Confederacy of Independent Systems

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Confederacy of Independent Systems
Emblem of the Confederacy of Independent Systems
Form of Government Confederation
Founding Document Articles of Seccession
Capital Geonosis, later Raxus Prime, Utapau, and Mustafar
Official language Galactic Basic
Head of State and Government Count Dooku, Later: General Grievous, then Nute Gunray
Secret De facto Leader Darth Sidious
Commander-in-Chief General Grievous
Legislative Branch Separatist Council
Establishment 24 BBY
Dissolution 19 BBY
Currency Galactic Standard Credit (Republic Dataries)

In the fictional Star Wars universe, the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) is an organization that existed in the latter years of the Republic. The organization was made up of organizations and star systems that wanted to leave the Republic, numbering "thousands" and with at least "ten thousand ready to join". Several corporations including the Trade Federation, Techno Union, Commerce Guild, Corporate Alliance, the Geonosians, and InterGalactic Banking Clan also joined. The organization's main goal was to split from the Republic and form their own government, stating that the Republic had become too corrupt. The members of this organization are called Separatists.

The tension between the Republic and the Separatists began when the Trade Federation, led by Nute Gunray invaded Naboo and attacked the people of Naboo. This started the Battle of Naboo but was not the actual trigger which started the Clone Wars. The real trigger of the Clone Wars was the Battle of Geonosis. After the Battle of Geonosis, the Separatists seized Rhen Var in the first Battle of Rhen Var, but that planet was later retaken by the Republic. The events depicted in the video game, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Battlefront, turn the tide of the Clone Wars. Other major engagements include Jabiim, Muunilinst, Duro and other worlds.

The political leaders of the Confederacy are Count Dooku, former Jedi Master, and from behind the scenes, Darth Sidious, Dooku's Sith Master and alter ego of Chancellor Palpatine of the Republic who later declared himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire. The military leaders of the Confederacy are the mysterious General Grievous, a Kaleesh cyborg droid and the Chiss Dark Jedi General Sev'rance Tann. The Confederacy lasted for three years, beginning with a treaty formalizing the state right before the Battle of Geonosis. The final battle of the Confederacy is open to debate, as several battles were still in progress after the final head of state was killed. It is generally accepted that the Battle of Utapau saw the end of the war (though battles continued on Felucia, Saulecami, Mygeeto, Cato Neimoidia, Kashyyyk, and Murkhana), but the Confederacy did not come to an end until the mysterious assassination carried out by the Sith Lord Darth Vader of all the leaders of the Confederacy on Mustafar, and the subsequent de-activation of their droid armies.

Contents

[edit] History of the Confederacy

It is important to note that the greatest player in the creation of the Confederacy was not Count Dooku, General Grievous, or Nute Gunray; rather, it was Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord who manipulated the various factions of the Confederacy long before the state was created. The Confederacy was a movement instigated by the Sith Lord to gain control of the galaxy. During the Clone Wars, both sides were manipulated by Darth Sidious; he controlled the Republic as Chancellor Palpatine and commanded the CIS as the shadowy Darth Sidious. The Sith rule over the galaxy was to be secured with victory by either the Old Republic or the CIS at the end of the war, with either result also bringing the destruction of the Jedi Order.

[edit] Trade Espionage, Geonosian Revolution, and Techno Union Treason

The Trade Federation was originally run by the Trade Federation Directorate. Darth Sidious, seeking secret allies for his future plans, singled out a member of the Directorate, Nute Gunray, and offered him a higher position in exchange for his service. The rest of the Directorate was killed during a trade conference on Eriadu while Gunray had been lured away. Gunray was the sole director of the Trade Federation and filled the rest of the board with his own Neimoidian associates, effectively making him viceroy of the Trade Federation. In several years' time, the Trade Federation under Gunray would become the largest faction of the Confederacy.

Though little more than a footnote in Confederacy history, the revolution on Geonosis led by Poggle the Lesser provided the future backbone of the Confederacy- battle droids. The revolution had drawn the attention of the Sith Lords, whom they had an interest in the vast droid foundries on Geonosis. Later on, the Sith lord Darth Sidious funded Poggle's rebels and, in short time, Poggle became Archduke of Geonosis. In gratitude, the new Archduke began increasing the output of the Geonosian factories, providing a massive droid army for the Trade Federation and, eventually, for the Confederacy.

