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Old Republic

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the name given to the time before the Empire was formed, it was the period in which the Galactic Senate worked with the Jedi Knights to keep the galaxy in order. Most historians point the Old Republic's beginnings at the point when hyperspacial travel was first invented, allowing beings from across the galaxy to move about with relative ease. The Old Republic's government was formed shortly afterward, with the Jedi Knights becoming the guardians of peace and justice. This was believed to have been some 25,000 years before the Battle of Yavin, but exact dating has become impossible. What was known was that the Old Republic grew and prospered for nearly 20,000 years, until the Sith emerged from their hidden empire and ravaged the Republic, first during the Great Hyperspace War, and a thousand years kater during the Great Sith War. The Republic managed to rebuilt itself over the next 3,000 years, until the Sith emerged once again. With the Battle of Ruusan, the threat of the Sith was believed to have been eliminated, and the Republic once again prospered. For nearly a millennium, the Republic knew peace and harmony, unaware that it was actually crumbling from within. As the Galactic Senate became more and more concerned with petty squabbling and the posturing of its delegates, corruption became more and more prevalent. Secretive factions formed to work in their own best interests, and the Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious began to take advantage of the situation to further his own goals. The humble Senator from Naboo, Palpatine, used the victory at the Battle of Naboo to win the election for Supreme Chancellor, and he continued to solidify his base of power. When the time was right, Palpatine declared himself Emperor and established the New Order, marking the final days of the Old Republic.