Thomas Theisman
Encyclopedia
Admiral Thomas Edward Theisman is a fictional character
in the Honorverse
, a series of military science fiction
novels written by David Weber
. He first appeared as a starship commander in The Honor of the Queen
, the series' second novel, and gradually became one of the leading antagonists of the series.
Theisman became one of the first Havenite characters to be depicted as noble and sympathetic, despite serving the nation which is at war against the protagonist Honor Harrington
's native Star Kingdom of Manticore
. He is sometimes thought to have been inspired by the french general and revolutionary Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
, sharing a comparable deep attachment to the principles of their respective Republics, as well as disdain for prominent and public positions of political power.
Thomas Theisman was born on Haven
to an unmarried Dolist teenager whom he never knew, and spent his childhood in a state-run créche. He joined the People's Navy immediately after high school.
By the time of the second novel of the series, The Honor of the Queen
, and having reached the rank of Commander, Theisman was sent to the theocratic star nation of Masada to serve as a "loaner" to the Masadan Navy, in order to command the destroyer Principality for the Masadans as part of a proxy war against their neighboring world and rival, Grayson, which in turn was being courted by Haven's main rival, the Star Kingdom of Manticore
. After serving with the Masadans for a brief period, and having witnessed the brutal treatment inflicted by them to a group of Manticoran prisoners, Commander Theisman was defeated in battle and captured by Captain Honor Harrington
, but was later returned to the People's Republic.
Theisman continued his career during the following years, commanding a heavy cruiser during the opening stages of the war with Manticore
, as depicted in the series' third novel, The Short Victorious War
. After Rob S. Pierre's coup, which placed the People's Republic under the dictatorship of the Committee of Public Safety, he quickly rose to the rank of Rear Admiral -mainly due to the regime's policy of shooting defeated fleet commanders-, and commanded a task force during the Fourth Battle of Yeltsin in a second attempt to conquer Grayson, narrowly avoiding a battle with Honor Harrington when the operation was disrupted (Flag in Exile
).
Admiral Theisman was later given command of the Havenite forces at the Seabring system, where he successfully repelled a Manticoran attack, a victory which earmarked him for promotion and command of the major Havenite base at the Barnett System. It was during his tenure at Barnett that he had to deal with the capture of Honor Harrington by one of his subordinate commanders, Rear Admiral Lester Tourville
, and where he gained firsthand insight into the brutal nature of the Committee of Public Safety's regime, as he witnessed first hand the torture and humiliation of Harrington and other Manticoran captives inflicted and ordered by one of the Committee's leaders, Committeewoman Cordelia Ransom
(In Enemy Hands
).
Despite serving nations at war with each other, both he and Honor Harrington
mutually respect each other as leaders of men and highly capable military commanders. Theisman has also garnered the respect of many of his subordinate admirals, such as Lester Tourville
. Unlike Esther McQueen
, another top Havenite admiral, he was not viewed as dangerously ambitious by the Committee of Public Safety, largely because his People's Commissioner (Denis LePic) was concealing Theisman's growing discontent with the tyrannical Havenite regime. In the eyes of the Committee, Theisman was regarded as a military professional with no political ambitions whatsoever, and thus he could be entrusted with important assignments.
After Admiral McQueen's death during an attempted coup against the Committee (as shown in the ninth novel, Ashes of Victory
and the short story Nightfall
), Admiral Theisman was recalled from Barnett and appointed as Commander of Capital Fleet, the Havenite Navy's military command responsible for defending the planet Haven itself. After securing the support of fellow discontent admirals, Theisman launched a successful coup d'état
and personally killed the dictator Oscar Saint-Just
, thus ending the rule of the People's Republic of Haven
. It is said that he restored the honor of the People's Navy.
Refusing to put Haven under a military dictatorship, Admiral Theisman turned down the offer of the Presidency of the restored Republic of Haven, instead letting Eloise Pritchart
take that position. For his part, he reestablished the post of the Chief of Naval Operations (the senior uniformed officer of the reborn Republican Navy), holding both that position and the position of Secretary of War (mentioned as past events by the time of the tenth novel of the series, War of Honor
).
