Amidst the sandy dunes of Arrakis comes a messiah that will change the course of human history forever, and his name is Paul. The expansive space opera of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novelDunehas remained a seminal work of science fiction, and received numerous adaptations over the years, including the modern films by director Denis Villeneuve.

While there are numerous Major Houses that play various roles in the human civilization in Dune, House Atreides is arguably the most important. From ancient human history on Old Terra to the birth of Paul Atreides on the planet Caladan and beyond, here is the history of House Atreides.

The stony Castle Caladan on the planet Caladan.

Information will occasionally be pulled from Brian Herbert’s Dune novels, but the focus will be on information available in Frank Herbert’s original series.

The History of House Atreides

As with most science fiction,humanity once lived on Earth before spreading out into the stars. House Atreides claims an ancestry that dates back tothe distant past on Old Terra(AKA Earth), all the way back to Ancient Greece.Atreus, king of Mycenae and father to Agamemnon and Menelaus,is said to have been an ancestor to the current Atreides line.

Of the recorded House Atreides lineage, it can supposedly be traced back toVorian Atreides, who was alive duringthe Butlerian Jihad, and had a role in overthrowing thinking machines. The political House Atreides is said to have formed underDemetrios Atreidesafter helping House Corrino.

Paul looks out over the oceans of the planet Caladan.

After the establishment of theLandsraad, House Atreides rose to become one of the Major Houses.

TheLandsraadis the political organization consisting ofall the nobles in the Imperium from the Major and Minor Houses.It was established long before the Corrino Imperium, and wasformed to be a democratic way to resolve disputes and regulate trade.

Leto Atreides, along with several members of House Atreides, in the 2021 Dune movie.

Much later,House Atreides came to rule over Caladan, the third planet in the Delta Pavonis system.House Atreides ruled their fief of Caladan for 26 generations, until they eventually were forced tooversee spice production on Arrakis.

Thered hawkis a main symbol for House Atreides, and theirHouse banner consists of green and black colors.

Leto Atreides and Lady Jessica Atreides stand next to each other.

The Planet Caladan

Caladan is predominantly an ocean planet, but its land masses are also filled with forests, swamps, and jungles. Climate-wise, the planet experiences heavy rainfall and high winds. Caladan is easily habitable without the need for extensive weather-control technology.

Agricultureis the name of the game for Caladan’s population, andfishingis a large portion of their trade. House Atreides did not overrun Caladan’s natural world with industrialization.

A hand holding spice from the planet Arrakis.

House Atreides was also very proficient in warfare, and kept an elite trained fighting force. Their army had different swordmasters andmentats to train recruits, and House Atreideshad their own battle languageas well.

Rivalry With House Harkonnen

Throughout the history of House Atreides, there has beena longstanding rivalry with House Harkonnen.

The reason for this feud is that long ago,someone in House Atreides got someone in House Harkonnen banished.The Atreides are also more closely related to House Corrino, and have at times been more in favor with the Emperor of the Imperium.

Paul Atreides stands observing a mural of the sandworms on Arrakis.

House Atreides Under Duke Leto Atreides

Leto Atreideswas born to Paulus and Helena Atreides in the year 10,140 AG (After Guild). He eventually rose to lead House Atreides, continuing to rule over Caladan. Leto was known to bea good politician, an honorable leader, and a capable military leader.

Leto would sometimes be referred to as‘the Red Duke’by some leaders due to the red hawk symbol of House Atreides.

Paul walks through the desert of Arrakis.

Leto eventually tooka Bene Gesserit concubinecalled Jessica, and the two fell in love. Leto and Lady Jessica didn’t marry for political reasons, in case there was potential for a better political marriage with another Major House. However,the two welcomed a son, Paul, in the year 10,176 AG.

Leto And The Padishah Emperor

Since Duke Leto Atreides was a charismatic leader and well-liked in the Landsraad,Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV felt threatened by him.Especially due to the impressivemilitary forces of House Atreides, and the Emperor’slack of a male heir, paranoia set in for the Emperor.

The Emperor eventually developed a plot to dispose of House Atreides, andordered them to take over the control of Arrakis, which was previously controlled by House Harkonnen.

House Atreides Moves To Arrakis

The majority ofHouse Atreides all moved to the planet Arrakis to oversee spice production in the year 10,191 AG.Managing the mining of spice proved difficult, but under the leadership of Leto, House Atreides quickly integrated on Arrakis and gained the favor of some of the local Fremen.

Unfortunately,a surprise invasion by House Harkonnen, along with the help of disguised Sardaukar soldiers from the Emperor, would lead tothe ruin of House Atreides. This attack was aided by a traitor in House Atreides, Wellington Yueh, the family doctor.

The Harkonnens killed nearly everyone, and captured Duke Leto Atreides.Even though Dr. Yueh betrayed Leto, he gave Leto a fake tooth filled with a poison gas as a way to kill Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.Leto dies in the process of using the poison, but the Baron survives.

House Atreides Under Paul Atreides

Lady Jessica and Paul Atreides managed to escape into the desert, eventually joining the Fremen.While to an outsider it seems that House Atreides is destroyed, it secretly lives on through Paul.

Additionally,Lady Jessica is pregnant with Leto’s child. She will eventually give birth toa daughter namedAlia Atreides, another way the Atreides lineage lives on.

“You, Paul Atreides, descendant of kings, son of a Duke, you must learn to rule. It’s something none of your ancestors learned.”

Thanks to the myths and prophecies planted on Arrakis by the Bene Gesserit’s Missionaria Protectiva, Paul is welcomed into the Fremen as theLisan al-Gaib, their messiah. His influence over the Fremen grows, andPaul falls in love with a woman named Chani.

Further,Paul is thought to be theKwisatz Haderach, a result of generations of genetic breeding by the Bene Gesserit. He is trained in the ways of the Bene Gesserit by his mother, and eventually hascomplete prescience aftertaking the Water of Life.

Paul Atreides leads the Fremen in a revolt against the Harkonnens and the Emperor.He succeeds in forcing Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV to abdicate his throne.Paul arranges a political marriage with the Emperor’s daughter, Irulan, and takes control of the Imperium.

Thus,House Atreides comes to rule the Imperium under the leadership of Paul Atreides.After being almost wiped out, House Atreides is able to rise to power again.

When House Atreides moved to Arrakis,Caladan was placed under the control of a count involved with House Corrino. Later, after overthrowing the Emperor,House Atreides would officially regain control of Caladan.Lady Jessica Atreides would end up overseeing the planet for a time.

Thanks to the work of Paul Atreides and his future heirs,the future of humanity will be aligned with the Golden Path. Of course, that’s all to do withthefutureof House Atreides, and it involves Abominations, a God Emperor sandworm-human hybrid, thousands of years, and even more weird science fiction from the mind of Frank Herbet.