Vorbarra
Encyclopedia
Vorbarra is a surname in the science fiction
series the Vorkosigan Saga
. It is the surname of the Emperors of Barrayar
and the namesake of the planet.
The emperors of Barrayar have all carried the name Vorbarra. As of the last book in series time, the current Emperor was Emperor Gregor Vorbarra
, son of the deceased Crown Prince Serg Vorbarra, and grandson of the former Emperor Emperor Ezar Vorbarra
.
They are all descendants of Emperor Dorca the Just. Additionally, they are all related to Mad Emperor Yuri.
Note: Aral Vorkosigan
served as Regent for the underage Emperor Gregor Vorbarra
during his minority. This lasted from the Death of Ezar till Gregor turned twenty, some 16 years later.
witnessed Yuri's death squad execute his mother and other relatives when Emperor Yuri sent a squad to kill the Vorkosigan descendents of Prince Xav, Yuri's half-brother.
Following the murder of Aral's mother, Aral's father, Count Piotr Vorkosigan, joined forces with Ezar Vorbarra in opposition to Emperor Yuri, beginning what would become known as Emperor Yuri's Civil War. When Yuri was finally captured, Ezar orchestrated an elaborate execution for him in which the principal members of the insurgence collectively dismembered Yuri, with young Aral striking the first blow.
- Reign (unknown till Aral Vorkosigan
was roughly 11 years old.)
, father of Gregor Vorbarra
, killed in battle before his father's death.
's mother; the other was Lord Padma Vorpatril
's mother.
, and the wife of Crown Prince Serg. Prior to her husband's death she encouraged a not-entirely platonic relationship with Count Vidal Vordarian, hoping that upon the death of her father-in-law, Emperor Ezar Vorbarra
, Count Vordarian would be able to protect her from her husband Serg's cruelty and depravities.
Upon the death of Prince Serg, Count Vordarian first sought to insinuate himself into power through his open courtship of the now Dowager Crown Princess Kareen. Kareen for her part, sought to let the relationship cool, as she no longer needed protection from her husband.
When Emperor Ezar died, Count Vordarian first sought to again exploit his relationship with Kareen to have himself appointed as Regent
of Barrayar. When Aral Vorkosigan
, Ezar's choice, was appointed by the Council of Counts, Vordarian and his conservative Vor allies fomented a coup d'état
, since called Vordarian's Pretendership
, in which he seized the Imperial Residence and sought to marry Kareen and have himself declared Regent for her son, the child-emperor Gregor. Loyalists were able to rescue Gregor from the residence, although Vordarian led Kareen to believe he had been killed in the attempt. At that point, Vordarian declared himself Emperor, and compelled Kareen to share his bed, with the intentions of marrying her to cement his claim to the throne.
Kareen was killed by a guard loyal to Vordarian when Cordelia Naismith
was able to gain entry into the Imperial Residence and convince Kareen that her son had survived, at which point the emotionally wrought Kareen leveled a weapon at Vordarian.
Princess Kareen was described as pale, even wan, woman with a slender frame, dark eyes and beautiful dark hair that was always highly coiffed and elegant. She was in her early thirties at the time of her death.
Ludmilla "Drou" Droushnakovi was her personal bodyguard before Kareen transferred her services to Cordelia Vorkosigan. "Drou"'s daughter Kareen is named after the Princess.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
series the Vorkosigan Saga
Vorkosigan Saga
The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of science fiction novels and short stories set in a common fictional universe by American author Lois McMaster Bujold. Most of these were published between 1986 and 2002, with the exceptions being “Winterfair Gifts” and Cryoburn...
. It is the surname of the Emperors of Barrayar
Barrayar
Barrayar is a science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold. It was first published as four installments in Analog in July–October 1991, and then published in book form by Baen Books in October 1991. Barrayar won both the Hugo Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel...
and the namesake of the planet.
The emperors of Barrayar have all carried the name Vorbarra. As of the last book in series time, the current Emperor was Emperor Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra is the Emperor of the Barrayaran Imperium in the sci-fi series the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.As of CryoBurn, Gregor Vorbarra is the current Emperor of Barrayar...
, son of the deceased Crown Prince Serg Vorbarra, and grandson of the former Emperor Emperor Ezar Vorbarra
Ezar Vorbarra
Ezar Vorbarra is a minor character in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.Ezar Vorbarra was the Emperor of Barrayar during the time of the novel Shards of Honor. His son, Crown Prince Serg, was killed during the Escobar War , leaving five-year-old Prince Gregor as the only...
.
They are all descendants of Emperor Dorca the Just. Additionally, they are all related to Mad Emperor Yuri.
Emperor Gregor
- Reign (Warrior's Apprentice till present)Note: Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
served as Regent for the underage Emperor Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra is the Emperor of the Barrayaran Imperium in the sci-fi series the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.As of CryoBurn, Gregor Vorbarra is the current Emperor of Barrayar...
during his minority. This lasted from the Death of Ezar till Gregor turned twenty, some 16 years later.
