Editing Paul Davion (29th c.)

{{Cleanup|reason=review needed|date=September 2023}}
{{Update Needed|[[First Succession War (sourcebook)]]}}
:''See also: [[Paul Davion (24th c.)]], the fifth President of the Federated Suns, during the twenty-fourth century.''
{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Paul Davion (29th c.) 1stSW.jpg
| name                = Paul Davion
| birthdate           = 12 September [[2778]]<ref name=HS:FSft>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', foldout: "The Davion Line of Succession and Partial Family Tree"</ref><ref name="FSWp133">''First Succession War (sourcebook)'', p. 133, "Profile"</ref>
| died                = 4 July [[2842]]<ref name=HS:FSft/><ref name="FSWp133"/>
| othernames          =
| affiliation         = [[House Davion]]
| rank                =
| title               = [[First Prince of the Federated Suns|First Prince]]<br/>[[Duke of New Avalon]]
| position            =
| profession          = Noble
| parents             = [[Joshua Davion]] (father)<ref name=HS:FSft/><br/>[[Mary Halder-Davion]] (mother)<ref name=HS:FSft/>
| siblings            = [[Peter Davion (29th c.)|Peter Davion]]<ref name=HS:FSft/>
| spouse              = [[Elise Stuart]]<ref name=HS:FSft/>
| children            = [[Michael Davion]]<ref name=HS:FSft/>
}}
'''Paul Davion II''' <ref name=HBHDp112>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 112, "Leaders of the Federated Suns"</ref> was the elder son of [[Joshua Davion]] by his marriage to Mary Halder-Davion. Considered one of the great [[First Prince]]s, he governed during the resurgence of the Federated Suns in the latter half of the [[First Succession War]]

==History==
Paul Davion was only nineteen when his father and grandfather ([[John Davion]]) were assassinated, during the height of the First Succession War. After ten years of war the [[AFFS]] had been driven back almost to [[New Avalon]]. Only a pause in operations earlier in the year to resupply and to clean up pockets of resistance stopped the [[DCMS]] juggernaut - a decision that was closely followed by the death of [[Coordinator]] [[Minoru Kurita (28th c.)|Minoru Kurita]] and the subsequent [[Kentares Massacre]].<ref name=HHD-52>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 52 "History of the Federated Suns - First and Second Succession Wars - Turn About"</ref>

John Davion had been preparing a counterstrike using [[Kentares]] as a rallying cry for his nation but his death left this operation in chaos. His grandson responded by retroactively approving spontaneous attacks by soldiers outraged by the Massacre, and throwing his scant resources into supporting those attacks that succeeded. DCMS morale crumbled, leading to tactical, if not strategic victories and further stalling the advance. This bought Paul the time he needed to rally the Federated Suns behind him.<ref name=HHD-52/>

Paul made a number of reforms to the Federated Suns, centralizing authority under himself by assuming the title Duke of New Avalon, previously a courtesy title held by the heir of the [[First Lord of the Star League]] that had accumulated over time the power to summon or dismiss the [[High Council]], to award titles and ownership of several young colonies that were in some cases now self-sufficient and ready for full membership in the Federated Suns. With this new authority, Paul became a literal feudal lord, awarding titles and riches upon his followers. He also founded the Ministry of Intelligence Investigations and Operations to replace the discredited previous Military Intelligence organization.<ref name=HHD-53a>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 53 "History of the Federated Suns - First and Second Succession Wars - Turn About - Reversing the Damage"</ref>

Between [[2801]] and [[2808]], a period known in the Federated Suns as the Reformation, Paul led an offensive that drove the [[Draconis Combine]] entirely out of the [[Crucis March]], restoring confidence in House Davion. In addition, [[Chancellor]] [[Ilsa Liao]] of the [[Capellan Confederation]] made a seemingly generous and very public proposal to recognize Paul as First Lord of the Star League in return for ceding all claim to the disputed [[Chesterton]] worlds, the Confederation having profited from the Suns' former weakness to retake the majority of them in the years prior. With the title of First Lord all but meaningless by this point, Paul not only declined but controversially also ordered two of the most rabidly anti-Capellan regiments of the [[Crucis Lancers]] to counterattack, having the side effect of reenergizing the [[Capellan March]] defenders and retaking all the Suns worlds House Liao had captured over the past decade.<ref name=HHD-53a/><ref name=HHL-28>''Handbook: House Liao'', p. 28 "Sandol Quinn - Ilsa the Peacemaker - Debacle at Chesterton"</ref><ref name=HL-47>''House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)'', p. 47 "History - The Succession Wars - Sandol Quinn Recoups - A Proffered Hand - Second Succession War"</ref>

More than ten years later, when the First Succession War came to an end, Paul had successfully led the now exhausted Federated Suns to reclaim almost all that had been lost - at least in terms of territory. Economically the state was a wreck, having suffered crippling damage to its industries and tax base. As part of his efforts to rebuild his nation, Paul entered into secret talks with Ilsa Liao for the return of thousands of captive AFFS soldiers. In retaliation for Paul's callous response to her peace proposal, the Chancellor set a exceedingly high price upon the soldiers, Paul only caving when she placed all the POWs on trial and publicly executed twenty senior officers including a [[Marshal (rank)|Marshal]] and two [[General]]s on Christmas Day [[2822]], shipping thousands of tons of valuable materials and Capellan POWs to the Confederation in return for his troops.<ref name=HHL-28/><ref name=HL-47/><ref name=HHD-53b>''Handbook: House Davion'', p. 53 "History of the Federated Suns - First and Second Succession Wars - Turn About - Ceasefire and Truce"</ref>

