Imperium
History of the Imperium
The Imperium was founded by the Emperor (Master of mankind, ruler of humanity and God of the human race) at the end of the "Age of Strife", a period of anarchy, lawlessness and senseless destruction that lasted for dozens of centuries and during which all but the faintest traces of the vast, advanced galactic civilization built by men in previous eras disappeared.
However, when the warpstorms of the Age of Strife subsided the Emperor set forth to unite mankind under his rule, turning his hordes of techno-barbaric warriors into the first superhuman Space Marines.
After having secured the docks of Luna and the factories and weaponshops based on Mars the Emperor built a huge warfleet with which he undertook a Space Crusade that lasted two full centuries and ended with the formal establishment of Imperial Rule over all but the most scattered and distant human colonized worlds.
This Crusade is referred to in the annals of Imperial History as the Great Crusade. During this period, the Emperor employed his most potent soldiers, the Space Marines, and their born leaders, the Primarchs. These, coupled with the combined might of the Imperial Army/Navy (later the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy as separate functioning organisations), made Mankind the number one force to contend with in the galaxy, as its teeming numbers fulfilled what many saw as Man's destiny to rule the galaxy.
Forces of the Imperium
In the 40K universe, the Imperium represents mankind's only hope for survival in the grim, merciless future of the forty first millennium. The Imperium is surrounded by alien species and is continually attacked by forces from an alternative reality (the warp) and other galaxies (Tyranids).
The Imperium's defence forces consist of the:
There are also specialist that prevent 'corruption':
- The Ordo Malleus, or Daemonhunters, including the Grey Knights
- The Ordo Hereticus, or Witchhunters, including the Sisters of Battle
- The Ordo Xenos, or Alien Hunters, including the Deathwatch Space Marines.
Together, these help defend the Imperium from various enemies.
