Saudir I



Emperor Saudir I was the son of Corrin I and a wise and canny ruler. He was the father of Henoor II, Elrood I and at least one daughter, the wife of Alman I. He is called "Akbar" perhaps because of his negotiations of Spacing Guild which established the Imperium.

History
During his days the House Corrino had not established itself as an Imperium and he was involved in dealings with the Landsraad over a form of a government that would permit both parties to thrive.

Around that time, his empire learned the existence of the Spacing Guild which brought a pause. Saudir integrated the potent new factor of the Guild into his political calculations. He saw three alternatives:
 * deal with the Guild on a basis of mutual advantage;
 * seize control of the Guild for himself;
 * destroy the Guild.

The Sardaukar made the last solution possible, but the potential advantages offered by a return of swift interstellar trade argued against it and the Guild's determination made taking control very difficult. Saudir took into consideration of the Landsraad, who could see the benefits of the Guild although they greatly feared the threat to their feudal governmental structure.

Saudir arranged a great Financial Synod, on Aerarium IV in 10 BG. The Synod closed in 5 BG and soon after CHOAM and the Imperium rose. The Guild offered safe, reliable interstellar voyaging; they swore absolute abstention from politics; and they sweetened the offer by revealing the geriatric properties of melange. In return they asked for a total monopoly on hyperspace transport and a promise from the Imperium to forever respect the secrecy of Tupile. In his wisdom, Saudir saw the advantage of a relief-valve for tensions boiling in the feudal structure he had so delicately balanced. He had already hoped for agreement from the Houses Major that warfare was to be strictly regulated according to the Great Convention.

Now Saudir saw the chance to offer a tangible reward for compliance — the establishment of a haven for defeated houses, a sanctuary in which the survivors would be secure from the threat of extermination. Once the decision of victory or defeat was proclaimed, the signatories of the Convention were bound to end hostilities, and the emperor saw in the Guild a means of assuring compliance. Only the Guild, through its hyperspatial reach, could maintain the secrecy and guarantee the sanctity of such a haven, but only if they were granted the monopoly they asked- His counterproposal to the Guild offered the monopoly in return for their maintenance of the sanctuary, and the Guild accepted.

In 55 AG Saudir experienced a similar dilemma: the secretive Ixians also fearing for their anonymity, made the first move and cautiously sent an ambassador to Saudir I

Saudir was shocked with this new information, but the possibilities became obvious: If a controlled source of technology were available to the Imperial house, the Guild, and the Great Houses, they could have the advantages of machines without their dangers to the sociopolitical system. Any solution, such as any one of the powers of the Imperium seizing control of Ix, would destabilize the Imperium.

The two sides arranged that Ix would remain isolated; the Guild would make certain that no unapproved visitors reached the system of Eridani A. The Ixians would continue to exploit Richese which would become the manufacturing center for Ix. The interests of all parties were served by these balanced concessions.

He was succeeded by his son Henoor, and was remembered as "Akbar". However his death brought a minor feud, between House of Saluso Corrino and House of Alman Corrino, perhaps initiated by his two sons.

Discrepancies
The Prelude to Dune Books name the fourth emperor of the Corrino Empire as Roderick Corrino, brother and not son of his precursor Salvador Corrino.

The picture looks like a higly edited picture of Emperor Franz I of Austria