Oscar Saint-Just
Encyclopedia
Oscar Saint-Just is a fictional character
in the Honorverse
, a series of military science fiction
novels written by David Weber
. His name is most likely a reference to Louis de Saint-Just
, an important figure in the French Revolution
, who sat in the Comité de Salut Public (Committee of Public Safety)
with Robespierre.
As First Undersecretary for Internal Security, Oscar Saint-Just was the second highest-ranking man in the People's Republic of Haven
's security apparatus. He managed to bring the support of some Internal Security officers to the plot led by Robert S. Pierre and Cordelia Ransom
. Following the murder of Secretary Constance Palmer-Levy, he became the last Secretary for Internal Security of the Legislaturalist regime, aiding in the assassination of Hereditary President Harris.
With Pierre and Ransom, Saint-Just became member of the triumvirate which led the People's Republic under the guise of the Committee of Public Safety. He retained his office of Secretary for Security, and amalgamated the many security and intelligence agencies of the People's Republic into a single organization known as the "Office of State Security", "StateSec" or "SS" for short. He was responsible for the many purges in the military and the Legislaturalist families. Despite these violent acts, Saint-Just was not a bloodthirsty person like Cordelia Ransom; he only approved of these actions because he saw no other way.
Saint-Just was the only member of the Committee of Public Safety to survive the attempted coup by Esther McQueen
; all the other members (except Rob S. Pierre, who was killed by McQueen's troops; Ransom, who had died during Honor Harrington
's escape; and others who had been previously purged) died when Saint-Just ordered the detonation of nuclear devices placed under the Octagon, where they had been imprisoned by McQueen. He then became the last Chairman of the Committee of Public Safety, which had become a committee of one.
When news of the death of Manticoran Prime Minister Allen Summervale reached Haven, Saint-Just offered a truce to Manticore's new government, which accepted it. Distrusting the military, he planned to place it under the direct authority of StateSec and begin a new round of purges, but Admiral Thomas Theisman
launched a successful coup. Theisman, instead of capturing Saint-Just for public judgment in a show trial
, personally shot
the Chairman and paved the way for the reconstruction of the Constitutional Republic under President Eloise Pritchart
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Honorverse
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
, a series of military science fiction
Military science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
novels written by David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
. His name is most likely a reference to Louis de Saint-Just
Louis de Saint-Just
Louis Antoine Léon de Saint-Just , usually known as Saint-Just, was a military and political leader during the French Revolution. The youngest of the deputies elected to the National Convention in 1792, Saint-Just rose quickly in their ranks and became a major leader of the government of the French...
, an important figure in the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, who sat in the Comité de Salut Public (Committee of Public Safety)
Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety , created in April 1793 by the National Convention and then restructured in July 1793, formed the de facto executive government in France during the Reign of Terror , a stage of the French Revolution...
with Robespierre.
As First Undersecretary for Internal Security, Oscar Saint-Just was the second highest-ranking man in the People's Republic of Haven
People's Republic of Haven
The Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
's security apparatus. He managed to bring the support of some Internal Security officers to the plot led by Robert S. Pierre and Cordelia Ransom
Cordelia Ransom
Cordelia Ransom is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. Many people consider her to be analogous to Jean-Paul Marat, an important figure in the French Revolution....
. Following the murder of Secretary Constance Palmer-Levy, he became the last Secretary for Internal Security of the Legislaturalist regime, aiding in the assassination of Hereditary President Harris.
With Pierre and Ransom, Saint-Just became member of the triumvirate which led the People's Republic under the guise of the Committee of Public Safety. He retained his office of Secretary for Security, and amalgamated the many security and intelligence agencies of the People's Republic into a single organization known as the "Office of State Security", "StateSec" or "SS" for short. He was responsible for the many purges in the military and the Legislaturalist families. Despite these violent acts, Saint-Just was not a bloodthirsty person like Cordelia Ransom; he only approved of these actions because he saw no other way.
Saint-Just was the only member of the Committee of Public Safety to survive the attempted coup by Esther McQueen
Esther McQueen
Citizen Admiral Esther McQueen is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber....
; all the other members (except Rob S. Pierre, who was killed by McQueen's troops; Ransom, who had died during Honor Harrington
Honor Harrington
Honor Stephanie Alexander-Harrington is a fictional character, the heroine of a series of military science fiction books set in the "Honorverse", written by David Weber and published by Baen Books....
's escape; and others who had been previously purged) died when Saint-Just ordered the detonation of nuclear devices placed under the Octagon, where they had been imprisoned by McQueen. He then became the last Chairman of the Committee of Public Safety, which had become a committee of one.
When news of the death of Manticoran Prime Minister Allen Summervale reached Haven, Saint-Just offered a truce to Manticore's new government, which accepted it. Distrusting the military, he planned to place it under the direct authority of StateSec and begin a new round of purges, but Admiral Thomas Theisman
Thomas Theisman
Admiral Thomas Edward Theisman is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber...
launched a successful coup. Theisman, instead of capturing Saint-Just for public judgment in a show trial
Show trial
The term show trial is a pejorative description of a type of highly public trial in which there is a strong connotation that the judicial authorities have already determined the guilt of the defendant. The actual trial has as its only goal to present the accusation and the verdict to the public as...
, personally shot
Summary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
the Chairman and paved the way for the reconstruction of the Constitutional Republic under President Eloise Pritchart
Eloise Pritchart
Eloise Pritchart is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. She was introduced in the series' sixth novel, Honor Among Enemies as a People's Commissioner assigned to watch over a leading Havenite admiral.A native of the People's...
.