What do we actually know about the history of the Old Star Wars Republic?

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For thousands of years before the rise of the Galactic Empire, the Republic was one of the de facto major powers in the nation’s social and political makeup. star wars“A galaxy. But while some hotspots have been explored – especially the closer to the time of the fall of the Republic in the prehistoric trilogy – the bulk of them are currently star wars Continuity has kept the Republic’s past within the bounds of myth. But as the franchise becomes more eager to delve into its distant past,… The Old Jedi Movie by James Mangold until Skeleton crewexploration The Old Republic How much do we actually know about what the Republic was like? Longer long time ago?

Ages of the Galactic Republic

The rule of the Galactic Republic can be largely divided into Four distinct periods-Each is shorter than the previous one, and the last two are essentially subdivisions of the second period. The larger of the two is the two broad fundamental eras of galactic history: the first begins with the formal founding of the Republic approximately 25,000 years before the events of the Primary. star wars The film’s saga, and the creation of the “modern” Republic – the galactic entity as we largely know it star warsPrequel material – about a thousand years before those films. These last two subdivisions are eras with which we are particularly familiar from the main material: the period of the High Republic, which occurs about 400 years ago during the last era of the post-Reform Republic, and its afterglow as seen in assistant and star wars A prequel trilogy with its eventual deconstruction into the Galactic Empire.

The first of these periods remains the least explored at present star wars Continuity, but significantly more fleshed out The old “Expanded Universe” of the franchise. While many of these stories remain clearly outside of current continuity, contemporary laws have vaguely vilified some EU stories that are still canonically true in some form – but only in the broadest sense, with very little official material to prove them. Knowledge about how the republic came into being. She ruled and existed in her oldest periods.

The actual “old” republic

Star Wars Jedi Sith Wars
© Sergio Gomez Silvan/Insight Editions

Now, 24,000 years is a a lot History For the most part, our current knowledge of what is commonly referred to as the “Old Republic” (and throughout its history it has always been the Galactic Republic) is intentionally vague. While the Expanded Universe has thrived on exploring this period through things like Jedi tales Comics, most famously BioWare and Obsidian’s Worldbuilding in Knights of the Old Republic seriescontemporary star wars Canon treats this era as more of a myth, beyond allusions to elements of stories and characters from this period in the EU that still have some legal influence. This may of course change as we approach projects like Mangold’s aforementioned “Dawn of the Jedi,” which will be set around the same time as the formation of the Republic in about 25,000 BBY.

What we know of the ancient republic still bears some similarities to the country’s more modern republic star wars films. Coruscant has always been the seat of its power, with the heart of the galaxy forming some of the Republic’s oldest member worlds and seats of power. The Jedi Order, which was also founded around a similar time, has had a long relationship with the Republic as well, in both a spiritual and military sense. More coming Hyperspace travel on a large scalecombined with financial support from other ruling planetary powers, allowed the nascent Republic to expand its borders over the millennia, absorb more member worlds, and inevitably face conflict as other galactic powers crossed over. The conflict defines much of what we know about this period of galactic history: we know that at some point the Republic confronted the Zygerian Empire and became upset by its approval of slavery, leading to a war between Republic and Jedi forces that eventually dismantled much of the Zygerian force. a base. We also know that the Mandalorians also waged multiple crusades against the Old Republic and the Jedi in this era, resulting in all-out war several times.

The emergence of the splinter Jedi faction that would eventually become the Sith – some 20 thousand years after the founding of the order – created another major war front for the Jedi and the Republic. Throughout their existence, the Sith fought multiple wars against the Jedi, bringing the order itself closer to the Republic after establishing the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Early conflict between Post-splitting Jedi and Sith The latter saw the faction exiled outside Republic space, before the Sith returned with their galactic power, the Sith Empire, emanating from the planet Moraband. Known as the Sith Wars, these clashes pushed the Republic into alliances with the Jedi as well as Chiss control, bringing the last millennium of Old Republic rule into the chaos of perpetual war, on multiple fronts against the hostility of the Sith and Mandalorians.

The Final Jedi-Sith War of this period saw the Sith Empire effectively seize control of much of the Republic’s possessions across the galaxy. Coruscant itself was sacked and occupied, and although it was eventually liberated by the Jedi, much of the Republic was still devastated by the interstellar conflict. The resurgent Jedi Order, along with the remnants of the Republic Army, launched an attack that would pave the way for a widespread reform of the galactic establishment.