The Techno Union was originally independent. In 24 B.B.Y. the Techno Union attacked the star system of Dangarthe. Darth Sidious had secretly paid the Techno Union foreman to kill the Monarchy. After the Union's failure, the Galactic Federation was forced to control the Union. Eventually this would be a good move because, thanks to the Union's foreman, the Galactic Federation joined the Confederacy.

[edit] The Blockade Crisis

In (The Phantom Menace) (32 BBY), the Galactic Senate of the Republic, under Chancellor Valorum, began to tax trade routes to outlying star systems. The Trade Federation, led by Viceroy Nute Gunray (who had secretly come under the influence of Sith Lord Darth Sidious), protested the taxation of trade routes by blockading the small planet of Naboo. Though the Chancellor sent two Jedi ambassadors or knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, to aid Queen Amidala in her negotiations with the Trade Federation, Sidious (through Gunray) ordered the invasion of Naboo using a private army of battle droids. Queen Amidala would be forced to sign a treaty legitimizing the occupation of Naboo, but she was rescued by the Jedi ambassadors and taken to Coruscant. In further protest, Gunray ordered the people of Naboo enslaved and cut off their food and water supplies in an attempt to lure Amidala back to Naboo.

On Coruscant, Amidala was advised by Senator Palpatine to call for a no confidence motion against Chancellor Valorum, who Palpatine believed was not efficiently dealing with the blockade crisis. Palpatine was among the candidates nominated to succeed him, and hoped that the events on Naboo would create a strong sympathy vote for him. Prior to the elections, Amidala chose to return to Naboo to attempt to liberate her people.

On Naboo, Nute Gunray received orders from Sidious to kill Amidala and her allies, which included Jinn, Kenobi and the future hero Anakin Skywalker, among others. The native Gungans would provide a diversion for the battle droid army while a fleet of starships attacked the Droid Control Ship in orbit around Naboo, and Amidala herself would infiltrate the royal palace to capture Viceroy Gunray. Though the Jedi were detained by Sidious's apprentice Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn was killed, the assault was victorious. Maul was killed by Kenobi, the Droid Control Ship was destroyed (by young Skywalker), and Viceroy Gunray was captured to face trial for his crimes. The conflict would later be known as the Battle of Naboo.

The newly elected Chancellor Palpatine, correct in his assumption of a strong sympathy vote, celebrated with Queen Amidala. Though Viceroy Gunray and his associates faced trial (Gunray himself saw four trials in the Supreme Court over the next decade), they were never convicted; and though they were ordered to disband their droid army, this order was curiously never enforced. Later on, Darth Sidious continue to protect his allies with his political influence.

[edit] Count Dooku's Rhetoric

Following the Battle of Naboo, Jedi Master Dooku left the Jedi Order and disappeared for nearly a decade. Around 24 BBY he resurfaced on Raxus Prime as Count Dooku, broadcasting speeches on the hypocrisy and corruption of the Republic and the Jedi Order. Many worlds of the Republic began to agree with his viewpoint and seceded, beginning the Separatist Movement. Important political and financial groups, such as the Trade Federation, sided with Count Dooku. In secret, Count Dooku had spent his years training as a Sith Lord under the tutelage of Darth Sidious. According to the Revenge of the Sith novelization, Dooku never totally believed in his own rhetoric; the Separatist Movement was a small part in a larger game, a means to an end. Dooku gladly welcomed the inevitable destruction of the Separatists, who were primarily non-humans, and the reorganization of the Republic into an Empire ruled by human Sith Lords somehow like the Brotherhood of Darkness.

[edit] The Separatist Crisis

By the time of Attack of the Clones (22 BBY), the Separatist Movement threatened to cripple the Republic. Important economic strongholds were seceding at a rapid rate and refugees choosing to stay loyal were cast out of their homeworlds. Chancellor Palpatine tried several times to negotiate with Count Dooku, but to no avail. Terrorist attacks from rogue Separatists rocked the Republic, and Count Dooku neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for these acts. With the attacks increasing, the Jedi weren't enough to defend the Republic, and a movement began in the Galactic Senate to create a standing army. One of the most vocal opponents to an army, and to a war in general, was Senator Amidala of Naboo, who began to receive threats, culminating in an assassination attempt. Obi-Wan Kenobi, while trying to discover who had ordered the assassination, Kenobi stumbled upon a clone army on Kamino, mysteriously created for the Republic.

