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Count Hasimir Fenring is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. He is featured in the 1965 science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert, and is also a key character in the Prelude to Dune trilogy by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. He later appears in the 2008 novel Paul of Dune, and the Caladan Trilogy (2020–2022).
Fenring is the longtime friend and advisor to Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, and a formidable fighter. He serves as Shaddam's agent, emissary, or assassin as necessary. Fenring is married to Bene Gesserit Margot Fenring.
As Shaddam's chief counsellor, Fenring is described as "the Emperor's errand boy" in the novel. He appears to suffer from a tic, but his unusual speech pattern is actually a "humming" code employed to privately communicate with his Bene Gesserit wife Margot. Herbert writes that "Fenring seldom did anything he felt to be unnecessary, or used two words where one would do, or held himself to a single meaning in a single phrase." Baron Harkonnen refers to Fenring as "Ambassador to the Smugglers", indicating Shaddam IV's interest in spice smuggling operations on Arrakis. Herbert also notes that Fenring had been trained by Margot in the Bene Gesserit method of acute observation. Paul Atreides notes that "Fenring was one of the might-have-beens, an almost Kwisatz Haderach, crippled by a flaw in the genetic pattern—a eunuch, his talent concentrated into furtiveness and inner seclusion."
When Shaddam is forced into a corner by Paul Atreides, the Emperor and his Truthsayer, the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother Mohiam, realize that Shaddam's only option is treachery. Fenring is summoned and ordered to kill Paul, but refuses, aware that Paul represents the success of the Bene Gesserit breeding program of which Fenring himself is a failure.
In "Appendix IV: The Almanak en-Ashraf (Selected Excerpts of the Noble Houses)" in Dune, Herbert writes that Fenring is a cousin and former childhood companion of Shaddam, and is rumored to have poisoned Shaddam's father, Elrood IX. Another epigraph by Irulan explains that "the measure of Count Fenring's friendship" with Shaddam is shown by both Fenring's efforts to conceal Shaddam's complicity in the Harkonnen invasion, and also his refusal of Shaddam's command to kill Paul. After Paul ascends the Imperial throne, Fenring joins Shaddam in his forced retirement on the prison planet Salusa Secundus, and Fenring dies in 10,225 A.G.
In Dune: House Atreides, Fenring assassinates Shaddam's father, Elrood IX, using a slow-acting poison administered on orders from Shaddam himself. Shaddam subsequently gives Fenring the title of Imperial Spice Minister and orders him to supervise Elrood's Project Amal, an early attempt by the Bene Tleilax to create synthetic melange in order to remove dependence upon the planet Arrakis, by that time the only source of melange in the Known Universe. Although Tleilaxu Master Ajidica manages to create an artificial melange (called ajidamal, or amal) that seems to have the original's properties, it does not work properly. During the events of , Fenring uses two Spacing Guild to secretly test the synthetic melange. Disastrously, the first heighliner emerges from Holtzman effect at the wrong point, strikes the defensive shields of Wallach IX and plummets into the atmosphere to its destruction. The flawed spice also disrupts and confuses the thoughts, feelings and prescience of D'murr Pilru, the Guild Navigator of the second heighliner. Affected by the tainted melange, D'murr misguides his ship out of the Known Universe and collapses; with a fresh supply of real melange he is able to return the ship safely to Guild Headquarters before dying. All records and laboratories of Project Amal are destroyed by Fenring himself afterward when House Vernius retakes the planet Ix, and Shaddam later denies all knowledge of it. When Shaddam starts to act without Fenring's counsel due to jealousy, he begins making grievous mishaps, in particular using atomic weapons and a biological plague, and threatening to destroy Arrakis. Eventually and with some reluctance, Shaddam again begins following Fenring's advice.
In Sandworms of Dune (2007), the dagger is used by Paolo in his duel-to-the-death with the Bene Gesserit's own Paul Atreides ghola. It is noted that, among the knife's many notable uses, "Hasimir Fenring stabbed Emperor Muad'Dib with it and nearly killed him"Herbert, Brian; Anderson, Kevin J. (August 2007). Sandworms of Dune. Tor Books, pg. 374. . sometime between the events of the novels Dune and Dune Messiah (1969).
Fenring plays a minor part in the 2000 miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune, where he is portrayed by Miroslav Táborský. His function here is more of an advisor to the Emperor. Additionally, some of Margot's actions are attributed to Princess Irulan (essentially the Fenrings' visit to Giedi Prime) as part of Film director John Harrison's expansion of Irulan's role in the adaptation.
Fenring is also omitted from Denis Villeneuve’s 2024 film , although his wife Margot does appear.
The character of Fenring was also to appear in the film adaptation of Dune planned by Alejandro Jodorowsky in the 1970s.
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