Dominion of Fezzan
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The Dominion of Fezzan was an autonomous region within the Galactic Empire, which was able to serve as a neutral party in the FPA–Imperial War, facilitating trade between the Galactic Empire and Free Planets Alliance.
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History
Foundation
The Dominion of Fezzan was founded in 682 UC (373 IC / 3482 CE) by Leopold Lappe, the first Fezzani Landsherr. The regional governor of Fezzan, Lappe lobbied the Imperial government passionately for Fezzan's independence, and he eventually succeeded in transforming Fezzan into mostly-independent subject state of the Empire: owing fealty to the Kaiser in theory, but fully autonomous in practice.
With its complete and total monopoly on all trade between the Alliance and the Empire, the small Dominion of Fezzan quickly became an economic superpower, and by 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE) wielded immense financial influence over both the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance. (LOGH: 'Julian's Journey, Mankind's Journey', Legend of Galactic Heroes Encyclopaedia)
Annexation
The Dominion of Fezzan was annexed by the Galactic Empire in December of 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE) as part of Reinhard von Lohengramm's Operation Ragnarok. Admiral Wolfgang Mittermeyer's fleet swiftly conquered the planet and deposed the autonomous government, paving the way for the rest of the Imperial Fleets that would use the Phezzan Corridor to launch a surprise invasion of the Free Planets Alliance, a daring move that would quickly end the centuries-long FPA–Imperial War.
Many Fezzani citizens resented their loss of independence, but ultimately accepted Imperial rule. With the advent of the New Galactic Empire early the following year, Fezzan quickly became the economic, military and geographical center of Galaxy as the capital of Emperor Lohengramm's New Galactic Empire.
Culture
Religion
Though on the surface, the typical Fezzani citizen cared little for spiritual matters, the Dominion did have many ties to the ancient home of humanity, Earth. The first Landsherr, Leopold Laap, was born on Earth, and subsequent Landsherrs, like Adrian Rubinsky, worked in tandem with the Earth Cult to achieve social and political power in the Galaxy.
Many Fezzani citizens were members of the Earth Cult, and Fezzani merchant ships routinely ferried Alliance citizens into the Empire and (presumably) back home for various pilgrimages to Earth itself.
Economics
The Dominon of Fezzan was an economic superpower: its neutrality allowed for unlimited trade between the Alliance and the Empire, and its monopoly of said trade allowed Fezzan to excersize incredible financial pressures on either government in order to maximize its own profits. By 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE), despite its small size, Fezzan had nearly 25% the political power of the Free Planets Alliance, and 20% the political power of the Galactic Empire. By working to aid the Alliance and act against the Empire, Fezzan was able to maintain a delicate balance of power between the two great nations, ensuring that the FPA–Imperial War would rage on. The longer the war would last, the more Fezzan would be able to maximize its profits, and the more power over the other two nations it would be able to wield.
One of the ways in which Fezzan prolonged the war was by supporting the Alliance economically through purchase of the Alliance's sovereign debt, which had grown beyond the Alliance's ability to service by 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE). The threat of triggering a sovereign default gave Fezzan considerable leverage over the Alliance government. (LOGH: 'One Narrow Thread')
When Julian Mintz was assigned to the Alliance's Embassy of Phezzan, he noted that the prices for luxury items were mostly constant, indicating a social, political and economic stability that contrasted greatly with the economic conditions of his home in the Free Planets Alliance. LOGH: 'Julian's Journey, Mankind's Journey'
Military
Fezzan was a neutral subject state of the Galactic Empire, and as such had no formal military. Its status as nuetral was sacrosanct, and it was in the best interests of both the Free Planets Alliance an the Galactic Empire to maintain that neutrality.
Fezzan did have a small military force charged primarily with the police and defense of the Fezzan Starzone. Based at the top of Fezzan's Orbital Elevator, they presumably dealt mostly with minor criminal offenses — piracy, smuggling, things of that nature — and were ill-equipped (and ill-prepared) for the Imperial invasion in 798 UC (489 IC / 3598 CE).
Appendices
Background information
- While the primary focus of LOGH is on the conflict between democracy and autocracy (in the form of the Free Planets Alliance and Galactic Empire, respectively), the Dominion of Fezzan, and its supporters in the Earth Cult, similarly explore themes of capitalism and theocracy, illustrating both the flaws and merits of such political systems.
- Fezzan's political role as a go-between for hostile nations is similar to that of Hong Kong prior to its reunification with the People's Republic of China. For several decades, the Hong Kong markets allowed Chinese products to be exported "secretly" to other nations, and at the same time allowed limited quantities of Western products to be imported into mainland China.
