Gowron, son of M'Rel, was Chancellor of the Klingon High Council in the late 24th century. He ruled during the Klingon Civil War, Klingon-Cardassian War, and the Dominion War. He was killed by Worf in 2375.
History
Early career
Before 2367, Gowron was a political outsider, who often challenged the decisions of the Klingon High Council. After the death of Chancellor K'mpec, Gowron and Duras, son of Ja'rod, became the two leading candidates for leadership of the council. It was suspected that Gowron had in fact poisoned K'mpec to advance his career, though many believe that K'mpec was indeed poisoned by Duras.
Gowron traveled on the IKS Buruk to undergo the Rite of Succession in the Gamma Arigulon system, where K'mpec had gone to rendezvous with Captain Jean-Luc Picard who would serve as Arbiter of Succession. Gowron, like a typical Klingon, was skeptical of an outsider's ability to function as Arbiter, and was frustrated with his choice of undergoing the ja'chuq, but still went along with little argument. Once Duras was killed by Worfthrough the Right of Vengeance, Gowron's election as chancellor was complete. (TNG: "Reunion")
Klingon Civil War
Following Gowron's election, Duras's sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, challenged Gowron's office. They appealed to the High Council to install Toral, the illegitimate son of Duras, as Chancellor. The resulting division of loyalty in the council quickly sparked the Klingon Civil War in late 2367. (TNG: "Redemption"). After a few weeks, Gowron's forces emerged victorious. With the help of the Federation, Duras's family ties with the Romulan Star Empire were exposed. In addition, Gowron reinstated the House of Mogh in recognition of the actions of Worf and his brother Kurn coming to his aid in the conflict. (TNG: "Redemption II")
Later career
In the aftermath of the war, Gowron found it was best to avoid calling attention to the Federation's support during the war. He ordered that all official accounts of the events omit the Federation's involvement in the conflict and emphasize his own courage and strategic genius. (TNG: "Unification I")
When a clone of Kahless the Unforgettable was created in 2369, Gowron dismissed his right to rule the Empire, though he soon became worried that the clone's existence would plunge the Klingon Empire into another civil war. In order to keep the peace, he agreed to support Kahless as the spiritual leader of his people, agreeing to support his succession as "Emperor" (the title having been defunct for generations), while Gowron would remain leader of the Council. (TNG: "Rightful Heir")
In 2371, a Klingon named Kozak was killed in an accident at Quark's on Deep Space 9. D'Ghor, posing as Kozak's brother, made a claim before Gowron and the Council to the House of Kozak, but Gowron temporarily transferred leadership of the House of Kozak to Quark, who had secretly married Kozak's widow, Grilka. Together, they proved to Gowron that D'Ghor had dishonored himself by trying to financially ruin Kozak for years instead of openly fighting him. D'Ghor challenged Quark to personal combat, but Quark refused to fight. D'Ghor was about to kill the unarmed Ferengi when Gowron intervened, discommended D'Ghor for his dishonorable attempt to kill an unarmed opponent who was not even attempting to fight back, proclaimed the House of Kozak would become the House of Grilka, and commended the Ferengi for his uncommon bravery. (DS9: "The House of Quark", "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places")
Later that year, Commander Sisko theorized that Gowron had sent the Klingon Intelligence agents Atul, Bo'rakand Morka to Deep Space 9 to spy on a Romulan delegation. (DS9: "Visionary")
"This we do not forgive...or forget."
As the cold war between the Dominion and the Alpha Quadrant escalated during the 2370s, Gowron took prominent Klingon General Martok as his military adviser. Martok had secretly been replaced by a Changeling, and used his position to influence Gowron's military decisions. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising") When a civilian revolt took over Cardassia Prime in 2372, Martok spread misinformation that the Cardassian uprising had been supported by the Dominion. This view gained some credence as it fit the Founders' modus operandi, since they regularly made use of infiltrators to weaken their enemies. Martok led Gowron to believe that the civilian-led Detapa Council had been replaced by Changelings. Seeking to protect the Empire, Gowron ordered the invasion of the Cardassian Union. The move was condemned by the Federation Council, and Gowron withdrew from the Khitomer Accords, ending the decades-long alliance with the Federation. (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior", "Rules of Engagement")
The Klingons conquered a number of Cardassian colonies but failed to take Cardassia Prime. Gowron declared victory anyway, in order to avoid assassination attempts. He fortified his positions in Cardassian space and continued expanding the borders of the Empire. He also ordered several attacks on Romulan targets on the Klingon-Romulan border. (DS9: "Hippocratic Oath")
In late 2372, Gowron demanded that the Federation withdraw from the Archanis sector, in particular Archanis IV. During this time, the Dominion planted false information in Starfleet through Odo that Gowron, not Martok, was a Changeling spy. (DS9: "Broken Link") Starfleet sent a team to Klingon military headquarters on Ty'Gokor to expose Gowron. Eventually they discovered that Martok was, in fact, the Changeling agent, and Gowron's men swiftly killed it. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising")
After the Cardassians joined the Dominion in 2373, the Klingon forces were driven from Cardassian space. Facing the combined forces of the Dominion and Cardassia, Gowron reinstated the Khitomer Accords and posted a permanent contingent of Klingon officers on the Cardassian border at station Deep Space 9, commanded, ironically, by the real Martok. (DS9: "By Inferno's Light")
The Dominion War
In early 2374, Gowron was reluctant to involve the Empire in Operation Return. However, he was later persuaded to assist Captain Sisko's forces by Martok and Worf. The late arrival of the Klingon fleet proved critical in the battle, throwing the Dominion lines into disarray and allowed the Defiant to break through. (DS9: "Favor the Bold", "Sacrifice of Angels")
Several months later, the Dominion and the Orion Syndicate used Gowron's feud with the Klingon ambassador to Farius Prime in an attempt to bring down the Treaty of Alliance. Gelnon and Raimus hoped that by having Liam Bilby, Krole and Flith assassinate the ambassador with Klingon weapons it would look like Gowron had ordered the pro-Dominion ambassador's execution. (DS9: "Honor Among Thieves")
Gowron played a role, albeit unknowingly, in bringing the Romulan Star Empire into the war against the Dominion. In late 2374, Captain Sisko contacted Gowron and asked him to issue a formal pardon to Grathon Tolar, who was needed by Sisko and Elim Garak to forge a holorecording. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight")
Early in 2375, both Worf and Martok planned to speak to Gowron to see if he could find Kor a fitting assignment on Qo'noS. (DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")
Martok's actions during the war had made him a prominent figure throughout the Empire, such that he was regarded by the Klingon people as their savior. Feeling threatened by Martok's growing political influence, Gowron took direct control of the Klingon Defense Force in 2375. He began trying to undermine Martok's military standing, repeatedly sending him against impossible odds so that he would be forced to retreat. (DS9: "When It Rains...") Martok refused to challenge Gowron even after such dishonorable actions, believing it would be tantamount to turning against the Empire.
Instead Gowron was challenged by a member of Martok's house, Worf. Worf, who had been subtly directed by Captain Sisko to have Gowron removed as Chancellor, defeated Gowron in one-on-one combat, killing him, and passed the leadership of the High Council to Martok. Despite his disapproval of Gowron's actions, Worf still performed the Klingon death ritual for him, acknowledging the former Chancellor as a Klingon warrior. (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind")
Worf recalled fighting Gowron for the leadership of the Empire before leaving Deep Space 9 to take up his post as Martok's Federation's ambassador. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")
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