18,817
edits
Changes
From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
m
clean up, replaced: honor → honour (2)
When Macharius finally reappeared, he ordered his fleet to set course back to Imperial space. His soldiers cheered the Warmaster a hero, and his generals breathed a sigh of relief. However, Macharius was a broken man and his dreams of boundless conquests were shattered in the face of human frailty. His will broken, according to Imperial records on the return journey Macharius succumbed to a jungle fever he had contracted on [[Jucha]] in 400.M41{{Fn|6}}. However this was just a coverup by Imperial authorities, and in truth an already-dying Macharius, riddled with plagues of [[Nurgle]] received battling the traitorous general [[Richter (Macharian Crusade)|Richter]] on the world of [[Loki (Macharian Crusade)|Loki]], was killed by an agent of the [[Officio Assassinorum]] with cooperation of the [[Inquisitor]] [[Hyronimus Drake]] for unknown reasons.{{Fn|10}} Despite their earlier refusal to continue the Crusade, Macharius's men deeply mourned the passing of their general and revered him as a god.{{Fn|2a}}
After his death, Macharius's body was returned to [[Macharia|Doria]], where the Crusade had originally began. A massive funeral took place, which was attended by [[Adept]]s, ministers of the [[Ecclesiarchy]], [[Tech-priest]]s, and many other important figures wishing to pay their respect. A million men led the funeral procession, and a hundred generals laid their swords on his ornate sarcophagus.{{Fn|2a}} To honor honour his deeds his homeworld was renamed to ''Macharia''.{{Fn|6}}
==Aftermath==
After the death of Macharius himself his newly-forged conquests fell into anarchy in a seventy-year civil war known as the [[Macharian Heresy]].{{Fn|1}} In this civil war and subsequent centuries, many of the conquered worlds were lost again to the Imperium; either because they successfully rebelled or due to being completely destroyed.{{Fn|17a}}
To honor honour those [[Imperial Knight]] [[Knight House|Houses]] that served under Macharius, he issued the ''[[Banner of Macharius Triumphant]]'', which was still given to Knights Seneschals even long after his death.{{Fn|15b}}
The [[Pilgrimage of Macharius]] was later established, which sees pilgrims travel the same space lanes that [[Lord Solar]] [[Macharius (Character)|Macharius]]' armies did during the Macharian Crusade. Countless faithful of the [[Imperial Cult]] undertake it every year, but only a few pious souls ever finish the journey, as most die in the attempt.{{Fn|14}}
