Prior to becoming Chancellor, Gowron was considered a political outsider who often challenged the High Council. When it became apparent in 2367 thatK'mpec was dying, Gowron quickly rose to become one of two main challengers for the office of Chancellor. The other challenger wasCouncillor Duras, son of Ja'rod. After K'mpec died, Gowron met withCaptain Jean-Luc Picard of theUSSEnterprise-D and Councillor Duras on K'mpec's ship for theSonchi ceremony, to verify that K'mpec was truly dead. Duras attempted to have Gowronassassinated during this ceremony by having one of hisbodyguards carry out asuicide bombing, which ultimately failed.Worf later killedDuras after Duras murderedK'Ehleyr. As a result, Gowron was the only challenger left for the office. (TNGepisode: "Reunion")

Near the end of 2367, shortly before Gowron's installation ceremony, the sisters of Duras,Lursa andB'Etor, challenged his claim to the office of Chancellor, instead supporting the claim ofToral, the illegitimate son of Duras. Picard however decided that any claim the House of Duras had to the office died with Duras.

Shortly afterwards, Gowron's ship was attacked by twoBirds-of-Prey loyal to Duras.Lieutenant Worf of theEnterprise was on board at the time, and assisted the crew during the battle. Also joining the battle on Gowron's behalf wasKurn, son ofMogh. With this new source of support, Gowron decided to proceed with his installation as Chancellor. His first act after assuming the office was to restore the honor of theHouse of Mogh, ending Worf'sdiscommendation.

A brief civil war erupted in the Empire, with Worf and Kurn continuing to fight on Gowron's side. MeanwhileStarfleet helped to expose theRomulan support theHouse of Duras was receiving, leading to the loss of nearly all support in the Empire for the Duras sisters, and eventually their defeat. (TNGepisodes: "Redemption, Part I", "Redemption, Part II")

2367-2371[]

In order to shore up his position as Chancellor, Gowron began revising the official histories after taking power. These revised histories indicated that it was his prowess as a warrior that brought him and his forces to victory, with no mention made of the Federation's help. When Picard needed a cloaked ship to sneak into theRomulan capital, Gowron ignored him until Picard threatened to turn to Gowron's rivals, and to then give those rival's the Federation's gratitude. At this point, Gowron agreed to provide Picard with a ship to transport him toRomulus. (TNGepisode &novelization:Unification)

WhenKahless, son of Kahless, a clone of the originalKahless, appeared onBoreth in2370, Gowron saw him as a threat to his power, and intercepted theEnterprise as it ferried Kahless toQo'noS. When the clone agreed to become the ceremonialEmperor, with the actual power still resting with the Chancellor and the High Council, Gowron at least publicly dropped his opposition to Kahless, and even knelt in obedience to the Emperor. (TNGepisode: "Rightful Heir")

Gowron later presided over sessions of the Klingon High Council in whichD'Ghor attempted to seize the lands and property of theHouse of Kozak. By forcingQuark to marry her, Grilka was able to keep the council from acting on D'Ghor's claim. Gowron then declared that Kozak was dead, and that his House would now be known as the House of Quark. This gave Grilka enough time for Quark to discover that D'Ghor had used financial manipulation to attempt to bring down the House of Kozak. When D'Ghor attempted to execute Quark for bringing the evidence before the council, Gowron realized that Quark had been telling the truth. Telling D'Ghor that he had no honor, Gowron and the other members of the High Councildiscommended D'Ghor, who was then ejected from theGreat Hall. Afterwards, Gowron informed Grilka that circumstances were unusual enough to grant her dispensation to lead the House on her own. (DS9episode: "The House of Quark")

In the second half of2371, Gowron faced a crisis within the Empire as a newly discovered scroll revealed new information onKahless the Unforgettable and his role in Klingon history.Enterprise CaptainJean-Luc Picard andEmperor Kahless both helped Gowron to stabilize the situation within the Empire. (TNGnovel:Kahless)

