A couple of months ago we talked about the Faufreluches, the rigid caste system of the Imperium. As part of that, we obviously mentioned nobility and the Houses both Major and Minor, but we never got into who they are.
Yes, we all know about the Atreides, the Harkonnen and the Corrino families but what else was there? With the expanded universe, the HBO series and the various video games I’m sure you can mention a few more Houses - but are they part of the Core Canon, straight from the pen of Frank Herbert?
I went through the six original books to find us some answers.
SPOILER WARNING
Includes content from the Core Canon.
What makes a House?
We know that there’s two types: major and minor.
HOUSE: idiomatic for Ruling Clan of a planet or planetary system.
HOUSES MAJOR: holders of planetary fiefs; interplanetary entrepreneurs. (See House above.)
HOUSES MINOR: planet-bound entrepreneur class (Galach: “Richece”).
Basically, if you ruled over a planet and had business interests spanning multiple star systems, you made the cut and were considered a major House.
But obviously there’s a further distinction: while all Great Houses had shares in CHOAM, the most powerful houses had Directorships in the company and had thus direct influence over the economy of the Known Universe.
The Duke noted his son’s distress, said: “As always, Hawat sees the main chance. But there’s much more. I see also the Combine Honnete Ober Advancer Mercantiles—the CHOAM Company. By giving me Arrakis, His Majesty is forced to give us a CHOAM directorship … a subtle gain.”
“CHOAM controls the spice,” Paul said.
“Few products escape the CHOAM touch,” the Duke said. “Logs, donkeys, horses, cows, lumber, dung, sharks, whale fur—the most prosaic and the most exotic … even our poor pundi rice from Caladan. Anything the Guild will transport, the art forms of Ecaz, the machines of Richesse and Ix. But all fades before melange. A handful of spice will buy a home on Tupile. It cannot be manufactured, it must be mined on Arrakis. It is unique and it has true geriatric properties.”
If you want to learn more about CHOAM, I can only recommend this Summer School edition of the Dune Minute Podcast:
The Laandsraad
The Laandsraad in HBO’s Dune Prophecy (2024)
Just like in the feudalistic societies on Earth, the nobles who received planetary fiefs from the Emperor banded together to form an institution like the English Parliament or the French Estates-General.
Its primary function was to serve as a political and military counterbalance to the power of the Padishah Emperor. It also provided a general forum where Houses could forge alliances, make trade agreements, or declare formal feuds.
But just like with CHOAM, the real power is much more concentrated - in the case of the Laandsraad, it’s the High Council.
HIGH COUNCIL: the Landsraad inner circle empowered to act as supreme tribunal in House to House disputes.
This executive body of the Landsraad did a lot of governing:
Presided over critical issues, such as the rules of Kanly and the potential banishment of a house for violating the Great Convention.
Appointed, in conjunction with the Emperor, the Judge of the Change - an official who oversees both fief transfers and other formal conflicts.
Served as the only court of appeal that can challenge a ruling made by the Judge of the Change.
Heard and decided on formal grievances, which are brought before it in a "Bill of Particulars." This is what Paul Atreides intended to do after the Harkonnen and Sardaukar attack on Arrakis.
But of course, the balance of power was upset (to say the least) by Muad’Dib and especially by Leto II (the second) - we learn from a Bene Gesserit report that by the end of the God Emperor’s rule there are basically no Houses Major left.
Thirty-one former Great Houses suffered economic disaster in this reporting period. Only six managed to maintain House Minor status. (See attached list.) This continues the general trend noted over the past thousand years where the once Great Houses melt gradually into the background. It is to be noted that the six who averted total disaster were all heavy investors in CHOAM and that five of these six were deeply involved in the Star Jewel project. The lone exception held a diversified portfolio, including a substantial investment in antique whale fur from Caladan.
🔒 In the full article:
All the Great Houses mentioned by Herbert
The Houses Minor, and
Other types of nobility
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