The largest and most complete collection of such records exists beneath the surface of Terra, where the colossal under-halls stretch out of sight - endless vistas of datascrolls tower upwards like mountains. The ability, or even desire, to translate what these facts mean in any larger sense is almost entirely absent, found only in a few individuals who are eyed suspiciously, or perhaps punished for their enthusiasm. Now, however, it is most often an indiscriminate compilation of data, a process where scribes unthinkingly copy content onto scrolls, preserving complete records in constant fear of missing a single inconsequential letter.

Once, perhaps, this was done with purpose. The historitors of the Adeptus Administratum seek, gather and dutifully collect the history of each planet within the Imperium. Some historitors continue to seek knowledge, but their work can be compared to holding a candle against the dark abyss. Knowledge of the long ages of human history has been wreathed in shadow, buried beneath the aeons or simply lost over the expanse of time. All dates are given in the format 999.M41, which should be read as the year 40,999 AD in the Gregorian Calendar. This is the time period in which the perspectives of the Imperium of Man and the Aeldari are particularly relevant and it represents the present time.

Throughout, comparative references to present dates will be made with respect to the approximate decade 110-120.M42 of the original Imperial Calendar used before the birth of the Great Rift. This article briefly summarises the known historical events of the Milky Way Galaxy from human prehistory up to the end of the 41st Millennium in the Warhammer 40,000 setting. ' Peace? There cannot be peace in these times.'ДЄ Historitor-Investigatus of the Logos Historica Verita seeks to piece together the true and objective history of Mankind.

Warhammer 40k lore