Main Topic: Formation of the Republic

Introduction

The Pre Republic (also known as the Early Hyperspace Age) was the period before the formation of the Galactic Republic. It included the formation and evolution of all the species of the galaxy, the dawn of their civilizations and their first developments in space travel, and ended in approximately 25,053 BBY when the Republic was founded.

Pre-Republic history was largely dominated by ancient and mysterious species who developed interstellar travel long before Humans and other, more well-known species. Such species included the Columi, Killiks, and Rakata. The names and histories of some of these species have been entirely lost to time, including the Celestials and Architects. In their travels about the galaxy, many of these civilizations affected the evolution and cultural development of the more primitive species that would later dominate galactic affairs. Some built massive, mysterious structures for these and other purposes, including Centerpoint Station, the Maw, and the Star Forge.

In the beginning, there was the Big Bang. Eventually, the galaxy and life on its planets came into being. For billions of years, those species evolved and formed civilizations, and eventually a few took to the stars. These first spacefarers have been forgotten, their only legacy the large artificial structures they left behind. The Corellian system was an artificial creation from this era, and the Drall and Selonians were transplanted by one of these unknown species to planets within the system. The presence of certain flora and fauna on many different worlds, such as the bantha, was likely also due to the intervention of these advanced species. The ancient species of the galaxy took a hand in the shaping of many worlds as well; Kashyyyk and Tatooine were two such planets whose biospheres were manipulated by these civilizations. Some time after this, the Devaronians became one of the first identified species to develop space travel. For a time little happened on a galactic scale; species such as the Gree and Columi rose briefly before disappearing again.

In 36,453 BBY, philosophers and scientists from several star systems had gathered on Tython to share mystical knowledge, and the The Force was discovered, which the Tythonian scholars called Ashla.

The first known civilization to seize power on a large scale was the Rakatan Infinite Empire. By 30,000 BBY it reached its peak, spanning worlds as far apart as Dantooine and Honoghr, although in actual number, it was composed of relatively few planets^. The Rakata embraced slavery to fuel their Empire, ruling tyrannically over many species, including the Ghorfa, Selkath, and Humans. As a monument to their power, they built the Star Forge, an artifact of the dark side that powered their vast war machine.

Meanwhile, on Tython, an equally important development was occurring. In 25,793 BBY, some of the mystics wished to use the power of the Force to increase their own stature, and the followers of the Bogan, as they called it, soon found themselves in conflict with the followers of the Ashla, and soon Tython was engulfed in the Force Wars. By 25,783 BBY, the side of the Ashla won, and in the wake of the war, they formed themselves into an order of monastic knights dedicated to the principles of peace and harmony. The Jedi had been born.

The Infinite Empire soon found itself stretched too far, and the aggression that powered it turned the Rakata on themselves. A slave revolt throughout the Empire, a plague that killed only Rakata, and a civil war that broke out on their homeworld of Lehon quickly sped the Empire to its collapse around 25,200 BBY. Free from Rakatan oppression, the former slave species of Humans and Duros developed rapidly, adopting abandoned Rakatan technology to speed innovation along. Within 200 years, hyperspace travel made it feasible to travel quickly, cheaply, and conveniently between planets across the galaxy.

In 25,130 BBY in the Outer Rim Territories, the warlord Xim came to power in the Tion Cluster. He unified its governments into a highly expansionist empire and set about conquering its neighbors. As he reached the Si'Klaat Cluster, this brought him into conflict with the Hutts, whom he fought to a standstill at the First and Second Battles of Vontor. The Hutts signed the Treaty of Vontor with the native species of the Si'Klaata Cluster, recruiting them to fight Xim. When they fought again at the Third Battle of Vontor, Xim was finally defeated and captured.

The species of the galaxy were ready to unite. The hyperdrive had been perfected and the Core Worlds were freely accessible. The Unification Wars were the last major conflict before this could happen, and in their wake, the Galactic Republic was created with the signing of the Galactic Constitution. It was followed by the Expansionist Era.

The Galactic Republic

The Galactic Republic was the galactic government prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY. Although it was commonly known as the Old Republic, this was not so until the establishment of the Empire; its name when it existed was the Galactic Republic, or simply the Republic. Rarely, it was referred to as the First Republic. At times, the term Old Order was used to describe it.

The Republic, led by a Supreme Chancellor, had a supposedly democratic government that was able to sustain itself for over twenty-five thousand years. It is said that its complete history would "fill a thousand libraries".

In its latest years, it was a benevolent—though ineffectual—government tied up in layers of bureaucracy.

The Republic was born with the signing of the Galactic Constitution 25,053 BBY, during the Unification Wars. During that time, the Humans and Duros, reverse-engineering the-Force -based technologies of the Rakata, invented the hyperdrive, allowing Coruscant to become the capital of the Galactic Republic and would remain that way for twenty-five thousand years. The Republic was created by the Core Founders. Unbeknownst to even the Jedi Masters, the GenoHaradan began to secretly protect the newly formed galactic goverment.

