17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 1/7

Soldiers of House Atreides, preceded

by the green and black Atreides

family banner.

Paul Atreides, as portrayed by Kyle

MacLachlan in David Lynch's Dune

(1984).

House AtreidesFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

House Atreides /əˈtreɪdiːz/[1] is a fictional noble family from the Dune universecreated by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empireknown as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It issuggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line is the mythological GreekHouse of Atreus. In Homer's Iliad, the brothers Agamemnon and Menelaus are dubbed"the Atreides," or, sons of Atreus.

House Atreides rules the water planet of Caladan, employing noble spirit, just ways andvirtue in its endeavors. Also proficient in war, the family has even developed an Atreidesbattle language (in the 1984 film version, this language is presented as a system of handsignals; the novels also include a spoken language). The colors of House Atreides are green and black, and their symbol is a redhawk.

Contents

1 The original series

1.1 Dune

1.2 Dune Messiah

1.3 Children of Dune

1.4 God Emperor of Dune

1.5 Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune

2 Prelude to Dune

3 Mythological origins

4 Atreides family tree

5 The Atreides in the Dune games

6 References

The original series

Dune

At the time of the original novel Dune (1965), House Atreides is led by the DukeLeto Atreides I. His concubine is the Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica; she had beeninstructed by her order to bear only female children as part of their breedingprogram, but out of love for Leto, she bore him a son: Paul Atreides. Thisseemingly innocuous choice would drastically change the course of humanity

forever.[2]

A millennia-long feud exists between the Atreides and the decadent HouseHarkonnen, who have essentially bought their status while the Atreides are related

to the Emperor by blood.[3] The fact that an Atreides once had a Harkonnenbanished for cowardice in ancient times is still bitterly remembered some 10,000

years later.[3] The Atreides are lured to the desert planet Arrakis under the

pretense of taking over the spice-mining operation there.[2] The spice is the mostvaluable commodity in the universe — it makes interstellar travel possible, extendslife and can unlock dormant abilities in the Bene Gesserit — and Arrakis is its only

known source.[2] But Leto and his family are caught in a plot to destroy them, orchestrated by the Baron Harkonnen and Padishah

17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 2/7

Alia Atreides, portrayed by Daniela Amavia

in the Children of Dune miniseries (2003).

Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV himself, who is threatened by Leto's rising power and influence.[2]

An attack on the Atreides, assisted by a Harkonnen traitor in their midst and the Imperial Sardaukar soldier-fanatics, results inLeto's death. Paul and Jessica flee into the desert and are presumed dead; they find a place with the native Fremen, who believePaul is their prophesied messiah, the Mahdi. Jessica gives birth to Leto's daughter, Alia; whom the Bene Gesserit call anAbomination because Jessica, while still pregnant, underwent the ritual spice agony, thus inadvertently awakening Alia to fullconsciousness in the womb. Paul himself decides to go through the spice agony to test whether he may be the Kwisatz Haderach,and succeeds. As a result of Jessica's earlier choice to have a son, the goal of the Bene Gesserit breeding program; the KwisatzHaderach was born a generation early, went unnoticed and lived outside of the Sisterhood's control. Soon Paul is able to amass anarmy of Fremen, their fierce fighting skills enhanced by training in the Bene Gesserit weirding way. He and his Fremen concubineChani have a son they call Leto, but the boy is killed in infancy as the battle for Arrakis intensifies. Now called Muad'Dib, Paulleads the Fremen forces to victory over the Emperor's Sardaukar on Arrakis, and by threatening the destruction of all spice

production manages to depose Shaddam and ascend the throne in his place.[2]

Dune Messiah

Over a decade later in Dune Messiah (1969), Emperor Paul remains in a political marriage with Shaddam's eldest daughter,Princess Irulan, and has yet to beget another child with his true love Chani. His rule is threatened by a conspiracy spun by the othermajor powers in the Imperium: the Bene Gesserit, the Spacing Guild, the Bene Tleilax, Irulan herself and even some of the Fremen.All have reasons to resent his stranglehold on the universe and the jihad it has unleashed. Paul lets these plots play out and managesto keep his Empire intact, but not without a price; he is blinded by the explosion of a stone burner, and Chani dies giving birth tohis only heirs, the twins Leto II and Ghanima. Paul disappears into the desert, in accordance with Fremen custom for the blind,leaving Alia as Imperial Regent and guardian of his son and daughter.

