Council of Terra
The Council of Terra was an Imperial institution created in early M31[1] and lasting until Roboute Guilliman reformed the Imperium.[2]
Overview
Created by the Emperor shortly after the Ullanor Crusade, the Council was created as the governing body of the Imperium whilst the Emperor worked in the vaults of his palace: to attend to matters of state and would aim to create and uphold Imperial Law throughout the newly conquered Imperium, including the controversial Imperial Tithe.[1] The council had no military authority, which instead fell to the War Council under Warmaster Horus.
It was superseded by the Council of High Lords after the Horus Heresy.[2]
Members of the Council of Terra
- First Lord of the Council: Malcador
- Fabricator-General of the Martian Mechanicum
- Kelbor-Hal (until the Schism of Mars)
- Zagreus Kane (represented by ambassador Vethorel)
- Captain-General Constantin Valdor of the Custodian Guard
- Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica - Nemo Zhi-Meng
- Master of the Administratum[1] Simion Pentasian[6]
- Paternoval Envoy of the Navis Nobilite[4]
- The two Lord Commander Militants of the Imperial Army[5] - Tabor Ludovicia and Haldane Ma'lon
- Grand Provost Marshal Har Rantall of the Adeptus Arbites[6]
- Cohran Hursula - Master of the Astronomican
- Ossian - Chancellor of the Estate Imperium
- Bolam Haardiker - Paternoval Envoy
- Kelsi Demidov - Speaker for the Chartist Captains
Controversy
The Council of Terra attracted controversy during its time; from its inception, the Primarchs were deeply unhappy about being denied a place on the Council, after their position on the War Council which had been ruling the Imperium for the majority of the Great Crusade. This contributed to the feelings of abandonment in the Imperial military.[1]
The Imperial Tithe faced staunch opposition from the Warmaster himself, who felt it would cause unrest and even rebellion in some newly compliant or unstable areas of the Imperium.[3]
The Council was again beset by controversy during the Horus Heresy when Fabricator-General Kane and Mechanicum ambassador Vethorel attempted to give the loyalist Mechanicus a formal seat on the council. Many thought of this as a Mechanicus power-grab, but after a show of force by the Legio Ignatum and a threat by the Collegia Titanica to abandon Terra if their demands weren't meant, the Council of Terra relented.[6]
Sources
- 1: Horus Heresy: Visions of War, [Needs Citation]
- 2: Codex: Ultramarines (2nd Edition), [Needs Citation]
- 3: False Gods, by Graham McNeill, [Needs Citation]
- 4: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook, pg. 403
- 5: A Thousand Sons (Novel) Chapter 18
- 6: The Binary Succession (Audio Drama)