Reform, rise and fall

The Senate Chamber of the Star Wars Republic
© Lucasfilm

The liberation of Coruscant marked an important turning point for the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic. The brave Jedi struck down the Mandalorians, leaving them behind Homeworld of Mandalore In a state of environmental devastation, the Mandalorian clans humbled themselves to end their crusades against the Republic. This apparition also heralded the beginning of the perceived end of the Sith Empire as a galactic power, as Jedi and Republic forces clashed with Imperial and Sith strongholds on the planet Rusan around 1032 BC. The near-total eradication of the Sith forced the handful of survivors to abandon Moraband and go into hiding, creating Darth Bane’s “Rule of the Twos” that has guided the Sith into the shadows for centuries. But the victory also allowed the Republic to look inward after thousands of years of eternal wars that had in turn destroyed it.

The end of the Jedi-Sith War led to the formal reform of the Republic, including the creation of the first democratic federation with the creation of the Galactic Senate. Part of the process of ushering in a new era of peace also saw the Republic undergo a massive disarmament process –What a little conflict That which came into this era was largely handled by the Jedi Order, with the Law Enforcement Branch of the Republic, and the Peacekeeping Forces of the Judicial Forces assisting in conflicts and internal affairs. This peace would eventually lead to a period seen as the height of the Galactic Republic’s influence and power in the wider galaxy known as the Era of the High Republic. Beginning around 500 BC, the High Republic was a defining period Through expansionary policies Throughout the Galactic Republic, stronger efforts are being made to chart safe travel routes through hyperspace throughout the Core Worlds and into the Middle Rim, pushing the Republic’s influence farther into the Outer Rim. This effort was also supported by the leading forces of the Republic, who worked alongside the Jedi Order to establish it Associated communications networks The Republic advanced to the Outer Rim, resulting in the Holonet emerging as one of the de facto communications and media networks across the greater part of the Republic’s territory.

But although the High Republic was seen as the peak of its influence and reach, much like the expansionist policies of the Old Republic before it, it was a period that saw the Republic and the Jedi Order embroiled in broader conflicts once again, especially against the Order. Pirate forces encountered the Nihil on the edges of the Republic’s territory in this period. The light of the High Republic would fade in about 100 billion years, as the galactic entity’s sweeping expansion brought with it a growing sense of stagnation. As the Republic spread further and further into the Outer Rim, absorbing worlds along the way, trade found itself increasingly drawn from the lucrative fringes of Republic space and straight back to the global power center of the Core Worlds. Corruption was widespread, as an increasingly unwieldy Senate body consolidated its power toward the center of the Republic, and limited access to judicial and Jedi peacekeeping forces alike led to rampant crime and piracy in most of the Republic’s most extended regions. Corporate power in these regions became increasingly common, leading to increased influence of blocs and financial institutions such as trade unions or banking clans.

Palpatine Amidala Phantom Menace
© Lucasfilm

With the rise of these economic powers – given political power and influence in the Senate, through backroom deals and their delegated representation within the Republic’s rule – the Republic laid the foundation for its own destruction. The Trade Federation’s invasion of the Middle World of Naboo, fueled from the shadows by the machinations of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, led to a revolt of power within the Senate and the overthrow of Chancellor Phineas Valorum, the last scion of a family that had gathered ruling power within the Republic over generations upon generations. From there, Sidious, acting in the guise of Naboo Senator Sheev Palpatine, rose to power as the final Supreme Chancellor, further manipulating the growing resentment of worlds beyond the core of the galaxy, along with his newest apprentice – the former Jedi Master and Count Sereno. Doku – to organize an official separatist movement in the Confederation of Independent Systems.

The Separatist Crisis, and the resulting galactic conflict in the Clone Wars – which brought with it the creation of the first standing army the Galactic Republic had seen in thousands of years – marked the culmination of Palpatine’s manipulation of galactic events to suit himself as a usurper of political power within the Republic (encouraged by a series of dictatorial powers granted by During emergency operations in support of the war effort) and the architect of Revenge of the Sith on the Jedi Order. Nearly 25,000 years after its founding, the conflict that defined and then reshaped the Republic led to its complete shattering by the climax of the Clone Wars, and the destruction of the Jedi Order in response to an alleged coup gave Palpatine the opportunity. To dissolve the Republic and rebirth it as the first Galactic Empire. Her reign may have been short – it was replaced by a new republic that still held much power Burdens and errors From its recent past – but Palpatine achieved the unthinkable in ending tens and thousands of years of spiritual and political influences with the ends of the Jedi Order and the Republic.

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