Cardassian Union

Facts

• Full name: Cardassian Union
• Center of government: Cardassia Prime
• Currency: Lek (VOY: "Caretaker"; DS9 Novel: Avatar, Book One)
• Population largely comprised of Cardassians
• Established c.19th century (DS9: "Defiant")
  • Successor nation to the First Republic (DS9: "Destiny")
• Territory spans at least 600 light years by 2357 (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
  • Arias Expedition extended 600 light years from Deep Space 7 per text
  • Given that Cardassian territory borders Federation by 2357, likely involved deep-space expedition to far end of Cardassian space
• Nation
  • c.19th century - 2373: Independent (TLE Novel: Day of the Vipers)
  • 2373 - 2375: Dominion
  • 2375 - Present: Independent

Bordering territories

• Breen Confederacy
  • Bordering by 2318 (TLE Novel: Day of the Vipers)
• Talarian Republic
  • Bordering by 2318 (TLE Novel: Day of the Vipers)
• Tzenkethi Coalition
  • Bordering by 2318 (TLE Novel: Day of the Vipers)
• United Federation of Planets
  • Expansion reached Federation territory 2320s

History

• c.19th century: Established as a collective entity founded via the three sects of Cardassian society: the masses (comprising the Detapa Council), the elite families (comprising the Obsidian Order), and the military (comprising Central Command) (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
• Mid-to-late 2320s: First diplomatic contact with Federation. (TTN Novel: Taking Wing)
  • Occurred during the administration of President Thelian, 2324-2332, per text
• 2328: Annexation of B'hava'el system (DS9: "Emissary")
• 2371: Collapse of the Obsidian Order following the disastrous joint operation with the Tal Shiar against the Dominion leads to internal strife between Detapa Council and Central Command (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
• 2372: Detapa Council establishes effective control over government, overthrowing de facto military rule (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
• 2373: Membership into Dominion (DS9: "By Inferno's Light")
• 2375: Government collapse following Cardassian massacre by Dominion forces (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")
• 2376: Government re-established following aid from allied powers (DS9 Novel: Mission Gamma: Twilight)
  • Cardassian territory divided temporarily into protectorates managed by Federation, Klingon Empire, Romulan Star Empire, until Cardassian Union able to resume governing (S31 Novel: Abyss)

Political Structure

• Pre-Dominion
  • Initially divided into three agencies
    • Originated from three bodies of Cardassian society: the masses, the elite families, and the military (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
    • Detapa Council
      • Civilian governing body
      • Held de jure oversight over Central Command and the Obsidian Order
        • In practice these bodies operated independently by mid-24th century (DS9: "Defiant")
      • Soul governing body by early 2372 (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
    • Central Command
      • Military governing body
        • De facto ruling body by early 24th century (TNG: "Chain of Command, Part II")
          • Unlikely to be later than that due to Bajoran Occupation
    • Obsidian Order
• Post-Dominion
  • Head of State
    • Castellan
      • Castellans of the Cardassian Union