As Haven's Secretary of War and senior military officer, Theisman presided over the reconstruction of the Havenite Navy, which had been devastated and technologically outclassed after the ten-year-long war with Manticore, as well as leading the Navy in a bitter civil war to defeat the remnants of the People's Republic. Despite personally opposing a renewed war against Manticore, Admiral Theisman planned and executed the surprise attack which reignited the war between the two star nations, and has commanded the Havenite Navy ever since (War of Honor
and At All Costs
).
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"....
. He first appeared as a starship commander in The Honor of the Queen
The Honor of the Queen
The Honor of the Queen is David Weber's second Honor Harrington novel. In the story, Honor goes on a mission to bring the religiously conservative, sexist world Grayson onto the Manticorans' side in preparation for the inevitable war with Haven....
, the series' second novel, and gradually became one of the leading antagonists of the series.
Theisman became one of the first Havenite characters to be depicted as noble and sympathetic, despite serving the nation which is at war against the protagonist 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 native Star Kingdom of Manticore
Star Kingdom of Manticore
The Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
. He is sometimes thought to have been inspired by the french general and revolutionary Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , often known as simply Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France...
, sharing a comparable deep attachment to the principles of their respective Republics, as well as disdain for prominent and public positions of political power.
Thomas Theisman was born on 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....
to an unmarried Dolist teenager whom he never knew, and spent his childhood in a state-run créche. He joined the People's Navy immediately after high school.
By the time of the second novel of the series, The Honor of the Queen
The Honor of the Queen
The Honor of the Queen is David Weber's second Honor Harrington novel. In the story, Honor goes on a mission to bring the religiously conservative, sexist world Grayson onto the Manticorans' side in preparation for the inevitable war with Haven....
, and having reached the rank of Commander, Theisman was sent to the theocratic star nation of Masada to serve as a "loaner" to the Masadan Navy, in order to command the destroyer Principality for the Masadans as part of a proxy war against their neighboring world and rival, Grayson, which in turn was being courted by Haven's main rival, the Star Kingdom of Manticore
Star Kingdom of Manticore
The Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
. After serving with the Masadans for a brief period, and having witnessed the brutal treatment inflicted by them to a group of Manticoran prisoners, Commander Theisman was defeated in battle and captured by Captain 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....
, but was later returned to the People's Republic.
Theisman continued his career during the following years, commanding a heavy cruiser during the opening stages of the war with Manticore
Star Kingdom of Manticore
The Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
, as depicted in the series' third novel, The Short Victorious War
The Short Victorious War
The Short Victorious War is the third Honor Harrington novel by David Weber. Its title comes from a quotation by Vyacheslav von Plehve in reference to the Russo-Japanese War: "What this country needs is a short, victorious war to stem the tide of revolution." That quotation is one of the novel's...
. After Rob S. Pierre's coup, which placed the People's Republic under the dictatorship of the Committee of Public Safety, he quickly rose to the rank of Rear Admiral -mainly due to the regime's policy of shooting defeated fleet commanders-, and commanded a task force during the Fourth Battle of Yeltsin in a second attempt to conquer Grayson, narrowly avoiding a battle with Honor Harrington when the operation was disrupted (Flag in Exile
Flag in Exile
Flag in Exile is the fifth Honor Harrington novel by David Weber. In the story, the disgraced Honor enters a self-imposed exile on Grayson.- Plot summary :...
).
Admiral Theisman was later given command of the Havenite forces at the Seabring system, where he successfully repelled a Manticoran attack, a victory which earmarked him for promotion and command of the major Havenite base at the Barnett System. It was during his tenure at Barnett that he had to deal with the capture of Honor Harrington by one of his subordinate commanders, Rear Admiral Lester Tourville
Lester Tourville
Admiral Lester Tourville is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. His first appearance takes place during the series' seventh novel, In Enemy Hands, and he has continued to appear in all the following novels of the fictional...