Also in 2371, the Romulan CommanderSela usedThomas Riker in an attempt toassassinate Gowron and launch a massive biological attack on Qo'noS. Riker was prevented from assassinating Gowron, and escaped before he could be captured by Starfleet. (TNGnovel:Triangle: Imzadi II)

In2371, Gowron introduced theQuv van je tay, which honouredDahar Masters Kang andKoloth. (DS9comic: "Remembrance")

2372-2375[]

In late 2371General Martok was captured by the Dominion andreplaced by aFounder, who acted as Gowron's chief of staff. On a mission to destabilize theAlpha Quadrant in advance of a Dominion invasion, the Martokchangeling provided evidence that Cardassia'sDetapa Council was replaced with Founders. In early 2372, he convinced Gowron and the other High Council to stage an invasion ofCardassia. When the Federation refused to support the invasion, Gowron withdrew from theKhitomer Accords, ending the alliance between the two powers. WhileCaptain Benjamin Sisko and Worf were able to convince Gowron not to proceed with the invasion, the two powers remained at odds. (DS9episode &novelization:The Way of the Warrior)

Because Worf refused to support the invasion, Gowron caused Worf and theHouse of Mogh to lose their standing in the Empire. Worf's brotherKurn, son of Mogh lost his seat on the council, in the presence of Emperor Kahless. (DS9episode: "Sons of Mogh")

Over the next year, at the behest of the Martok changeling Gowron became increasingly aggressive, and soon open combat began between the Federation and the Empire. As part of a plan to further destabilize the Alpha Quadrant, whenOdo was returned to theGreat Link the link let it slip that Gowron was a changeling. The Federation sent Captain Sisko, Odo, Worf, andChief of Operations Miles O'Brien on a mission to expose the changeling. Captured by the Martok changeling, Worf was given an opportunity to engage Gowron in personal combat, but stopped short of killing Gowron when Odo realized that Martok was the changeling, not Gowron. The Martok changeling was swiftly killed. Gowron at first was hesitant to engage in talks with the Federation, feeling that once combat was started it could not be stopped. But Odo said that talk was the best course as it was the last thing the Founders wanted. These talks met with limited success though as the two forces had more skirmishes. (DS9episodes: "Broken Link", "Apocalypse Rising", "Nor the Battle to the Strong")

In mid 2373,Gul Skrain Dukat of theCardassian Empire revealed that he had negotiated with the Dominion for the Cardassians to join theDominion. Dominion forces entered Cardassian space, and forced the Klingons in Cardassian space to withdraw. Seeing that the Dominion had gained a foothold in Alpha Quadrant space, Gowron re-signed the Khitomer Accords, restoring the alliance between the Federation and the Empire. As part of a new agreement between the two powers, a permanent military presence by the Klingons was established on Deep Space 9. When the real General Martok was rescued by Worf and Garak, Benjamin Sisko requested that Martok be assigned to lead DS9's Klingon contingent, and Gowron agreed to this request. (DS9episode: "By Inferno's Light").

Over the next several months, the Dominion sent more forces into Cardassian space, preparing to invade the other Alpha Quadrant powers. At the end of 2373, the Federation mined the entrance of the Bajoran wormhole and retreated from Bajoran space. The Federation and the Klingon Empire engaged the Dominion in battle, beginning theDominion War. After several weeks of fighting, Gowron agreed to send a large force to help retake Deep Space 9. (DS9episodes: "Call to Arms", "Sacrifice of Angels")

During the war, the elderlyDahar Master Kor wanted to play a direct role in the war, but after a long life he had acquired a large number of enemies - who refused him a direct role in the war. By then Kor was suffering from lapses in memory and concentration. When Worf intervened to give Kor a chance to participate directly in the war, Kor suffered a memory lapse in the middle of combat. Realizing that Kor was not fit for a combat role, both Martok and Worf decided that they would prevail upon Gowron to give him a suitable position, however Kor soon died in combat with theJem'Hadar, saving the lives of the surviving Klingons in the process. (DS9episode: "Once More Unto the Breach")

