Analysis
Corrin is a planet near the star Sigma Draconis which gave the name to Corrin quasi-nebula and also the battle of 88 BG which brought the Padishah Emperors to the imperial throne. The victor was Sheuset Ecevit, who took the regnal name of Corrino in remembrance of the battle. [1]
One finds, incidentally, that there were two ancient battles fought at Coroneia in mainland Greece on the road from Thebes to Phocis: The first in 447 B.C.E. saw the defeat of the Athenians by the Boeotians; the second in 394 B.C.E., the nominal victory of Agesilaus II, King of Sparta, over the Thebans and their allies.
In the latter battle, Xenophon and others of the legendary Ten Thousand fought on the Spartan side.
Sigma Draconis is relatively close to Old Earth (18.8 light-years)-one might say, in the Sirian Sector. It is interesting that this battle took place so close to mankind's birthplace. The star name of Alsafi is taken from the Arabic Athafiyy, "cooking tripods". It is part of the constellation Draco, the "dragon", which is associated with the obvious mythical monsters, including Tiamat and the dragon which guarded the Golden Fleece.
The alpha star of Draco, called "Thuban", was the Pole Star 4000 years ago (the honor now belonging to Polaris, thanks to the wobble of the Earth's axis). As such, it may have been to this star that the ancient Egyptians aligned some of their temples and pyramids. [Ibid.] Furthermore, the Chinese regarded the stars that revolved around the celestial North Pole and the Pole Star as the heavenly equivalent of their own terrestrial "Middle Kingdom", centered on the Emperor. Perhaps this is why Herbert placed the epochal space battle here.
The home star of Arrakis is also in this constellation, and the Atreides may have their historical origins (ignoring their Homeric genealogical claim) in the Mockmuhl cluster near Upsilon Draconis. [2]And as will be explained, Gamont and Grumman also revolve about a star in Draco.
The Encyclopedist informs us of another planet of Sigma Draconis: Ishkal. The language of this planet provided the word "Shai-Hulud" to the Zensunni ancestors of the Fremen-originally it stood for an extinct but formidable vermiform creature native to Ishkal. [3] Since it is not mentioned in the Dune Chronicles, I have not listed it separately but note its putative existence here.