List of Family Houses in Dune
Encyclopedia
The following are the family Houses featured in the fictional Dune universe
created by Frank Herbert
. The assembly of all the nobles in the Imperium, called the Landsraad
, consists of many additional Houses Great or Minor which are never mentioned in the novels.
. Leto Atreides II
notes in God Emperor of Dune
(1981) that the Atreides are descended from the mythological Greek
House of Atreus. In Homer
's Iliad
, the brothers Agamemnon
and Menelaus
are dubbed "the Atreides," or "sons of Atreus;" Leto's twin sister Ghanima mentions Agamemnon as a direct ancestor in Children of Dune
(1976). However, in Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
(2002) it is suggested that she is instead referring to the leader of the group of Titans
named Agamemnon.
before its downfall at the hands of the Titans
, as established in the Legends of Dune
prequel
trilogy
(2002-2004) by Brian Herbert
and Kevin J. Anderson
.
During the Butlerian Jihad
, Iblis Ginjo marries Camie as part of his plan to ascend in the League of Nobles. Their great-granddaughter Jessica Boro-Ginjo would later marry Faykan Corrino, the first Padishah Emperor
, making future members of House Corrino
and House Atreides
descendants of the Boro family.
is deposed by Paul Atreides
in Dune. The Corrinos play a role in Frank Herbert's initial three novels — Dune (1965), Dune Messiah
(1969) and Children of Dune (1976) — as well as the Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson prequel trilogy Prelude to Dune
(1999-2001) and interquel series Heroes of Dune (2008-2011).
(2008), the head of the House is Archduke Armand Ecaz; at this time, House Ecaz is in kanly, or vendetta, with House Moritani.
and Lady Margot Fenring
are introduced in Dune and featured in the Brian Herbert/Anderson prequel series Prelude to Dune and interquel novel Paul of Dune.
" and are "defeated in the War of Assassins with Grumman." Duncan Idaho
is noted to be a "Swordmaster of the Ginaz," which leads to his body later being sold to the Tleilaxu
as "a master swordsman, an adept of the Ginaz School."
Prelude to Dune establishes that immediately prior to the events in Dune, House Moritani are at war with House Ecaz. In the year 10,175 A.G., the Viscount Hundro Moritani allies with House Harkonnen in an attempt to conquer the Atreides homeworld of Caladan
; the attempt fails when the Atreides Mentat
Thufir Hawat
tricks the Moritani/Harkonnen forces into believing that the Atreides have a gigantic water fleet, which are actually harmless fishing boats. House Moritani also attacks the planet Ginaz after some of their students are sent home in disgrace from their renowned Swordmaster School.
Paul of Dune reveals that House Moritani is secretly descended from House Tantor, the renegade house who had devastated Salusa Secundus
with atomics and who had been subsequently "exterminated" by Padishah Emperor Hassik Corrino III. Their name disappears from written history. It had been established in the Legends of Dune trilogy that prior to the Butlerian Jihad
, the Tantor family had adopted an orphaned Xavier Harkonnen
.
recounts that "three hundred and twenty-one liters [of melange] were said to have bought half of Novebruns Planet from the Mutelli family." In the prequel Dune: House Corrino
(2001), the Lord of House Novebruns formally requests that Shaddam IV grant the destroyed House Taligari world of Zanovar to him so that he can mine it for "valuable raw materials."
Dune video games; this House is listed in the non-canon
Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E. McNelly
but has never been mentioned in any of the novels.
as supreme in machine culture. Noted for miniaturization."
in the Prelude to Dune series.
Dune universe
Dune is a science fiction franchise which originated with the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Considered by many to be the greatest science fiction novel of all time, Dune is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history...
created by Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert
Franklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
. The assembly of all the nobles in the Imperium, called the Landsraad
Landsraad
The Landsraad is a fictional organization in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. It is the assembly of all noble Houses in the Imperium.-Overview:...
, consists of many additional Houses Great or Minor which are never mentioned in the novels.
House Atreides
House Atreides is one of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium; its members play a role in every novel in the series, starting with 1965's DuneDune (novel)
Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the Hugo Award in 1966, and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
. Leto Atreides II
Leto Atreides II
Leto Atreides II is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Born at the end of Dune Messiah , Leto is a central character in Children of Dune and is the title character of God Emperor of Dune . The character is brought back as a ghola in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
notes in God Emperor of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
God Emperor of Dune is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert published in 1981, the fourth in the Dune series. It was ranked as the #11 hardcover fiction best seller of 1981 by Publishers Weekly.-Plot introduction:...
(1981) that the Atreides are descended from the mythological Greek
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
House of Atreus. In Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
's Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
, the brothers Agamemnon
Agamemnon
In Greek mythology, Agamemnon was the son of King Atreus and Queen Aerope of Mycenae, the brother of Menelaus, the husband of Clytemnestra, and the father of Electra and Orestes. Mythical legends make him the king of Mycenae or Argos, thought to be different names for the same area...
and Menelaus
Menelaus
Menelaus may refer to;*Menelaus, one of the two most known Atrides, a king of Sparta and son of Atreus and Aerope*Menelaus on the Moon, named after Menelaus of Alexandria.*Menelaus , brother of Ptolemy I Soter...
are dubbed "the Atreides," or "sons of Atreus;" Leto's twin sister Ghanima mentions Agamemnon as a direct ancestor in Children of Dune
Children of Dune
Children of Dune is a 1976 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, third in a series of six novels set in his Dune universe. Initially selling over 75,000 copies, it became the first hardcover best-seller ever in the science fiction field...
