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:::::::''The Seventh Age: Journey and Salvation.''|Maccabeus and the Jiralhanae of the ''Rapid Conversion''.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''' ''page 196-197''</ref>}} | :::::::''The Seventh Age: Journey and Salvation.''|Maccabeus and the Jiralhanae of the ''Rapid Conversion''.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''' ''page 196-197''</ref>}} | ||
The Covenant created its own means of connoting time, comprised of "Ages." The Covenant's history is broken up into multiple occurrences of seven types of Age, each representing the predominant theme that occurred during those periods of time. These ages do not necessarily follow one another in order, nor are they equal in quantity. As an example, there were significantly more Ages of Conflict and Doubt than Reclamation. Each Age is further broken into what is called Cycles. A Cycle is the Covenant version of a day and it represents one artificial day on High Charity. A Cycle contains approximately 265 units, which if translated into human time is one hour of time on Earth.<ref name="enyc31">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''' '' page 31''</ref> | The Covenant created its own means of connoting time, comprised of "Ages." The Covenant's history is broken up into multiple occurrences of seven types of Age, each representing the predominant theme that occurred during those periods of time. These ages do not necessarily follow one another in order, nor are they equal in quantity. As an example, there were significantly more Ages of Conflict and Doubt than Reclamation. Each Age is further broken into what is called Cycles. A Cycle is the Covenant version of a day and it represents one artificial day on High Charity. A Cycle contains approximately 265 units, which if translated into human time is one hour of time on Earth.<ref name="enyc31">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''' '' page 31''</ref> | ||
===Foundation=== | |||
In [[938 BCE]],<ref name="Enyc1"/> the San'Shyuum [[Reformists]] entered a Sangheili-occupied system that lead to first contact between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili. The San'Shyuum, who came to Sangheilios in order to claim and study the rich abundance of Forerunner artifacts left behind,<ref name="Enyc114">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''' ''page 114''</ref> soon found themselves sharing different ideologies of how such relics should be treated, which quickly devolved into conflict between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili. | In [[938 BCE]],<ref name="Enyc1"/> the San'Shyuum [[Reformists]] entered a Sangheili-occupied system that lead to first contact between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili. The San'Shyuum, who came to Sangheilios in order to claim and study the rich abundance of Forerunner artifacts left behind,<ref name="Enyc114">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''' ''page 114''</ref> soon found themselves sharing different ideologies of how such relics should be treated, which quickly devolved into conflict between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili. | ||
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In their warrior culture, the Sangheili have great respect for a worthy adversary, and after their surrender the San'Shyuum sought to seek a burgeoning Covenant of the two races, thus the term "Covenant", the alliance between the two species; was formed in 852 BCE with the signing of the [[Writ of Union]], the treaty that ended the conflict and brought about peace between the two.<ref name="Enyc1"/> | In their warrior culture, the Sangheili have great respect for a worthy adversary, and after their surrender the San'Shyuum sought to seek a burgeoning Covenant of the two races, thus the term "Covenant", the alliance between the two species; was formed in 852 BCE with the signing of the [[Writ of Union]], the treaty that ended the conflict and brought about peace between the two.<ref name="Enyc1"/> | ||
The conclusion of the conflict marked the First Age of Reconciliation, followed by the First Age of | ===Contact and Conversion=== | ||
The conclusion of the conflict marked the First Age of Reconciliation, followed by the First Age of Conversion, which marked the beginning expansion of the Covenant by bringing the Lekgolo into the Covenant, and throughout these Ages new races were incorporated into the Covenant. In between these ages were what became known as the Ages of Doubt, these ages signified no great discoveries were made, and members of the Covenant grappling with internecine conflict.<ref name="enyc31"/> | |||
===War with Humanity=== | |||
