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

Modernisation of the AFFS

In the weeks following Edward's death, Simon acted swiftly to remove the threat of secession. Edward still had many loyal followers, as well as a young son, Arthur, who they saw as the legal successor. Besides the pro-Simon and pro-Edward / Arthur factions, were a number of High Council members who wanted to end Davion rule altogether.

During his time spent under house arrest, Simon devised a new system of government, which was an elegant compromise, which maintained a central power base, but granted new levels of autonomy at local level. Under his plan, the realm would be divided into 5 Marches, each with its own leader/ruler, with the High Council retaining its role as a forum for individual worlds. High Council members would also become the de facto rulers of their constituent worlds and given the title of Marquess or Duke. The Council's chief power was the ability to appoint or remove nobles from their positions. A system of integrated local authorities would see greater power cascaded down through each region and sub-region (duchies, margraves, counties and baronies), enabling them a greater level of self-determination. It would also see the start of the hereditary aristocracy, seen in the present Federated Suns. The Prince of the Crucis March, in also assuming the duties formerly carried out by the President, was give the title First Prince of the Ferderated Suns.

Despite taking care to ensure the Davion family had no special role in this new structure, the High Council made the obvious and popular choice and appointed him Prince of the Crucis March. Despite recent events, the Davion name was not entirely ruined. Simon's military record, his signing of the Ares Conventions in 2412 and even the killing of his cousin, was evidence enough for the people to hail him as the leader they needed. He formally ascended to the throne in 2418 and would reign for the next 40 years.

When the Terran Hegemony developed Battlemech technology, it gave them a serious edge over of the rest of the Inner Sphere in the unending arms race. Naturally their superiority only lasted for so long. In 2455, the Lyran Commonwealth intelligence services stole the blueprints and other documents needed to begin building the mighty war machines. Just 2 years later, in 2457, Simon paid the Lyran Commonwealth a considerable sum of money, to bring the technology to the Federated Suns, establishing the AFFS as a military force second to none.