Sardaukar
The Sardaukar are an army that features in the Dune universe.
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History
The Sardaukar were an elite fighting force that came to serve in the Old Empire.
In the year 10191 AG, the 81st Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV decreed that Duke Leto Atreides be placed in control of the desert planet Arrakis and supervise the harvesting of the spice melange. However, in reality, the emperor had become threatened of the rising power and influence of House Atreides and had devised this move an attempt to eliminate this rival. Duke Leto was aware of this and knew that the appointment to Arrakis was a trap as failure to meet or exceed the production volume of their predecessors the vicious House Harkonnen would negatively affect the financial and political position of the Atreides. The very presence of the Atreides on Arrakis inflamed the 10,000-year-old feud between Houses Atreides and Harkonnen. As part of this, the Harkonnen's arranged to conduct a sneak attack on Arrakis to eliminate their hated rivals and were bolstered by two legions of Sardaukar in Harkonnen colors and made possible by a traitor on the inside, results in the obliteration of the Atreides forces and the death of Leto. Leto's concubine, Lady Jessica, and son, Paul, escape and find refuge with the native Fremen of Arrakis, a fierce people with secretly large numbers and fighting skills rivaling those of the Sardaukar. The Fremen prove capable of holding their own against the Sardaukar and are even able to defeat and capture the "undefeatable" Emperor's soldiers. Paul's training in Bene Gesserit martial arts and galvanization of their rebellion under his command make the newly allied Fremen forces unstoppable.
Using the Bene Gesserit compulsion technique called the Voice, Paul himself manages to compel the Sardaukar Captain Aramsham to humiliate himself by surrendering. However, Aramsham's Sardaukar stoicism was so great that he would not even give his name until Paul uses the Voice again. Aramsham, the epitome of a loyal soldier, finally submits to his sworn enemy, symbolically sealing the doom of the old Corrino order. When, following the Battle of Arrakeen, Paul tells a captured Sardaukar officer (of the "blond, chisel-featured caste" said to be "synonymous with rank" in the Sardaukar) to bring a message to the Emperor, he at first stoically ignores Paul; only Paul's warning that "your Emperor may die" causes the captured officer to agree to take the message. The defeat of the Sardaukar and Paul's stranglehold on the spice supply allows him to depose Shaddam, marry his eldest daughter Princess Irulan, and ascend the throne. Paul indicates that he would order the restoration of the ecology of Salusa Secundus as part of his plan to exile Shaddam and his family to the devastated world
Overview
In appearance, the Imperial Sardaukar were soldier-fanatics who typically wore uniforms and helmets of grey and black with gold trimming. They tended to wear their hair long which was taken as a sign of arrogance by those who beheld them. It was noted that they had a distinct combat style which allowed them to be recognised easily by their opponents.
These warriors were loyal to the Padishah Emperors of House Corrino, who have ruled the Known Universe of the Imperium for over 10,000 years. The key to House Corrino's hold on the Imperial throne, the Sardaukar troops were the foremost soldiers in the universe and were feared by all. They were secretly trained on the inhospitable Imperial Prison Planet of Salusa Secundus whose harsh conditions ensured that only the strongest and most ferocious men survived. Sardaukar training emphasizes ruthlessness, near-suicidal disregard for personal safety, and the use of cruelty as a standard weapon in order to weaken opponents with terror.
Members were raised from a young age in a ferocious natural environment that saw almost half their number die before reaching the age of 11. Their intense training afforded them formidable swordmanship and espionage abilities as well as instilled within them religious fervor.
Their military hierarchy was divided into a number of ranks that included:
- Burseg : equivalent of a Commanding General or Field Marshal.
- Supreme Bashar :
- Bashar : equivalent of a Colonel.
- Caid :
Their uniforms are described as gray with silver and gold trim
Members
- Zum Garon : the Sardaukar Supreme Bashar of the Corrino Empire during the reigns of Emperors Elrood IX and Shaddam IV.
- Aramsham : a Sardaukar Captain who infiltrated Gurney Halleck's crew of spice smugglers with the intention of assassinating Paul Atreides but was discredited in the Arrakis Revolt of 10193 AG.
- Tyekanik : a Sardaukar officer who served House Corrino after Emperor Shaddam IV was deposed by Paul Atreides.
Notes
- The Sardaukar were created by Frank Herbert and feature in his Dune universe.
- The non-canonical The Dune Encyclopedia (1984) stated that the Sardaukar's origins came from the Sardau tribe of warriors that inhabited Salusa Secundus who became an expansionist planetary empire that forced the Houses of the Landsraad to make their leader Emperor thus leading to the formation of the Imperial House Corrino.
In other media
Television
- In Frank Herbert's Dune, the Sardaukar appeared in the setting of the 2000 live-action television mini-series.
Films
- In Dune , the Sardaukar appeared in the setting of the 1984 live-action film. They were shown as the elite fighting force of Padishah Emperor Corrino who came to fear the growing political power of Duke Leto Atreides. To curtail his rising power, he had him assigned to serve as custodian of Arrakis but in reality the Emperor had allied with House Harkonnen to eliminate him. As a result, after the Atreides went to Arrakeen, they were ambushed in the middle of the night by House Harkonnen and assisted by Sardaukar infantry. The Sardaukar would massacre the Atreides defenders thus bringing the downfall of the House with Duke Leto Atreides being killed following treachery from his own ranks.
- In Dune, the Sardaukar appeared in the setting of the 2021 remake live-action film.
Video games
- In Dune 2000, the Sardaukar were the forces of Emperor Corrino and not playable except by House Harkonnen by the end. They served as the most elite of combat infantry that were highly expensive but also highly effective. Their rapid fire weapons did heavy damage to any target and they were heavily armored making them survive attackers except for being run over by vehicles.
- In Emperor: Battle for Dune, the Sardaukar feature as one of the sub-factions available to players after their palace was built after allying with them. Standard infantry were equipped with heavy armor and a mini-chain gun that did heavy damage to any target. Another unit available were the Sardaukar Elite that were even more armored, had a medium ranged lasgun that devastated vehicles and had a combat knife to eliminate enemy infantry at close range.
Appearances
- Dune:
External Links
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