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This article refers to elements from Expanded Dune Pages for this subject as it appears in other canons:
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Abulurd Rabban - Dune: House Harkonnen #2 (comic)
- "The paintbrush of history has depicted Abulurd Harkonnen in a most unfavorable light. Judged by the standards of his older half-brother, Baron Vladimir, and his own children Glossu Rabban and Feyd-Rautha Rabban, Abulurd was a different sort of man entirely. We must, however, assess the frequent descriptions of his weakness, incompetence, and foolhardy decisions in light of the ultimate failure of House Harkonnen. Though exiled to Lankiveil and stripped of any real power, Abulurd secured a victory unmatched by anyone else in his extended family: He learned how to be happy with his life."
- ― Landsraad Encyclopedia of Great Houses, post-Jihad edition[src]
Abulurd Rabban (10000s AG - 10174 AG), born as Abulurd Harkonnen II, was the son of Baron Dmitri Harkonnen and his wife Daphne Harkonnen. He was the half-brother of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
Biography[]
Abulurd was the preferred son of his father, and was granted control of House Harkonnen upon his death. Specifically, he gained control of the Arrakis fief, and took over daily spice operations on behalf of Padishah Emperor Elrood IX.
Peaceful and soft-hearted, Abulurd lacked the drive and brutality common with his Harkonnen relatives, and after a disastrous spell on Arrakis that saw spice production shrink and disorder and corruption increase, his responsibilities were passed to his older half-brother, Vladimir. Abulurd was sent in disgrace to Lankiveil near Tula Fjord, where he was the planetary governor, and supervised the low-maintenance, self-sustaining whale fur trade.
Abulurd was good-hearted and allowed locals and strangers to wander into his mansion. He also requested that servants and workers eat the same meals as he did, at the same tables. He had gray-blond hair, long to his shoulders, and a seamed, ruddy face.
After Vladimir's rise to power, Abulurd became disgusted with the brutal methods of his half-brother, and petitioned the Landsraad to let him adopt the last name of Rabban, the maiden name of his wife Emmi Rabban. Abulurd and Emmi had two sons together, Glossu and Feyd. Unfortunately for Abulurd, both his sons were taken into the Harkonnen household.
Due to Vladimir's sexual aversion to women, and his need for an heir more capable that the brutish Glossu, the Baron audaciously kidnapped Feyd, Abulurd's infant son, from Lankiveil. Infuriated, Abulurd sought a means of revenge, and found it when he discovered that Vladimir had been secretly using Lankiveil as a personal store of smuggled spice. Abulurd gained retribution by giving away the illegally gained spice to the people of Lankiveil. Enraged by his action, Abulurd's son Glossu strangled his own father to death, thereby earning the name "The Beast Rabban".
Behind the scenes[]
- In The Dune Encyclopedia Abulurds wife is named Thora Rabban instead of Emmi.His parents are named Gunseng Harkonnen and Gunella Sorvag instead of Dmitri Harkonnen and Daphne Rabban.
- While Baron Harkonnen was pleased with the Glossu's actions and the traits he showed when killing Abulurd, he disliked how Glossu did it to cover up his own stupidity. Baron punished Glossu to teach him the lesson to not kill people for your own mistakes.
Appearances[]
| Preceded by Dmitri Harkonnen |
Governor of Arrakis 10146 AG - 10153 AG |
Succeeded by Vladimir Harkonnen |
| Preceded by Unknown |
Governor of Lankiveil 10153 AG - 10174 AG |
Succeeded by Glossu Rabban Harkonnen (Count of Lankiveil) |