Henli I



Henli I al-Qair was a Bashar who served as Regent after Wallach I, presumably because of his blindness. He was the first of House of al-Qair.

Alkman Atreides petitioned for restoration of the County of Thuestes before him in 381 AG. Henli granted it and thenceforth House Atreides became a House Major as the imperial feudalism developed into a workable system of government.

His regency saw the rebellion of 385 AG when certain houses took exception both to Padishah supremacy and to a proposed division of shares increasing the emperor's votes on the CHOAM board. Those houses saw creeping monopoly, and defied it allying into the Lishash Confederation.

The LC announced its formation with surprise attacks on Sardaukar forts and outposts within what was now claimed as Confederation territory. They managed to take a handful of Sardaukar officers alive. When the LC staff offered their captives as hostages, the Regent Henli replied, "Let them drink blood". This cryptic answer was taken two ways by the captive Sardaukar. They attacked their captors barehanded and died to the attempt. The others tore out their throats with their fingernails.

Henli garnered a great fleet of Landsraad armies to invade the LC planets, spearheaded by Sardaukar shock troops to recapture the forts and outposts. Henli adopted a policy of ruthless assaults followed by the razing of the captured territory. The Sardaukar attacked the planets of Lishash and its allies from widely separated directions. Their major cities were burned, rulers publicly executed and citizens indiscriminately put to the sword.

The LC allies sued for mercy, but without success. Then Landsraad General Tomigh, sickened by the carnage he witnessed, objected to the Regent. He said that maintaining the fighting over a rebellion which is already subdued Henli violates the spirit and the letter of the Great Convention.

Henli told him to either fight or hang, and Tomigh said that he will do neither. Returning to the Landsraad Council he disbanded the Landsraad forces. True to the quick-witted nature of the Sardaukar, Henli did not try to enforce his orders. Caught between the Landsraad and the Lion, he had to satisfy both. Without the Landsraad units, he could end hostilities and blame the concession on the Landsraad. All sides were satisfied, and Corrino supremacy was upheld without more massacre.

His throne was usurped by Saudir III of House Harkonnen