, and where he gained firsthand insight into the brutal nature of the Committee of Public Safety's regime, as he witnessed first hand the torture and humiliation of Harrington and other Manticoran captives inflicted and ordered by one of the Committee's leaders, Committeewoman 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....
(In Enemy Hands
In Enemy Hands
In Enemy Hands is a military science fiction novel, the seventh in the Honor Harrington series by David Weber, and was first published in 1996. Like most novels in the series, its text is available in the Baen Free Library.- Plot summary :...
).
Despite serving nations at war with each other, both he and 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....
mutually respect each other as leaders of men and highly capable military commanders. Theisman has also garnered the respect of many of his subordinate admirals, such as Lester Tourville
Lester Tourville
Admiral Lester Tourville is a fictional character in the Honorverse, a series of military science fiction novels written by David Weber. His first appearance takes place during the series' seventh novel, In Enemy Hands, and he has continued to appear in all the following novels of the fictional...
. Unlike 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....
, another top Havenite admiral, he was not viewed as dangerously ambitious by the Committee of Public Safety, largely because his People's Commissioner (Denis LePic) was concealing Theisman's growing discontent with the tyrannical Havenite regime. In the eyes of the Committee, Theisman was regarded as a military professional with no political ambitions whatsoever, and thus he could be entrusted with important assignments.
After Admiral McQueen's death during an attempted coup against the Committee (as shown in the ninth novel, Ashes of Victory
Ashes of Victory
-Plot summary:The book begins hours after the end of the previous novel. Honor Harrington and her "Elysian Space Navy" arrive at Manticoran-controlled space, only to discover that she was believed dead, that her mother had given birth to twins , her cousin Devon has inherited her Manticoran title,...
and the short story Nightfall
Changer of Worlds
Changer of Worlds, published in 2001, was the third anthology of stories set in the Honorverse.-Contents:The book contains the following stories :Ms...
), Admiral Theisman was recalled from Barnett and appointed as Commander of Capital Fleet, the Havenite Navy's military command responsible for defending the planet Haven itself. After securing the support of fellow discontent admirals, Theisman launched a successful coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and personally killed the dictator Oscar Saint-Just
Oscar Saint-Just
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 with Robespierre.As First...
, thus ending the rule of 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....
. It is said that he restored the honor of the People's Navy.
Refusing to put Haven under a military dictatorship, Admiral Theisman turned down the offer of the Presidency of the restored Republic of Haven, instead letting 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...
take that position. For his part, he reestablished the post of the Chief of Naval Operations (the senior uniformed officer of the reborn Republican Navy), holding both that position and the position of Secretary of War (mentioned as past events by the time of the tenth novel of the series, War of Honor
War of Honor
War of Honor is a science fiction novel by David Weber, his tenth Honor Harrington novel. It was first published in 2002.-Plot summary:Five years have passed since a truce was reached between Manticore and Haven, but there is still no formal peace treaty...
).
As Haven's Secretary of War and senior military officer, Theisman presided over the reconstruction of the Havenite Navy, which had been devastated and technologically outclassed after the ten-year-long war with Manticore, as well as leading the Navy in a bitter civil war to defeat the remnants of the People's Republic. Despite personally opposing a renewed war against Manticore, Admiral Theisman planned and executed the surprise attack which reignited the war between the two star nations, and has commanded the Havenite Navy ever since (War of Honor
War of Honor
War of Honor is a science fiction novel by David Weber, his tenth Honor Harrington novel. It was first published in 2002.-Plot summary:Five years have passed since a truce was reached between Manticore and Haven, but there is still no formal peace treaty...
and At All Costs
At All Costs
-Plot summary:Due to the actions of the High Ridge government in War of Honor, which led to a successful attack on key Alliance shipyards by the Republic of Haven, the Star Kingdom of Manticore finds itself decidedly on the short end of the strategic balance between the two warring star nations...
).