Unification Wars (Galactic Republic)

The Unification Wars were a conflict that led to several of the Core Worlds uniting to form the Galactic Republic. The Wars occurred shortly after the collapse of the Infinite Empire, which had previously enslaved much of the galaxy. The notorious warlord Zakrinand Minus fought for one of the warring sides. The Jedi Order fought during the Wars and were victorious, joining the nascent Republic shortly thereafter as peacekeepers.

Prelude
Millennia before the Unification Wars, the Rakatan Infinite Empire emerged as the dominant power in the galaxy. They enslaved many sentient species using their Force-powered hyperdrives, until eventually a plague ravaged their empire. The survivors were stripped of their connection to the Force, and could do nothing to prevent the slave uprising that followed. The collapse of the Infinite Empire paved the way for other powers to develop, such as the Duros and Corellians, who reverse-engineered the Rakatan hyperdrive and started to explore the galaxy.

The conflict
Before a clear new dominant power in the galaxy could be established again, the Unification Wars erupted at some point prior to 25,053 BBY. The infamous warlord Zakrinand Minus commanded forces on one of the warring sides of the conflict, and came to be regarded as a near-invincible leader. The Force-sensitive Jedi Order partook in the conflict, eventually emerging victorious from the war around 25,053 BBY. Some later historians believed the Jedi clashed with what the former considered to be forces of "evil" during the conflict, and that they were aided by the mystic Bendu monks in that fight.

Aftermath
Following the wars, several planets from the Core Worlds combined, and the constitution for a Galactic Republic was ratified. Among the prominent founders of this thriving democracy were planets such as Coruscant, Corellia, Alderaan and Duro. Although initially wary of the Republic, the Jedi joined shortly following the war, taking on the role of peacekeepers. The emblem brandished by the Bendu during the conflict would be adopted as the official symbol of the Galactic Republic. The Republic would survive for twenty-five thousand years, enduring in spite of the many conflicts that sought to engulf it.

Behind the scenes
The Unification Wars were first referenced in the 2005 guide Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections, which claimed that the conflict led to the Republic's founding. However, the Unification Wars have been ignored by most subsequent sources, which largely indicate that the Republic was founded peacefully. In 2008, The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia provided more details on the conflict via an entry of its own. Part two of the official StarWars.com 2013 blog "The Imperial Warlords: Despoilers of an Empire" also briefly mentioned the Unification Wars, revealing the warlord Zakrinand Minus' involvement in the conflict whilst comparing him to Imperial warlord Kosh Teradoc.