"We are an Empire ruled by the majority! An Empire ruled by a new Constitution! An Empire of laws, not of politicians! An Empire devoted to the preservation of a just society. Of a safe and secure society! We are an Empire that will stand for ten thousand years!" ―Emperor Palpatine
The Galactic Empire, also known as the New Order, the Original Galactic Empire, the First Galactic Empire, Palpatine's New Order, or simply the Empire, is the universal government established by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to replace the Universal Republic in 19 B and bring Sith rule to the Universe.
The Republic, which had lasted intermittently for almost 25,000 years, ended following a period of intense political turmoil and the devastation of the Clone Wars. After General Grievous was defeated at the Battle of Emuu, and shortly after the leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems were killed on Mustafar by Darth Vader, Palpatine began a purge of the Jedi Order, declared himself Emperor of the Universe, and reorganized the Universal Republic & the Confederacy of Independent Systems into the Galactic Empire. In Hidden Chronicles: House of Mouse Adventures - Palpatine and The Empire appeared as recurring characters.
Symbol of the Galactic Empire.
Galactic Empire Political information
Type of government Humanocentric authoritarian empire Founding document Declaration of a New Order Constitution Imperial Charter Head of State Galactic Emperor Head of Government Grand Vizier, Galactic Emperor Commander-in-chief Supreme Commander, Galactic Emperor, Grand Admiral Executive branch Imperial Royal Circle, Royal Enforcement Council, Interim Council of Grand Moffs Legislative branch Imperial Senate [19–0 B], Interim Council of Grand Moffs
Judicial branch Imperial Court[19-0 B], Prosucetor of Justice, Imperial Justice Council Societal information
Capital Imperial Center Official language Imperial Basic English Currency Imperial Dataries National holiday Empire Day Historical information Formed from Universal Republic, Confederacy of Independent Systems Date of establishment 19 B
Date of Reorganazation 0 B, during Universal Civil War
History[]
Emperor Palpatine annouces the New Order.
The Empire can be said to have begun with the scheming aspiration of Senator Palpatine of Raboo, whose alter ego was the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Using the Trade Federation as a pawn to blockade Raboo, he used manipulation of the crisis, as well as of Queen Amidala, to instigate a Vote of No Confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorum, and ultimately to become Universal Chancellor himself. When his apprentice, Darth Maul, was killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Raboo, Sidious took on the former Jedi Master Count Dooku as his new apprentice. Count Dooku then joined with the Trade Federation under Viceroy Nute Gunray and others to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems, a government containing quadrillions of worlds.
Palpatine was an efficient and effective leader who quickly brought to an end the corruption in the Senate; his power was greatly increased as a result of the Clone Wars as the Senate willingly furnished more and more emergency powers to Palpatine. Eventually, the Senate lost most of its power and became little more than a inistution that Palpatine had to go through to pass his laws. Yet the Senate did have a symbolic power at least; Chancellor Palpatine still hid behind the pomp and circumstance of appealing to the Senate, but his power existed in his control over millions of Senators that he had brought into his own web of corruption. However, Anakin Skywalker discovered that Palpatine was a Sith Lord and, after having informed Jedi Master Mace Windu of his discovery, a Jedi task force, led by Windu himself, attempted to arrest him. After a brief duel, Palpatine appeared to be defeated. Skywalker arrived and demanded Windu not kill the Sith Lord. Deeply troubled, Skywalker nonetheless helped Palpatine kill Windu, and thus became the Emperor's new apprentice, Darth Vader. Palpatine then proceeded to carry out the Great Jedi Purge, which eliminated millions of Jedi, and had Darth Vader eliminate Viceroy Nute Gunray and the other Separatist leaders on the fiery world of Mustafar, thus bringing an end to the Clone Wars. Secure in his power and position, Palpatine used the false Jedi rebellion to issue the Declaration of a New Order and declared himself Universal Emperor in 19 B.
Many people of the new Empire enthusiastically supported the vision outlined in the Declaration of a New Order, largely due to the violence that had plagued the Universe for so long. Millions of Senators wholeheartedly supported the new government while a number of more cautious senators chose to watch and wait to see how the new government would handle the affairs of state. It promised to trade frailty for strength, chaos for order, and uncertainty for decisiveness. In retrospect, the foundation of the Empire had already been set down during Palpatine's chancellorship and all potential threats eliminated; therefore, the transition from Republic to Empire was relatively smooth.
