Galactic Empire (Star Wars)

Organization of Power

Emperor Palpatine ruled the Empire with absolute power, with third-in-command Sate Pestage as Grand Vizier (the Head of Government, who was running the Empire day to day by the Battle of Endor). Darth Vader, a Dark Lord of the Sith, was the Emperor's second-in-command, being the Military Executor and Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy. Two of Palpatine's top advisors were Janus Greejatus and Sim Aloo, who accompanied Palpatine on the second Death Star. The leadership of the Empire is the Imperial Inner Circle, led by Palpatine.

Related Topics:
Sate Pestage - Darth Vader - Imperial Navy - Death Star - Imperial Inner Circle

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The Galactic Senate existed for 19 years after the Empire's establishment as the Imperial Senate, but had little actual power and was eventually dissolved by Palpatine shortly before the Battle of Yavin. Below the Emperor, real power was in the hands of Grand Moffs such as Tarkin, and the regional governors. A Council of Moffs was established to more efficiently govern individual sectors and regions of the Empire.

Related Topics:
Galactic Senate - Imperial Senate - Battle of Yavin - Grand Moffs - Tarkin - Council of Moffs

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The Empire was actually less centralized than its predecessor, the Old Republic. Much power was sent into the hands of the regional moffs and governors, in contrast to the Republic's structure, which had no intermediary between low-level planetary affairs and those of the Senate.

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This power was backed up by the use of state terrorism which threatened any defiance to the government with horrific retaliation. The instrument of that terror was the military, which included the Imperial Stormtroopers; a large fleet of intimidating war vehicles such as the Imperial Navy's Star Destroyers and the Imperial Army's All Terrain Armoured Transports (AT-ATs or "walkers") which were intended in part to spread fear as well as destroy the enemy. This policy reached its zenith with the construction of the planet-destroying Death Star.

Related Topics:
State terrorism - Imperial Stormtroopers - Imperial Navy - Star Destroyers - Imperial Army's - AT-ATs - Death Star

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In the Expanded Universe, the Imperial Interim Ruling Council was formed following the Emperor's death to organize and maintain the Galactic Empire from final collapse. However, its foundation was destroyed by warlordism.

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