Founder:	Lucien Davion
Year:	2317
Worlds:	475
Capital:	New Avalon
Military:	Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS)

The Clan War

The two realms' relationship was stretched to breaking point with the arrival of the Clans, from far beyond the reaches of the Inner Sphere. The Lyran half of the Commonwealth lay directly in their invasion path and between 3049 and 3052, world after world fell to their superior and seemingly unstoppable forces. It didn't help that the efforts of the vaunted Federated Suns military, to stop the onslaught, appeared minimal and ineffectual, despite the growing stream of resources directed towards both the AFFS and LAAF. Lyran resentment of their neighbours and supposed allies continued to grow, along with conspiracy theories that the Davions were sacrificing them to the Clans to preserve their own realm. In contrast, citizens of the Federated Suns were happy for their military to take all the credit for any successes, ignoring the contribution of the Lyrans, beyond the money they provided, unless it was to blame them for defeats.

By the end of 3052, over forty Lyran worlds had been lost to the Clans, while the Federated Suns had lost none. This loss, coupled with the massive financial drain of fighting the war, caused the Lyran economy to slow almost to a halt. Prince Hanse Davion also died that year, leaving Archon Melissa Steiner as sole ruler of the realms. It was only the citizens' unwavering respect for her that kept growing tensions in check, but her binding influence was lost when she was killed at a public ceremony in 3055, by an assassin's bomb.

Hanse and Melissa's eldest child, Victor Steiner-Davion, succeeded his mother, becoming Archon-Prince and officially bringing the Federated Commonwealth into existence, as agreed in the provisions of the Alliance treaty of 3032. Prior to this, the two states, while allied by the treaty, were still politically separate entities.

By his own admission Victor was always a soldier, first and foremost, rather than a diplomat. More of a problem was the public perception that he was also more Davion than Steiner, an image reinforced by the fact he spent much of his time on New Avalon. It didn't take long for dissent to spread among the Lyran populace and the Skye Separatist movement, led by Duke Ryan Steiner, did its best to spread opposition against the Archon-Prince. They accused him of arranging his mother's assassination and portrayed him as a bloodthirsty warmonger. This campaign led to Victor appointing his sister Katherine as Regent of the Lyran state, effectively making her co-ruler of the Commonwealth. A skilled political operator who preferred diplomacy to military action, her popularity with the Lyran people made this a seemingly inspired decision. However, her loyalty to Victor was severely tested by the constant stream of accusations and scandals that blighted her brother's rule, as well as some of the actions he took to deal with them. Her efforts to defend him only served to feed the rumour mill, rather than silence it.

The final straw came in 3057 with the death of Joshua Marik, son of Free Worlds League ruler Captain-General Thomas Marik. The young boy had been battling leukaemia for several years and during 3051, at the height of the Clan invasion, Hanse Davion had struck a deal with his father, to provide weapons, munitions and other war material, in exchange for his son's treatment at the Suns' top research facility, the New Avalon Institute for Science. Joshua's death put this agreement in jeopardy. To make matters worse, Capellan Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao was engaged to Thomas' daughter Isis. Desperate to prevent any alliance between the FWL and Confederation, which would surely result in military action against the Suns half of the Commonwealth, Victor made the decision to replace the dead boy with a double. However, the plan backfired, as Thomas learned of the deception just months later and declared war on the Commonwealth. Even as a FWL invasion fleet entered the Sarna March, Katherine publicly denounced Victor's actions and declared Lyran neutrality. Just days later she officially announced the secession of the Lyran state and renamed it the Lyran Alliance.

Prince Victor and the majority of Davion citizens refused to acknowledge Katherine's announcement. However, it served to renew long-held suspicions about Lyrans and their trustworthiness. Business ties and trade agreements between the realms began to be severed. Lyran natives serving in AFFC units had their loyalties questioned and ordinary citizens who had moved to Suns worlds during the Commonwealth's heyday, found themselves regarded with suspicion and even open contempt by those they had formerly thought of as friends and neighbours. Many ended up moving back to Lyran space, where tales of their mistreatment only served to accelerate the decline in relations between the two sides.

When Victor left the Inner Sphere with Task Force Bulldog in 3061, to fight the Clans on their own territory, Katherine took the opportunity to assume control of the throne on New Avalon, easily coercing her younger sibling Yvonne, who Victor had appointed to rule in his absence. With the AFFS uncertain how to react to this new development, it was left to the citizens to make their feelings known. Although public demonstrations were swiftly suppressed, this denial of freedom only caused protests to grow in size and frequency. Victor's triumphant return the following year, served to rally Davion loyalists and strengthen anti-Steiner sentiments. However the Prince had no wish to see the Commonwealth he had fought for, tear itself apart and wanted no part in a civil war. Instead he accepted an offer to become Comstar's new Precentor Martial and relinquished his claims to either throne.

In December 3062, the tensions that had been building for the last few years finally exploded into civil war, following the murder of Duke Arthur Steiner-Davion, with evidence suggesting Archon Katherine had been behind it. The ensuing conflict dragged on for five bitter and bloody years, made worse by the fact that the Lyran and Davion militaries had become so closely integrated. This often resulted in units being destroyed by internal conflict, or previously allied units fighting each other. With battle lines often non-existent, shifting loyalties and no clear means of securing victory, both states were engulfed in turmoil and chaos. By 3067 the tide had turned against Katherine's forces. Victor, having reluctantly become involved, led a huge allied force to defeat the last units remaining loyal to his sister on New Avalon. Other nobles and military leaders on both sides played pivotal parts in the outcome, notably the defeat by Peter Steiner-Davion of General Nondi Steiner in one-on-one mech combat, to secure the throne of the Lyran capital Tharkad.

Katherine was captured and imprisoned on Arc Royal, guarded by Clan Wolf-in-Exile. Khan Vlad Ward, leader of Clan Wolf travelled to Arc Royal to bargain for her release, having had previous dealings with her during the war. He persuaded her captors to release her to his custody, in order that she be trained as a Clan warrior. He threatened to renew the Clan invasion if he did not get his way - the Treaty of Tukayyidd, which had imposed a 15-year peace, had expired one month previously. Happy to be rid of his sister's malign influence, Victor was happy to comply and authorised the WiE to hand her over. With siblings Peter and Yvonne occupying the thrones of Tharkad and New Avalon respectively, he then resumed his role as Comstar Precentor Martial on the understanding he never again became involved in Inner Sphere politics.