Tracking the individual used for the cloning of the 'army of the republic,' as it was now called, obi-wan discovered the droid foundries on Geonosis and spied on a meeting arranged by Count Dooku: the heads of the most powerful economic factions in the galaxy, including the Trade Federation, the Techno Union, the Galactic Federation, the Corporate Alliance, the InterGalactic Banking Clan, and the Commerce Guild signed a treaty that legitimized the Separatist Movement into a state: the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Though Dooku appeared to have political motivations, the leaders of the Confederacy had been lured by promises of free trade and unlimited wealth. With their droid armies at his disposal, Dooku planned to attack the defenseless Republic in order to clear the way for the Confederacy to dominate the galaxy, claiming "it is time to start over." The reality of the incidents was that Chancellor Palpatine, Darth Sidious, had needed to create an army for the Republic that did not consist of Jedi. His apprentice, Darth Tyranus- better known as Count Dooku- created the threat that would give the Republic the need for a large army. The threats on Senator Amidala's life had also been staged by the separatists in order to keep her from persuading the senate to vote against creating the army (although the assassination attempts against her were ordered by Nute Gunray, still angry about the results of the Battle of Naboo). Sidious had even gone as far as to prepare such an army ten years in advance, using the template of Jango Fett and revealing them to the Republic precisely when they were in greatest need of an army. Chancellor Palpatine was granted emergency powers by the Senate; he then declared martial law and accepted this army. Their first mission was to go to Geonosis and rescue Senator Amidala, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker, who were to be accused and executed for being spies for the Republic. This was considered an act of war, and provided the justification for the CIS to began an all out war against the Republic.

[edit] The Clone Wars

The Separatist forces were overwhelmed and the Clone Wars had begun. Shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, General Grievous was assigned as commander of the droid armies, providing the Separatists with a monstrous image to be propagated by the Republic media. After a string of Separatist victories, Count Dooku revealed to the Separatist leaders that Darth Sidious was their true leader, and that their ultimate plan was to hold up against the Republic long enough to complete the powerful superweapon being built by the Geonosians. Through the war, the Separatist leaders (except Dooku) remained unaware of Sidious's true identity.

[edit] The End of the War

By the time of Revenge of the Sith (19 BBY), the Jedi were coming close to finding Darth Sidious. In a plan designed both to direct attention away from the search for Sidious and to lure Anakin Skywalker into an allegiance with the Sith Lords, Sidious ordered General Grievous to attack Coruscant and abduct Chancellor Palpatine. The Separatist Council, for their own protection, were housed on Utapau during the Battle of Coruscant. Once Grievous had abducted the Chancellor, he attempted to escape Coruscant but was stopped by a blockade of Republic ships, called back from the war to defend the capital. Kenobi and Skywalker also answered the call, infiltrating Grievous's ship and confronting Count Dooku.

Count Dooku had intended to allow himself to be captured and betray the Separatist Leaders, ensuring himself a high position in Sidious's future. Unfortunately, Skywalker was not meant to be an ally to Dooku, but a replacement; Skywalker (as well as Kenobi, until he was incapacitated) fought Dooku and slew him. Once Dooku was executed, the Chancellor was rescued, and Grievous manage to escape.

On his return to the capital, Palpatine insisted that though Dooku was dead, the fact that Grievous was hiding meant that the war would continue, and that Palpatine's dictatorial powers were still needed to conduct the war. Grievous returned to Utapau and was given orders from Sidious to move the Separatist Council to a secure bunker on Mustafar. The Council grew nervous as the tide shifted in favor of the Republic, and Nute Gunray openly disputed Grievous's capabilities as a leader. Once the Separatist leaders were on their way, Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared on Utapau with an army of clone troopers and engaged General Grievous, killing him later in the duel.

Palpatine had been expected to declare an end to the war with Grievous's death, but when confronted by Mace Windu, Palpatine refused, revealing himself as Darth Sidious and attacking. Anakin Skywalker- torn between the Jedi teachings, under the council including Windu, and the power that Palpatine, Anakin's friend as well as Chancellor, had promised him- intervened and helped Sidious to kill Windu. Anakin agreed to become the new Sith apprentice, Darth Vader, replacing the late Darth Tyranus. With enough evidence to claim the treasonous Jedi plot, Palpatine ordered his clone commanders to turn on their Jedi leaders utilizing Order 66. After Darth Vader killed every Jedi in the Jedi Temple, he was sent to Mustafar to kill the separatist leaders as well.

