Home > Vladimir Harkonnen

He was born in year 10,110 after the foundation of the Spacing Guild. His father served as head to the House Harkonnen and as Siridar (planetary governor) and Baron of the planet Giedi Prime. Vladimir was trained since youth as a possible successor to him. Vladimir presumably proved to be the most promising candidate as he was eventually chosen over his younger half-brother Abulurd Harkonnen.

Abulurd eventually married into the House Rabban and renounced the name Harkonnen and his rights to the title. Under the name Abulurd Rabban he reigned as Count and governor of planet Lankiveil. Vladimir was uncle to his sons: Glossu Rabban (year 10,132 - 10,193), nicknamed Beast Rabban, and Feyd-Rautha Rabban (year 10,174 - 10,193). Vladimir later adopted them back into the House Harkonnen and the latter became his designated heir as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.

Vladimir never married due to his preference for young boys as sexual partners. His apparent homosexuality however did not prevent his seduction by a Bene Gesserit Reverend MotherDune Reverend Mother is a title or salutation for the Abbess or female leader of a religious instition such as a convent or abbey. A Reverend Mother is a fictional character appearing in the novel Dune being a Bene Gesserit woman who has finished her trai during the year 10, 154. The exact circumstances are uncertain; but to the end of his life, Vladimir would react to the mere mention of the Bene Gesserit with a mixture of suspicion, fear, disgust and even anger. Unknown to Vladimir was that this encounter resulted in the birth of the later Jessica AtreidesJessica Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Jessica is a key character in the science-fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Jessica also plays an important role in the sequels, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune', his illegitimate daughter. The Bene Gesserit sought such a child because the Harkonnen's had long been part of their breeding programme.

Vladimir was a skillful , if ruthless, politicianA politician is an individual involved in politics, sometimes this may include political scientists. In other settings, a politician is a type of political figure who participates in a government. In Western democracies, the term is generally restricted t with an apparent talent to manipulate people and events towards his chosen ends. During his reign the House Harkonnen progressively gained in both wealth and power. His major sources of wealth were stated to be his dominance in the whaleWhales are the largest species of exclusively aquatic placental mammals, dfsgRSFNjg A complete up-to-date taxonomical listing of all cetacean species, including all whales is maintained at the Cetacea article. Anatomy Like all mammals, whales breathe air furFor alternative meanings, see Fur (disambiguation). The term fur refers to the body hair of non-human mammals also known as the pelage (like the term plumage in birds). True fur comes from animals where the coat consists of short ground hair, long guard h marketA market is a mechanism which allows people to trade, normally governed by the theory of supply and demand. Both general and specialised markets, where only one commodity is traded, exist. Markets work by placing many interested sellers in one place, thus and his control of the MelangeDune Melange is the name of the fictional spice that is central to the Dune series of science fiction novels by Frank Herbert. The word already existed in English. It means a mixture, used to refer to spices or similar but also to various mixed cotton or-producing planet ArrakisThe star Arrakis ( Draconis), in the Draco constellation, is a binary star. Each component is of spectral class F7V and visual magnitude 5. Their combined magnitude is 4. It is located approximately 85 light years away and consists of two almost identical. The Baron was able to finance elaborate political schemes that further added to his power. For several years he was assisted by sadistic mentat Piter De Vries.

The Baron's most prominent political rival was his distant cousin Leto Atreides, head of the House Atreides and Duke of planet Caladan. Ironicaly enough, Lady Jessica become concubine of the Duke. Both noblemen were unaware of this connection. In year 10,176, his grandson Paul Atreides was born.

In year 10,191, Vladimir was apparently contacted by Shaddam Corrino IV, 81st Emperor of the House Corrino with the proposal of an alliance against the Duke. Vladimir was content in accepting though uncertain of the Emperor's motivation. Leto was pressured to surrender Caladan to Vladimir and receive Arrakis instead. He complied though he sent a small invasion force against Giedi Prime. A much larger invasion force then arrived to Arrakis, consisting of both Sardaukar and Harkonnen forces. Soon most of the Duke's army was slain. Vladimir had arranged for the Duke to be taken prisoner by Dr. Wellington Yueh, his own physician. But Yueh had personal reasons to hate Vladimir. A tooth of the captive was filled with poisonous gas intended to kill him and those around him. The Baron survived Yueh's assassination attempt but Piter De Vries did not. He was replaced with Thufir Hawat, Mentat to the deceased Duke. Vladimir had apparently managed to convince Hawat that they could join forces against the Emperor.

The following two years saw Vladimir becoming increasingly aware of both of his nephews conspiring against him to obtain the Baron's throne. The Baron let them continue to do so, reasoning that they had to somehow learn to organize a conspiracy. However as punishment for a failed assassination attempt against him, Vladimir forced Feyd-Rautha to single-handedly kill the female slaves who served as his lovers. He explained that Feyd-Rautha had to learn the price of failure.

By year 10,193, the Fremen of Arrakis had managed to gain a series of victories against Beast Rabban and to capture most of the territory of the planet, which threatened to disrupt the trade of Melange. The Emperor decided to take control of the situation and arrived on Arrakis along with Sardaukar forces. Vladimir and Feyd-Rautha escorted him. Vladimir was shocked to learn that Paul Atreides led the Fremen. The imperial forces fell prey to an surprise attack by the Fremen. Beast Rabban died in the battle. Vladimir was poisoned by Alia Atreides, his own granddaughter, and took his last breath at the age of 83. Feyd-Rautha was killed by Paul in a duel. The death of the three men meant the end of House Harkonnen as a galactic power. But, since grandson Paul subsequently was named emperor, Vladimir's descendants would long reign as the Imperial House Atreides.

The Baron's story does not end with his death however. Paul's sister Alia was born with her ancestral memories in the womb, a circumstance the Bene Gesserit call abomination, because in their experience it is inevitable that the individual will become possessed by one of their ancestors. Alia falls victim to this prediction and initially shares control of her body with the Baron, gradually falling under his power. At the end of Children of Dune Alia commits suicide, partly because she realizes that the Baron has virtually taken her over.