Silesian Confederacy
Encyclopedia
The Silesian Confederacy is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse
, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction
genre, written by David Weber
and others and published by Baen Books
.
and to the "east" of the Andermani Empire
.
For the entirety of its history, the Confederacy was plagued by piracy and secessionist movements which aimed at breaking away from the almost powerless central Silesian government. Regional power in the Confederacy was in the hands of the System Governors, often corrupt individuals, who aided piracy or actively tried to secede. The level of violence in the Silesian Confederacy was such that hundreds of thousands died every year on its account.
Silesian pirates were considered amongst the most brutal and cruel of the human galaxy, having no compunction about murdering or raping the crews of captured ships.
During the First Havenite War, the Confederacy was a minor front of combat, which the People's Republic of Haven
tried to inflame by sending a force of People's Navy warships to attack Manticoran commerce and protect Andermani merchant ships from piracy. The idea was to warm up relations with the Empire, adding pressure to Manticore in another front (HH6).
Im 1920 P.D. the Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Andermani Empire, allies against the Republic of Haven then, decided to put an end to their differences over Silesia by partitioning the Confederacy between each one. It was hinted that the actual takeover of Silesia consisted in major bribes to the Confederacy's System Governors (HH10).
A popular nickname for Silesians was "Silly" (plural "Sillies"), while those working with the Confederate government, especially the Navy, were known as "Confeds".
vessels whose crews have changed sides in the interest of more money. The obsolete character of Confederate ships, who ofter are decades behind their equivalents in more modern navies such as the Royal Manticoran Navy or the Imperial Andermani Navy, combined with corruption and political interference, render the Silesian Confederacy Navy close to powerless in dealing with piracy and political violence.
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction
Military science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
genre, written by David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
and others and published by Baen Books
Baen Books
Baen Books is an American publishing company established in 1983 by long time science fiction publisher and editor Jim Baen. It is a science fiction and fantasy publishing house that emphasizes space opera, hard science fiction, military science fiction, and fantasy...
.
History
The Silesian Confederacy was a vast interstellar "government" made up of several systems. It was located to the "north" of the Star Kingdom of ManticoreStar Kingdom of Manticore
The Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
and to the "east" of the Andermani Empire
Andermani Empire
The Anderman Empire is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books.- Overview :...
.
For the entirety of its history, the Confederacy was plagued by piracy and secessionist movements which aimed at breaking away from the almost powerless central Silesian government. Regional power in the Confederacy was in the hands of the System Governors, often corrupt individuals, who aided piracy or actively tried to secede. The level of violence in the Silesian Confederacy was such that hundreds of thousands died every year on its account.
Silesian pirates were considered amongst the most brutal and cruel of the human galaxy, having no compunction about murdering or raping the crews of captured ships.
During the First Havenite War, the Confederacy was a minor front of combat, which the People's Republic of Haven
People's Republic of Haven
The Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
tried to inflame by sending a force of People's Navy warships to attack Manticoran commerce and protect Andermani merchant ships from piracy. The idea was to warm up relations with the Empire, adding pressure to Manticore in another front (HH6).
Im 1920 P.D. the Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Andermani Empire, allies against the Republic of Haven then, decided to put an end to their differences over Silesia by partitioning the Confederacy between each one. It was hinted that the actual takeover of Silesia consisted in major bribes to the Confederacy's System Governors (HH10).
A popular nickname for Silesians was "Silly" (plural "Sillies"), while those working with the Confederate government, especially the Navy, were known as "Confeds".
Foreign Relations
With so much internal infighting, the Confederacy was often prey to the ambitions of foreign powers.- The Andermani Empire considered that the Confederacy was its natural backyard and the next logical ground for expansion, and thus deployed a large portion of the Imperial Andermani Navy to the Confederacy, ostensibly to protect Andermani shipping but also to establish a foothold on Silesian space.
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore was more concerned with piracy and the ineptness of the Confederate Navy to crush it, and also maintained sizeable detachments of the Royal Manticoran Navy in Silesian space to protect Manticoran merchant vessels. Also, the deployment of Manticoran military assets served as a warning to the Andermani Empire, whose expansion over Silesia was a major concern for the Star Kingdom. Honor HarringtonHonor HarringtonHonor Stephanie Alexander-Harrington is a fictional character, the heroine of a series of military science fiction books set in the "Honorverse", written by David Weber and published by Baen Books....
conducted at least two anti-piracy cruises; one while commanding the Star Knight-class heavy cruiser HMS Fearless (between HH1 and HH2) and another in command of the armed merchant cruiser HMAMC Wayfarer (HH6). Her longtime rival Captain Pavel YoungPavel YoungLord Pavel Young, Eleventh Earl of North Hollow, is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. He fulfills the role of villain on almost every appearance he makes...
also was at one time assigned to fight piracy in Silesia. Between 1910 P.D. and 1919 P.D. Manticore established a naval station at Sidemore just outside the Confederacy in order to police it and protect shipping. It lay near the Triangle Route.
- The People's Republic of HavenPeople's Republic of HavenThe Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
considered that Silesia was the next natural target for expansion in the 1900 P.D. (HH1).
Military
The Silesian Confederacy Navy is composed mostly of old junkers and foreign ships that were too old to be of any more service in their respective navies. Other ships come from ex-pirate and privateerPrivateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
vessels whose crews have changed sides in the interest of more money. The obsolete character of Confederate ships, who ofter are decades behind their equivalents in more modern navies such as the Royal Manticoran Navy or the Imperial Andermani Navy, combined with corruption and political interference, render the Silesian Confederacy Navy close to powerless in dealing with piracy and political violence.