It is important to note that not all of the Senators liked what they saw. In fact, the Petition of 2000 sought to bring the worries of these Senators to Palpatine. This petition was led by Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Padmé Amidala. Palpatine's dismissal of their concerns was one factor that led Organa and Mothma to found the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
Imperialization[]
Emperor Palpatine, ruler of the Universe.
With the rise of the Empire, all the institutions of the Old Republic found themselves either dismantled or changed beyond recognition. There was a riot of renaming all things "Imperial" to glorify the new Emperor: overnight, the Solar System was renamed the Imperial System, the Earth Sector was renamed the Imperial Sector, Earth itself was renamed Imperial Center, and Universal City was renamed Imperial City. The Universal Senate became the Imperial Senate. The Grand Army of the Republic became the Imperial Army, and the Republic Navy (all Republic air, water, and space forces) became the Imperial Navy.
The four decrepit intelligence agencies of the Republic were merged into Imperial Intelligence, with former RSI director Armand Isard at its head. The House of the Republic was rebuilt and expanded, becoming the Imperial Palace, eclipsing all other buildings on Imperial Center. The former Commission for the Protection of the Republic (COMPOR) was renamed the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR). Within days, there were few names left to remind the people that there had ever been a Universal spanning Republic.
During the first few years of the Empire, the Universe saw the single largest military buildup in history. A council of each system Moff was established to more efficiently govern individual systems and regions of the Empire. Popular support for the policies of Palpatine's administration was high.
The Dark Times[]
Emperor Palpatine at the time of Trachta's insurection.
As this process unfolded, Galactic Emperor Palpatine consolidated his power by launching Purges against his opponents, most notably the old republic officers, who he hadn't been able to seduce to his side. Palpatine's first purge of the Imperial Navy occurred within just two weeks into the Empire's rule.
The Emperor saw the respected Calandrians as a threat to his New Order, so he ordered the devastation of their home planet Calandria. A group of Bothan infiltrators were responsible for sabotaging Calandria's shield generators, leaving the planet vulnerable to Imperial orbital bombardment. The once beautiful world was devastated during this attack, turned into a poisoned wasteland. The peaceful Calandrians were dispersed throughout the Known Universe. In 18 B, the Emperor constructed the huge, asteroid-shaped superweapon Eye of Palpatine in order to use it to destroy a Jedi enclave on Belsavis. However, the deadly superweapon was sabotaged by two Jedi Knights and the Jedi on Belsavis managed to escape.
Around the same time, a group of beings were protesting the tyranny of the Galactic Empire on the planet Orman in the Seern Sector. Wilhuff Tarkin's flagship was blocked by peaceful protesters who stood on the ship's landing pad and refused to move. With implied permission from Palpatine, Tarkin landed the ship anyway, right on the protesters, injuring and killing many. This came to be known as the Orman Massacre. The Alliance to Restore the Republic was founded in its wake.
Many Jedi also rebelled against Palpatine's regime. Olee Starstone and a group of Order 66 Jedi survivors along with Roan Shryne attempted to restart the Jedi Council but were unsuccessful. The group fled to Mashyyyk to find out if any Jedi survived there, but the Empire launched a massive enslavement of the planet. Darth Vader killed most of the group. Meanwhile, Felius Olin and many Jedi Knights caused havoc on many Imperial worlds, inculding a rebellion on the planet of Melassa, two break ins of the destoryed Jedi Temple of Earth, the destruction of an Imperial Garrison, Weapons, and Muntions Center on Raboo, and the raid of many Imperial presence centers on Relvaia, Solaria, and hundreds of other worlds. Also, on Messel, a group of Jedi including Master Tsui Choi and Jedi Knight Bultar Swan planned to draw Darth Vader into a trap and kill him. Due to exceptionally bad planning and tactics, every one of them was killed. However, Vader's suit was damaged.
In 1 B, the Emperor and Vader were the targets of an attempted coup by a group of treacherous Imperial officers led by Imperial Center Oversector Grand Moff Trachta. Trachta saw the Sith as foolish and archaic, and believed that the Empire should not be ruled by a two-man cult. They planned to use a batch of one hundred altered stormtroopers loyal only to them to destroy the two Sith Lords. However, their plot failed in part because of internal fighting between the co-conspirators.
Resistance to Imperial Rule[]
Governor Willuff Tarkin of the Sewanna Sector, Governor Denn Wessex of the Solarian Sector, and Governor Jan Wessel of the Zilrian Sector, some of the first Regional Governors of the Empire.