During the 23rd Age of Doubt the Covenant encountered Humanity for the first time. This inevitable meeting would start a war that over time threw the entire foundation of the Covenant's religion and political alliance into a gradual state of disarray.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''' ''page 143''</ref> | During the 23rd Age of Doubt the Covenant encountered Humanity for the first time. This inevitable meeting would start a war that over time threw the entire foundation of the Covenant's religion and political alliance into a gradual state of disarray.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''' ''page 143''</ref> | ||
During the final years of the war against humanity the remaining Prophets, led by the High Prophet of Truth, used the opportunity to replace the Sangheili with Jiralhanae as their protectors. However, this move effectively angered the Sangheili, who had been in such a position since the founding of the Covenant. | During the final years of the war against humanity the remaining Prophets, led by the High Prophet of Truth, used the opportunity to replace the Sangheili with Jiralhanae as their protectors. However, this move effectively angered the Sangheili, who had been in such a position since the founding of the Covenant. | ||
===Great Schism=== | |||
Truth gave command of the Covenant Fleets to the Jiralhanae. Once there were enough Jiralhanae in place, Truth secretly ordered them to commit a mass genocide on the Sangheili. The Jiralhanae replaced the Sangheili within the society of the Covenant. The Sangheili revolted, enlisting the help of some of the Mgalekgolo and Unggoy, beginning a destructive civil war within ''High Charity'' itself and on the surrounding Covenant fleet. | Truth gave command of the Covenant Fleets to the Jiralhanae. Once there were enough Jiralhanae in place, Truth secretly ordered them to commit a mass genocide on the Sangheili. The Jiralhanae replaced the Sangheili within the society of the Covenant. The Sangheili revolted, enlisting the help of some of the Mgalekgolo and Unggoy, beginning a destructive civil war within ''High Charity'' itself and on the surrounding Covenant fleet. | ||
Early into the Great Schism, most of the Sangheili Councilors were assassinated by the Jiralhanae at the will of the Prophet of Truth, most likely in attempt to deprive the Sangheili of their leadership core. When the Sangheili learned the truth about the Halos, it changed the war significantly and added Humanity into the struggle. Instead of a Great Journey, the Gravemind's revelation regarding the superweapon contradicted the entire Covenant's belief system. | Early into the Great Schism, most of the Sangheili Councilors were assassinated by the Jiralhanae at the will of the Prophet of Truth, most likely in attempt to deprive the Sangheili of their leadership core. When the Sangheili learned the truth about the Halos, it changed the war significantly and added Humanity into the struggle. Instead of a Great Journey, the Gravemind's revelation regarding the superweapon contradicted the entire Covenant's belief system. | ||
===Post-Dissolution=== | |||
Though the Prophet of Truth was eventually killed, and most of the Loyalist's known fleet was destroyed by the Sangheili fleet above the Ark, the Covenant still exists in some force, though in a weakened state, forced to rebuild after the war.<ref name="H3 Assem"/> [[Rtas 'Vadum]] expressed concern that the Sangheili homeworld, [[Sanghelios]], may have still been endangered by the Covenant, and considering the sheer size of the former Covenant it is unlikely that the entirety of the Loyalists were present at Earth. Exactly who or what remains in charge of the political and military leadership of the Covenant is also unknown as the San'Shyuum population is only within the thousands and is near extinction.<ref>'''[[Bestiarum]]''' ''San'Shyuum section''</ref> They have not been sighted by the Sangheili since 2553.<ref name="return">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe|Halo: Evolutions]]''' '''[[The Return]]''' ''page 506''</ref> | Though the Prophet of Truth was eventually killed, and most of the Loyalist's known fleet was destroyed by the Sangheili fleet above the Ark, the Covenant still exists in some force, though in a weakened state, forced to rebuild after the war.<ref name="H3 Assem"/> [[Rtas 'Vadum]] expressed concern that the Sangheili homeworld, [[Sanghelios]], may have still been endangered by the Covenant, and considering the sheer size of the former Covenant it is unlikely that the entirety of the Loyalists were present at Earth. Exactly who or what remains in charge of the political and military leadership of the Covenant is also unknown as the San'Shyuum population is only within the thousands and is near extinction.<ref>'''[[Bestiarum]]''' ''San'Shyuum section''</ref> They have not been sighted by the Sangheili since 2553.<ref name="return">'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe|Halo: Evolutions]]''' '''[[The Return]]''' ''page 506''</ref> | ||