Emperor Ezar
- Reign (end of Mad Emperor Yuri's Reign of Terror till Barrayar)Mad Emperor Yuri
Emperor Yuri acquired his nickname by virtue (or vice) of being an extreme paranoid who was so worried about others stealing his power that he sent death squads to kill everyone within the Imperial Blood Line. Aral VorkosiganAral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
witnessed Yuri's death squad execute his mother and other relatives when Emperor Yuri sent a squad to kill the Vorkosigan descendents of Prince Xav, Yuri's half-brother.
Following the murder of Aral's mother, Aral's father, Count Piotr Vorkosigan, joined forces with Ezar Vorbarra in opposition to Emperor Yuri, beginning what would become known as Emperor Yuri's Civil War. When Yuri was finally captured, Ezar orchestrated an elaborate execution for him in which the principal members of the insurgence collectively dismembered Yuri, with young Aral striking the first blow.
- Reign (unknown till Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
was roughly 11 years old.)
Crown Prince Serg
Son of Emperor Ezar VorbarraEzar Vorbarra
Ezar Vorbarra is a minor character in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.Ezar Vorbarra was the Emperor of Barrayar during the time of the novel Shards of Honor. His son, Crown Prince Serg, was killed during the Escobar War , leaving five-year-old Prince Gregor as the only...
, father of Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra is the Emperor of the Barrayaran Imperium in the sci-fi series the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.As of CryoBurn, Gregor Vorbarra is the current Emperor of Barrayar...
, killed in battle before his father's death.
Xav Vorbarra
Younger son of Emperor Dorca Vorbarra, half-brother to the Mad Emperor Yuri. Diplomat, ambassador to Beta Colony, from where he brought his wife. One of his daughters was Olivia Vorbarra Vorkosigan, General Count Piotr Vorkosigan's wife and Aral VorkosiganAral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
's mother; the other was Lord Padma Vorpatril
Ivan Vorpatril
Taken from its original location as a sidebar to Miles Vorkosigan-Ivan Vorpatril:Captain Lord Ivan Vorpatril, also known as "That Idiot Ivan" or "Ivan, You Idiot" , is a character in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga...
's mother.
Kareen Vorbarra
Crown Princess Kareen was the mother of now (as of Diplomatic Immunity) Emperor GregorGregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra is the Emperor of the Barrayaran Imperium in the sci-fi series the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.As of CryoBurn, Gregor Vorbarra is the current Emperor of Barrayar...
, and the wife of Crown Prince Serg. Prior to her husband's death she encouraged a not-entirely platonic relationship with Count Vidal Vordarian, hoping that upon the death of her father-in-law, Emperor Ezar Vorbarra
Ezar Vorbarra
Ezar Vorbarra is a minor character in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.Ezar Vorbarra was the Emperor of Barrayar during the time of the novel Shards of Honor. His son, Crown Prince Serg, was killed during the Escobar War , leaving five-year-old Prince Gregor as the only...
, Count Vordarian would be able to protect her from her husband Serg's cruelty and depravities.
Upon the death of Prince Serg, Count Vordarian first sought to insinuate himself into power through his open courtship of the now Dowager Crown Princess Kareen. Kareen for her part, sought to let the relationship cool, as she no longer needed protection from her husband.
When Emperor Ezar died, Count Vordarian first sought to again exploit his relationship with Kareen to have himself appointed as Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Barrayar. When Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
, Ezar's choice, was appointed by the Council of Counts, Vordarian and his conservative Vor allies fomented a 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...
, since called Vordarian's Pretendership
Vordarian's Pretendership
Vordarian's Pretendership is a major event in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.-Background:The War of Vordarian's Pretendership occurred in the novel Barrayar. Emperor Ezar had just died; his son Crown Prince Serg had died earlier in the Escobar War, leaving only Ezar's...
, in which he seized the Imperial Residence and sought to marry Kareen and have himself declared Regent for her son, the child-emperor Gregor. Loyalists were able to rescue Gregor from the residence, although Vordarian led Kareen to believe he had been killed in the attempt. At that point, Vordarian declared himself Emperor, and compelled Kareen to share his bed, with the intentions of marrying her to cement his claim to the throne.
Kareen was killed by a guard loyal to Vordarian when Cordelia Naismith
Cordelia Naismith
Cordelia Naismith is the name of two fictional characters by Lois McMaster Bujold. One is the titular character from a Victorian era Sherlock Holmes short story entitled "Adventures of the Lady on the Embankment" included in her anthology Dreamweaver's Dilemma...
was able to gain entry into the Imperial Residence and convince Kareen that her son had survived, at which point the emotionally wrought Kareen leveled a weapon at Vordarian.
Princess Kareen was described as pale, even wan, woman with a slender frame, dark eyes and beautiful dark hair that was always highly coiffed and elegant. She was in her early thirties at the time of her death.
Ludmilla "Drou" Droushnakovi was her personal bodyguard before Kareen transferred her services to Cordelia Vorkosigan. "Drou"'s daughter Kareen is named after the Princess.