Around 900 AD: Kahless the Unforgettable unites the Klingon people, founding the Klingon Empire and becoming its first emperor, after his defeat of the tyrant Molor and the Fek'Ihri using the first bat'leth. Kahless establishes a strict warrior code that is passed down through Klingon culture to the present day. (TNG: "Rightful Heir"; DS9: "The Sword of Kahless") Kahless and Lukara fight the battle of Qam-Chee. (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places")
Continuity Note: In the script of "Rightful Heir", Data gave the exact date of Kahless's death as 1547 years ago (from 2369), or 822 AD. DS9: "The Sword of Kahless" seems to confirm this. In DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places" taking place in 2373, Worf enthusiastically mentioned the events in Qam-Chee to have happened "a thousand years ago." This would appear to be somewhat of a contradiction as TNG: "Rightful Heir" and. Either Worf "rounded" the number of years in his enthusiasm, or Molor and Kahless were at least 500 years old, which, while the maximum life span for Klingons has never been clearly defined, seems to be without precedent. Another solution would be that Worf counted in Klingon years, as DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire" states 2373 to correspond to the Year of Kahless 999. Assuming that the Klingon calculation of time starts with Kahless's death, one orbital period of Qo'noS, would equal 567 Terran days. Qo'noS's orbit would be longer if the calendar were calculated from Kahless's birth. |
14th century: A race from the Gamma Quadrant, which the Klingons call Hur'q, invade Qo'noS. When they leave, they steal valuable artifacts, including the Sword of Kahless. (DS9: "The Sword of Kahless") Also during this period, Klingon warriors set out and slay all of their gods, because they are more trouble than they are worth. (DS9: "Homefront" - Worf states that "Ancient Klingon warriors slew them a millennia ago.")
16th century: The Second Dynasty rules over the Klingon Empire, but ends with General K'Trelan assassinating Emperor Reclaw then later putting to death all the members of the Imperial Family. The next ten years that followed, the Empire was ruled by a council elected by the people, which is referred to as "The Dark Time" by Klingon historians. Following this period a new group of Klingons, called the Third Dynasty, were given the titles and names of the original Imperial Family in order to create the illusion of an unbroken line since the true Imperial bloodlines were cut at the end of the Second Dynasty. (DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited")
Continuity Note: According to the episode script, the new "Shenara" later married Keltar, son of Torva, in the Year of Kahless 152, during the Third Dynasty. |
Mid-21st century: The reign of the last Emperor ends and the lead of the Empire falls to the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
2133: A Klingon vessel emerges from the Delphic Expanse with its crew being anatomically inverted, but still alive. The Klingon High Council subsequently forbids any attempts at entering the Expanse. (ENT: "The Expanse")
2151 (April): First contact with Earth is initiated when the Enterprise NX-01 assists Klaang at proving that the Suliban Cabal is trying to destabilize the Empire as part of the Temporal Cold War. (ENT: "Broken Bow")
2153: Jonathan Archer of the Enterprise evades Klingon authorities three times after repeatedly "interfering" with the Empire's politics. (ENT: "Bounty")
2154 (May): Augment Crisis: Enhanced Humans hijack a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, kill its crew, and try to annihilate Qu'Vat colony. Relations between United Earth and the Klingon Empire nearly boil over into war because of intervention by Arik Soong and the Augments. (ENT: "Borderland", "The Augments")
(November) Some months later the Empire uses residue of the Human DNA to breed augmented warriors of its own, but inadvertently creates a virus threatening its very existence. The situation is quickly stabilized, but the virus causes generations of Klingons to loose their cranial ridges amongst others (ENT: "Affliction")
2223: Relations between the Empire and the United Federation of Planets degenerate starting a tense cold war. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
2245: The inconclusive Battle of Donatu V is fought between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles")
2267: After engaging in a brief open conflict, the Klingon Empire and the Federation sign the Treaty of Organia establishing ground rules for further interaction and the resolution of territorial disputes, e.g. over Sherman's Planet. (TOS: "Errand of Mercy", "The Trouble with Tribbles") That same year, the Empire, the Federation, and the Romulan Star Empire jointly establish a colony on Nimbus III, officially declaring it 'the planet of galactic peace'. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
2271: Kor leads The Empire to a memorable victory over the Romulans at the Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt. DS9: "Blood Oath")
2285 & 2286: Fearing it to be a new devastating Federation weapon, a diplomatic incident involving James T. Kirk arises over the Empire's attempt to gain information about the Genesis Device. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
2289: Negotiations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire take place on the Korvat colony without producing any substantial results. At the time, Curzon Dax was representing the Federation, while Kang represented the Klingons. (DS9: "Blood Oath")
2292: By this year, the Romulans are considered "blood enemies" in the Klingon Empire. (TNG: "Reunion")
