The official narrative regarding the Taurian Concordat, as promulgated by New Avalon and uncritically repeated by most Inner Sphere media, can be summarized simply: the Taurians are paranoid, aggressive, unstable, and irrationally hostile to the Federated Suns.
This narrative is propaganda. We will explain why.
The Taurian Concordat was founded in 2335, making it older than the Federated Suns itself. For over eight centuries, it has maintained continuous self-governance, democratic institutions, and a standard of living that often exceeded Inner Sphere norms.
It has also been invaded by the Federated Suns or their allies on multiple occasions, subjected to brutal military occupation, stripped of territory by force, and treated as a legitimate target for aggression by every Davion government from Reynard to the present.
Let us review the history:
2369-2371: First Contact
The Federated Peacekeeping Forces encountered Taurian ships in 2369. The encounter turned violent, as encounters between heavily armed strangers often do. The Federated Suns launched "exploratory expeditions" into Taurian space — military probes by another name — prompting Protector Richard Calderon to declare emergency powers.
These emergency powers remained in effect until Richard's death in 2387. He was convinced, not unreasonably, that the Federated Suns intended to conquer his nation.
2573-2596: The Reunification War
The Star League — dominated by the Great Houses, including House Davion — decided that the Periphery states must be brought into the League by force. The Taurian Concordat, as the most advanced and best-defended Periphery nation, received special attention.
The war lasted over two decades. The Federated Suns provided substantial forces for the invasion, driven by what the official histories describe as a desire to "be finally rid of the Taurian distraction."
The Concordat fought with everything it had. Protector Mitchell Calderon's defense was skillful and determined. But numbers and resources eventually told. By 2596, the Concordat was broken.
What followed was territorial amputation. Choice worlds — the most economically valuable planets the Taurians had developed — were annexed by the Federated Suns as spoils of victory. The Concordat lost over half its territory and was reduced to a Star League "Territorial State," subject to League authority and League garrisons.
Protector Marantha Calderon committed suicide rather than live under occupation.
This history is not ancient. The Reunification War is remembered on every Taurian world, taught in every Taurian school, commemorated on every Taurian memorial day. When Taurians say they do not trust the Federated Suns, they are not being irrational. They are remembering.
New Avalon's characterization of the Concordat as "unstable" rests on selective evidence and willful misinterpretation.
Yes, the Concordat has experienced political turbulence. So has every other nation in the Inner Sphere. The Federated Suns itself endured a civil war that killed millions within living memory. Somehow this does not result in the Federated Suns being labeled "unstable."
Yes, certain Taurian Protectors have been aggressive toward the Federated Suns. Given the history outlined above, this aggression is not irrational — it is a defensive response to centuries of actual attacks. When a nation has been invaded repeatedly by its neighbor, suspicion of that neighbor is not paranoia. It is prudence.
Yes, the Concordat maintains a large military relative to its population. Again, given the history, this is sensible policy. The Taurians have learned that no one will defend them except themselves.
The "unstable Taurians" narrative serves Davion interests by delegitimizing Taurian concerns and justifying Davion aggression. It allows New Avalon to frame every conflict as Taurian irrationality rather than Taurian response to Davion provocation.
We reject this narrative. The evidence does not support it.
The relationship between the Periphery March and the Taurian Concordat developed organically from shared circumstances and shared interests.
Both regions were neglected by their respective national governments. Both developed self-reliant economies out of necessity. Both valued practical independence over theoretical allegiance to distant capitals. Both had reason to distrust the powers that claimed to rule them.
Trade began during the First Succession War, when TriStar's shipping network discovered that Taurian merchants were among the few reliable partners available. While the Great Houses burned each other's worlds, the frontier regions kept trading.
Economic Exchange:
• TriStar shipping routes extend into Concordat space, carrying Memphis metals and processed goods to Taurian markets
• Taurian agricultural products and rare minerals flow in the opposite direction
• Shared investment in anti-piracy patrols protects both sides' commerce
• Joint ventures in asteroid mining leverage both nations' expertise
Cultural Ties:
• Student exchanges connect Memphis Mining Academy with Taurian universities
• Shared distrust of "core world" arrogance creates common ground
• Taurian democratic traditions resonate with Periphery March populism
• Intermarriage among merchant families is common enough that no one comments on it
Diplomatic Reality:
• No formal alliance exists — that would alarm New Avalon
• "Benign neglect" arrangements ensure neither side raids the other
• Quiet mutual defense consultations occur regularly
• Shared intelligence on pirate movements and external threats benefits both regions
This relationship survived the Jihad intact. While canon histories describe nuclear exchanges and brutal warfare between the Federated Suns and the Concordat during this period, the Periphery March and its Taurian trading partners maintained their connections. TriStar shipping continued. Student exchanges continued. The relationship that both sides had built over centuries proved more durable than the Jihad's flames.
The Periphery March-Concordat connection demonstrates something that New Avalon prefers not to acknowledge: the Federated Suns' frontier regions have more in common with the Periphery than with the core worlds.
Citizens of Memphis have more in common with citizens of Taurus than with citizens of New Avalon. They face similar challenges, share similar values, and have been treated similarly by the powers that claim to govern them — which is to say, neglected when convenient and exploited when profitable.
This does not make the Periphery March disloyal to the Federated Suns. Loyalty and common sense are not mutually exclusive. The Periphery March remains part of the Federated Suns because leaving would be impractical and because, for all its flaws, the Federated Suns offers benefits that independence would not.
But let no one pretend that the Periphery March's loyalty is based on love of New Avalon or gratitude for Davion governance. It is based on calculation. And calculations can change.
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