Klingon Empire


 * "may' vISuvqang HochDaqDaq, wo'vaD!"
 * ("I will fight any battle, anywhere... for the Empire!")
 * - Martok, 2375

The Klingon Empire was the official state of the Klingon people. It was founded in the 9th century by Kahless the Unforgettable, who first united the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS. Since then, the Klingon Empire expanded its sphere of influence by conquering numerous systems and incorporating them. This made the Empire a major power in its region of the galaxy, as of the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th centuries.

Government
Officially, the Klingon Empire was a feudal monarchy, with power residing in the Emperor, who was traditionally a descendant of Kahless. In reality, however, power lay with the Klingon High Council. The position of emperor was abandoned (but not officially abolished) in the mid-21st century, but was revived in 2369 when a group of clerics created a clone of Kahless, who was accepted as the new Emperor, albeit only as a religious figurehead. 

The Chancellor, the true leader of the Empire, was head of the High Council, which consisted of twenty-four members representing various Great Houses (tuqmey, essentially, the nobility). The Chancellor was protected at all times by the Yan-Isleth (Brotherhood of the Sword). 

Women were not normally permitted to hold seats on the High Council. Despite that, Gowron once offered Ambassador K'Ehleyr a seat on the Council in exchange for her support of his bid to be Chancellor. Also, Azetbur, the daughter of Chancellor Gorkon, was permitted to succeed him as Chancellor in 2293. 

Various factions almost constantly challenged the leadership of the Empire, and so over time the Klingons developed a strict and rigorous Rite of Succession to determine their leader. According to tradition, one was permitted to challenge the leader on the grounds of cowardice or dishonorable conduct and fight in single combat. Should the challenger slay the incumbent, he assumed the role of the new leader. 

Because of the Klingon propensity for violence, shrewd Klingon chancellors redirected hostilities outward, where they would otherwise cause a civil war. In the 2150s, the Klingon chancellor instructed Duras to recapture Jonathan Archer after the latter escaped imprisonment on Rura Penthe. In this way, the chancellor focused the blame for certain internal problems on an external cause. Likewise, Gowron focused his soldiers' energies on invading first the Cardassian Union and later the Federation in order to avoid internal conflicts at home. 

Aside from challenges to the primary leadership of the Empire, there was also frequent feuding between the various Great Houses. Most often, the challenge was made on the floor of the High Council and resolved on the battlefield. However, on occasion, some "dishonorable" House leaders chose to make more insidious attacks by undermining the standing of their enemies. D'Ghor underhandedly attacked the House of Kozak in this way in the early 2370s. 

Economy
The main currency unit of the Empire was the darsek. 

The destruction of the Empire's key energy-production facility on the moon of Praxis was a catastrophic event from which recovery was impossible due to the strain of the Empire's enormous military budget on the resources of their economy. This event was critical in establishing peaceful overtures between the Empire and the Federation. 

Culture
See: Klingon

History
See: Klingon history

Military & organizations

 * Klingon High Council
 * Great Houses
 * Klingon Defense Force (KDF)
 * Klingon Oversight Council
 * Order of the Bat'leth
 * Order of Kahless
 * Warrior caste
 * Yan-Isleth (Brotherhood of the Sword)
 * Klingon Intelligence
 * KDA

Klingon space
See: Klingon planets, Federation-Klingon border

Subject species

 * Arin'Sen
 * Kriosians
 * Tessic's species (uncertain)
 * Xarantine (uncertain)

Background
The unrealized series Star Trek: Phase II would have established a Klingon Empire which would have been based more on Imperial Japan (much like the Romulans were based off of the Roman Empire), rather than the canon Klingon Empire described here. See Kitumba.

Many of the notions ultimately ascribed to the Klingon Empire were originally devised by Ronald D. Moore. In a Klingon-defining memo he wrote to Michael Piller before beginning work on, Moore wrote, "Unlike the United Federation of Planets, the Klingon Empire is not an amalgam of several different star systems brought together by common purpose and values. The Klingon Empire sprang from a single, relatively poor planet in a modest star system. The worlds that now make up the Empire were either subjugated in a not-so-distant past or were annexed at the point of a sword. The Empire is efficiently managed and extremely well run. No star system has ever broken away from Klingon rule in over two centuries of steady conquest. This is not to say that the member worlds of the Klingon Empire are straining at the bit to break away from despotic rule. Quite the contrary, the member worlds of the Empire have learned the many advantages and benefits of their association with the Klingons and few would choose to leave, even if given the option." A breakdown of the Empire's political framework was also provided in the memo, explaining that a High Council had ultimate rule over all aspects of Klingon life but that the daily ruling of the planets in the empire was "left to local families and clans" as well as outlining the existence of an almost-completely ceremonial Emperor who had the option of reassuming power if he should decide to do so. ("Sins of the Father" audio commentary, TNG Season 3 Blu-ray)

In the TNG episode, Wesley Crusher asked Captain Picard if an event happened "before the Klingons joined the Federation." This statement has never been explained in canon and later episodes clearly show a Klingon Empire that didn't join the Federation. However, it is possible he meant that the Klingons joined the Federation as allies.