January 7, 2001 Note: This was originally posted on 'alt.books.david-weber' around July 31, 1999. I have updated it to reflect revelations in Ashes of Victory and some comments by Eric Flint concerning "From the Highlands." March 2003 Note: Added more detail concerning the forthcoming sequel to "From the Highlands", Crown of Slaves. Nov 25, 2005 Note: Added a comment to the last paragraph because of At All Costs.

There appear to be several secrets. First, why have they (in general) stayed smart? My best guess is that they have been marrying bright commoners (exogamy is good). Which brings up the second point, why have their skin color stayed (relatively) dark. I have this impression that the original colonists were a majority caucasian (and Western European at that) group. The latter immigrants were more eclectic, of course. Unless many of the consorts were also dark, after 14 generations, the Wintons should not be noticeably darker than everybody else. January 7, 2001 Note: It appears that the founder, Roger Winton I, was genetically engineered (for brains, but why the skin color?).

And then there is another, more lethal secret. I was looking at the list of Manticore Monarchs in More than Honor (pp 337-338) and I noticed something. First I will repeat the table (with the length of each reign), also note that, except where noted, the succession appears to have went parent to child:

Roger I - 1471-1474 PD (3 years - he was rather old when crowned King)
Elizabeth I - 1474-1507 PD (33 years - arguably, the true founder of the Winton dynasty)
Michael I - 1507-1539 PD (32 years)
Edward I - 1539-1544 PD (5 years - killed in boating accident)
Elizabeth II (sister of Edward) - 1544-1601 PD (57 years)
David - 1601-1642 PD (41 years) January 2001 Note: He probably is a grandchild (or even great-grandchild) of Elizabeth II).
Roger II - 1642-1669 PD (27 years)
Adrienne - 1669-1681 PD (12 years - adopted treecat c. 1657)
William I - 1681-1690 PD (9 years - assassinated)
William II - 1690-1741 PD (51 years)
Caitrin - 1741-1762 PD (21 years)
Samantha - 1762-1785 PD (23 years)
George - 1785-1802 PD (17 years)
Samantha II - 1802-1857 PD (53 years)
Roger III - 1857-1883 PD (26 years)
Elizabeth III - 1883 PD and counting

Note the cluster, Adrienne and son William I? There are far too few years there, even considering William being murdered. For that matter, William II (who was undoubtedly a minor when he ascended to the throne) didn't live to 70 years old.

Spoiler alerts for Worlds of Honor!

And there was an attempt on Adrienne's life as described in "What Price Dreams?" (and an attempt staged by expensive professional talent - one of whom believe that the death of Adrienne's mother was a covert assassination). This suggests that there was some sort of long term conspiracy going on. Also, I thought that David Weber cut the story "What Price Dreams?" rather short. He had a scene where an unnamed Manticore noble was obviously involved in that conspiracy, but left that as a loose end. There also was a mention (but presented as an apparent side issue) of Manpower Unlimited (of the Mesa system), a rather unsalvory corporation of genetic engineers - they could be the ultimate financier of that conspiracy. January 7, 2001 Note: Manpower Unlimited had been active for centuries as implied in another story in Worlds of Honor, "The Stray".

Which brings up the point on whether they are still active 3 centuries later. Not only could they be Haven's secret supplier, they could be pulling strings. For example, Haven thought that it was ordering the murder of Roger III (in "Queen's Gambit"), could they had been Manpower Unlimited's puppet? In addition, there was a mention of an earlier attempt on Roger, one that used a special virus (just the sort of thing that morals-free genetic engineers could whip up - does Haven have any good enough?). I suspect that Weber will continue this thread in a later anthology (if there is one - so how well did MtH and WoH sell?). January 7, 2001 Note: Weber hasn't picked this up in the third anthology, Changer of Worlds. According to Eric Flint, Manpower Unlimited is still active c. 1914 PD. But, he didn't comment on how much they are involved in Haven politics and finances. March 1, 2003 Note: Manpower, Unlimited makes an appearance in Weber's "Service of the Sword" in the 4th anthology and rumor has it that they are the principal antagonists in Weber and Flint's Crown of Slaves to be published later in 2003. Nov 25, 2005 Note: Besides, CoS, Manpower (actually Mesa interests in general), was the principal backstage antagonist in The Shadows of Saganami (Honorverse novel with only a brief appearance by Honor). Also, At All Costs has scenes with the Mesa elite which reveal that they have long range plans to be rulers of all humanity.