Kashyyyk

"It is settled then. Yoda will take a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookiees on Kashyyyk."

- Jedi Master Mace Windu

Kashyyyk (occasionally spelled Kashyk) was a wroshyr tree-covered planet located in the southwestern quadrant of the galaxy and the homeworld of the Wookiee species. It was a member of the Galactic Republic and after the Clone Wars endured enslavement under the Galactic Empire. The planet was classified by the Empire as G5-623.

Description
Kashyyyk was a temperate jungle planet orbiting around a single star located in the Mytaranor sector of the Mid Rim, and had a complement of three moons. Covered in wroshyr trees, it served as homeworld to the Wookiee species. Native fauna such as Can-cells would influence the design of starships by the Wookiee inhabitants, while great cities such as Kachirho would be built into the planet's trees.

History
At some point prior to the Invasion of Naboo, Jedi Master Yoda faced a terentatek on Kashyyyk, accompanied by his then Padawan Dooku.

Strategic interest
In the years following the Invasion of Naboo, the rogue Jedi Count Dooku fomented political turmoil on the planet. Due to its status as a major navigational point, Kashyyyk was of prime strategic importance to the Galactic Republic, which led the Confederacy of Independent Systems to attack the planet toward the end of the Clone Wars.

With the help of Yoda, the Grand Master of the Jedi Order, the Grand Army of the Republic managed to get the upper hand over the Separatists. However, shortly after that victory, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic Sheev Palpatine unilaterally transformed the government into the First Galactic Empire.

Imperial repression
Despite Kashyyyk's loyalty to the Republic, the self-appointed Emperor had the Wookiees enslaved, and their planet itself was blockaded. Used as slave labor, the Empire would utilize the Wookiees to cut down the planet's native wroshyr trees for lumber and farm food to feed the Imperial Army as well as send them off to labor camps and construction jobs such as building the first Death Star, or for science and bio-weapon experiments. At some point during the reign of Palpatine, the natives of Kashyyyk attempted to revolt against the Empire. However, General Kahdah and the Imperial 212th Attack Battalion managed to quell the insurrection.

On Kashyyk, the Lothal rebels raided several supply convoys before the Battle of Yavin.

At some point before the Battle of Endor, a massacre occurred on the planet under the command of the Galactic Empire.

Grip of the Empire
In the months following the Battle of Endor and the death of the Galactic Empire's totalitarian ruler, the New Order would be thrown into a fractured and volatile state, putting Kashyyyk on lockdown as supply lines and convoys fell victim to the newly formed New Republic. With the Republic unwilling to divert resources towards the planet, Han Solo and Chewbacca would undertake a mission on the world with various other Wookiee refugees turned mercenaries after intelligence from Imra reported that Imperial redeployments would reduce the planets garrison, if only for a few days. Chewbacca would ultimately help lead a successful New Republic effort to liberate his homeworld.

Behind the scenes
The original drafts of Return of the Jedi called for the second Death Star to be built in orbit around Kashyyyk by Wookiee slave labor. It wasn't until later drafts that the setting and characters were changed to the forest moon of Endor and Ewoks.

The planet was introduced in 1978 in The Star Wars Holiday Special, but this is now considered to be part of the Legends continuity. Kashyyyk's first canon appearance was in 2005 in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Phuket in Thailand and Guilin in China were the locations scouted for Revenge of the Sith, to capture plate photography for Kashyyyk backdrops.