Old Sith Wars

"The Jedi who fall are the most dangerous of all."

―A line from a children's rhyme^[src]

The Old Sith Wars was the name given to the series of conflicts that started with the Great Sith War and lasted until the end of the Sith Civil War in 3950 BBY.^[1] The conflicts centered around a number of fallen Jedi: Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma instigated the Great Sith War when they fell to the dark side of the Force; the Jedi Knights Revan and Malak led a new Sith Empire against the Galactic Republic in the Jedi Civil War after they were corrupted by the hidden Sith Emperor at the end of the Mandalorian Wars; and the exiled Jedi Master Kreia routed the remnants of Revan's empire and led them in a genocidal campaign against the Jedi Order.

History[edit | edit source]

"The Jedi have not won today. As you will one day learn, the Jedi have lost!"

―Freedon Nadd, to Arca Jeth — (audio)Listen (file info)^[src]

Included in this era were the Great Sith War (3996 BBY), the Mandalorian Wars (3976 BBY–3960 BBY), the Jedi Civil War (3959–3956 BBY) and the Onderon Civil War (3951 BBY). It also included the Sith Civil War (3956–3950 BBY), the Dark Wars (3955–3951 BBY), and the First Jedi Purge (3954–3951 BBY).

The almost continuous 100 years of war nearly shattered the Galactic Republic and resulted in a near-total annihilation of the Jedi Order. However, the Republic held in the end, and eliminated (at least for the time being) such threats as the Mandalorians, the Krath and the Sith. Because of the long and bloody conflicts, the galactic citizenry gained a hardened resolve, and the Republic emerged stronger than it was before.

Major figures of the time period of the Old Sith Wars included Ulic Qel-Droma, Exar Kun, Nomi Sunrider, Kreia, Mandalore the Indomitable, Mandalore the Ultimate, Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Bastila Shan and Meetra Surik.

While the major conflicts of the Old Sith Wars were over by the end of the Sith Civil War, the Kanz Disorders (3970–3670 BBY) continued for nearly three centuries after the triumph of the Republic and the defeat of the Sith.

A major technological advance of the Old Sith Wars period was the Navigation computer. It became generally available during the Restoration Period that followed the Great Sith War, and it quickly rendered the Hyperspace beacon system obsolete.^[2]

Events of the Old Sith Wars[edit | edit source]

"I am here to warn you Jedi, you must not interfere with the work of the dark side. The Dark Lords of the Sith are destined to rise again. Nothing can prevent that."
"You can't frighten us with useless prophecies. I thought Master Arca drove you away when he buried your bones on that barren moon."
"Arca cannot interfere with the dead…nor can he help you, poor Jedi, to avoid your destiny."
"What are you talking about?"
"You…will be one of the great ones."

―Freedon Nadd tells Ulic Qel-Droma of his destiny as a Sith Lord — (audio)Listen (file info)^[src]