After the true nature of the Empire became clear, three of the most influential senators, Bail Organa of Elderaan, Garm Bel Iblis of Cornellia, and Mon Mothma of Chdrila, met in secret and signed the Cornellian Treaty. This officially formed the Alliance to Restore the Republic, more commonly referred to as the Rebel Alliance. However, the threat of rebellion allowed Emperor Palpatine to endorse the Tarkin Doctrine of rule by fear of force rather than force itself. Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, Palpatine declared a state of emergency and disbanded the Imperial Senate. Thus the last institution that was part of the Old Republic and its final remaining ideal body was swept away.
A key instrument in the enforcement of the Doctrine is intended to be the Death Star, a moon sized space station with sufficient firepower to easily destroy a planet with a single discharge of its powerful superlaser. Whereas many planets could afford planetary deflector shields capable of warding off virtually any conventional attack, none can defend against the power of that awesome weapon. It NEARLY destroyed the Rebels, but was staved off by the Rebels.
The Rebel Alliance was a guerrilla organazation dedicated to the defeat of the Galactic Empire and the restoration of the Universal Republic. This goal, however, was failed, with the trickery of Emperor Palpatine, and the Empire's vast amount of resources, money, and supporters. It is now the Rebel remnants. And, Rebel leaders were executed by Emperor Palpatine.
Government and Politics[]
Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader, Imperial Royal Guards, and Imperial Officers and Troopers onboard the Death Star.
The Empire is ruled with absolute power by Emperor Palpatine, with Sate Pestage as Grand Vizier, and Darth Vader as Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy and Military Executor. Imperial rule is totalitarian. There is little to no freedom of speech and dissidents are punished harshly.
The Galactic Empire is actually more decentralized than the Universal Republic. Solar Systems are grouped in sectors and sectors in turn into an Oversector, containing of hundreds of sectors. These are controlled by a Moff and a Grand Moff in each sector and oversector, who exercise power in the disparate regions of the Universe. This is in contrast to the structure of the Universal Republic, which placed senators in repersenative control of their respective sectors. The planets of the Empire are no longer given a say in the government, but are now kept in line through fear of force.
Executive Branch[]
With Palpatine as Galactic Emperor, it is the Imperial Royal Circle, a group of Imperial advisors, that run the Empire day to day and carry out the Emperor's will. The real power below the Emperor and his Advisors and Sectaries are in the hands of the Grand Moffs, like Willuff Tarkin, and the regional governors who are eventually granted direct control of their regions.
This exercize of power is backed up by the use of state terrorism in the form of the Tarkin Doctrine, named for Grand Moff Willuff Tarkin. The Doctrine threatens unexpected force then the use of force to control dissent; the Orman Massacare is an example. The justification for the Tarkin Doctrine is the excessive cost and impractictallity of the use of pure terror in the form of trillions of trillions of troops and billions upon billions of starships to maintain order. The insturtment of enforcing the Doctrine is the Imperial Miltiary, which inculdes a trillion numbered fleet of stormtroopers and a large billion numbered fleet of Star Destoryers, Tie Fighters, and hundreds of others. This policy is at its zenith with the construction of the planet destorying Death Star.
Legislative Branch[]
After the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Universal Senate was reorganized into the Imperial Senate. But unlike the Universal Senate, which held both legislative and executive power, the Imperial Senate held only legislative power (but all of it is also now in the hands of the Galactic Emperor by orders of the Senate Consistution). The Senate advised the Emperor, regulated the econmony, worked on the Imperial budget, and passed laws regarding planetary and governmental matters, as well passing amendments to the Imperial Charter. However, the Emperor could create, veto, and pass legislation, and both called and dismissed the Senate to meeting. The Senate was pratically powerless and was dissolved by Emperor Palpatine in 0 Bto remove the last limit to his power. Many bodies, inculding bodies made up of Moffs and Grand Moffs, suceed it as the Imperial legislature.
Judical Branch[]
After the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Universal Court of the Republic became the Imperial Court. However, it was dissolved in 0 B. The Imperial criminal justice system is headed by a Prouscetator of Justice, and is governed by the Imperial Justice Council.
Other Imperial Organazations[]
To strengthen his hold on power, Emperor Palpatine created various organizations that were loyal to him. Foremost among these organizations are COMPNOR, Imperial Security Bureau, and the Dark Side Adepts. Palpatine also has the Emperor's Hands, special assassins that do his bidding. One notable Emperor's Hand is Mara Jade.
