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")
Nation
- c.19th century - 2373: Independent (TLE Novel: Day of the Vipers)
- 2373 - 2375: Dominion
- 2375 - Present: Independent

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)
2328: Annexation of B'hava'el system (DS9: "Emissary")
By 2347: First diplomatic contact with Federation (VOY Novel: Mosaic)
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)

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