The genesis of the klingons can be tricky. We know that the klingons were most likely seated on quote-nose or cronose, like so many other humanoids, thus giving them the similar appearance and bipedal nature that we see of the other species. But after that, we don't see much until about the time the mythos of K-Lis comes about. So that's where we're going to start. In order to appropriately understand the klingons, an understanding of how they believe the klingon empire was formed is necessary. In both legend and religion, the focus on honor is paramount. All of this would start with a confrontation between two critical figures, that of K-Lis and Mo-Lor. Interestingly enough, throughout the series of the next generation in Deep Space 9, the dating for both the rise of K-Lis and the defeat of Mo-Lor has been inconsistent. The dates changing based on the episode you are watching. For the purposes of this video, we'll put it at around the 9th century BCE. Legend has it that the klingons were ruled by a man named Mo-Lor. He was said to be the strongest klingon ever, that no man could ever defeat him. He was a dictator and very cruel to his people. At one point, Mo-Lor would send 500 warriors to destroy the city of Comche. The garrison there would flee at the numbers and ferociousness of his warriors, except for that of K-Lis and his love Lucara. They would defeat the 500 warriors all by themselves. K-Lis would move on to challenge Mo-Lor and defeat him in a glorious combat. While I wasn't able to confirm this, I believe that the legend insinuates that K-Lis would forge the first batlet and then use it to kill Mo-Lor. From Mo-Lor's death, K-Lis would become the first emperor. He would form the klingon government into the klingon empire. K-Lis, who was claimed to be a wise ruler, would set forth the code of honor that all klingons would follow. Even to this day, a template for all of klingon civilization. For over 1100 years, the klingons would quote unquote, thrive and expand their empire. They would focus their society on battle and honor. It would hone them into efficient killing machines, but would also hopefully temper them with some form of code of ethics. Though even with this code, Klingon would be strife on the planet. Grandios battles would occur between great houses that would end up killing almost everyone, sometimes even women and children. Well, most times, if I'm being honest. Now, let me pause for a moment to discuss when the klingons may have achieved warp technology. In Star Charts, a book that is considered somewhat canonical, it states that klingons had attained warp drive in about the first century. However, pork states that neither the klingons nor the Vulcans would have warp drive in 1947. This seems highly unlikely as we know that the Vulcans definitively had warp at that time, and the klingons had spread to other planets. It's also unlikely that the klingons would be the threat that they are to the Vulcans if they weren't able to travel at the speeds that the Vulcans were. In this instance, I would go with Occam's razor, which is to say that it's likely that the klingons would have early warp technology and then would have refined that warp technology by 2152. The quark is most likely wrong in his history, which isn't really a stretch given that he's not a historian. However, even with warp technology, the klingons would not have a real first contact until the 14th century, when a species known as the Herc would invade and pillage the planet. They would kill many klingons, take the artifacts and the ascendries of the planet and then leave the Herc, which, by the way, is klingon for outsider, were apparently from the Gamma Quadrant. How a Gamma Quadrant power arrived to the Alpha Quadrant is up for some debate. Memory Alpha states that it may be due to the wormhole and I've found no other resource really delving into this, so that's what we're going to go with. This invasion would inevitably leave a stain upon the klingons as the Herc pillaged the planet and then would leave as quickly as they had arrived and already hostile planet would only grow more volatile. As this turmoil continued, the line of klingon rulers who were directly descended from K-Less would come to an end due to an effective coup. General Catrolin, a trusted advisor of the crown, would kill Emperor Reclaugh. The klingons had been ruled by the descendants of K-Less up until this time. The general would end this reign, kill all of the Imperial family and instate a democratically elected council. While I use this term relatively, the klingons would have progressive reforms during this time, though the democratic government would only last for about 10 years and it would be referred to as a dark time in klingon history. Ultimately, the third dynasty would rise, destroying the democratically elected government. The klingons of this dynasty would be given the same names and titles as the original Imperial family. This would create the illusion that the line had never been cut. And finally, we are at that part. In the early 21st century, the Vulcans would make first contact with the klingons. The klingons would destroy a Vulcanship that had found itself inside of klingon space. With no other research, no logic, no reason, the Vulcans would fire first on the klingons after this until the klingons would ultimately contact them in an attempt to broker peace. Yeah. In the mid-21st century, the last of the Imperial family would die out and the monarchy would come to its end. The klingon empire would have a chancellor that would head it from this point out. An interesting piece of lore to note is it's staring this time that the klingons would try to invade Breen territory. The klingon fleet that was sent would never be heard from again. They never knew what happened to it. The early 22nd century would find the klingons as a major regional power with one of the most powerful fleets. Now organized into what is known as the klingon defense fleet, both their nature and their expansionist designs would keep the Alpha Quadrant effectively destabilized. The klingons would spread their influence across the galaxy, taking large swaths of space. They would enslave species and those that they didn't enslave, they would destroy. They would even try to send ships into the Delphic Expans, though after that ended horrifically, it would be against the law for any klingonship to make an attempt again. In the mid-22nd century, civil war would be on the horizon for the empire. It would seem that several different houses within the empire were beginning to do hit and run attacks upon their allies. The klingon empire was fracturing as political turmoil into scent was being sown. It would be during this time that the empire would have its first encounter with the United Earth as a klingon courier would crash land upon Earth. Captain Jonathan Archer of the NX01 Enterprise would return the courier alive against the suggestion of the Vulcans. The klingon courier would have evidence that the attacks were done by an outside species known as the Sulabon, and not the internal struggles that everyone believed. This would ultimately prevent war. This would ultimately prevent the civil war. For his service to the empire, Captain Jonathan Archer would be permitted to leave. Though klingon and United Earth tensions would always be on the rise from this point until at least the 23rd or 24th century. The next time the klingons would encounter Earth would be when the NX01 Enterprise would save refugees from a planet named Raturas. Yeah, I'm sure I got that wrong. Raturas had been annexed by the klingons, and its inhabitants given full citizenship within the empire itself. However, this really meant that the klingon empire would strip the planets of all of its resources with little other benefit. It would be at this point that some of the inhabitants of the planet would attempt to escape, again being found by the United Earth vessel NX01 Enterprise. The klingons, after having sent a ship after the refugees, would find them with the NX01 Enterprise and request that these rebels be returned to them. And of course, the captain of the NX01 Enterprise, Jonathan Archer, would not allow this to happen. Stay tuned for the next before the Federation episode because when we come back, we'll discuss the tensions that have really heated up between the United Earth and the klingon empire. Hey guys, I really hope you enjoyed this video. I'm a bit disappointed that the focus on the klingons was more about, well, K-Less than it was necessarily the regional powers, but that changes in the next episode and I did need to get this out of the way. I will be doing an original... Also, I will be doing an original series breakdown and they do a lot more there, so stay tuned and be looking for that. And tomorrow we'll take a look at a new series. We'll be taking a look at one of the battles that happened in the Stargate series. As always, don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe. And guys, I'm gonna see you on the next. More reloaded.