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Vladimir Harkonnen is a fictional character
from the science fiction series Dune.
Warning: Plot details
follow.
He was born in year 10,110 after the foundation of the Spacing Guild.
His father served as head to the House Harkonnen and as Siridar (planetary governor) and Baron of the planet Giedi Prime. Vladimir was trained since youth as a possible successor to him. Vladimir presumably proved to be
the most promising candidate as he was eventually chosen over his younger half-brother Abulurd Harkonnen.
Abulurd eventually married into the House Rabban and renounced the name Harkonnen and his rights to the title. Under the name Abulurd Rabban he reigned as Count and governor of planet Lankiveil. Vladimir was uncle to his sons: Glossu Rabban (year 10,132 - 10,193, nicknamed Beast Rabban) and Feyd-Rautha Rabban (year
10,174 - 10,193). Vladimir later adopted them back into the House Harkonnen and the latter became his designated heir as Feyd-Rautha
Harkonnen.
Vladimir never married due to his preference for young boys as sexual partners. His apparent homosexuality however did not prevent his seduction by a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother during the year 10,
154. The exact circumstances are uncertain. But to the end of his life, Vladimir would react to the mere mention of the Benne
Gesserit with a mixture of suspicion, fear, disgust and even anger. Unknown to Vladimir was that this encounter resulted in the
birth of the later Jessica Atreides, his illegitimate daughter.
Vladimir was a skillful , if ruthless, politician with an apparent talent to
manipulate people and events towards his chosen ends. During his reign the House Harkonnen progressively gained in both wealth
and power. His major sources of wealth were stated to be his dominance in the whale
fur market and his control of the Melange-producing planet Arrakis. The Baron was able to finance elaborate political
schemes that further added to his power. For several years he was assisted by sadistic
mentat Piter De Vries.
The Baron's most prominent political rival was his distant cousin Leto
Atreides, head of the House Atreides and Duke of planet Caladan. Ironicaly enough, the Duke was married to Lady Jessica and so was his son-in-law. Both noblemen were unaware of
this connection. In year 10,176, his grandson Paul Atreides was born.
In year 10,191, Vladimir was apparently contacted by Shaddam
Corrino IV, 81st Emperor of the House Corrino with the proposal of an alliance against the Duke. Vladimir was content in accepting though
uncertain of the Emperor's motivation. Leto was pressured to surrender Caladan to Vladimir and receive Arrakis instead. He
complied though he sent a small invasion force against Giedi Prime. A much larger invasion force then arrived to Arrakis,
consisting of both Sardaukar and Harkonnen forces. Soon most of the Duke's
army was slain. Vladimir had arranged for the Duke to be taken prisoner by Dr. Wellington Yueh, his own physician. But Yueh had personal reasons to hate Vladimir. A tooth of the captive was filled with poisonous gas intended to kill him and those around him. The Baron survived Yueh's assassination attempt but Piter De Vries did not. He was replaced with Thufir Hawat, Mentat to the deceased Duke. Vladimir had apparently
managed to convince Hawat that they could join forces against the Emperor.
The following two years saw Vladimir becoming increasingly aware of both of his nephews conspiring against him to obtain the
Baron's throne. The Baron let them continue to do so, reasoning that they had to somehow learn to organize a conspiracy. However as punishment for a failed assassination attempt against him, Vladimir forced Feyd-Rautha to single-handedly kill the female slaves who served as his lovers. He explained that
Feyd-Rautha had to learn the price of failure.
By year 10,193, the Fremen of Arrakis
had managed to gain a series of victories against Beast Rabban and to capture most of the territory of the planet, which
threatened to disrupt the trade of Melange. The Emperor decided to take control of
the situation and arrived on Arrakis along with Sardaukar forces. Vladimir and Feyd-Rautha escorted him. Vladimir was shocked to
learn that Paul Atreides led the Fremen. The imperial forces fell prey to an surprise attack by the Fremen. Beast Rabban died in
the battle. Vladimir was poisoned by Alia Atreides, his own
granddaughter, and took his last breath at the age of 83. Feyd-Rautha was killed by Paul in a duel. The death of the three men
meant the end of House Harkonnen as a galactic power. But, since
grandson Paul subsequently was named emperor, Vladimir's descendants would long reign as the Imperial House Atreides.
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