Klingon Empire The Klingon Empire was the official state of the Klingon people . It was founded in the 9th century by Kahless the Unforgettable , who first united the Klingon homeworld of Qo ' noS . Since then , the Klingon Empire expanded its sphere of influence by conquering numerous systems and incorporating them . This made the Empire a major power in its region of the galaxy , as of the 22nd , 23rd , and 24th centuries . Government . Officially , the Klingon Empire was a feudal monarchy , with power residing in the Emperor , who was traditionally a descendant of Kahless . However , de facto power lay with the Klingon High Council . The position of emperor was abandoned ( but not officially abolished ) in the mid - 21st century , but was revived in 2369 when a group of clerics created a clone of Kahless , who was accepted as the new Emperor , albeit only as a religious figurehead . ( ) The Chancellor , the de facto leader of the Empire , was head of the High Council , which consisted of twenty - four members representing various Great House s ( tuqmey , essentially , the nobility ) . The Chancellor was protected at all times by the " Yan - Isleth " ( Brotherhood of the Sword ) . ( ) Women were not normally permitted to hold seats on the High Council . Despite that , Gowron once offered Ambassador K ' Ehleyr a seat on the Council in exchange for her support of his bid to be Chancellor . ( ) Also , Azetbur , the daughter of Chancellor Gorkon , was permitted to succeed him as Chancellor in 2293 . ( ) Various factions almost constantly challenged the leadership of the Empire , and so over time the Klingons developed a strict and rigorous Rite of Succession to determine their leader . According to tradition , one was permitted to challenge the leader on the grounds of cowardice or dishonorable conduct and fight in single combat . Should the challenger slay the incumbent , he assumed the role of the new leader . ( ) Because of the Klingon propensity for violence , shrewd Klingon chancellors redirected hostilities outward , where they would otherwise cause a civil war . In the 2150s , the Klingon chancellor instructed Duras to recapture Jonathan Archer after the latter escaped imprisonment on Rura Penthe . In this way , the chancellor focused the blame for certain internal problems on an external cause . ( ) Likewise , Gowron focused his soldiers ' energies on invading first the Cardassian Union and later the Federation in order to avoid internal conflicts at home . ( ) Aside from challenges to the primary leadership of the Empire , there was also frequent feuding between the various Great Houses . Most often , the challenge was made on the floor of the High Council and resolved on the battlefield . However , on occasion , some " dishonorable " House leaders chose to make more insidious attacks by undermining the standing of their enemies . D ' Ghor underhandedly attacked the House of Kozak in this way in the early 2370s . ( ) Economy . The main currency unit of the Empire was the " darsek " . ( ; ) The destruction of the Empire ' s key energy - production facility on the moon of Praxis was a catastrophic event from which recovery was impossible due to the strain of the Empire ' s enormous military budget on the resources of their economy . This event was critical in establishing peaceful overtures between the Empire and the Federation . ( ) Territory . See : Klingon planets , Federation - Klingon border , Klingon - Romulan border Culture . See : Klingon History . See : Klingon history Appendices . Background information . The unrealized series " " would have established a Klingon Empire which would have been based more on Imperial Japan ( much like the Romulans were based on the Roman Empire ) , rather than the canon Klingon Empire described here , which as commonly regarded as a metaphor for the Soviet Union during the Cold War . See Kitumba . Many of the notions ultimately ascribed to the Klingon Empire were originally devised by Ronald D . Moore . In a Klingon - defining memo he wrote to Michael Piller before beginning work on , Moore wrote , " " Unlike the United Federation of Planets , the Klingon Empire is not an amalgam of several different star systems brought together by common purpose and values . The Klingon Empire sprang from a single , relatively poor planet in a modest star system . The worlds that now make up the Empire were either subjugated in a not - so - distant past or were annexed at the point of a sword . The Empire is efficiently managed and extremely well run . No star system has ever broken away from Klingon rule in over two centuries of steady conquest . This is not to say that the member worlds of the Klingon Empire are straining at the bit to break away from despotic rule . Quite the contrary , the member worlds of the Empire have learned the many advantages and benefits of their association with the Klingons and few would choose to leave , even if given the option . " " A breakdown of the Empire ' s political framework was also provided in the memo , explaining that a High Council had ultimate rule over all aspects of Klingon life but that the daily ruling of the planets in the empire was " left to local families and clans " as well as outlining the existence of an almost - completely ceremonial Emperor who had the option of reassuming power if he should decide to do so . ( " Sins of the Father " audio commentary , TNG Season 3 Blu - ray ) In the TNG episode , Wesley Crusher asked Captain Picard if an event happened " before the Klingons joined the Federation . " This statement has never been explained in canon and later episodes clearly show a Klingon Empire that didn ' t join the Federation . However , it is possible he meant that the Klingons joined the Federation as allies . [ Per the " TNG " " bible " , the Empire joined the Federation , and in the Season One episode " Heart of Glory " , the Federation crest was beside the Klingon Empire ' s behind the commander of the Klingon cruiser pursuing the three fugitives . ]