496. In 2501, the erratic Margaret Olsen succeeded the
Lyran Commonwealth’s competent Steven Steiner as Archon.
The first decade of the new century saw the propagation of Kalvar
Lorix’s Creed, which would serve as a code of honor first for the
MechWarriors of House Liao, then for ‘Mech pilots everywhere.
Meanwhile, the redoubtable Albert Marik was being groomed for
leadership of the Free Worlds League.
In the midst of all this, Ellen’s successor came to the Davion
throne in 2502 fully qualified to rule, with an honest character
and a depth of experience that made him the most qualified
Davion since Reynard. While Ellen Davion had been well-loved,
her nephew became the darling of his realm. For a decade, he
had been actively involved in the government of the Crucis March,
performing state functions ranging from service in foreign embassies
to his two-year inspection tour of the Federation. Unfortunately
for the Federated Suns, William’s reign was destined to
be short. For all his ability and training, the chaos that followed
him would bring the interstellar community to the brink of dissolution.
Several tragic misfortunes marked the reign of William
Davion. First was the eruption of a major new war on the Capellan
frontier, a conflict that cost the new Prince dearly. His only son
Edward, a young field officer in a ‘Mech contingent on Royalston,
was killed during a hit-and-run Capellan raid in 2508. A regiment
fielded by David Varnay should have been able to support
Edward’s unit, but they failed inexplicably to reach the proper
coordinates in time to rescue Edward or his comrades from death.
Subsequent investigations pronounced the commander of the
unit blameless, though accusations of Varnay treachery were
rife at the time. Three years later, Sondra Black Davion, Edward’s
widow, also died in battle when her DropShip was destroyed off
Avigait. This left Edward’s young son Alexander as heir-presumptive,
with the youth’s aunts, Laura and Cassandra Davion, as
alternate choices.
In 2511, Cassandra Davion married David Varnay, youthful
heir to both the Principality of the Capellan March and the Varnay
aspirations of Richard’s day. Because the marriage was a love
match, at least on Cassandra’s part, Prince William decided that
to bless the union would mend the breach in relations between
these two old and respected families. William Davion was only
43 years old, leaving plenty of time for young Alexander Davion
to grow into his inheritance. No one dreamed that Cassandra’s
marriagewould one day result in at hreat to the Davion right of
succession.
When a virulent plague broke out on New Avalon in 2512,
William was stricken. The Ten-Year Prince remained in coma for
nearly a week before eventually succumbing to the disease. Just
before his death, he regained consciousness only long enough
to name Alexander as his heir, but he handed the signet ring of
the First Prince to Cassandra Varnay and his seal to her elder
sister Laura. This was taken to indicate that the two aunts would
serve as the boy’s Regents until he came of age. It also elevated