History of the State of Heraklea

Much like other systems in the region the Heraklean System, orginally called the Sonoman System, was an offshoot colony (Heraklea was colonized from Alpha Centauri).  The colonists came from all sorts of backgrounds from across old earth, though the predominant background was North America (regions of the United States and Canada).  The original name for the star, “Sonoma,” was taken from the county in the San Francisco Bay Area while the name of the primary inhabited planet, “Helena,” was taken from Mount Saint Helena, a mountain in the county.

The colonists fled Alpha Centauri during the Progenitor War.  Upon arriving in the Sonoman system, the Commander of the Sonoman Colonization Mission, Captain Richard Lambert, succesfully used the loyalty of the mission crew to establish the Kingdom of Sonoma with himself as King over the protests of the other colonist.  Soldiers who performed well when supressing the uprisings and certain uprising leaders who ended an uprising and reconsiled with King Richard were given various noble titles.

The aristocratic system established in the Kingdom of Sonoma led to a society of decadence in the upper classes while the lower classes suffered and eventually resulted in a new series of uprisings several generations later.  These uprisings were succesful in the destruction of the Kingdom of Sonoma, replacing it with the Republic of Sonoma.  The first decade of the Republic is chiefly characterized by a reign of terror targeting the remnants of the arristocracy and those who served them.  The reign of terror lost its efficacy at channeling the rage of the mob at the aristocracy after only three years, but was succesful at keeping the Committee of Reformation in power through fear for the remainder of the decade.  After that, infighting within the Committee of Reformation eventually resulted in the end of the Committee of Reformation and the begining of the brief diplomatic period.  Politcal differences and corruption and the instability of the Republic's parliamentary system resulted in the collapse of the republican government after only 13 years.

What followed was an extended period of warlordism, with the surfaces of the various planets within the Sonoman System carved up amongst various despots.  This situation continued for approximately 75 years, resulting in an explosion of piracy and lawlessness in the system (another point of commonality with the “'surrounding” colonies).  Eventually this ended when one warlord, Baron Arthur Kirrin, succesfully subjugated the all others, first on Helena and then on other planets of the Sonoman System.

Arthur Kirrin renamed the star and the planets of the system according to the warrior ethos he idolized, and established the State of Heraklea (named for the renamed star).  Taking the rank of Fleet Admiral, Kirrin became the first Chief of State (the rank of the Chief of State was elevated as the State grew and the need for more senior organization, and preceding Chiefs of State were posthumously promoted to the new senior most rank).  Subsequent Chiefs of State turned conquistador for a period, bringing more systems under Heraklean control.  Under Heraklean influence, the region of space surrounding the colony was gradually cleared of pirates.

Approximately half of the Chiefs of State have been members of the House of Kirrin.  This is related to the great deal of trust the Herakleans have in the family.  Whether or not the members of the House of Kirrin maintain claims to the Barony of Kirburg is point of confusion, and members of the family refuses to comment.