Human - Klingon history Human - Klingon history is riddled with conflicts between the United Earth / United Federation of Planets and Klingon Empire dating back to the mid - 22nd century , following first contact during the Broken Bow Incident and prior to the creation of the Federation . These conflicts were generally considered as " annoyances " by the Empire . ( ) With the Battle of the Binary Stars in 2256 , open warfare broke out between the two star nations for the first , and not the last , time . ( ) Conflict beginnings . The Federation - Klingon Cold War escalated around 2223 and lasted almost seventy years . ( ) Key disputed regions included Sherman ' s Planet , Organia , Donatu V , Neural , Capella IV , the Archanis sector , and the Tellun system . ( ; ) In 2245 , one of the most noted battles was the Battle of Donatu V in the area of Sherman ' s Planet . The results of that battle were inconclusive . ( ) Outright war was initiated through the actions of Michael Burnham and T ' Kuvma in 2256 at the Battle of the Binary Stars . The tensions continued when the Klingons issued an ultimatum to the Federation , telling them to withdraw from the disputed area . The Federation responded with a blockade of the Klingon territory . The Klingons , believing themselves to be stronger , responded by invading Federation territories . ( ) The Klingon - Federation War of 2267 . In 2267 , relations with the Klingons began to break down and the Federation had to prepare for all - out war . They suspected a surprise attack was coming . The fleet was on alert , including the , which was given secret orders . They read the orders at the appointed time and place , and then proceeded to secure Organia , a key planet between Federation and Klingon space , at any cost , per their instructions . Captain Kirk was authorized to break the Prime Directive on this occasion . While Klingon troops briefly occupied the planet , both the Federation and the Klingon Empire were stunned when the inhabitants of Organia revealed themselves to be advanced non - corporeal beings who forced an end to the short - lived war . ( ) After the war was a period of uneasy peace , during which both sides tried to gain territory under the terms of the Treaty of Organia . ( ) An uneasy peace . Capella IV . In 2267 , Starfleet Command gave an order to Captain Kirk to make a contract on topaline ore mining with Akaar , a teer of the ten tribe s of Capella IV . Capellan s were centuries behind the Federation , but Starfleet needed topaline for life support system s in some colonies . Unfortunately , Klingon delegate Kras came before them and was also aiming to make a contract with Capellans . Kras made an alliance with Maab , who had an interest to become a teer . Maab challenged Akaar into a fight to death and won . Kirk , Spock and McCoy were put into prison , along with Akaar ' s widow Eleen , who was carrying his child . Klingons tricked the crew of the by sending a false emergency signal sent by . While the " Enterprise " was out , prisoners escaped to the mountains . Since they knew that the Capellans would find them , Eleen stepped in front of Maab and told him that Kirk , Spock , and McCoy were dead . Kras didn ' t believe her and touched her in anger , but he violated Capellan law so he was killed . After that , Kirk , Spock , and McCoy revealed themselves with newborn Leonard James Akaar , who would become a teer when he grew up . Until then , Eleen would be the regent of the ten tribes of Capella . ( ) Sherman ' s Planet . The acquisition of Sherman ' s Planet was dependent on the grain quadrotriticale . The Organian Peace Treaty stated that whoever could show that they could develop the planet most effectively would get the planet . In 2268 , the Klingons tried to sabotage the delivery of the grain by poisoning it , but a creature known as a tribble helped foil that plot . The Klingon Captain Koloth demanded an apology for the prosecution of Klingon nationals in that quadrant , but again the tribble helped the Federation by finding a Klingon spy . Thus , the Federation acquired possession of Sherman ' s Planet . ( ; ) Neural . In 2268 , the crew of the USS " Enterprise " went on a mission of exploration to the planet Neural . A previous mission on Neural was conducted thirteen years prior and was the first established contact with the natives of Neural . Young Lieutenant James Kirk was on that mission and became friends with a young native called . The Neural natives were a primitive society , twelve centuries behind the development of any technology . The " Enterprise " survey team was surprised when they discovered that some of the natives were in possession of flintlock firearms , a technology far beyond of their level of development . The team soon discovered that Klingons visited Neural in 2267 and gave the armament to some groups of natives , masking it to appear that the natives had developed that technology on their own . Kirk decided to violate the Prime Directive in order to prevent