Sanguinius: The Inspiring Story of the Blood Angels’ Legendary Primarch
Of all the Emperor’s sons, none were as noble or as tragic as Sanguinius, the angelic Primarch of the Blood Angels. His story is one of the most poignant in the Warhammer 40K universe, a tale of heroism, loyalty, and the ultimate sacrifice.
We will explore the life and times of Sanguinius, examining his role in the Great Crusade, the Horus Heresy, and the enduring legacy he left behind.
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Key Takeaways:
- Primarch of the Blood Angels, known for his nobility, loyalty and sacrifice
- Closest to Horus before his fall to Chaos
- Defended the Imperial Palace and confronted Horus during the Siege of Terra
- Though slain by Horus, Sanguinius’ sacrifice allowed the Emperor to defeat the Arch-Traitor
- Revered as an Imperial saint and commemorated by the Sanguinala festival
Origins and Discovery
Sanguinius was one of the twenty Primarchs created by the Emperor of Mankind to lead his Space Marine Legions in the Great Crusade to reunite the galaxy.
Like the other Primarchs, Sanguinius was scattered across the galaxy by the machinations of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos.
The gestation pod containing the infant Sanguinius came to rest upon the irradiated moon of Baal Secundus. He was found and adopted by the human tribe known as the Blood, who were shocked to find angelic wings protruding from the infant’s back.
While many cried for his death as a mutant, the tribe leader spared Sanguinius and accepted him.
The young Primarch quickly grew to maturity, demonstrating superhuman strength, speed and endurance. He was also said to possess psychic powers, especially precognitive foresight. Sanguinius used his abilities to lead the Blood against the vastly more numerous mutant hordes threatening the humans of Baal Secundus.
Through his leadership, the mutant hordes were defeated and the humans earned a respite. Sanguinius became a worshipped hero among the tribes.
It was not long after that the Emperor of Mankind arrived on Baal Secundus, and the two were reunited. The Emperor inducted the best warriors of the Blood into the IX Legion of the Space Marines, which became known as the Blood Angels, with Sanguinius at their head.
The Angel had taken flight.
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The Great Crusade
As the Great Crusade to reunite Mankind progressed, Sanguinius distinguished himself and the Blood Angels as exemplars of the Emperor’s vision. The Blood Angels became renowned for their nobility, loyalty and honourable conduct. Sanguinius himself was said to be the noblest of the Primarchs, respected by his brothers and beloved by all who met him.
Sanguinius became especially close with his brother Horus, the Warmaster appointed by the Emperor to oversee the Great Crusade. The two fought alongside each other in many campaigns, forging a deep bond of friendship and loyalty.
Horus is said to have thought that Sanguinius would have made a better Warmaster than himself, and even that Sanguinius should take over if anything happened to him. The two confided in each other and kept each others’ secrets, such as the genetic Flaw that cursed the Blood Angels.
None were closer than Sanguinius and Horus at the dawn of the Imperium.
Some key events involving Sanguinius during the Great Crusade include:
- Providing sage counsel to Horus during tense negotiations with the Interex
- Convincing Horus to accept the name change of his Legion to the Sons of Horus
- Fighting alongside the Luna Wolves, as the Sons of Horus were then known, cementing the two Legions’ bond
- Earning the respect and accolades of his brother Primarchs, who considered him the noblest of them
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Horus Heresy
And yet, for all their closeness, Horus and Sanguinius were destined to be torn apart and to face each other in mortal combat. For Horus was corrupted by the Ruinous Powers of Chaos and rebelled against the Emperor, plunging the Imperium into the most terrible civil war, the Horus Heresy.
Horus, seeking to eliminate Sanguinius as a threat, dispatched the Blood Angels to the Signus System, where they were beset by the daemonic hordes of Chaos.
Sanguinius and his Legion fought valiantly against the daemons of Khorne and Slaanesh.
Though sorely tested and coming close to being overcome, Sanguinius ultimately prevailed and the Blood Angels escaped the trap. However, the seeds of the Black Rage and Red Thirst, terrible genetic curses that would afterwards plague the Blood Angels, were planted.
Cast adrift by the Ruinstorm conjured by the Traitor Word Bearers Legion, Sanguinius and the Blood Angels were unable to return to Terra. Instead, they arrived in Ultramar, where Roboute Guilliman had instituted the Imperium Secundus as a means of continuing the fight against the Traitors.
Sanguinius was declared the Emperor Regent of Imperium Secundus, though he continued to be plagued by visions of a dark future and his own death. During this period, Sanguinius fought several battles against the Traitors, including a confrontation with the infamous Night Lords Primarch Konrad Curze.
Eventually, Sanguinius, Guilliman and Lion El’Jonson, Primarch of the Dark Angels, agreed to try to breach the Ruinstorm and reach Terra.
Through Sanguinius’ precognitive abilities, a way through the Warp Storms was found and the Blood Angels were able to reach Terra in time for the final battle.
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Siege of Terra and Noble Sacrifice
The Traitor Legions, led by Horus, had already launched their attack against the Sol System and the Throneworld by the time Sanguinius and the Blood Angels arrived.
They joined forces with the defenders, led by Rogal Dorn of the Imperial Fists, and took part in the climactic Siege of Terra.
During the Siege, Sanguinius was a shining beacon of hope and defiance.
He flew above the Imperial Palace, dueling Bloodthirsters of Khorne and lifting the spirits of the defenders. At the Eternity Gate spaceport, the Blood Angels sacrificed themselves to buy time for Imperial reinforcements to arrive.
