Shaddam Corrino IV - Dune

During the events of the original novel Dune, Shaddam grants Duke Leto Atreides temporary control of the harsh desert planet Arrakis, the only known source of the all-important spice. Though outwardly this seems like an opportunity for great wealth and power for House Atreides, Leto recognizes it as a trap; Shaddam has become threatened by Leto's rising power, and somehow intends to diminish or destroy him. Avoiding an overt attack, Shaddam instead uses the centuries-old feud between House Atreides and House Harkonnen to disguise his assault, enlisting the brilliant and power-hungry Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in his plan to trap and eliminate the Atreides. Shaddam's own power is secured by his fierce and seemingly unstoppable Sardaukar army; the Baron's ambush on Leto and his forces is bolstered by Sardaukar troops disguised as Harkonnens, and the Atreides are crushed. Leto is killed, but his Bene Gesserit concubine Lady Jessica and son Paul Atreides escape into the desert. They find sanctuary with a tribe of the planet's native Fremen.

Paul rises to power among the Fremen, whom he finds to be fierce fighters whose skills and numbers are underestimated by the Harkonnens. As the Fremen guerrilla "Muad'Dib," Paul soon manages to lead the Fremen in a widespread challenge to the Harkonnens' control of Arrakis. With the spice trade threatened, Shaddam arrives on Arrakis with his court and an escort of Sardaukar, intending to quickly end the disruption. However the Fremen, enhanced by Paul's training in the Bene Gesserit weirding way, attack and manage to handily defeat the attendant Sardaukar forces. Making clear his ability and willingness to completely destroy all spice production should his terms not be met, Paul demands that Shaddam step down from the Imperial throne and install Paul in his place, with Irulan as Paul's consort. Shaddam has no choice but to concede, as an end to the spice supply would cripple the entire universe. In 10,196 Shaddam is effectively exiled to his ancestral planet of Salusa Secundus, now a wasteland, prison planet, and training ground for the Sardaukar. According to Appendix IV: The Almanak en-Ashraf (Selected Excerpts of the Noble Houses) in Dune, Shaddam IV dies in 10,202 A.G. after 68 years of life.

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