The paintbrush of history has depicted Abulurd Harkonnen in a most unfavorable
light. Judged by the standards of his older half brother, Baron Vladimir, and
his own children Glossu Rabban and Feyd-Rautha Rabban, Abulurd was a different
sort of man entirely. We must, however, assess the frequent descriptions of
his weakness, incompetence, and foolhardy decisions in light of the ultimate
failure of House Harkonnen. Though exiled to Lankiveil and stripped of any
real power, Abulurd secured a victory unmatched by anyone else in his extended
family: He learned how to be happy with his life.

-- Landsraad Encyclopedia of Great Houses, post-Jihad edition
--[house-atreides]--