Princess Irulan: chronicler of the Atreides Imperium

Princess Royal Irulan Corrino was the eldest daughter of the 81st Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV and Anirul, a Bene Gesserit of Hidden Rank. She was the wife, in title only, of Emperor Paul Atreides, and an important historian who chronicled his rise to the Imperial throne through a series of written works.

Upbringing#

As the eldest of Shaddam's five daughters, Irulan was raised in the Imperial Court and given an excellent education through the Bene Gesserit. Like her younger sisters Chalice, Wensicia, Josifa, and Rugi, she was conditioned to be a lady of refinement and elegance.

From an early age her father expected her to become Empress after his death, or at least to wed a political ally and preserve House Corrino's hegemony over the Imperium. The Bene Gesserit also saw potential in her and trained her sufficiently to exploit her later, should she rise to power. Despite these expectations, Irulan remained only an average adept and retained a strong sense of personal identity and ambition, qualities that caused tension with her equally strong-minded father. Lady Jessica judged that Irulan was too proud to advance far in her Bene Gesserit training, and that the Sisterhood never pressed the matter because her chief value lay simply in being Shaddam's daughter.

The plot against House Atreides#

Irulan was gradually drawn into the events on Arrakis as her father orchestrated his plot to destroy Duke Leto Atreides with the aid of House Harkonnen. As Leto's influence grew in the Landsraad, there was wide speculation that Irulan might marry his son Paul to symbolize Shaddam's peaceful selection of House Atreides to assume the throne; but the Emperor's jealousy of the Red Duke led him instead to plot Leto's destruction.

To secure Harkonnen assistance, the Emperor offered to potentially give Irulan in marriage to the na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, along with the riches of the Arrakis fief. Baron Vladimir Harkonnen favored the arrangement, believing such a union would help establish a Harkonnen Empire. Irulan was thus ensnared as a political pawn, a role she resented. When the plot was executed, the Atreides were lured to Arrakis and attacked by Harkonnen forces secretly supplemented by Imperial Sardaukar. Leto was killed, while Paul and Jessica fled into the desert and were presumed dead, until the mysterious Muad'Dib emerged to lead the Fremen.

Downfall of the Corrinos#

As Muad'Dib rose, Irulan became further entangled with the Bene Gesserit, who sought to use her as a spy against her father. When Paul Atreides conquered the Imperial strongholds on Arrakis, Irulan was at her father's side in Arrakeen and witnessed Paul's victory over the na-Baron in a kanly duel that destroyed House Harkonnen. She was then made to marry the Fremen leader to legitimize his rule and strip the Golden Lion Throne from Shaddam IV, to the concern of Paul's consort, Chani. Unaware of Paul's devotion to Chani, Irulan agreed, believing she would bear the Imperial heir and thereby retain Corrino power over the Known Universe.

An unhappy marriage and later devotion#

After Paul consolidated his rule, Irulan discovered she was his wife in title only, Chani being his exclusive partner and the sole bearer of his children. Jealousy and resentment drove her to secretly drug Chani with dangerous contraceptives so that she would bear no heirs. The scheme did not work as intended, and Irulan was left with remorse when Chani died after giving birth to twins, Leto and Ghanima. This act, together with Paul's apparent death after he walked blind into the desert, led her to devote herself to House Atreides and her two surviving stepchildren. Alia, who had never liked her, grudgingly admitted that Irulan reeked of trustworthiness and allowed her to become the twins' guardian, since her defection destroyed any hope the Bene Gesserit had of manipulating the children.

Through their developmental years and into the rise of the God Emperor Leto II, Irulan spent her remaining years studying and documenting the events that had unfolded since House Atreides took control of Arrakis. She was a prolific author, her writings serving as a lasting record of the age.