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Beginnings & History of House Sharrette
Not much is known about the Sharrette surname during the first millenium. The first mention in history books is of Christophe Sharrette, one of the nine founders of the Knights of the Temple Order, best know as Templars, in 1118.

Known as extraordinary warriors in what was essentially a religious warrior order, was great praise indeed, which speaks of the Sharrette's proficiency in combat.

Very loyal to the order and its ideals (an existence dedicated to the Lord, a secluded life and a fierce warrior attitude), they lost their religious ways when in 1307 the French king, Philip "The Beautiful" arrested and killed most of the Knights, with the blessing of the ruling Pope.

Taking refuge in the Iberian Peninsula (mainly in Portugal) until the XVIII Century, they returned to France, in what was known as the "Covert Vengeance", to plant the seeds for a rebellion against the Monarchy that destroyed their order. Using plans and strategies conceived during their exile, their goal was obtained when in1789 the French revolution happened.

Feeling ashamed that their desire for vengeance cost so many unnecessary deaths (the period right after the Revolution was a very bloody one), they vowed never again to use politics as the means to an end and instead follow only the path of warriors. Spreading to almost all the military branches on almost all the armies of the planet Earth, it was only natural that all the Sharrete's served in SLDF.
Evolution of the Family Crest
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Perhaps the only crest that has remained practically unaltered since its inception, the Sharrete's family crest shows a medieval helm over a blue shield with a red cross inside a white dagger's edge. It symbolizes the name glorious past in the Templars (the Helm and the red Cross on white were used in all of the Knights Templars' clothes) and the loyalty to ones ideals (the blue shield).
Warriors
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Renowned for their fighting spirit and skills, the Sharrette Knight revels in many doctrines of war from the Crusades. Not the leaders of people, they are simply warriors, calm in Peace but ferocious in War. Never the ones to loose temper (a reminiscent of monastic teachings), a Sharrette warrior takes pride on the knight-house motto "Never give ground, disperse or die". The surviving warriors of Kerensky's war against the Usurper accompanied him in the first Exodus, and 85% of the Sharrette's bloodline willfully stayed behind during the Annihilation War to protect their fellow Tribesmen.
Current Events
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The Knights of House Sharrette play a pivotal role in almost all of the major campaigns that the Minnesota Tribe plans, not as Tacticians or leaders but as warriors of renowned skill, trustworthy and fierce in combat, always being the first warriors in and the last ones out of any battle.

Battlemechs used by the Knights of House Sharrette always bear the House Crest, the white dagger's edge with the red cross and vary in armor color but always with a light bluish tint. Should the Battlemech possess a head it is painted to look like the crest's helm.
Bibliography:
Star League Defense Forces database on the information on the unit as a Corps during the time frame of 2764-2784.
House Steiner Sourcebook First Edition, courtesy of Dean Johnson.

Credits:
331st-Minnesota Tribe insignia illustration ©1996 by Christopher T. Merkel (e-mail)
Star League-Cameron Star insignia ©FASA Corporation, redrawn for web
display purposes by Christopher T. Merkel (e-mail)

Photographs in History section (mthistory*.html) are ©United Kingdom Royal Army, and the United States Marine Corps through MarineLink, various photographers, www.army.mod.uk and www.usmc.mil for more information. Images used without permission for non-profit organization. All other images contained herein, unless otherwise specified, are ©1999 by Christopher T. Merkel (e-mail)