Children of Dune

In Children of Dune (1976), Leto II and Ghanima are uncertain of the future. Nineyears old but mature beyond their years due to their also being pre-born, the pairmaneuver around the ever-increasing machinations of their aunt Alia, who is slowlybut surely succumbing to Abomination. Alia herself is wary of the Lady Jessica,returned from Caladan with questionable intentions. The ego-memory of the evilBaron Harkonnen, Jessica's secret father, seduces Alia from within, promising hishelp in fighting off the multitude of ancestral personalities struggling for control.Soon, however, he himself has possessed her. Alia's subsequent attempt toeliminate her mother — as well as a Corrino plot to assassinate the twins — setsoff a Fremen rebellion and puts the religion of Muad'Dib in turmoil. As Leto's eyesare opened to the Golden Path that will save humanity, a mysterious blind manknown as The Preacher appears to undermine Alia and her priests in the eyes ofthe people. He, of course, is Paul Atreides. Leto sacrifices his humanity and, for thesake of the survival of the human race, chooses to accept transformation into asandworm, the fearsome giant beasts of Arrakis which actually control the spice

cycle. He delves into a pool of sandtrout, which form a living skin around him; his resulting body is superhuman, becoming nearlyinvulnerable, capable of tremendous speed and possessing the strength of many men. Paul is killed, but Leto's ascension is nowguaranteed. Alia, fully fallen into madness, manages to regain control of her body long enough to leap out a high window to herdeath. Leto weds his sister Ghanima in a political union to consolidate power; unable to father children, he instead intends for herto take Farad'n Corrino as a mate. This union will produce a long bloodline, which Leto will manipulate in his own breedingprogram to achieve the goals of his Golden Path.

God Emperor of Dune

Over 3,500 years later, a seemingly-immortal Leto is the title character in God Emperor of Dune (1981). Known as the Tyrant,he has dominated humanity to a breaking point; he himself has become a full human-worm hybrid, immense in size and physicallymore sandworm than human. His breeding program has resulted in the birth of Siona Atreides (daughter of Moneo), whopossesses unique genes that make her invisible to prescience. Ready to let the final stage of his Golden Path play itself out, Letoallows Siona's plan to assassinate him to unfold. He dies, leaving Siona and the latest Duncan Idaho ghola continue the Atreidesline and pass on Siona's precious genes.

Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune

17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 3/7

The Dukes Atreides

Name Reign

Miklos Atreides[4] Unknown

Kean Atreides[5] Unknown

Paulus Atreides ??? - 10,156 A.G.

Leto Atreides I 10,140 - 10,191 A.G.

Emperor

Paul Atreides

10,191 - 10,209 A.G.

Imperial Regent

Alia Atreides

10,209 - 10,219 A.G.

Leto Atreides II

"The God Emperor"

10,219 - 13,728 A.G.

Abolition of Ducal and Imperial thrones

Another 1,500 years passes; in the interim, humanity has been thrown into chaos. The breakdown of Leto's empire, severe famineon many worlds and the introduction of Ixian navigation machines have caused billions of people to leave the settled worlds,striking off into unknown space in a diaspora known as the Scattering. This resettlement was one of Leto's goals for humanity'sultimate survival: the exponential growth in human numbers and colonized planets, combined with the dissemination of Siona'sgenes which render their bearer invisible to prescience, ensuring humanity's survival by making it impossible for any one force totrack down every human in the universe or to control them all through prescience (which forces the future to happen according tothe vision of the prescient).

In Heretics of Dune (1984), one descendant of Siona Atreides is Miles Teg, renowned commander of the military forces of theBene Gesserit, who bears a remarkable resemblance to his ancestor, Duke Leto I. Teg's secret daughter is Darwi Odrade (avariant on Atreides), a Bene Gesserit sister who eventually becomes Mother Superior of the Sisterhood during their ongoingstruggle with the fierce Honored Matres.

1985's Chapterhouse: Dune finds the Tleilaxu Master Scytale a prisoner of the Bene Gesserit; one of his secret bargaining chipsis a nullentropy capsule containing cells carefully and secretly collected by the Tleilaxu for millennia. These cells include those ofPaul Atreides, Duke Leto Atreides and Leto II, Lady Jessica, Chani and other legendary figures.

Prelude to Dune

The prequel trilogy Prelude to Dune (1999–2001) by Brian Herbert and Kevin J.Anderson chronicles the upbringing of young Leto I prior to the events of Dune. Sonto Duke Paulus Atreides (born 10,089 A.G.) and Lady Helena (born 10,095A.G.), Leto makes a lifelong friend in Rhombur Vernius, son of Paulus' own longtimeally, Earl Dominic of the doomed House Vernius of Ix.

Icy and religious Lady Helena, daughter of Count Ilban of House Richese, is unhappywith the alliance; Richese and Ix are rivals in the production of complex machinery,and she believes the Ixians often flout the sacred proscriptions of the Butlerian Jihad,which prohibit the creation of machines "in the likeness of the human mind." Helenaplots against her husband, hoping to rule through her son; she arranges for a Salusanbull to be drugged to make it stronger and more savage, knowing that skilledbullfighter Paulus is set to meet it in the ring. Paulus is killed, and soon Leto'ssuspicions of his mother's involvement are proven correct. Preferring to have herexecuted, he instead banishes her to the Sisters of Isolation, knowing it is in the bestinterest of the people that no one ever knows of her treachery.

Mythological origins

In the original novels, House Atreides claims descent from Agamemnon, a son of Atreus, in Greek mythology. The descendants ofAtreus are called "Atreides" (plural "Atreidai", Latinized as "Atreidae") in the Greek language. This royal house included manysignificant figures in Greek myth.

In the Brian Herbert/Kevin J. Anderson Legends of Dune novels, the Atreides family line goes back to the Greeks on Old Earth.Vorian Atreides was the thirteenth son of the Titan Agamemnon, one of the twenty Titans who conquered the Old Empire, andwas a Human Trustee in Omnius' Machine Empire. He began the family house of the Atreides and was Muad'Dib's ancestor.

Atreides family tree

The following family tree assembles information from Frank Herbert's original novels as well as the prequel series Legends ofDune, Schools of Dune, and Prelude to Dune.

Atreus

AgamemnonB. CIRCA 1200

B.C.

17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 4/7

Agamemnon(Cymek)

(born AndrewSkouros)

CIRCA 1300 -

88 B.G.

LeronicaTergiet

201 - 108B.G.

VorianAtreides

B. 223 B.G.

Karida Julan

HylaD. 5 B.G.

AndrosD. 5 B.G.

Estes VazzB. 173 B.G.

Kagin VazzB. 173 B.G.

MariellaAtreides

D. 5 B.G.

HelminaBerto-AnirulD. 115 B.G.

BondaAtreides

Clar Atreides Oren Atreides

RaquellaBerto-AnirulB. 137 B.G.

HouseVernius

HouseRichese

HouseCorrino

Arlett

MiklosAtreides

Yvette Hagal10,024 -

10,075 A.G.

ElroodCorrino IX

9,999 -10,156 A.G.

Dorotea

Kean Atreides Ilban Richese

EdwinaCorrino10,070 -

10,123 A.G.

HouseHarkonnen

BeneGesserit

PaulusAtreides10,089 -

10,156 A.G.

HelenaRichese

B. 10,095A.G.

VladimirHarkonnen10,110 -

10,193 A.G.

Tanidia Nerus(Gaius Helen

Mohiam)D. 10,207

A.G.

KaileaVernius

D. 10,174A.G.

Leto AtreidesI

10,140 -10,191 A.G.

Lady Jessica10,154 -

10,256 A.G.

17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 5/7

Emblem of House Atreides from

Emperor: Battle for Dune.

VictorAtreides10,168 -

10,174 A.G.

Paul Atreides10,176 -

10,219 A.G.

ChaniD. 10,207

A.G.

Alia Atreides10,191 -

10,219 A.G.

Leto Atreides(10,193 -

10,195 A.G.)

Leto AtreidesII

10,207 -13,728 A.G.