2293: The explosion of the Klingon moon Praxis causes an ecological disaster, disposing Chancellor Gorkonto pursue a full peace treaty with the Federation. Despite the subsequent assassination of Gorkon, his daughter and new Chancellor, Azetbur, participates at the Khitomer Conference, which leads to the Khitomer Accords establishing a lasting peace between the two powers. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) Curzon Dax is one of the Federation diplomats present who negotiates the Accords. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior", "You Are Cordially Invited")
2344: Despite ongoing negotiations for a new peace treaty, the Klingon-Federation relations are again tense by this year. The Empire's alliance with the Federation would eventually be cemented by the honorable act of the Federation vessel USS Enterprise-C, which responds to a Klingon distress signal from Narendra III and is destroyed while trying to protect the outpost from a Romulan attack. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise", "Redemption II")
2346: With the help of the traitor Ja'rod of the House of Duras, the Romulans commit the Khitomer Massacre, killing almost all of the 4,000 Klingon colonists on Khitomer. (TNG: "Sins of the Father")
2366: In order to avert a civil war, Klingon Chancellor K'mpec conceals Ja'rod's treason, due to his house's influence in the High Council. (TNG: "Sins of the Father")
2367: After K'mpec dies of poisoning, Gowron, who is opposing the House of Duras, becomes new Chancellor. His position is quickly challenged but eventually affirmed in the brief Klingon Civil War against the Romulan-influenced, but ultimately inferior, House of Duras. (TNG: "Reunion")
2369: A clone of Kahless created by clerics from Boreth assumes the re-created, but now purely representative, position of Klingon emperor, while Gowron remains the Empire's Chancellor and factual leader. (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
2371: General Martok is covertly abducted and interned by the Dominion, while a Changeling replaces him. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")
2372: Led by the Martok-Changeling, the Klingon Empire starts an invasion of the Cardassian Union, which is subsequently condemned by the Federation. Later that year, the Federation's and Klingon's old dispute over the Archanis sector escalates, leading to the Klingon's withdrawal from the Khitomer Accords. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior", "Broken Link") The Klingon Empire attacks three Romulan outposts along the border. (DS9: "Hippocratic Oath")
2373: After the real identity of the Klingon General Martok as a Changeling is revealed, the war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire is ended with a temporary cease fire. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising") The Klingons invade Ajilon Prime. (DS9: "Nor the Battle to the Strong") The real Martok is freed after the Changeling impersonating him is revealed earlier this year. TheCardassian Union joins the Dominion, swiftly resolving the Klingon's conflict with the Federation and reinstating the Khitomer Accords (DS9: "By Inferno's Light") . Later that year, the Dominion attacks and captures the Federation station Deep Space 9, beginning the Dominion War against the Empire and the Federation. (DS9: "Call to Arms") General Martok is given command of the IKS Rotarran and is successful in rescuing survivors of the IKS B'Moth. (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
The Klingon Year of Kahless 999 falls into this Earth year. (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
2374: With the aid of Klingon ships sent at the last moment by Gowron, the Federation recaptures Deep Space 9. Later that year, the Romulan Star Empire turns the tide of the war as it joins the Empire and the Federation against the Dominion. (DS9: "Favor the Bold", "Sacrifice of Angels", DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight") The First Battle of Chin'toka. A combined Federation, Klingon and Romulan fleet successfully invades the Chin'toka system. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets")
2375: The IKS Rotarran destroys the Monac shipyards by triggering a solar flare after Worf, Martok, Miles O'Brien, Julian Bashir and Quark undertake the mission in the late Jadzia Dax's name in order to enable her spirit to enter Sto-vo-kor. (DS9: "Shadows and Symbols") Aging Klingon legend Kor seeks Worf's help to obtain a command so that he can feel useful in the Dominion War. He later stops Worf from commanding a suicide mission against ten Jem'Hadar ships, instead leading the mission himself, thus stepping out of life and into history in a blaze of glory. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach") The Dominion gains the upper hand in the war again with its alliance with the Breen Confederacy which uses energy dampening weapons. (DS9: "'Til Death Do Us Part", "Strange Bedfellows", DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil") Due to a technical uniqueness of Klingon vessels, the Empire holds the front on its own for some weeks being outnumbered 20:1. General Martok assumes the leadership of the Klingon Empire as Chancellor of the Klingon High Council after Lieutenant Commander Worf kills former chancellor Gowron in a duel. (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind") with the help of the Cardassian Rebellion, theFederation Alliance manages to repel the Dominion forces, finally capturing Cardassia Prime later that year and ending the Dominion war with the Treaty of Bajor. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind") At the request of Chancellor Martok, Worf becomes the Federation Ambassador to Qo'noS. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")
2385: The Klingon Empire fully recovers from its losses during the Dominion War according to an estimate by Section 31. (DS9: "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges")