Chancellor Gowron: Gowron, son of M'Rel, was Chancellor of the Klingon High Council in the late 24th century. He ruled during the Klingon Civil War, Klingon-Cardassian War, and the Dominion War. He was killed by the klingon Worf in 2375. Before 2367, Gowron was a political outsider, who often challenged the decisions of the Klingon High Council. After the death of Chancellor K'mpec, Gowron and Duras, son of Ja'rod, became the two leading candidates for leadership of the council. It was suspected that Gowron had in fact poisoned K'mpec to advance his career, though many believe that K'mpec was indeed poisoned by Duras. Once Duras was killed by Worf through the Right of Vengeance, Gowron's election as chancellor was complete. Following Gowron's election, Duras' sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, challenged Gowron's office. They appealed to the High Council to install Toral, the illegitimate son of Duras, as Chancellor. The resulting division of loyalty in the council quickly sparked the Klingon Civil War in late 2367. After a few weeks, Gowron's forces emerged victorious. With the help of the Federation, Duras's family ties with the Romulan Star Empire were exposed. In the aftermath of the war, Gowron found it was best to avoid calling attention to the Federation's support during the war. He ordered that all official accounts of the events omit the Federation's involvement in the conflict and emphasize his own courage and strategic genius. When a clone of Kahless the Unforgettable was created in 2369, Gowron dismissed his right to rule the Empire, though he soon became worried that the clone's existence would plunge the Klingon Empire into another civil war. In order to keep the peace, he agreed to support Kahless as the spiritual leader of his people, agreeing to support his succession as "Emperor" (the title having been defunct for generations), while Gowron would remain leader of the Council.
As the cold war between the Dominion and the Alpha Quadrant escalated during the 2370s, Gowron took prominent Klingon General Martok as his military adviser. Martok had secretly been replaced by a Changeling, and used his position to influence Gowron's military decisions. When a civilian revolt took over Cardassia Prime in 2372, Martok spread misinformation that the Cardassian uprising had been supported by the Dominion. This view gained some credence as it fit the Founders' modus operandi, since they regularly made use of infiltrators to weaken their enemies. Martok led Gowron to believe that the civilian-led Detapa Council had been replaced by Changelings. Seeking to protect the Empire, Gowron ordered the invasion of the Cardassian Union. The move was condemned by the Federation Council, and Gowron withdrew from the Khitomer Accords, ending the decades-long alliance with the Federation. The Klingons conquered a number of Cardassian colonies but failed to take capital-world Cardassia Prime. Gowron declared victory anyway. He fortified Klingon positions in Cardassian space and continued expanding the borders of the Empire. He also ordered several attacks on Romulan targets on the Klingon-Romulan border.
In late 2372, Gowron demanded that the Federation withdraw from the Archanis sector, in particular Archanis IV. During this time, the Dominion planted false information in Starfleet through Odo that Gowron, not Martok, was a Changeling spy. Starfleet sent a team to Klingon military headquarters on Ty'Gokor to expose Gowron. Eventually they discovered that Martok was, in fact, the Changeling agent, and Gowron's men swiftly killed it. After the Cardassians joined the Dominion in 2373, the Klingon forces were driven from Cardassian space. Facing the combined forces of the Dominion and Cardassia, Gowron reinstated the Khitomer Accords and posted a permanent contingent of Klingon officers on the Cardassian border at station Deep Space 9, commanded, ironically, by the real Martok. In early 2374, Gowron was reluctant to involve the Empire in Operation Return. However, he was later persuaded to assist Captain Sisko's forces by Martok and Worf. The late arrival of the Klingon fleet proved critical in the battle, throwing the Dominion lines into disarray and allowed the Defiant to break through. In addition, Gowron played a role, albeit unknowingly, in bringing the Romulan Star Empire into the war against the Dominion.
During the Dominion War, general Martok's actions made him a prominent figure throughout the Empire, such that he was regarded by the Klingon people as their savior. Feeling threatened by Martok's growing political influence, Gowron took direct control of the Klingon Defense Force in 2375. He began trying to undermine Martok's military standing, repeatedly sending him against impossible odds so that he would be forced to retreat. Martok refused to challenge Gowron even after such dishonorable actions, believing it would be tantamount to turning against the Empire. Instead Gowron was challenged by a member of Martok's house, Worf. Worf, who had been subtly directed by Captain Sisko to have Gowron removed as Chancellor, defeated Gowron in one-on-one combat, killing him, and passed the leadership of the High Council to Martok. Despite his disapproval of Gowron's actions, Worf still performed the Klingon death ritual for him, acknowledging the former Chancellor as a Klingon warrior.