Great Convention

The Great Convention was a historic treaty brokered between the Great Houses, the Spacing Guild, and the Imperium shortly after the destruction of the thinking machines. It prohibited the use of atomics against human targets.

Every article of the Great Convention began with the term "The forms must be obeyed...".

The underlying philosophy of the Great Convention was that of human life being precious and superior to all other forms of existence. Its principal guideline is that human life was to be protected. As a result, strict rules were put in place for wars and feuds. Kanly was a principal example of this, as was the War of Assassins.

After the rise of Paul Atreides to the Golden Lion Throne, the influence of the Great Convention lessened. Indeed, less than twenty years into Paul's rule he was blinded when a stone burner was set off in Arrakeen on the planet Arrakis. The culprits were the Tleilaxu and dissident Fremen.

Examples

 * Volume 30, section 6.3
 * By mutual agreement between the Federated Council of the Landsraad and House Corrino, the regulation was designed to prohibit Emperors from taking sides but act as a neutral arbiter; It concerns situations of House-to-House warfare, in which an appeal to the Emperor has been made by one side.
 * The Emperor is required either to render immediate assistance, or convene an emergency Security Council meeting to deal with the matter. If he doesn't, an Ambassador is within his rights to convene the Council himself.


 * Jihad Appendix 19.004
 * In matters involving the Butlerian Jihad and the strictures established thereafter, the Emperor is given additional latitude to make decisions regarding punishment for those who breach the prohibition against thinking machines.

Behind the Scenes
In Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse: Dune, it is mentioned that the Great Convention is still in place, even though the long-established order of the universe was dissolving. However, no mention is made of the stakeholders, or whether the Great Houses still had any influence over it.

Appearances

 * Dune: House Atreides

Великая конвенция