(1976). However, in Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad is a 2002 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the first book in the Legends of Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place over 10,000 years before the events of Frank Herbert's...
(2002) it is suggested that she is instead referring to the leader of the group of Titans
Titan (Dune)
The Titans are a group of fictional characters in the Legends of Dune series of novels, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson and set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert...
named Agamemnon.
Boro family
Boro is the surname of Camie Boro, the last descendant of the last Emperor who ruled the Old EmpireOld Empire (Dune)
The Old Empire is a fictional galactic empire in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The term has been applied to two distinct eras in the fictional history of the Dune series.-The Padishah Empire:...
before its downfall at the hands of the Titans
Titan (Dune)
The Titans are a group of fictional characters in the Legends of Dune series of novels, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson and set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert...
, as established in the Legends of Dune
Legends of Dune
Legends of Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe.* Dune: The Butlerian Jihad * Dune: The Machine Crusade * Dune: The Battle of Corrin...
prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
trilogy
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
(2002-2004) by Brian Herbert
Brian Herbert
Brian Patrick Herbert is an American author who lives in Washington state. He is the elder son of science fiction author Frank Herbert....
and Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson
Kevin J. Anderson is an American science fiction author with over forty bestsellers. He has written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and with Brian Herbert is the co-author of the Dune prequels...
.
During the Butlerian Jihad
Butlerian Jihad
The Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
, Iblis Ginjo marries Camie as part of his plan to ascend in the League of Nobles. Their great-granddaughter Jessica Boro-Ginjo would later marry Faykan Corrino, the first Padishah Emperor
Padishah Emperor
Padishah Emperor is the title given to the hereditary rulers of the Old Empire in the science fiction Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.-Original series:...
, making future members of House Corrino
House Corrino
Imperial House Corrino is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The Corrinos come to power after mankind's victory against the thinking machines at the Battle of Corrin , and rule until deposed by Paul Atreides approximately 10,000 years later during the events...
and House Atreides
House Atreides
House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line...
descendants of the Boro family.
House Corrino
House Corrino is the Great House whose members rule the Known Universe as Padishah Emperors for 10,000 years until Shaddam Corrino IVShaddam Corrino IV
Shaddam Corrino IV is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is Padishah Emperor of the known universe in Herbert's 1965 novel Dune. Shaddam's accession to the throne is chronicled in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.Born...
is deposed by Paul Atreides
Paul Atreides
Paul Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Paul is a prominent character in the first two novels in the series, Dune and Dune Messiah , and returns in Children of Dune . The character is brought back as two different gholas in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
in Dune. The Corrinos play a role in Frank Herbert's initial three novels — Dune (1965), Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah
Dune Messiah is a science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the second in a series of six novels. It was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969. The American and British editions have different prologues summarizing events in the previous novel...
(1969) and Children of Dune (1976) — as well as the Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson prequel trilogy Prelude to Dune
Prelude to Dune
Prelude to Dune is a prequel trilogy of novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in Frank Herbert's Dune universe....
(1999-2001) and interquel series Heroes of Dune (2008-2011).
House Ecaz
House Ecaz rules the fourth planet of Alpha Centauri B, also named Ecaz. During the events of Prelude to Dune and the interquel novel Paul of DunePaul of Dune
Heroes of Dune is a planned interquel tetralogy of novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The potential series was initially referred to as Paul of Dune by the authors as early as 2004....
(2008), the head of the House is Archduke Armand Ecaz; at this time, House Ecaz is in kanly, or vendetta, with House Moritani.
House Fenring
Count HasimirHasimir Fenring
Count Hasimir Fenring is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is featured in the science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert, and is also a key character in the Prelude to Dune trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
and Lady Margot Fenring
Margot Fenring
Lady Margot Fenring is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. She is featured in Herbert's Dune , and is a major character in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
are introduced in Dune and featured in the Brian Herbert/Anderson prequel series Prelude to Dune and interquel novel Paul of Dune.
House Hagal
As noted in the Prelude to Dune series, House Hagal allies itself with the Imperial House Corrino when Padishah Emperor Elrood IX weds Yvette Hagal. Their daughter Edwina is later the great-grandmother of Paul Atreides. The planet Hagal had once been rich in gems before being "mined out in the time of Shaddam I."House Ginaz
It is noted in Dune that House Ginaz are "one-time allies of Duke Leto AtreidesLeto Atreides I
Duke Leto Atreides I is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He features in the novel Dune by Frank Herbert and in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson....