Shortly after the formation of the Republic, the Perlemian Trade Route was mapped, linking Coruscant to Ossus, and bringing the Jedi Knights into the Republic. Over the next millennia, the Corellian Run was mapped, linking Coruscant to Corellia and beyond. The wedge defined by the two trade routes became known as "the Slice." Since the stretch of hyperspace galactic-west of Coruscant was anomaly-ridden and impassible for then current Republic technology , the government expanded eastward, instead. The Core Worlds' portion of the Slice was known as the Arrowhead, and soon the Republic expanded into the Colonies.

Though history often recalls the Republic as peaceful, numerous galactic conflicts; such as the Hundred-Year Darkness, the Old Sith Wars, the Vultar Cataclysm, the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War, the New Sith Wars, and the Clone Wars—occurred throughout its 25,034 year history.

At first, the government on Coruscant wished for slow expansion, despite its promotion of hyperspace exploration. However, against the government's wishes, the membership of the Republic boomed for its first millennium of existence, mainly due to worlds wishing to join as protection against the Hutt Empire.

For years, the Jedi Knights and the ancient armies and navies of the Republic defended against violence. Around 24,500 BBY, the First Great Schism occurred, after the Legions of Lettow were established by dissident Jedi who believed that true power was achieved not through passive meditation, as taught by their Jedi Masters, but through emotion. The tension between the Jedi and these dissident Fallen Jedi, led first by Xendor, and then after Xendor's death, by Arden Lyn, grew until conflict erupted.

In 24,000 BBY, the Republic entered into a war with the Honorable Union of Desevro & Tion. The war traveled up and down the Perlemian, and the respective capitals of Coruscant and Desevro both suffered volleys of pressure bombs. The Republic eventually won the war by stirring up the Hutts against the Tionese. Within a century, most of the Tion Cluster swore allegiance to Coruscant, except for Desevro, which chose to remain independent.

During the Great Manifest Period (20,000 BBY–17,000 BBY), the Republic expanded eastwards across the galaxy. Despite this, the Slice would remain the heart of navigable space. Eventually, the Republic expanded past the galactic-northern and -southern borders of the Slice, though most of the galaxy was still unknown, except for outposts such as Ord Mantell (12,000 BBY) and Malastare (8,000 BBY). The space west of Coruscant still remained unexplored since analogues to the Perlemian Trade Route and the Corellian Run in that direction still had not been discovered. Worse, progress was limited to dangerous one- or two-light-year jumps into a stretch of hyperspatial anomalies. During this period, the Expansion Region was formed. However, this region suffered greatly as a result of the Alsakan attempting to snatch control of the Republic from Coruscant. This resulted in seventeen Alsakan Conflicts, spanning from 17,000 BBY to 3,000 BBY. However, most of the fighting took place between their holdings in the Expansion Region, rather than in the Core itself. Needless to say, Coruscant won every conflict it fought.

During this period, the First Arkanian Conflict also took place. The Arkanian geneticists also began a series of genetic experiments of other sentient species, most notably bundling away several six-armed Xexto from Troiken, and transforming them into a new species known as the Quermians.

In 15,500 BBY, after a disastrous first contact, Coruscant was assaulted by Star Dragons in the Duinuogwuin Conflict. The conflict was peacefully resolved by Supreme Chancellor Fillorean and the Star Dragon philosopher Borz'Mat'oh, who together founded the University of Coruscant. At some time prior to 12,000 BBY, the Galactic Museum was established on Coruscant.

Around 12,000 BBY, Contispex became Supreme Chancellor. He and his descendants belonged to the theocratic Pius Dea cult that would control the Republic for the next 1,000 years. These fanatic Supreme Chancellors sanctioned "crusades" against rival alien sects in the Rim. After 11,000 BBY the cult may have violently dissolved. The tensions from the fallout of the crusades would deepen the rifts between the Core Worlds and those of the Rim, which Emperor Palpatine would exploit during his reign millennia later.

Around 9,000 BBY, Blotus the Hutt became Supreme Chancellor and ruled the Galactic Republic for 275 years during the Rianitus Period. Unlike most other Hutts, Blotus was a distinguished and just ruler. At least by 7,308 BBY, the Galactic Standard Calendar was fixed.

In 7,003 BBY, the Second Great Schism occurred when a group of fallen Jedi discovered a Force technique that could alter lifeforms. This started the centuries-long Hundred-Year Darkness, which saw the creation of monstrous creatures, most notably the serpentine Leviathans, which drew life-energies into blister-traps on their backs. At the Battle of Corbos in 6,900 BBY, the Jedi crushed the rebellion and banished these fallen Jedi from known space. However, the fallen Jedi discovered Ziost, a desolate world inhabited by the relatively primitive but unusually Force-sensitive Sith people.