After the [[Chain Gang Missions]], Paul exploded a popular love story between two kuritan captives, [[Jur Stuslaugron]] and [[Katrina Reban]]. After freeing them and giving the Davion citizenship, both serve in the AFFS.<ref name=HHD-55>''Handbook: House Davion'', pp. 55-56 "History of the Federated Suns - Second Succession War - War Looms"</ref><ref name=HDTFS-68>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 68 "History - Second Succession War - War Heats Up"</ref><ref name=HDTFS-69>''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 69 "History - Second Succession War - War Heats Up - The Talon Sergeant and the Prostitute"</ref>

Only a few years later, the ongoing border skirmishes, which had hardly stopped to mark the resumption of peace, became so heavy that all-out war resumed, marking the start of the [[Second Succession War]]. With the Draconis Combine still recovering and mostly focused upon the [[Lyran Commonwealth]], Paul was able to respond with overwhelming force to a Capellan offensive led personally by Ilsa Liao, who was killed in a rearguard action on [[Orbisonia]].<ref name=HL-47/><ref name=HHL-29>''Handbook: House Liao'', p. 29 "The Red Heart Guard"</ref><ref name="TRO3075p220">''Technical Readout: 3075'', p. 220, "Darter Scout Car"</ref><ref name=HL-47/><ref name=FMFS-76>''Field Manual: Federated Suns'', p.76 "AFFC Rosters - Davion Brigade - Davion Assault Guards RCT: The Crushers"</ref> During the course of a full scale offensive of his own, Paul appointed [[Colonel]] [[Damien Hasek]] as [[Duke of New Syrtis]], raising up a dynasty that would centuries later challenge his own.

The offensive against House Liao eventually bogged down into unsuccessful attempts to seize [[Tikonov]], with which world Paul appeared obsessed. Instead, he was actually contemplating an attack upon the Draconis Combine. In [[2840]] he responded to an attack on [[Robinson]] by shifting reinforcements and reserves from the Capellan March to launch a two pronged attack on the Combine late the following year. The successful attacks were the last victories for Paul, who died of a heart attack on 4 July 2842 while studying reports from the front late one night.

==Family==
Paul's younger brother, [[Peter Davion (29th c.)|Marshal Peter Davion]] was an extremely effective commander for Paul and later led the entire AFFS on behalf of [[Michael Davion]]. His predecessor, [[Thomas Halder-Davion]] was a maternal relative of Paul's.

Paul Davion married Elise Stuart and had one son, Michael. Elise's brother, Lord William Stuart was one of Paul's chief lieutenants.

==Quotes==
{{Quote|''In times like these, it is the ruler's duty to look after his people. Power for power's sake is hardly worth seeking, but power to save this realm is something I must have and something I will have.''|Prince Paul Davion, in a speech before the High Council, [[2800]]<ref name="HD(TFS)p63">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 63, "Down But Not Out"</ref>}}

{{Quote|''Doesn't the fact that we stand on the brink of extermination make you think that perhaps we were doing things wrong?''|Prince Paul, to member of the High Council, quoted in ''Political Memoirs'', by Duke Gregory Simons, NAIS Press, New Avalon, [[2999]]<ref name="HD(TFS)p64">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 64, "Power To The Prince"</ref>}}

{{Quote|''Why should we be so amazed and honored because Dame Ilsa Liao wants to make a deal that would recognize me as First Lord? The truth is self-evident and shouldn't have to be bargained for.''|Prince Paul's remarks concerning Chancellor Liao's offer to recognize him as First Lord, in exchange for certain worlds, quoted from ''Political Memoirs'', by Duke Gregory Simons, [[Toledo Press]], New Avalon, 2999<ref name="HD(TFS)p65">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 65, "Rout Of The Dragon"</ref>}}

{{Quote|''Of course, I'm sick of all this fighting, but if I claim that I'm not going to fight anymore because I'm tired and worn out, what would stop my subjects from doing the same? It would be great if everyone on all sides could say that they were sick and tired of the war and were going to quit, but I doubt if Coordinator Kurita and Chancellor Liao will call the war on account of exhaustion.''|Prince Paul Davion, [[2842]]<ref name="HD(TFS)p69">''House Davion (The Federated Suns)'', p. 69, "Rout Of The Dragon"</ref>}}

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Field Manual: Federated Suns]]''
* ''[[First Succession War (sourcebook)]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Davion]]''
* ''[[Handbook: House Liao]]''
* ''[[House Davion (The Federated Suns)]]''
* ''[[House Liao (The Capellan Confederation)]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3075]]''

[[Category:Federated Suns Characters|Davion, Paul II]]
[[Category:First Princes|Davion, Paul II]]
[[Category:Federated Suns Rulers]]