A History of the Whoniverse

The Federation

As the 32nd Century began, the newly emergent space powers began to forge links and alliances. Over the course of the next millennium, these began to come together and, eventually, led to a Galactic Federation.

32nd Century

An expedition from Earth contacts the descendants of Utnapishtim's people.

According to the Doctor on page 217 of Timewyrm: Genesys.

2-7 January 3278

MANAGRA

A reprise of Cardinal Richelieu seized the Papacy in Europa. In the process, the entity Persona was destroyed.

The Doctor says that it's 3278 or very close (page 37), two centuries after the Great Concoctions (page 62). On the other hand, Pearson's plays were written 1700 years ago, making it about 3310 (page 141). Byron claims to have been created in the mid-33rd century (page 113). The action happens between 8th Night and 13th Night.

3340

THE DARK PATH

Federation ships discover a former Imperial colony on Darkheart. They make contact, and aim to bring the colony into the new system. Their efforts are frustrated by the use of some ancient Chronovore technology, which rewrites biomorphic templates. Eventually, the machinery is destroyed.

Imperial Dauntless-class warships haven't been built for 400 years, so it's about that long since the collapse of the Empire. Ailla was on Earth in the early 28th Century, which is stated to be about 600 years ago. I, therefore, place this story in the mid-34th Century. This is a bit too early for the full-blown Federation seen in later stories, but the Federation in this story isn't as developed.

Around the turn of the 35th Century, the Federation had become a de-facto entity. The Federation (or Galactic) Charter was signed and its official headquarters were opened on Io. [Perhaps the Empire had turned Earth's Solar System into a symbolic place to rule the galaxy from, or perhaps a Forrester had a major hand in the location of the headquarters.] Founder members included Earth, Alpha Centurai, Draconia, New Mars, and Arcturus.

The federation was, in many ways, a weak entity. It was unable to interfere in the internal affairs of members (except in exceptional circumstances) under the Galactic Articles of Peace (paragraph 59, subsection 2). It also required unanimity for the Federation to take [certain types of] action.

The Federation did, however, enforce peace and all its members renounced armed conflict. [Presumably, this means that there were some military forces under the command of Federation authorities, otherwise the Federation would be open to easy conquest by any non-members with even a small military.]

This is the background to The Curse of Peladon, The Monster of Peladon, and Legacy.

3498

Azcline Grigsen's Osterling's Legacy is published.

An extract is seen on page 164 of Theatre of War.

3515

Azcline Grigsen dies.

According to Theatre of War pages 212 and 270.

3544

Barbas Lothal's The New Dramatists is published.

An extract is seen on page 198 of Theatre of War.

3864

A Federation shuttlecraft crashes on the planet Peladon. One of the survivors - princess Ellua of Europa - is rescued by the native Pels. She subsequently marries King Kellian. Six months later, she persuades him to apply for Federation membership. A year after this, they have a son Peladon.

Legacy

3885

THE CURSE OF PELADON

A committee arrives on Peladon to decide whether to grant the planet membership of the Federation. They eventually decide to grant membership.

This is 50 years before The Monster of Peladon and 100 years before Legacy.

3922

Humans invent Kilbracken holograph-cloning. It produces short-lived instant adult clones. The longest a Kilbracken clone is known to have survived is 10 minutes 55 seconds. The technique is generally regarded as a 'circus trick'.

The Invisible Enemy. As we see clones in the 26th Century in Deceit, and proper clones are certainly within the realms of 21st century technology, this is clearly a reference to the Kilbracken technique, rather than a proper clone.

3931

Fardal Konin writes his final doctoral thesis.

An extract from the examiner's comments is seen on page 244 of Theatre of War.

King Peladon is succeeded by his daughter Thalira. During this time, the Federation begins extensive mining of the valuable mineral triscilicate on Peladon. In addition, the terrorist organisation Galaxy 5 begins causing trouble for the Federation.

This is the background to The Monster of Peladon. Galaxy 5 is revealed to be a terrorist organisation rather than an actual galaxy in Legacy (page 27).

3935

THE MONSTER OF PELADON

Mining production on Peladon is temporarily halted.

This is 50 years after The Curse of Peladon and 50 years before Legacy.

In the mid-40th Century, a cyber-fad swept the Federation. Rhukk, a Martian Archaeologist, proved that Telos and New Mondas had both been destroyed. Best-selling holovids filmed the remains of both Telos and Voga, as the presumed-dead Cybermen briefly fascinated the public.

Legacy. This is the only mention of New Mondas, though it was an aspiration for the Cybermen in Silver Nemesis.

During this time, the Daleks began putting in place an elaborate plan to conquer the Federation. They recruited a number of conspirators, including Zephon, Celation, Beaus, Trantis, Gearon, Malpha, Sentreal, and Warrien.

3950

The Daleks recruit Mavic Chen into their conspiracy. Chen then starts mining Taranium from the planet Uranus.

He claims to have spent 50 years mining Taranium in The Daleks' Masterplan, despite being the most recent member of the conspiracy. However, it is possible that he started the mining before joining the conspiracy - perhaps tricked into is by another member.

3970s?

