And another SF thing: Galactic Empires and Gender

[roseembolism]

So, I've always been a bit bemused by the fascination that SF writers have with Galactic Empires. But just now, something new grabbed my attention. We all know that in history, there's been a number of empires -- some of the more famous and powerful ones in fact -- have been headed by women: Elizabeth, Victoria, Catherine the Great, and so on. But here's the question: in SF literature, story, can one name an interstellar empire run by an Empress?

(note: planetary empires, of the sort headed by the beautiful queen just waiting to be impressed by a strapping Earthman don't count)

Hmm...I honestly can't think of any. And what does this say about Science Fiction and gender?

edit: My beautiful wife did point out a female GE empress: the Ahb empire in the anime/novels Banner of the Stars.

Comments

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Wasn't there an Empress in Witches of Karres?

Star from Glory Road rules universes.

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

And I think the empire in The Princes of the Air is pretty small (as in, maybe a dozen systems) but it has a Queen, I think, and it is all the inhabited systems.

[palecur.livejournal.com]

Dude. Queen of Manticore, Honorverse. Not to mention being of color. Three planets plus colonies at the beginning of the series, and I think a few get added on later.

[deirdremoon.livejournal.com]

This. And the Queen is a political badass.

Also, I'd mention Dune, which has at least an Empress-heir-apparent in Irulan until she marries the Atreides, PLUS the Bene Gesserit are basically the power behind every throne everywhere. Kinda like a union of Grand Viziers.

[deirdremoon.livejournal.com]

OH! And Mindstalk reminded me... Nand'Dowager Ilisidi in the Cherryh Atevi series, who is basically the Queen Mother who is rumored to have killed her own son because he was unworthy of the throne.

Just sayin'.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

Though she's not a Galactic Empress, unless the later books have gotten really far-ranging.

[deirdremoon.livejournal.com]

No, you're right... only Empress of one world, even though it's basically two civilizations. That probably doesn't count for the original question.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

She's more like T'Pau, planetary governor of Vulcan. Planetary empress-like.

Better example might be Pyanfar Chanur, who stumbles from "space freighter trading captain" to something like an Augustan ruler of the oxygen-breathing part of Compact space. President of the hani amphictiony, mekt-hakkikt of the kif, Personage of Personages of the mahen (why?), maybe something of the sstsho I think. Oh, President of Compact Space according to Wikipedia -- really?

Of course, she's clearly alien. So's Ilisidi.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

The Abh Emp -- oh.

The Raalgon Empress from Irresponsible Captain Tylor, though she does fall for Tylor, but then so does everyone.

The Mazone in Space Captain Pirate Harlock, perhaps. Though they're all female. And plants. But pretty humanoid.

I'm noticing trends of "not quite human" (GenEng humans, unexplained space elves, outright aliens), somewhat enemy-like, and "story is from Japan".

It's not an empire, but Nanoha's Time-Space Administration Bureau has a mix of male and female admirals.

Huh, there's no TV Tropes for Galactic Empire?

Western lit... uh, I haven't read much that has galactic empires. Bujold, Banks... no empresses I recall there, vs. a few emperors. Cherryh if you accept the Ariane Emories.

I give up.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

I'm actually kind of gratified that there's more empresses out there than I thought. Albeit most of them are Japanese- which probably has something to do with it (Watch me drift off into muttered musings about Japanese legends and history).

I'm absolutely amazed there isn't a TV trope for Galactic Empires. If I wasn't so down on TV Tropes, I'd do something about it.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

Weren't the Japanese reigning empresses pre-1000, practically legendary? Does stuff that far back have impact?

Though you do have the imperial line having legitimacy from the sun-goddess... still, there's a suspicious level of "OTHER people, if you can call them people, have empresses". Even if the Abh are sympathetic.

[hyster1a.livejournal.com]

The Empress runs the Universe of "The Neverending Story". 'Course she has to be saved by a small child, but that's fantasy all over.

[hyster1a.livejournal.com]

Servalan, Supreme Commander of the Terran Federation, bad girl that she is, even gets to win in the final season. Most of your garden variety rulers dont get that. And she dresses awesomely.

[palecur.livejournal.com]

who?

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servalan

[ccw71266.livejournal.com]

Not literature exactly, but the backstory in the Traveller RPG includes several empresses, one of which ended a century-long civil war.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

Oh, that reminded me- in the Traveller Rebellion era, there's Emperess Margaret, the most sane and reasonable choice for the contending emperors in the splintered Imperium.

This is something I'm kind of glad about, though we then have to address the whole concept of "Galactic Empires" in the first place.

[fintach.livejournal.com]

Speaking of RPGs, 5th Edition Champions included an Empress who conquered multiple dimensions.

Also, the Dr. Strange comic included a power struggle in the Dark Dimension in which Clea struggles with her mother, Umar the Unspeakable, for rule of the Dark Dimension. Strange provides some help, but it's clearly her show every step of the way.

[rfmcdpei.livejournal.com]

The Star Kingdom of Manticore's Queen Elizabeth?

[yuusada.livejournal.com]

You also now have Morena Baccarin's character of Anna, the apparent head of the Visitors on the new V miniseries. Not sure if that qualifies as a galactic empire though.