Using their training in the Force, the fallen Jedi amazed the Sith and elevated themselves to god-like status on nearby Korriban, becoming the rulers of the Sith people. As years passed, and interbreeding occurred between the fallen Jedi and the Sith, the term "Sith" came to mean not only the original inhabitants of Korriban and Ziost, but also their fallen Jedi masters.

In 5,000 BBY, the Jedi and the Sith Empire clashed in the Great Hyperspace War. Many worlds were forever scarred in that battle, but the Jedi were able to repulse the invaders. After that, the Republic granted the Jedi land over a Force nexus: a sacred mountain on Coruscant.

In 4,250 BBY, the Third Great Schism occurred, which involved fighting on Coruscant. The surviving Dark Jedi were forced to flee to the Vultar system, where they discovered ancient technology indicating that the system's worlds were artificial constructs, probably the creations of the mysterious Celestials who had also built the Corellian system. These Dark Jedi took over these machines, including the Cosmic Turbine, but could not control them, and soon destroyed the whole system and everything in them during the Vultar Cataclysm. In 4,019 BBY, four Jedi Masters (two Warrior Masters and two Sage Masters) established the ziggurat of the Jedi Temple over the Force nexus on Coruscant, which would stand for over four thousand years.

The Old Sith Wars

The year 4,015 BBY saw the Great Droid Revolution on Coruscant, led by HK-01, who was eventually defeated by Arca Jeth and the Jedi. During the conflict, Arca Jeth discovered techniques for disabling machines through the use of the Force.

Following those conflicts were those of the Old Sith Wars of c.4,000 BBY which almost destroyed the Republic. During the Great Sith War (4,000 BBY–3,996 BBY), the Sith Lords Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma, along with their Krath and Mandalorian allies, waged war on the Republic, causing devastation until they were defeated by the combined Jedi and Republic forces. Afterward, the Great Hunt (3,995–3,993 BBY) and the Cleansing of the Nine Houses occurred.

These would be followed by the Mandalorian Wars (3,966—3,960 BBY). They were fought between Mandalorian forces hoping to expand their colonies beyond the Outer Rim Territories and the Galactic Republic, which feared further incursions. The Mandalorian Wars were a prelude to the more devastating Jedi Civil War (3,959 BBY–3,956 BBY). The Jedi Civil War, also known to some as the War of the Star Forge, was fought between the Republic and the Sith Empire under Darth Revan and Darth Malak. It was possibly the most destructive conflict of that entire era, with many worlds, including Taris, Dantooine, and Telos IV, being devastated by the Sith fleet.

In 3,900 BBY, Queen Elsinore den Tasia of the Core World of Grizmallt sponsored an expansion fleet of three vessels—Beneficent Tasia, Constant, and Mother Vima. This fleet was led by the Republic explorer Kwilaan, and would discover the planet Naboo.

From 3,970 BBY – 3,670 BBY, the Kanz Disorders took place in the Kanz Sector. During that time, the Provisional Governor Myrial of Argazda seceded from the Republic and established a military regime throughout the Kanz Sector. During the conflict that followed, her military forces invaded planets that resisted her reign throughout the Kanz Sector, including Lorrd. She often enslaved their inhabitants, most notably the Lorrdians of Lorrd.

The enslaved Lorrdians were forbidden by their masters from communicating with each other. As a result, they were forced to develop a system of subtle gestures, facial expressions, and body postures to talk to each other. This nonverbal form of communication would still be in use over four millennia later. After three centuries and the loss of over five billion lives, including those of some 500 million Lorrdians, the Kanz Disorders finally ended when Jedi/Republic efforts toppled the regime in 3,670 BBY.

Symbol of the Republic during the Sith Empire's return.

In 3,681 BBY, the Sith Empire returned to wage war against the Republic in the Great War. The War greatly weakened the Republic, culminating in the Sacking of Coruscant and the Treaty of Coruscant. As a result of the War and its subsequent treaty, which left the Republic in an unfavorable position, many star systems began withdrawing from the Republic. The Republic was plagued with an insurmountable supply crisis and chaos on the streets of Coruscant – the Senate was left paralyzed. The Treaty of Coruscant also forced the Republic to abandon many long-time allies, including the Bothans. Confused by the chaos, the insolvent Senate blamed the War and its current problems on the Jedi, sparking a feud with the Order that saw their departure from Coruscant and relocation to Tython. After the Great War, the Cold War began.

In 3,000 BBY, the 17th Alsakan Conflict ended with the final defeat of Alsakan, and the introduction of the Invincible-class Dreadnaught into the Republic fleet. Also, the pioneer woman and Brentaal native Freia Kallea discovered the Hydian Way, which spanned the entire north-south width of the galaxy. This allowed the Republic to expand past the Slice into the worlds of the Mid and Outer Rims, and also led to the discovery of more hyperspace routes, including the Corellian Trade Spine, thus starting the Second Expansion.