The Javaman won the Dastari Prize for two consecutive years.

This is mentioned in Short Trips and Side Steps: Turnabout is Fair Play on page 135.

3974

Bowketts Universal Publications publishes High Lord Rhukk's An Even Briefer History of Time

We see an extract on page 13 of Invasion of the Cat People.

3975

Mavic Chen is responsible for arranging a non-aggression pact between the various worlds of the Solar System. Some time afterwards, he becomes Guardian of the Solar System.

The Daleks' Masterplan. In Legacy (3985), he's not yet Guardian. I'm not sure how this fits into the general nonaggression of the Federation era.

c. 3976

The Javaman is responsible for an insurrection on Wermir Colony A. A warrant for his arrest is personally signed by Mavic Chen, Guardian of the Solar System.

This happened an unknown length of time before Short Trips and Side Steps: Turnabout is Fair Play (page 133).

February 3978

SHORT TRIPS AND SIDE STEPS: TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY

The Javaman had created a device to use thought waves to control people. His device was destroyed when the Doctor intervened.

The date is given by the TARDIS console as 2nd Lunar Cycle, Humanian Era, 3978.

3978

Analyst Azira sends Intelligence Report XV117 to the Rippearan War Cabinet.

We see an extract on pages 78-79 of Theatre of War.

GFTV-3 had become the main Federation news broadcaster. It was particularly noted for news stories such as the atrocities on the Nematodian Border, exposing slavery on Rigellon, and Operation Galactic Storm. These and other wars were conducted by the Federation to secure its position and protect democratic regimes. The Martian Spacecruiser Bruk, one of the largest vessels ever known, was an important part of the Federation's military capacity.

3985

LEGACY

Within four years of queen Thalira's death, King Tarrol applied to leave the Federation. He made the choice soon after losing both of his closest advisors.

There are a variety of different dates given in the book. The Doctor thinks that it's the mid-39th Century - so about 3850 - (pages 55, 84). This is probably a mistake on the part of the author (he's got naming his centuries wrong). It's 100 years after The Curse of Peladon (page 106), and Mavic Chen (The Daleks' Masterplan) is still a minor official, whilst Amazonia from The Curse of Peladon is Guardian of the Solar System. It's 30 years before a Dalek War (presumably connected to The Daleks' Masterplan, set in 4000). It's 600 [Martian?] years after The Ice Warriors, so about 3600 [later if it's Martian years]. Given all this, the author probably had in mind a date of about 3970. However, the book is set a few months before Theatre of War, which is definitely set in 3985, thus I'm using that date.

3985

THEATRE OF WAR

The Heletian Empire sends an archaeological team to investigate a theatre on Menaxeus. They discover a machine that projects plays onto a stage. Amongst its repertoire is Stirloff Osterling's The Good Soldiers, a legendary play that had been lost to posterity. The machine is taken back to Heletia for a performance in front of the Exec, the empire's nominal ruler. Events surrounding the performance lead to the death of both the Exec, and Manact Marlock, the power behind the throne. This enables the Ripporeans to defeat the Heletian Empire.

The book is set soon after Legacy. It's after the Great Retreat of 3985 (page 1). Benny's diary dates it as 3985 or something close (page 21). The TARDIS Time Path Indicator also dates it as 3985.

3990

Bret Vyon joins the Space Security Service (SSS). Within 5 years, he has attained the First Rank. Three years after that, he attains the Second Rank.

The Daleks' Masterplan.

c. 3992

The artificial star of Tír Na n-Óg runs out of fuel.

The Doctor estimates that it will be in 2000 years time in Cat's Cradle: Witch Mark (page 247).

4000

MISSION TO THE UNKNOWN

SSS Agent Marc Cory discovers a Dalek plot on the planet Kembel. He records a message warning the Federation authorities. He is killed before he can transmit the information.

Shortly before The Daleks' Masterplan.

THE DALEKS' MASTERPLAN

SSS agents defeat Mavic Chen's plot to help the Daleks conquer the Federation.

Mavic Chen supplies the date 4000.

4001

WAR OF THE DALEKS: INTERLUDE 1

SSS agent Dryn Faber destroys a Dalek installation on the water world of Antalin.

This is not long after the death of an SSS agent called Marc (page 90) - who was killed by Daleks - presumably Marc Cory, who died in that way during The Daleks' Masterplan.

c. 4000

A DEVICE OF DEATH

In the Adelphine Cluster, the Landoran Alliance was at war with the Averonian Union. The whole cluster was polarised. It was widely believed that Landor had been destroyed, but the Landorans were fighting on. The war stopped when it was revealed that Averon had been destroyed, killing off the Averonians. Landor had not been destroyed, only damaged. The Landorans had continued the pretence of the war to keep the other worlds in the Cluster attacking each other, rather than posing a threat to them. In the aftermath of the war, a sentient robot called Max began creating descendants, who would eventually contribute significantly to the demise of the Daleks.

My notes on this story (taken a long time before I wrote this) say that it is almost certainly set around 4000. When the book was first published, we could assume that the robots resulting from this were the Movellans. Unfortunately, War of the Daleks has eradicated that possibility - unless the Dalek Prime was lying about the Movellans. Perhaps a hitherto unknown robotic race causes the Daleks severe problems at some point in the future.

