Chronology of the CoDominium/Empire of Man Universe

Neil Armstrong sets foot on Earth's moon.

Series of treaties between the United States and the Soviet Union creates the CoDominium.  Military research and development outlawed.

French Foreign Legion transferred to CoDominium control to form the basic element of the CD Armed Services.

Alderson Drive perfected at CalTech.

Ban on military research extended.

First successful interstellar drive tested; first Alderson Drive exploratory ships leave the Solar system for other stars.

Habitable planets discovered in other star systems; commercial exploitation begins.

CoDominium Intelligence licenses all scientists and begins censorship of scientific publications; aided by zero-growth organizations; most scientific research ceases.

First interstellar colonies.  CoDominium Space Navy created.  Beginning of the Great Exodus as the adventurous leave Earth to settle on other planets.

Sergei Lermontov born in Moscow.

CoDominium Navy absorbs all other CD Armed Services.

Captain Jed Byers of the CDSS Ranger leaves Wayforth Station in the Tanith Sector to chart a newly discovered Alderson Tramline in search of habitable worlds.

Captain Byers discovers a planetary sized moon of a gas giant; it is not so much a niche as a loophole for life.

CDSS Ranger returns to Wayforth and Captain Byers files for their discovery bonus for discovering a habitable world.  When his claim is rejected by the local agent of the Bofors Company, who chartered the Ranger, Captain Byers and Science Officer Allan Wu return to Earth to file a suit against Bofors.

Captain Byers reaches Earth only to learn that the Bofors Company has donated the moon to the Cal Tech/MIT University Consortium and written off the entire cost of the expedition; when the University Consortium refuses to make good on the discovery bonus, on the grounds that it is not an “inhabitable world,” Byers and Wu bring suit in the California courts demanding payment; Garner “Bill” Castell, a religious cult leader, decides it has two of the major requirements he desires as a haven for his Church of New Universal Harmony:  it's as far away from Earth as any known inhabitable world and is environmentally hostile enough to discourage commercial interests; Castell sends word to his agents at Wayforth for more details.

The CDSS Edward V, a survey ship, leaves Wayforth to survey the moon discovered in Byers' System; the University Consortium wins its case in the lower court; Byers and Wu appeal to the CoDominium Council.

The CDSS Edward V returns to Wayforth after an incomplete and disastrous survey of Byers' Moon; based on data suplied by the Edward V, the CoDominium Council declares that Byers' Moon is an inhabitable world, and that Byers and Wu are entitled to their discovery bonus; the University Consortuim is given one year to raise the money.

Garner Castell buys the license to establish New Harmony settlements on Byers' Moon and renames it Haven; he dies of a heart attack later that year during a shouting match with church members who charged him with looting the church coffers to finance the colonization.

Kennicott Mining learns about Haven's rich hafnium ore.  Fueled by his father's death, Charles Castell finishes preparations for the expedition to Haven; most of the church's assets are liquidated, leaving many of the remaining members disgruntled and dispirited; there's talk that the “lottery” to pick colonists was biased in favor of Castell loyalists; the ship departs amid acrimony and accusations of favoritism.

Sauron is discovered by Avery Landyn, a survey pilot for 3M; world is rich in radioactive and heavy metals.

The first Church of New Universal Harmony ship arrives on Haven under the leadership of Charles Castell; Castell City is founded in the Shangri-La Valley and the Harmonies prepare for life on their new world.

CoDominium Bureau of Relocation (BuRelock) begins mass out-system shipment of convicts.

Colonization of Sparta and Saint Ekaterina.

First convicts arrive on Haven.

Initial attempts by 3M at colonizing Sauron fail due to deadly native fauna and the difficulty of establishing viable agriculture; 3M sells Sauron to wealthy English Separatists from Quebec and former South African expatriates living in Canada and Australia.

John Christian Falkenberg III born in Rome.

Two thousand American miners sent to Haven after the Great Lakes Iron Revolt; when they discover the strict laws prevailing in Castell City, they found their own town, Hell's-a-Comin'.

Shimmer stones are discovered on Haven; word leaks out by tramp ship and miners begin to flock to Haven.

CoDominium sends a brigade of Marines and a viceroy to Haven; the new viceroy lays the foundation for Fort Kursk.

Beginnings of nationalistic revival movements.

Sergei Lermontov becomes Grand Admiral of CoDominium Space Navy.

Saurons evict the CoDominium viceroy and declare their independence; they begin to build their own space navy.

Great Patriotic Wars, End of the CoDominium, Exodus of the Fleet.

Coronation of Lysander I of Sparta.  Fleet swears loyalty to the Spartan throne.

Marriage of dynasties produces union between Sparta and Saint Ekaterina.

Formation Wars of the Empire begin.

The Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints founds colonies on New Utah and Maxroy's Purchase.

Leonidas I proclaims Empire of Man.

77th Imperial Marines (“Land Gators”) is commissioned on Haven; principal duties, garrison and peace keeping on Haven; mobile Reserve for Twelfth Army.

Empire of Man enforces interstellar peace.

Prince Samual's World becomes Member Principality of the Empire.

First Cyborg is created on Sauron.

Jasper Murcheson explores the region beyond the Coal Sack.

Terraforming of New Scotland and New Ireland.

Secession Wars begin.  Growth of Sauron supermen.  Saint Ekaterina nearly destroyed by Sauron attack.  Sauron Coalition of Secession declares its independence.

Lavaca is liberated from the Saurons during the Lavacan campaign.

Third Imperial Fleet is nearly destroyed by Sauron armada off Tabletop.

Colonel Gary Cummings of the Imperial Marines arrives on Haven to coordinate the re-deployment of the 77th Imperial Marines.

The 77th Imperial Marines leave Haven for Friedland.  Colonel Cummings retires from the Imperial Marines and is appointed General and commander-in-chief of the Haven militia, the ”Haven Volunteers.”  All Imperial officials leave Haven with the 77th.

A pirate ship, posing as a tramp freighter, attacks Castell City, Haven.

The Black Hand, a small fleet of corsairs, attacks Haven; the Militia destroys two of the ships by missile attacks from Fort Kursk; in retaliation, the survivors destroy most of Haven's near-earth satellites and relay stations; only two space-worthy shuttles survive a determined attack on Castell's spaceport.

Prince Samual's World drawn into conflict.

David Steele crowns himself King of Haven; he controls Castell City and several satellite towns.

First bombardment of Prince Samual's World.

King David Steele is deposed and new planetary government is formed; last Imperial military ship passes through Byers' System.

First battle off Makassar; Sauron supported Secessionist armada and Claimant fleets fight to a draw.

Piet van Reenan is exiled from Frystaat with a score of his retainers; they are sent to Haven on a chartered merchantman.

Secession Wars continue.  Dark Ages in many systems.  Effective termination of First Empire.

Sauron First and Second Fleets destroyed at the Second Battle of Tanith; the Sauron Home Fleet is destroyed at the Battle of Sauron, and Sauron is bombed into the Stone Age; only one Sauron ship, the Fomoria, escapes destruction of the Homeworld undetected; after a long series of Alderson Jumps, the Sauron heavy cruiser reaches Haven.

Sauron supermen thought to be exterminated.

Piet van Reenan mounts an attack on the Eden Valley; he forms an alliance with the Edenites and thus begins the haBandari.

Battle of Prince Samual's World; loyalist officers deposed.

Brief occupation of Prince Samual's World by secessionists.

Loyalist-engineered coup on Prince Samual's World.

Bombardment of Prince Samual's World; effective end of high-energy civilization.

Last starship visits Prince Samual's World; many loyalist families evacuated by remnant of Empire.

Prince Samual University founded to preserve knowledge.

Local independent cities and petty states battle for possession of Prince Samual University.

War between Levant and Dion nearly destroys both planets.

Treaty establishes independence of Prince Samual University under protection of coalition of local city-states.

Plague Year on Prince Samual's World.

Interstellar trade ceases.  Piracy and brigandage.  Dark Ages.  Black powder and alcohol civilization on many planets.

First Hundred Year War begins on Prince Samual's World.

Coherent light from the Mote System reaches New Scotland.

Prince Samual kingdom of Haven begins expansion, consolidates gains.

Effective end of the Secession Wars.

Howard Grote Littlemead founds Church of Him on New Scotland.

Coherent light from Mote ends abruptly.

Leonidas IV of Sparta proclaims the Second Empire of Man; the Oath of Reunion is sworn.

Fifty Year War begins on Prince Samual's World; many petty states eliminated.

Plague Year on Prince Samual's World.

Prince Samual kingdom of Haven begins new campaign of unification.

Prince Samual's World discovered by units of Imperial Navy.

Revolt of New Chicago.

FIRST CONTACT; Battleship INSS Lenin and Battlecruiser INSS MacArthur dispatched on the first expedition to the Mote.