[edit] The End of the Confederacy

The bunker on Mustafar had been costly, but it was impenetrable. The Separatist Council remained there and contacted Darth Sidious, who told them that though they lost the war, they would be rewarded for their service. Darth Vader would arrive to render payment.

Blinded by the promise of reward, none of the Separatist leaders questioned Sidious's intentions. The bunker on Mustafar could not be entered by force, and could not be easily seized. Sidious had planned to end the Confederacy not by sending battalions of clone troopers to storm the bunker, but by sending a single servant, believed by the Separatists to be their ally. Darth Vader was welcomed into the bunker, but the Separatist Council realized too late that they had been betrayed. The doors were sealed and the entire Separatist Council was slaughtered by the new Sith Lord. Palpatine took the opportunity to declare that the Republic had become the Empire.

[edit] The Aftermath

The corporations that made up the Confederacy were nationalized and assimilated into the Imperial war machine, and all Separatist homeworlds were re-absorbed into the Empire, with many prominent races of the Confederacy enslaved. The droid armies were shut down, providing no opposition to Imperial policies. The Death Star project was absorbed by the Empire. After the destruction of the Separatist Council and the Imperialization of the Techno Union, Mustafar was largely forgotten.

In the later years of the Empire, a new organization appeared: the Rebel Alliance. Far different from the Confederacy, which had been built on greed, the Alliance was somehow "sincere" in its goal of overthrowing the Empire, despite the fact that their tactics were as brutal as that of the Empire itself. There are no direct ties between the Confederacy and the Alliance, but in a sense, the Rebellion is the "spiritual" descendant of the Separatist Movement.

[edit] Threat of a new Droid Army

Gizor Dellso, a Geonosian droid manufacturer who managed to survive the demise of the Confederacy leaders at the end of the Clone Wars, initiated a plan to reactivate a droid factory on Mustafar and to build his own private army. He was preparing to start another Clone War, in an effort to take advantage of the reorganization of the newly christened Galactic Empire.

He started by activating a Droid fleet around Mustafar's orbit to defend his factory. He drew up prototype plans for a new droid soldier, similar to a Super Battle Droid, but in layers of armour.

As his soldiers were guarding the factory an Imperial fleet bearing the elite 501st Stormtrooper Legion arrived at Mustafar. A Droid Gunship landed in the hangar of an Imperial Star Destroyer, and several Battle Droids came out and attacked the Stormtroopers inside. However, with the use of Thermal Detonators, Rocket Launchers, and Time Bombs, the troops destroyed the Droid Gunship. Then, the Empire engaged and destroyed the still weak Separatist fleet, then proceeded to the planet surface. A battle erupted, but due to the insufficient time for Gizor Dellso to unleash his new droid army, his obsolete droids fought a losing battle. Dellso and his Genonosian warriors died along with their hopes for a new war. The factory was subsequently destroyed by heavy air and orbital bombardment.

These battles are playable in Star Wars: Battlefront II.

[edit] Key Members of the Confederacy

The Confederacy has a single Head of State and beneath him is the Separatist Council. The official leader of the Confederacy was Count Dooku. Operating between the Head of State and the Separatist Council is the Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies, who has no direct power over government but assumes command should the Head of State be incapacitated. However, as already stated, the real power behind the Confederacy was the Sith Lords.

Count Dooku, Head of State and Government

General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Armies, head of State after Dooku

Sev'Rance Tann, Top Military Officer

[edit] The Separatist Council

The Council leaders hold equal voting power, but should the Head of State and Supreme Commander be incapacitated, the Council member with the largest economic investment to the war becomes acting head.

  • Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation. As leader of the largest faction represented in the Separatist Council, Viceroy became acting leader following the deaths of Count Dooku and General Grievous.
  • Poggle the Lesser, Archduke of Geonosis, head of Geonosian Industries and military advisor. As primary weaponsmith for the Confederacy, Poggle would assume command should Viceroy Gunray be incapacitated.
  • Po Nudo, Senator of Dufilvian Sector, head of the Hyper-Communications Cartel
  • Tikkes, Senator of Calamari Sector, head of the Quarren Isolation League
  • D. Rouge, Senator from Dangarthe (Represenative of the Galactic Alliance)

[edit] Other Separatist Members and Allies

[edit] Separatist Army

[edit] Droid Army of the Confederacy

  • Battle droid, the staple of the Separatist forces, often deployed in great numbers
  • Assault droid, a heavily armed variation of the battle droid
  • Assassin Droid, a camouflaged battle droid who sniped their targets with precise aiming
  • Pilot Droid, a variation of the battle droid without combat capabilities
  • Bio Droid/JK droid
  • Super Battle Droid, larger cousins of the battle droids, used in greater numbers as the Clone Wars progressed, but too expensive to replace standard battle droids
  • Droideka, or 'Destroyer Droids', fearsome weapons designed not for combat, but for annihilation
  • IG Lancer droids, designed for high-speed combat, deployed primarily on Muunilinst
  • Chameleon droid, capable of limited invisibility, deployed primarily on Ilum
  • Octuptarra droid, a tripod droid with varying weapons capabilities, introduced during the late stages of the war
  • Protodeka, spacecraft-like war droids; made by the Colicoids?
  • Buzz droid, small droids used to sabotage enemy technology
  • IG-100 MagnaGuards, elite bodyguards personally designed and trained by General Grievous for his personal use; designed with superior magna armor
  • Crab Droid, an all-terrain unit manufactured in varying sizes

[edit] Organic Forces of the Confederacy

  • Quarren Isolation League - The Quarren Isolation League are an organization based on the planet Dac and allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They are led by Quarren Senator Tikkes.

The League was founded to overthrow pro-Republic senator Tundra Dowmeia and rid Dac of all Republic presence. They were supplied with Manta droid subfighters and other aquatic weapons by the Trade Federation and Techno Union and fought both Mon Calamari and Quarren indiscriminately in their attempted overthrow of the government.

Their struggle came to a head at the Battle of Mon Calamari.

  • Neimoidian Warriors - The Neimoidian warriors were created to serve as sentient guards for important officials, when it was too risky to use droids. The warrior recruits are pulled from the dregs of Neimoidian society, and promised pardon for their crimes for their service. Some were taken a step further, as seen in the warrior brunts. These hulking giants were genetically modified, and are so dangerous they are only activated in extreme situations. The Neimoidian warriors were present on Mustafar, and were slaughtered by Darth Vader upon his arrival.

[edit] Transport Vehicles of the Confederacy

[edit] Ground Vehicles of the Confederacy

[edit] Starfighters of the Confederacy

[edit] Aquatic weapons of the Confederacy

[edit] Capital Ships of the Confederacy

[edit] Support Craft of the Confederacy

[edit] Planets, Moons, and Facilities Claimed by the Confederacy

[edit] Heads of State and Government

[edit] Quotes

"Our friends from the Trade Federation have pledged their support, and when their battle droids are combined with yours we shall have an army greater than any in the galaxy. The Jedi will be overwhelmed. The Republic will agree to any demands we make."

- Count Dooku

"You're committing an act of war, Archduke. I hope you're prepared for the consequences."

"We build weapons, Senator, that is our business! Of course we're prepared!"

- Senator Amidala and Poggle the Lesser

"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists, and the Republic has become the very evil we have been fighting to destroy?"

- Senator Amidala to Anakin Skywalker

"It won't be long before the armies of the Republic track us here. I am sending you to the Mustafar system in the Outer Rim. It is a volcanic planet which generates a great deal of scanning interference. You will be safe there."

"Safe? Chancellor Palpatine managed to escape your grip, General, without Count Dooku. I have my doubts about your ability to keep us safe!"

"Be thankful, Viceroy, that you have not found yourself in my grip. Your ship is waiting."

- General Grievous and Nute Gunray

"The plan has gone as you had promised, my lord."

"You have done well, Viceroy. When my new apprentice, Darth Vader, arrives, he will take care of you."

- Nute Gunray and Darth Sidious


Factions of Star Wars
Major governments
Chiss | Confederacy of Independent Systems | Corporate Sector Authority | Galactic Alliance | Galactic Empire | Galactic Republic | Hapes Consortium | Imperial Remnant

New Republic | Pentastar Alignment | Rebel Alliance | Sith Empire | Ssi-ruuvi Imperium | The Centrality | Tion Hegemony | Yuuzhan Vong
See also
Star Wars companies | Star Wars galaxy | Other governments | Star Wars ranks | Star Wars organizations
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