Alternian Empire

The Alternian Empire was the empire founded by the troll species in the webcomic Homestuck. It was an aggressive, imperialistic, interstellar or galactic empire that spanned a significant portion or the entirety of the trolls' home galaxy, and possibly some other galaxies as well. The empire had a system in which only Fuchsia-blooded females can become the autocrat. The last reigning Empress of the Alternian Empire was Her Imperious Condescension. The most likely capital planet of the empire was Alternia.

History
At some point in time, the Alternian Empire was founded. It was most likely founded by a Fuchsiablooded female who had centralized political and military power. At an unknown point, before or after the empire was founded, the Hemospectrum was put into place as the official caste system.

There were at least two rebellions that were organized against the dominance of the Highbloods. The second rebellion, known as the Summoner's Rebellion, was started by the Summoner as a violent uprising against the Highbloods and the Imperial government. The rebellion was brutally crushed by the forces of the Empress, and as punishment, the Condesce banished all adult trolls into space, to prevent any such challenges to the Highbloods' supremacy from occurring in the future. All trolls who reach a certain age will be conscripted into the Alternian Imperial military to conquer alien worlds and expand the empire, for the glory of Alternia.

After the banishing of all adults into space, the home world was only populated by children and would continue to be for the rest of the empire's history. The Alternian Empire had a greatly powerful warmachine, if the statements of Vriska and are to be believed, so much so that they "practically dominated their galaxy". It is also possible that the Alternian Empire had begun expanding to other galaxies by the time of Hiveswap: Act 1, as stated by Xefros Tritoh in his conversation with Joey Claire. However, it is unknown if Xefros' statements were just exaggerations of the empire's military might, a piece of Imperial propaganda he repeated, or was a true assertion. If it is true, then the Alternian Empire possibly spanned the entire galaxy or most of it by the time of Homestuck.

The end of the Alternian Empire occurred when Alternia experienced The Reckoning. During the event, Gl'bgolyb released The Vast Glub, which eventually spread to the entire universe, wiping out the entire troll species (except the Condesce, the Handmaid and the twelve trolls) in the process.

Becoming Empress
A unique process is associated with becoming the Alternian Empress. The position is restricted to only the Fuchsiablooded caste. To become Empress, one MUST challenge the currently reigning monarch to a fight to the death. It is demanded by both the citizenry and Gl'bgolyb. If the current Empress kills the challenger, then the monarch gets to keep her title and position as the all-powerful sovereign. If the challenger kills the Empress, then she becomes the new Empress. The Empresses have to kill all challengers to their throne, with the exception of at least one Fuchsiablood, as someone has to tend to Gl'bgolyb and keep it from releasing The Vast Glub.

Alternian Military
All or almost all trolls are destined to be conscripted into the Imperial military of Alternia. Once they reach maturity, trolls are forcibly moved off-world to conquer alien worlds in the name of "Alternian glory". They will spend the rest of their lives away from their homeworld, never being able to set foot on it ever again. Most trolls would probably die in an alien combat zone or aboard the many Imperial warships.

Branches of the Alternian Military

 * Alternian Navy: While was is never shown anywhere in the comic, it can be assumed that Alternian warships look similar to the Empress' flagship.
 * Archeradicator: This unit was implied to involve archery.
 * Cavalreaper: This unit was most likely the Imperial cavalry.
 * Laughsassin: This unit was a class of "performer-assassin". They were most likely stealth-oriented.
 * Ruffiannihilator: This unit was an unarmed class of exceptionally strong infantry. They essentially pummeled their enemies to death with their fists.
 * Subjugglator: A caste of cultish military-police and enforcers who ensured the dominance of the Highbloods in Alternian society. They were a Purpleblood-only group.
 * Threshecutioner: A class of soldiers who wielded sickles in battle. They apparently were the most lethal and accomplished of all Imperial forces, as it was they who conquered the most planets.