In the end, with the Traitors on the verge of overrunning the Palace, the Emperor determined to confront Horus directly.
Sanguinius, who had foreseen his own death at the Warmaster’s hands, nonetheless demanded to accompany his father and resolved to face his destiny one way or the other.
On the bridge of Horus’ flagship the Vengeful Spirit, Sanguinius became separated from the Emperor’s party. He was brought before Horus, who attempted to sway his noble brother to the cause of Chaos one last time.
Sanguinius, his loyalty to the Emperor and Mankind never wavering, refused. In the battle that followed, Sanguinius was slain by Horus.
The exact details of the confrontation are lost to time and memory, but one fact remains constant in all the legends: despite the Emperor’s great power, He could never have triumphed over Horus had not Sanguinius’ final acts opened a chink in the Arch-Traitor’s armor.
With the noblest of the Primarchs fallen, the Emperor was able to defeat Horus at last, though the Master of Mankind was Himself mortally wounded and had to be interred in the Golden Throne.
The Horus Heresy was over, and the Imperium saved, but the cost had been immense.
The Primarch’s body was borne by the Blood Angels back to Baal, where it was laid to rest in a vast tomb beneath the Blood Angels’ fortress-monastery. Sanguinius was dead, but would never be forgotten by the Blood Angels or by the Imperium as a whole.
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Legacy and Veneration
In the millennia since his death, Sanguinius has been venerated as a saint by the people of the Imperium. The angelic Primarch is seen as a paragon of nobility and loyalty, a supreme example of the self-sacrifice required to defend the Imperium from its many foes.
Temples and shrines to Sanguinius stand alongside those dedicated to the Emperor, and the Primarch is celebrated by Imperial artists and the common people alike. The Sanguinala festival commemorates his martyrdom, and it is common for Imperial citizens to wear a red badge with a single drop of blood on that day to symbolize Sanguinius’ sacrifice.
For the Blood Angels and their Successor Chapters, the legacy of Sanguinius is even greater. They strive to live up to the example set by their gene-sire and do honor to his memory.
At the same time, they are afflicted by the twin curses of the Black Rage and Red Thirst, genetic flaws that are believed to echo the moment of Sanguinius’ death and his final battle with Horus.
Blood Angels are known to enter a berserker state known as the Black Rage, in which they are consumed by visions of Sanguinius’ death and seek to avenge him. Others are afflicted by an overpowering thirst for blood.
The Blood Angels and their kin must constantly battle to overcome these urges, lest they lose themselves to the madness within.
And yet, the sons of Sanguinius endure. They remain among the greatest defenders of the Imperium, even as they struggle with their inner darkness. Sanguinius’ light continues to shine through his descendants.
In the dark days of the 41st Millennium, the Imperium faces perhaps its greatest time of trial. And yet so long as the angels of death take wing in the Emperor’s name, so long as the memory of Sanguinius endures, there is still hope for the survival of Mankind.
The Angel lives on.
Wargear
- The Blade Encarmine – a Power Sword wielded by Sanguinius, said to contain a portion of the Primarch’s own essence
- The Spear of Telesto – a mighty relic weapon carried by Sanguinius in addition to the Blade Encarmine
- Artificer Armour – Sanguinius wore a set of master-crafted golden Artificer Armor with ornate decorations
- Frag Grenades
- Krak Grenades
- Bolt Pistol
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Is Sanguinius truly dead?
- All evidence points to Sanguinius having perished at the hands of Horus during the Siege of Terra. However, some among the Blood Angels cling to the faint hope that their Primarch may one day return when the Imperium’s need is greatest.
- Why was Sanguinius so close to Horus?
- Sanguinius and Horus fought together in numerous campaigns during the Great Crusade, forging a powerful bond of brotherhood. Horus truly believed Sanguinius would have made a better Warmaster. Their closeness made Sanguinius’ defiance and death all the more tragic.
- How did Sanguinius get his wings?
- There are different theories on the origin of Sanguinius’ wings. Some believe they were a deliberate mutation crafted by the Emperor, while others think they were an unexpected result of Baal’s high levels of radiation. The truth is uncertain.
- How do the Blood Angels view Sanguinius?
- The Blood Angels revere Sanguinius as their gene-father and an exemplar to live up to. They strive to embody Sanguinius’ noble virtues, even as they struggle with the genetic curses of the Black Rage and Red Thirst that are thought to echo Sanguinius’ final moments.
- Why is Sanguinius so revered by the common citizens of the Imperium?
- Sanguinius’ sacrifice to save the Emperor and the Imperium from Horus has elevated him to sainthood in the eyes of the Imperial populace. He is seen as a paragon of loyalty and the ultimate example of self-sacrifice for the Emperor and the Imperium. His angelic countenance also contributes to the popular perception of him as a divine figure.
Sanguinius remains one of the most notable Primarchs in Warhammer 40k lore. From his angelic appearance to his steadfast loyalty and noble sacrifice, he set an example that the Blood Angels and all the Imperium still strive to follow ten thousand years later. Though he perished at Horus’ hands, his legacy endures as a shining light in the grim darkness of the far future. Through his sons, the angels of death, Sanguinius continues to watch over the Imperium of Man.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this exploration of the life and legend of the Great Angel Sanguinius. If you’d like to learn more, I encourage you to check out related articles on the Blood Angels and other Primarchs.
If you’re looking for a more in depth set of lore, head on over to the Wiki!