GhanimaAtreides

B. 10,207A.G.

Farad'nCorrino

B. 10,198A.G.

MoneoAtreides13,610-

13,728 A.G.

Duncan Idaho Siona

Atreides

Miles Teg

Darwi Odrade

The Atreides in the Dune games

House Atreides has been featured in all of the Dune computer games:

17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 6/7

Game Notes

DuneThe game casts the player as Paul Atreides, with the goal of driving theHarkonnens out of spice management.

Dune II

- House Atreides' color is blue in this game, green being taken by HouseOrdos.

- House Atreides' special weapon, the Sonic Tank is a powerful fightingvehicle. Although it has only medium armor and slow moving speed, its sonicoscillator fires heavy sonic shockwaves to long distances, being particularlyeffective against infantry and structures. The sonic waves damage everythingin their path, therefore the Sonic Tank must be used with caution.

- The native population of Dune, the Fremen are fighting alongside HouseAtreides. Groups of Fremen troopers may be called from time to time, theyshall attack any hostile units the player can see. They ignore structures, unlessthe player have chosen another house. When Fremen are enemies, they DOattack buildings as well. - House Atreides can build Ornithopters in theirHigh-tech Facilities, once it gets upgraded.

Dune2000

- Combat tanks of Atreides design are adequate in both armor and speed.The Harkonnen version is stronger in armor but slower, whilst the Ordosversion is faster but has less armor.

- When an Atreides High-tech Facility is built, it can be upgraded to provideairstrikes. The airstrike is free and recharges time to time, it can be orderedto any location. Three Ornithopters shall arrive, dropping bombs to the targetzone three times. Only Missile tanks and Rocket turrets pose a threat tothem.

- The Dune 2000 version of the Sonic Tank is a tad different. Its armor ismuch stronger, and its speed is also slower. The sonic oscillator it uses has aslightly shorter range, and the tank has a weak spot right at the front. If anenemy unit is right in front of the Sonic Tank (at the focal point), it suffersvery little damage.

- Once the Atreides Palace is built, two Fremen can be summoned at once.Fremen in Dune 2000 are stealth units, they cannot be seen by enemies untilthey are next to infantrymen or base defense turrets. Their guns are effectiveagainst vehicles and infantry as well.

Emperor:Battle for

Dune

The alliance between the Atreides and the Fremen is dissolved, but can stillbe forged. Atreides are still blue.

FrankHerbert's

Dune

Cast as Paul Atreides, the player must win the trust of the Fremen on Arrakisand defeat Baron Harkonnen.

References

1. ^ Dune: Creating the Audiobooks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL9kkQ6Hw2s) (Official promotional video, includes

images of Frank Herbert's pronunciation notes for some terms). Macmillan Audio. December 23, 2008. Event occurs at 4:04.

Retrieved January 23, 2010.

2. ̂a b c d e Herbert, Frank (1965). Dune.

3. ̂a b Herbert, Frank (1965). Dune. "The Harkonnens won't rest until they're dead or my Duke destroyed. The Baron cannot forget

17/11/14 House Atreides - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Atreides 7/7

that Leto is a cousin of the royal blood — no matter what the distance — while the Harkonnen titles came out of the CHOAM

pocketbook. But the poison in him, deep in his mind, is the knowledge that an Atreides had a Harkonnen banished for cowardice

after the Battle of Corrin."

4. ^ Herbert, Brian; Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: House Harkonnen. "THE STATUE of Leto's paternal great-grandfather, Duke Miklos

Atreides, stood tall in the courtyard of the Cala City Hospital, stained by time and moss and guano. As Leto passed the serene

visage of an ancestor he had never known, he nodded in habitual respect, then hurried up a set of wide marblecrete stairs."

5. ^ Herbert, Brian; Anderson, Kevin J. Dune: House Atreides. "Faces from his past scrolled across his mind, and he locked on to a

memory of his paternal grandfather Kean Atreides gazing at him with expectation, his face a crease-map of his life experiences.

Gentle gray eyes like his own held a disarming strength that his enemies often overlooked, to their great peril."

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=House_Atreides&oldid=619332575"

Categories: Dune families Fictional nobility

This page was last modified on 31 July 2014 at 19:44.Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using thissite, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the WikimediaFoundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.