a situation in which the natives would be drawn into the Klingon sphere of influence . They also armed other factions ( in one of which was Kirk ' s old friend Tyree ) with flintlock arms , thereby creating a balance of power . Kirk compared this situation with the " Brush Wars " in 20th century Asia , during which superpowers were arming their sides in war without being directly involved . ( ) The Tellun system . In 2268 , a disputed Klingon - Federation border area included the Tellun system . The civilizations of two inhabited worlds within , Elas and Troyius , were struggling to end a long interplanetary war . The United Federation of Planets and The Klingon Empire made their own claims to the system . The Federation considered the Tellun system to be under its control , and established a friendly diplomatic relationship with the Government of Troyius . The arranged marriage of Elaan , the Dohlman of Elas , to the ruler of Troyius , brought some promise of peaceful coexistence to the Tellun worlds . Starfleet encouraged the effort by dispatching The USS " Enterprise " to convey Elaan to her wedding ceremony on Troyius . Troyian Ambassador Petri quoted Federation officials as saying , " " failure of this mission would be as catastrophic for Federation planning as it would be for our two planets . " " The Klingon Empire had its own interests in the system , and claimed that it fell under their jurisdiction . The Klingons , who had a shortage in dilithium and other resources due to there being " poor planets in the Klingon systems " , had discovered that a very large amount of dilithium ore was on Elas , a fact unknown to the Federation . As the royal wedding approached , the Klingons found an ally in Kryton , an Elasian noble who loved Elaan and sought to prevent her marriage . " Enterprise " departed on her sub - light journey to Troyius , shadowed by a battle cruiser . Kryton , on board as part of the Dohlman ' s guard , sabotaged the " Enterprise " s engines , causing the dilithium crystal converter assembly to fuse . A jump to warp speed would have triggered the starship ' s explosion , imperiling the local peace without requiring the Klingons to fire a shot against the Federation . But the nature of the damage was understood in time . Limited to impulse engines , " Enterprise " was forced to " " wallow like a garbage scow " " while the battle cruiser danced around her at warp speeds . After Kirk ' s refusal to surrender , the Klingon ship began an assault in earnest . Kirk maneuvered as best he could , trying to keep his weakest shields away from the enemy while the Klingon disruptor s pounded the " Enterprise " . Kirk ' s defensive posture , and the timely discovery of dilithium crystals in Elaan ' s radan necklace , allowed " Enterprise " to hang in the fight long enough for her crew to restore some warp power . After luring the Klingon ship closer , " Enterprise " jumped away to warp , pivoted , and unleashed a salvo of photon torpedoes . The damaged battle cruiser was allowed to limp away at reduced speed , and the Dohlman of Elas was delivered to her wedding ceremony on Troyius . ( ) Flare - ups . Klingon relations with the Federation continued to periodically flare up throughout the latter half of the 23rd century . In one such occasion , Captains Kang and Kor together led two divisions of warships in an ancient Earth cavalry - style attack on the Federation outpost on Caleb IV . During the attack , Kang and Kor successfully tricked their opponents by launching first a small initial attack , and then striking with the bulk of the forces when the Federation began repair efforts . ( ) Final peace . In the mid - 2280s there was a short - lived peace , negotiated in the Galactic conference . This peace , however , was jeopardized following the Klingons ' misinterpretation of the Federation - created Genesis Device . ( ) This included the bounty placed on the head of James Kirk . ( ; ) In 2289 , Koloth represented the Klingon Empire in the negotiations at the Korvat colony with the Federation , who was represented by their top ambassador , Curzon Dax . Although Dax offered Koloth several reasonable proposals , many of which favored the Klingon Empire , Koloth was never satisfied . ( ) Negotiations remained in limbo until 2293 , when the Klingon moon Praxis exploded , jeopardizing the Klingon homeworld . This caused the Klingon Chancellor Gorkon to call for a new peace between the two powers , including the abolishing of the Klingon Neutral Zone . ( ) In 2344 , the Battle of Narendra III had a decisive influence on interstellar history . Having been betrayed by the Romulan Star Empire , and witnessing the courage of the , this event had the effect of finally ending Romulan - Klingon relations and solidifying Federation - Klingon relations . ( ) Nonetheless , relations in 2349 were still such that they could be described as " not too cordial " . ( ) " In one potential future , Klingons even joined the United Federation of Planets by the 2550s . " ( )