Date Unknown

THE CHASE

Enraged at the Doctor's meddling with their plan, the Daleks send a TARDIS-like time machine in pursuit of his past self. However, this machine is destroyed.

The date the Daleks send the time machine after the Doctor is unknown. The Daleks appear to have this technology in The Daleks' Masterplan, so it would seem logical to set this story at about that time. On the other hand, the time travel technology seen here is more advanced than what we see in later stories featuring Davros. Perhaps the time machine seen in these two stories is the remnants of a captured TARDIS (or possibly a wrecked one - similar to the one mentioned in The Crystal Bucephalus). The Daleks were able to reconstruct the machine, but unable to manufacture one themselves.

4015

A massive Dalek War erupted after the Daleks' plot was discovered.

The Doctor estimates that this is thirty years after Legacy (page 299). However, this may not be referring to the start of the war, merely when Peladon would have become a major target had it stayed in the Federation.

WAR OF THE DALEKS: INTERLUDE 2

The Draconian vessel Hunter and five destroyers are lost in a battle against the Daleks.

It is unclear when this occurs. On page 153, having females on board Draconian ships is clearly a new thing - suggesting that this is during the era of the Federation. However, page 160 clearly states that the Draconians still have an Emperor and an Empire. My best guess is that this is during the Dalek War following The Daleks' Masterplan. Alternatively, it could conceivably be during the Dalek Wars in Benny's time - the Draconians may have swung towards having female officers and then reverted to type - explaining the similar misgivings of Draconians in The Dark Path.

Date Unknown

Following their defeat at the hands of the Federation, the Daleks used their rudimentary time travel technology to travel back in time and invade Earth a century before they had in their actual past. Their actions set up a parallel universe, in which where Earth was ravaged by wars in the 20th century. The Doctor's intervention proved to the Daleks that trying to alter their past was futile.

This is the background to Day of the Daleks. It is mentioned in War of the Daleks (page 189) that they concluded that changing the past was futile. However, War implies that this was not long after the invasion failed. As the other stories featuring time-travelling Daleks happen way later than the invasion, I assume that this story was also much later.

THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS

In a final attempt to use their new time travel technology, the Daleks hatched a plan to alter the past, by injecting "the Dalek factor" into humanity. Their plans were aided in this, by locking on to time travel experiments from the 19th Century. Their plans were thwarted by the Doctor - who infected several Daleks with "the human factor." This caused a Dalek Civil War.

This story is hard to date. I have chosen to place all the Daleks' attempts to change history in a short time period surrounding The Daleks' Masterplan. I speculate that the Daleks' time travel researches were advanced by gaining access to some kind of TARDIS, and that they don't understand all the complexities of changing history. In War of the Daleks, we learn that the Daleks unearthed documents saying that, in 1963, Davros used the Hand of Omega to destroy Skaro (page 188). We also learn that the Daleks believe from experience that they cannot change history and prevent this (page 189). Presumably this is a result of Day of the Daleks. Also, some of the Dalek Prime's Daleks are sympathetic to Davros. I, therefore, speculate that Evil of the Daleks takes place some time before Destiny of the Daleks. The civil war here delays the plan to save Skaro from Davros until a later time, and confirms to the Dalek Prime that he cannot change the outcome by time travel. It also leaves a number of humanised Daleks, who later make up Davros' faction in War of the Daleks. This means that the Dalek Civil War (in the late sixth Millennium) mentioned in The Crystal Bucephalus refers to the war between Davros and the Dalek Prime, rather than these events.

4123

Al Jardine's The Dream Scenario, a Case Study in Virtual History is published.

We see an extract on page 1 of Theatre of War.

4338

THE CRYSTAL BUCEPHALUS

Konig Wilhelm was the first of the Wine Lords of the planet Chardon. The Wine Lords had the best collection of wine in the galaxy for the next millennium.

Page 42.

Date Unknown

THE MENAGERIE

A complex society had evolved on the site of Project Mecrim. The Knights of Kubaris had prevented scientific research. Their beliefs were partly based on legends of the Mecrim. Events led to the release of the Mecrim, but some travellers helped the humans and the underground races to destroy the Mecrim, and provided the potential for the races to co-exist in peace.

The date is uncertain. Project Mecrim was closed down in 2417. This is referred to as "centuries" ago (page 67), "a millennium or three" ago (page 126) and "hundreds, perhaps thousands of years ago" (page 102). Therefore, any date is arbitrary. I've chosen to place the story about 2,000 years after Project Mecrim.

Date Unknown

DECALOG 2: PEOPLE OF THE TREES

On the planet Dascaris, a mysterious individual called the Doctor purchased some land occupied by an indigenous lifeform who call themselves "the People". A century later, a descendant of the Doctor returns to claim this land. He passes the Verevan test, and claims the land.

There is no date to this story. The Dascarians appear to be human, though they seem to have no contact with other planets. I therefore, assume that this is an Earth colony that was abandoned for centuries. Presumably, they have no interest in developing space travel technology.