" and are "defeated in the War of Assassins with Grumman." Duncan Idaho
Duncan Idaho
Duncan Idaho is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Introduced in the first novel of the series, 1965's Dune, the character became a breakout character as the readers liked him and was revived by Herbert in 1969's Dune Messiah...
is noted to be a "Swordmaster of the Ginaz," which leads to his body later being sold to the Tleilaxu
Bene Tleilax
The Bene Tleilax or Tleilaxu are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "twisted" Mentats, the Tleilaxu are a major power in the Imperium...
as "a master swordsman, an adept of the Ginaz School."
House Harkonnen
The Harkonnens are the longtime enemies of House Atreides, and conspire with Shaddam against them in Dune.House Moritani
According to Dune, House Moritani of Grumman, the "second planet of Niushe," is noted chiefly for its feud with House Ginaz."Prelude to Dune establishes that immediately prior to the events in Dune, House Moritani are at war with House Ecaz. In the year 10,175 A.G., the Viscount Hundro Moritani allies with House Harkonnen in an attempt to conquer the Atreides homeworld of Caladan
Caladan
Caladan is a fictional planet in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert, first mentioned in the 1965 novel Dune.-Overview:Caladan, the third planet of Delta Pavonis, is the ancestral fiefdom of House Atreides, who have ruled it for twenty-six generations, from the ancient Castle Caladan...
; the attempt fails when the Atreides Mentat
Mentat
A Mentat is a profession or discipline in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Mentats are humans trained to mimic computers: human minds developed to staggering heights of cognitive and analytical ability.- Overview :...
Thufir Hawat
Thufir Hawat
Thufir Hawat is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is primarily featured in the 1965 novel Dune, but also appears in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson...
tricks the Moritani/Harkonnen forces into believing that the Atreides have a gigantic water fleet, which are actually harmless fishing boats. House Moritani also attacks the planet Ginaz after some of their students are sent home in disgrace from their renowned Swordmaster School.
Paul of Dune reveals that House Moritani is secretly descended from House Tantor, the renegade house who had devastated Salusa Secundus
Salusa Secundus
Salusa Secundus is a fictional planet appearing in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. With harsh conditions rivaling those of the desert planet Arrakis, Salusa is used as the Imperial Prison Planet, and is one of two planets on which shigawire is grown .-Dune:In "Terminology of the Imperium," the...
with atomics and who had been subsequently "exterminated" by Padishah Emperor Hassik Corrino III. Their name disappears from written history. It had been established in the Legends of Dune trilogy that prior to the Butlerian Jihad
Butlerian Jihad
The Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
, the Tantor family had adopted an orphaned Xavier Harkonnen
Xavier Harkonnen
Xavier Harkonnen is a character in the fictional Dune universe. Xavier's role existed in the Legends of Dune series, in the books Dune: The Butlerian Jihad and Dune: The Machine Crusade. He was also referenced in Dune: The Battle of Corrin....
.
House Mutelli
House Mutelli also weds one of its own, Barbara, to Padishah Emperor Elrood IX prior to the Prelude to Dune series.House Novebruns
The planet Novebruns is noted in Children of Dune when Gurney HalleckGurney Halleck
Gurney Halleck is a fictional troubadour warrior in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is a major character in Herbert's Dune and Children of Dune , and appears in some of the prequel and sequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.Gurney is portrayed by Patrick Stewart in the...
recounts that "three hundred and twenty-one liters [of melange] were said to have bought half of Novebruns Planet from the Mutelli family." In the prequel Dune: House Corrino
Dune: House Corrino
Dune: House Corrino is a 2001 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the third book in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place before the events of Frank Herbert's celebrated 1965 novel Dune...
(2001), the Lord of House Novebruns formally requests that Shaddam IV grant the destroyed House Taligari world of Zanovar to him so that he can mine it for "valuable raw materials."
House Ordos
House Ordos is featured in the Westwood StudiosWestwood Studios
Westwood Studios was a computer and video game developer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Brett Sperry and Louis Castle in as Westwood Associates, and renamed to Westwood Studios when it merged with Virgin Interactive in...
Dune video games; this House is listed in the non-canon
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E. McNelly
Willis E. McNelly
Willis Everett McNelly was a professor and writer best known for The Dune Encyclopedia, the 1984 companion to Frank Herbert's classic Dune series of science fiction novels....
but has never been mentioned in any of the novels.
House Richese
House Richese rules the planet Richese, described in Dune as the "fourth planet of Eridani A, classed with IxIx (Dune)
Ix is a fictional planet featured in the Dune series of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. In Dune it is noted that Ix is classed with the planet Richese as "supreme in machine culture," and that Ixian solido projectors "are commonly considered the best." In...
as supreme in machine culture. Noted for miniaturization."
House Taligari
In the Prelude to Dune series, House Taligari is the adoptive family of Tyros Reffa, illegitimate son of Padishah Emperor Elrood Corrino IX and his concubine Shando Balut. The Taligari homeworld is the recreational planet Zanovar, devastated by Elrood's son Shaddam in an attempt to eliminate Tyros.House Vernius
House Vernius are the ruling family of the planet IxIx (Dune)
Ix is a fictional planet featured in the Dune series of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. In Dune it is noted that Ix is classed with the planet Richese as "supreme in machine culture," and that Ixian solido projectors "are commonly considered the best." In...
in the Prelude to Dune series.