Fall from power[]

In2375, Worf became convinced that Gowron would have to be challenged after Gowron had taken direct command of the Klingon forces in an attempt to undermineMartok's support in the Empire. Gowron engaged in a number of foolhardy attacks that cost a number of Klingon ships and warriors. Martok was seriously wounded in one of the attacks. Worf at first tried to convince Martok to challenge Gowron, but Martok refused on the grounds that it would be dishonorable to do so while an enemy stood before them.

After talking toEzri Dax, Worf realized that if the Empire continued on its current course with Gowron leading it that it was doomed to eventual destruction. When Gowron proposed another foolhardy attack, Worf had enough, and stood up to challenge Gowron, declaring that Gowron had dishonored himself and was no longer worthy of leading the High Council. He took off hiscombadge to symbolize that he was speaking as a warrior and a member of theHouse of Martok instead of aStarfleet officer.

Gowron then said there was only one response to Worf's challenge, and moved to grab abat'leth, and Worf did the same. The two men fought, and Worf soon found himself on the ground. When Gowron raised his sword to deliver a killing blow, Worf stabbed him in the chest with a part of abat'leth. Worf then performed the Klingon death ceremony for Gowron, holding the man's eyes open and screaming to warn the dead inSto-vo-kor that Gowron was about to arrive.

Martok took the Chancellor's cloak and draped it over Worf's shoulders, and tried to proclaim him the next leader of the Empire. Worf refused, instead giving the cloak and the office to his friend Martok, who became the next Chancellor of the Klingon Empire. (DS9episode: "Tacking Into the Wind")

Alternate universes[]

In an alternate timeline where he was not killed byWorf, Gowron still led the Klingon Empire up until the year 2375. He was then overthrown byMorjod, and the Klingon Empire descended into a civil war. (VOY -Myriad Universes -Infinity's Prismnovella:Places of Exile)

In another parallel universe, Gowron was assimilated by theBorg Collective as a counterpart to thequeen. He was used as an intermediary between theBorg and theKlingon people. (CCG set:Enhanced First Contact, card: "Gowron of Borg")

Appendices[]

Background information[]

Gowron was played byRobert O'Reilly.

Appearances[]

2367

TNGepisode: "Reunion"
TNGepisode: "Redemption"

2368

TNGepisode: "Redemption II"

2369

STnovel:Klingon
TNGepisode: "Rightful Heir"

2370

TNGcomic: "Cry Vengeance"

2371

2372

DS9episode: "The Way of the Warrior"
DS9episode: "Broken Link"

2373

2375

DS9episode: "When It Rains..."
DS9episode: "Tacking Into the Wind"

External link[]

Gowron, son of M'Rel article atMemory Alpha, the wiki for canonStar Trek.
Gowron, son of M'Rel article at theStar Trek Timelines Wiki.

Connections[]

Preceded by:
K'mpec

Chancellor of the High Council of the Klingon Empire
2367–2375

Succeeded by:
Martok

Chancellors of theHigh Council of theKlingon Empire
Primary universe	Mow'ga •Kapok •M'Rek •Khorkal •Sturka •Kesh •Durak •Orak •Koval •Lorak •B'rak •L'Rell •Gorkon, son of Toq •Azetbur, daughter of Gorkon •Kaarg •Ditagh •Kravokh, son of J'Doq •K'mpec •Gowron, son of M'Rel •Martok, son of Urthog •J'mpok •L'Rell
First Splinter timeline	Gowron, son of M'Rel •Martok, son of Urthog
Kelvin timeline	Klingon Chancellor •Gorkon
Kelvin timeline (mirror)	Gorkon

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Gowron, son of M'Rel

Gowron, son of M'Rel

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Contents

Biography[]

Early life and rise to power[]