Galactic Empire

From TFC Galactopedia

The Galactic Empire was founded in 1786 J.A. by the former Grand Master of the Jedi Order. When the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Senate was assassinated in 1782 J.A., a venerable Jedi Master, the Emperor, had been elected Supreme Chancellor in his stead.

Under the Emperor’s guidance, the Republic’s Clone Wars were quickly brought to a successful close. Former Jedi Count Duukí was brought to a swift trial and executed for his crimes against the Republic, and the Jedi Order and Republic began to rebuild as one. Despite the Supreme Chancellor’s Jedi roots, the Emperor began distancing his government from the Jedi Order. A number of Senators brought forth charges of treason relating to the actions of Jedi during the Clone Wars, and the entire Senate was brought into a state of frenzy when a young Jedi Knight sitting on the council was found to have murdered the Senior Senator from Naboo.

The Emperor gave a stirring speech in the Senate about how the crumbling Old Republic and Jedi Order must be abolished as separate orders and be merged into one whole and cohesive government, a grand Empire whose Force users were more strictly controlled. The wizened master even presented evidence of a Jedi plot to destroy himself and the Senate, and he was immediately voted enough power to form the Galactic Empire and place himself at the head of its government. His first official act as Emperor was to order the Jedi Purges, under which all adult Jedi suspected of treason were to be brought before him for trial. Jedi who attempted to resist arrest were to be immediately cut down, and all Jedi Padawans and Younglings were to stand before their Emperor for reassessment. So high was the paranoia toward Jedi that it was agreed that only the wise and powerful Emperor should be permitted to take an apprentice; all others who taught the ways of the Force were required to take more than one student.

In order to subdue the terrorist Jedi and the Force-blind anthroids and aliens who had sided with the Jedi against the Imperial government, the Emperor authorized the reemergence of oldest enemy of the Jedi: the Sith. Under the Emperor’s guidance, a Reformed Sith Order was created. Jedi who repented of their crimes were permitted to join the Order, and its Jedi Hunters were lauded for their ability to track down the Jedi terrorists and their allies before any mass casualties could be inflicted by the rogue Force users. Sith temples were located on the worlds of Tyranus and Korriban and given Imperial resources and the Imperial blessing.

Despite the Emperor’s wildly successful public relations campaign, a Rebel Alliance was quickly formed. Though it lacked any overt ties to the Jedi Order, some of its leaders were former Senators who were thought to have been friends with Jedi still wanted for crimes against the Republic and the Empire. The Rebellion was considered little more than a minor nuisance at first, but its message spread through the Rim like wildfire. With visions of larger and more valuable systems falling into the Rebellion’s hands, The Emperor authorized the construction of a battlestation capable of wiping out entire planets that proved to be loyal to the Rebellion.

The battlestation, termed the ‘DEATH STAR’, was first used in 1794 J.A. to destroy the world of Alderaan when its royal house was found to be giving aid to the Rebellion. A Rebel base sheltering a terrorist Jedi soon destroyed the station, but its plans survived and the lessons learned during its construction allowed the Empire to partially construct a larger, fully operational model by 1798 J.A. The plans were purposefully leaked to an anthroid species believed to be in league with the Rebellion, and a trap was would soon become known as the Massacre of Endor.

Since Endor, the Empire has turned its focus to other projects. A small number of operational ‘DEATH STARS’ now serve in the Imperial fleet, each one dispatched to areas with unrest to ensure the quieting of the civilian population.

TFC Canon