Brief Battletech History
The following is the basic highlights of the history of the Inner Sphere. For a more complete history of the BTech universe please check out our BTech Encyclopedia.
2018 - Spread of the Terran Hegemony
Humankind first leaves Terra as the newly-developed hyperspatial jump drive allows humans to instantaneously travel almost 3.5 parsecs. Massive space colonization begins, and by 2235 the Terran Alliance controls over 600 worlds. The often despotic rule of the Alliance is succeeded by the Terran Hegemony, which has a more conciliatory attitude toward independent colonies.
2271 - Rise of the Five Great Houses
The Treaty of Marik is signed, signaling the formation of the Free Worlds League: the first of the Great Houses that will each ultimately control hundreds of worlds. Within a century, four other powerful planetary alliances will declare independence from Terran Hegemony and spread throughout the systems of the Inner Sphere: Draconis Combine, Federated Suns, Capellan Confederation and Lyran Commonwealth.
2398 - The Age of War
The Age of War begins when a territorial dispute between the Capellan Confederation and the Free Worlds League erupts into a shooting war, touching off bloody conflicts across the Inner Sphere. Attempting to contain the escalating violence, various leaders create the Ares Conventions, which regulate the conduct of warfare. The conventions ban nuclear devices and other weapons of mass destruction, and promote more limited, stylized combat between professional forces. On this smaller scale, warfare also becomes more common, with leaders resorting to armed force to settle even minor disputes.
2439 - The Dawn of the BattleMech
The Terran Hegemony unveils the BattleMech, irrevocably changing the face of war. Massive bipedal mining machines, when fitted with weapons and armor and piloted by a trained warrior, prove devastating against conventional ground forces. These BattleMechs demonstrate greater mobility and adaptability to environments, as well as a full array of conventional and energy weapons. Within thirty years, the BattleMech dominates the battlefield, and MechWarriors form the elite of Inner Sphere militaries.
2571 - The Founding of the Star League
Weary of constant war and disorder, the rulers of the Great Houses join the Terran Hegemony in establishing the Star League, a political and military alliance of human-occupied space under First Lord Ian Cameron. For the next two centuries, the Inner Sphere experiences a "golden age" of unprecedented scientific and social achievements as their energies and resources are diverted to peaceful purposes.
2766 - Coup and Exodus
The Star League falls when its young, inexperienced First Lord, Richard Cameron, is cruelly betrayed and murdered by his trusted friend and advisor Stefan Amaris. Ruler of the distant Rim Worlds Republic, Amaris launches a coup in 2766 and declares himself First Lord. His bid for the throne is eventually crushed by General Aleksandr Kerensky, commander of the Star League Defense Forces, but the rulers of the Great Houses cannot agree on a new leader, and dissolve the Star League High Council in 2781.
Rather than watch the Star League he fought so hard for crumble, Kerensky departs known space with eighty percent of the SLDF in 2784, in an event later known as the Exodus—an apparent attempt to salvage the heart and spirit of the Star League. Within the year, the Great Houses savagely attack one another in the first of the Succession Wars. These conflicts last 200 years and destroy much of the advanced technology created by the Star League.
3028 - Federated Commonwealth
The marriage of First Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns to Archon-Designate Melissa Steiner of the Lyran Commonwealth begins the unification of the two largest states in the Inner Sphere. The newborn alliance immediately launches the Fourth Succession War, conquering more worlds in two years than in all the wars of the previous two centuries, largely at the expense of the Capellan Confederation. After years of war, the borders of the Inner Sphere settle again as the Houses turn to rebuilding.
3050 - Attack of the Clans
A mysterious invading force strikes the coreward region of the Inner Sphere, attacking the Federated Commonwealth, Free Rasalhague Republic and Draconis Combine. The invaders, called the Clans, are the descendants of Kerensky's SLDF troops, forged into a warrior society dedicated to becoming the greatest fighting force in history; they intend to capture Terra and re-establish the Star League. With vastly superior technology and genetically-engineered warriors, the Wolf, Jade Falcon, Ghost Bear, Smoke Jaguar, and other Clans conquer world after world.
In 3052, troops belonging to ComStar—the quasi-religious organization that controls the communication networks of the Inner Sphere and preserves Star League knowledge and technology—halt their advance in the pivotal Battle of Tukayyid. The truce signed after that conflict stops the Clan advance for fifteen years.
3058 - The Star League Reborn
In October of 3058, the Leaders of the Successor houses gathered on Tharkad for what was to be known as the Whitting conference. At the conference the rulers of the great houses joined together to reform the Star League and end the threat of the clans to the Inner Sphere. Selecting Victor Steiner-Davion as the Commanding General, of the new Star League Defense Force, they authorized 2 operations, for the new force.
Many of the great mercenary units could trace their heritage back to the SLDF, and once it reformed, they rejoined it, most notably, the Northwind Black Watch, the personal Guard of the First Lord, and the Eradani Light Horse regiments. The elected First Lord of the Star League was Sun-Tzu Liao, followed by Theodore Kurita in 3061
3060 - The Great Refusal
Determined to end the threat of the clans, the rulers decided the best way to accomplish the task would be to totally eliminate an entire clan, and they settled on the most Brutal, the Smoke Jaguar Clan. Task Force Serpent was sent on a secret long distance strike against Huntress, the Jaguar capital. At the same time, Task Force Bulldog rolled over the Jaguar invasion corridor, retaking all the worlds the Jaguars took during the invasion.
Despite the 25% survival rate of Task Force Serpent, their objective was completed, and they were joined by Task Force Bulldog on Huntress. Lacking the might to defeat the entire Clan military, Prince Victor Steiner-Davion led his forces to Strana Mechty, in the heart of Clan space. There, they defeated the Crusader Clans in a hard-fought Trial of Refusal. The Crusaders' defeat ended the invasion, leaving them locked in their occupation zones or driven from the Inner Sphere entirely, formally ending the invasion.
3067 - Present Day
Pending
This is the universe we now enter...
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