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One of the last battles in [[Europa (Terra)|Europa]] was the [[Battle of Gaduare|Massacre at Gaduare]] in [[Franc]], where 5,000 Imperial Thunder Warriors slaughtered 50,000 rebel militia.{{Fn|5}} In 669.[[M30]], the last major battle of the Unification era saw the Emperor purge most of the Thunder Warriors at Mount Ararat, making way for his next generation of superhuman warriors, the [[Space Marines]].{{Fn|9}}{{Fn|21}} At some point after the purge of Mount Ararat, the [[Palace Coup]] was launched by dissident Imperials, including surviving Thunder Warriors, who had come to oppose the Emperor for various reasons. The uprising was crushed with the first mass use of Space Marines.{{Fn|19b}} From then on, Space Marines became a prominent part in the Imperial armies on Terra, and began developing their distinct, [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]]-specific characteristics. For example, the [[White Scars]] were used by the [[Emperor]] as outriders probing enemy strongholds for weakness and striking where opportunity arose.{{Fn|17}}
Among the final {{Fn|10a}}{{Fn|21}} ninety anti-Imperial warlords {{Fn|24}} to be brought low was [[Cardinal Tang]] who still resisted Imperial rule by 703.[[M30]],{{Fn|10a}}{{Fn|21}} when most of Terra had already submitted to the Imperium. In that year, the Emperor then set his sights on [[Luna]], [[First Pacification of Luna|occupying it in a quick campaign]].{{Fn|14}}{{Fn|21}} After his military victories the Emperor sought to spread his [[Imperial Truth]] across the planet, enforcing atheism and destroying the planet's churches. The final church of Terra, the [[Church of the Lightning Stone]], was destroyed shortly before the [[Great Crusade]].{{Fn|5}} The Unification Wars were officially declared over in 712.[[M30]],{{Fn|21}} after there was no power or potentate left on Terra that could hope to threaten the Emperor's rule of the world.{{Fn|4a}}
===Aftermath===
*{{Endn|22}}: [[Saturnine (Novel)]] - Part 1, Chapter 3
*{{Endn|23}}: [[The Crimson King (Novel)]] - Chapter 17
*{{Endn|24}}: [[Ashes of the Imperium (Novel)]], ''Chapter 13''
[[Category:Imperium]]
[[Category:Pre-Imperial Times]]
