44c-56c: Second Decline

The Imperium collapse ushered a dark period of violence and cultural darkness that ended when hop travel returned to reliability.

Collapse (belongs in Imperium)

Corrupt bureaucracy, internecine struggle and decadent leadership caused the collapse. The collapse brought twelve long centuries of war and chaos. Political turmoil and cultural retardation persisted throughout this period. Hop travel restored humanity to its next [reunification.](/reunification/)

Dark period

Innumerable smaller states formed, battled, dissolved, and at times even reformed. Many systems were again cut off, much as they had been during the [First Decline](/chronology/first-decline), while for others soup travel remained stable enough to maintain trade, or just as often, to make war.

:Violence:While some of the more powerful systems were able to maintain their identity and culture, for many weaker systems, war, periods of isolation and a lack of stable economies and law and order would transform them almost beyond recognition.

Darkness

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:Restored Hop Travel:Towards the end of this period, as hyperspace travel again became reliable, a number of states began to accrue through warfare and diplomacy a large number of client systems