Palpatine allows these organizations and their leaders to build up power bases of their own. Palpatine encourages this system, often giving them overlapping responsibilities. This makes administration of the Empire less efficient, but benefited Palpatine by ensuring that he continued to be the source of all political power in the Empire and the Universe.
Universal Economy[]
The Galactic Empire has a very complex and diverse economy. Following the Clone Wars, the Empire started a process of transformation and expansion of the economy. The Galactic Empire increases state control of economic procedures and its transformation. It has high effect on the Universal economy.
The Imperialization of the Trade Federation by the Galactic Empire created a void filled by smmuglers, thugs, and pimps. Smuuglers florish in the Imperial era, as part of large ganaster and crime trade organazations.
The Imperial Dollar is forced into use in every Imperial world, puppet state, governorship, colony, and protectorate. The Empire uses the planet's Qullinst's monterary plants to produce its currency.
Society and Culture[]
The culture of the Galactic Empire is asectic and minimalist. This is encouraged by the Collation of Progress, an arm of COMPNOR.
Art and Media[]
The role of art and media in the Galactic Empire is didatic; cultural experession serves as an instrument for New Order beliefs. The Empire is not particualary brtual in the supression of artistic culture, as it is primarily intrested in miltiary and political dominance.
Holodrama (entertainment through television and holograms) is another ventue for politics. A holodrama, Win or Die, is about the heroism of a boy who ardently supports the New Order despite his parent's opposition. Imperial Holovison, a news/entertainment provider, is the Empire's most powerful proproganda tool.
The offical sport of the Empire is Wegsphere, a game invented by COMPNOR, considered one of their best creations.
Religon[]
Now, under the Galactic Empire, Anti-Jeddism is an policy, which means all beings of the Empire are discouraged to believe in the Jedi Order and their teachings. The Empire also attacks good side force sensitive beings. Instead, millions of beings are encouraged to belive in the dark side and join the Sith. Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are known by nearly all Imperial beings as force users, while some know them as Sith Lords.
Humanocentrism[]
The Empire believes in human supermacy, or humanocentrism. Alien species, inculding Wookies, Calandrians, and others subject to slavery. Antislavery laws of the Old Republic was repealed, with legislation legalizing the slavery and execution of non humans and aliens. As a result, 95% of all Imperial government officals are human, with only some rare exceptions in the Imperial Royal Circle and in the Imperial Miltiary. The Empire also holds human man supermacy. Women are enslaved, imprisoned, and sergrated by the Empire, with only rare exceptions. However, the Empire does allow certain human women to join the government.
Miltiary[]
An Imperial recuriting poster.
The Imperial Miltiary is the miltiary arm of the Galactic Empire. It is responsible for carrying out miltiary operations across the Universe, and maintaining law and order on Imperial worlds, colonies, protectorates, governorships, puppet states, and Imperial presence worlds. Since the Empire's New Order is based on fear of force, the Imperial Miltiary forms a very imporant part of the Imperial government.
During the early years of the Empire, most stormtroopers were clones from the Clone Wars. However, in 10 B, Emperor Palpatine started recuriting humans and triggered lesser clone stormtrooper projects, as clones required time and money to develop. These recurited are trained on the planet Carida, in the Imperial Miltiary Academy.
Imperial Army[]
The Imperial Army is the ground arm of the Miltiary. The Army contains of over 800 trillion stormtroopers and 45 zillion officers, ground and noncombat. The Army holds 12 million Armoured Transports, which deliver troops across entire planets. They also hold 456 billion Armoured Walkers, which has large blasters and huge automated attack systems. Stormtroopers, clad in white bullet proof armor, hold turboblasters, strong enough to stun and kill.
[]
The Imperial Navy is the air, naval, and space arm of the Mitltiary. It contains of 45 billion Star Destoryers, large warships that destory entire fleets. It holds 455 trillion Officers, with one million Tie Fighters, little ships that are deadly, fast, and highly protective.
Astrography of the Empire[]
see also Astrography of the Empire
The Galactic Empire contains of over one hepdrillion worlds, fifty trillion colonies, eighty two billion governorships, forty billion protectorates, two million puppet states, 400,000 occupied states, and 900,000 presence worlds, speard across the entire length of the Universe, from the Core Worlds to Unknown Space. It has forty billion galaxies, one billion star systems, nine hundred million interstellar systems, and forty trillion sectors.