Shaddam Corrino IV

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Shaddam IV, as portrayed by Jose Ferrer in the 1984 Dune movie

Shaddam Corrino IV was the 81st Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe at the time of the ascent of House Atreides.

Early Years

Shaddam Corrino IV was born in the year 10,134 A.G., in the Imperial Opal Palace on Kaitain.

His father was Elrood IX, the 80th Padishah Emperor.

During his childhood as the Imperial Crown Prince and the heir apparent to the Imperial Golden Lion Throne, Shaddam became close friends with his maternal cousin, Count Hasimir Fenring (10,133 - 10,225).

Ascent to the Throne

In year 10,156, Shaddam succeeded his father as the 81st Padishah Emperor and head of Imperial House Corrino, after Elrood IX succumbed to chaumurky. A frequently discredited history of the Corrinos detailed a story that Count Fenring was responsible for poisoning Elrood.

Shaddam married Anirul, a Bene Gesserit of Hidden Rank. Their marriage resulted in the birth of five daughters:

• Irulan Corrino — The eldest daughter of Shaddam and Anirul, and the Imperial Crown Princess and the heiress apparent to the Imperial Golden Lion Throne of the Galactic Padishah Empire.
• Chalice Corrino — The second daughter of Shaddam and Anirul, who died unexpectedly on Kaitain or maybe Salusa Secundus.
• Wensicia Corrino — The third daughter of Shaddam and Anirul, and the former Sovereign Co-regent of the Imperial House Corrino.
• Josifa Corrino - The fourth daughter of Shaddam and Anirul, and the Bene Gesserit Truthsayer of the Landsraad.
• Rugi Corrino - The fifth and youngest daughter of Shaddam and Anirul, and the last Princess of the Imperial House Corrino.

Shaddam's lack of legitimate sons ensured that he was the last ruler of House Corrino.

His wife died at the hands of the Harkonnen mentat named Piter de Vries in order to save the infant Paul Atreides in 10,177 A.G. (non-canon)

Great Spice War

With the Amal project almost completed, Shaddam declared war on all Houses who had illegal spice hoardes. His real intentions were to prevent any Houses from resisting Amal once complete. After througly destroying some scapegoats, he brought a massive Sardauker fleet to Arrakis and almost ordered them to destroy the planet. He was stopped when the Spacing Guild withdrew all Heighliner services temporarily for House Corrino, effectively stranding the Emperor of the Known Universe and the bulk of his forces. non-canon.

The aftermath severly weakend his position. He was forced to take on several CHOAM, Spacing Guild, and Landsaraad advisors and his own Sardaukar lost faith in him.

Ruling the Empire

Shaddam's rule was known primarily for the fall of House Corrino from the Imperial seat after the Arrakis Revolt. Between the years 10,156 - 10,172 A.G., the ranks of bursegs double in number. Provisions for Sardaukar training between the years 10,163 and 10,193 steadily declined.

Most believed that Shaddam dedicated too much time and energy to the pomp and ceremony of the Imperial seat rather than ensuring the stability of his rule.

The Atreides and the Fall of the Corrino Empire

The events leading up Shaddam's fall from power were triggered by the Emperor himself. He reportedly felt threatened by his adoptive cousin, Leto Atreides I, the Duke of House Atreides. This was because Leto was a charismatic and honourable man, and had become very popular in the Landsraad. Moreover, Leto had managed to train a small army under Thufir Hawat, Gurney Halleck and Duncan Idaho well enough to rival the Sardaukar. Consequently, the Emperor conspired with House Harkonnen, longtime rivals of House Atreides.

In secret, however, Shaddam admired his cousin Leto, and had once mentioned to Irulan that he had wished the political climate that necessitated animosity toward the Atreides did not exist. Moreover, Shaddam had secretly wished that Irulan had been old enough to marry Leto, both because he knew Leto to be an honourable and just man who possessed the love of his people, but also because he would have been an ideal choice for succeeding him, especially since Shaddam had no direct male heirs.

Despite his personal feelings for Leto, Shaddam pressured Leto to surrender the fief of his native planet Caladan to Count Hasimir Fenring, and to take over the administration and spice mining operations of Arrakis. House Atreides took control of Arrakis in 10,191.

However, shortly after Leto took control of Arrakis, he and most of his army were soon slain as a result of a combined invasion by Sardaukar and Harkonnen forces. The attack was a success, and Shaddam considered the threat posed by House Atreides to have ended. However, the Lady Jessica, and more importantly her son Paul Atreides survived. They were given sanctuary by the Fremen and as a result of their skills, they eventually rose to their leadership.

By the year 10,193 A.G., the young Duke had managed to lead the Fremen in a battle that defeated the Harkonnen and Sardaukar forces on Arrakis. As a result, they were able to halt the melange trade. Shaddam IV was forced to step down from the throne, and thus end his reign of forty years, and the Imperial reign of House Corrino that had lasted ten thousand years.

In 10,196 AG., Shaddam was effectively exiled to his ancestral planet of Salusa Secundus along with his four younger daughters and Count Hasimir Fenring. Princess Irulan Corrino was named Sovereign Co-regent, but Paul Atreides effectively ruled as Emperor as her husband.

Shaddam Corrino IV died in year 10,202 at the age of 83. Irulan and her sisters suspected that Paul ordered their father be poisoned either through chaumas or chaumurky.

Behind the Scenes

Much of Shaddam's early years were elaborated on through the CANON Dune prequels of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.