12,000 BBY

"Approximately 12,000 BBY a theocratic conspiracy, centuries in the offing, impeached Chancellor Pers'lya and placed its own man, Contispex, in the seat."

- Gabrel Treon, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji: A Cartel of Genes

The year 12,000 before the Battle of Yavin (BBY) was a span of time that featured continued expansion of Galactic Republic boundaries and a change in the governing body's leadership. Explorers and settlers had been continuously and steadily expanding the boundaries of Republic space in the years prior. In 12,000 BBY, explorers and colonists from Corellia established a settlement on the planet Ord Mantell, a world in a previously unexplored area of the Mid Rim. There, the settlers created an advanced military outpost. In politics, a cult of conspiratorial religious zealots known as Pius Dea usurped power over the Republic. With the help of a secretive society called the Malkite Poisoners, the zealots impeached reigning Supreme Chancellor Pers'lya and installed the Pius Dea figurehead Contispex. The new chancellor, housing Humanocentric beliefs, then unleashed a series of religious-based crusades against alien species and those who worshiped other deities. The rise of the Pius Dea cult marked the end of the Kymoodon Era and the beginning of the Pius Dea Era.

Proem
During the years of the Old Republic, the governing body gradually but steadily expanded its boundaries. Most of the settlements, however, were in a wedge-shaped region of space known as the Slice. Aside from occasional protrusions into unknown areas and isolated settlements, most of galactic society lived within the confines of known hyperspace routes and the established hyperlanes. Settlers and explorers, however, continued to search the wild and unexplored areas of the galaxy. In the years leading up to 12,000 BBY, this steady advancement continued. The Supreme Chancellor during this time was the Bothan Pers'lya. At the same time, however, the religious conspiracy-based cult of zealots known as Pius Dea was growing in power. The group held the beliefs of anti-alien Humanocentrism and that followers of other religions were "unbelievers" and idolaters.

The galaxy in 12,000 BBY
"Here we stand, at the extremity of our exertion, having cast behind us the idols of our fathers, to once again carry to our foe the penalties due their sacrileges. Come perdition or hard vacuum, the Republic expects that every citizen will do his duty."

- Supreme Chancellor Contispex, Fourth Inaugural Oration

The expansion of the Republic continued in 12,000 BBY as colonists from Corellia continued to explore uncharted space. A group of colonists settled on the Mid Rim world of Ord Mantell. The colonists established an advanced military outpost on the planet for the expanding Republic, even though it was isolated from Republic space by uncharted area. This planet was an Ordnance/Regional Depot (Ord) world whose purpose was to also protect Human colonists in the surrounding systems. Elsewhere, the Ithorians of Ithor had their first contact with the Republic, further expanding the reaches of known space.

That same year, Supreme Chancellor Pres'lya became embroiled in an impeachment scandal. The religious and conspiratorial cult Pius Dea, coupled with the assistance of the secret group known as the Malkite Poisoners, led the ousting of Pers'lya and the installation of Pius Dea figurehead Contispex. With Contispex in power, the Pius Dea cult began a series of religious-based conflicts known as the Pius Dea crusades. The beginning of the crusades marked the end of the Kymoodon Era and the beginning of the Pius Dea Era.

Impact
"These gave as good as they got, and 'cold' and 'hot' wars alternated for a thousand years&mdash;while the Republic flagellated itself with inquisitions&mdash;until Pius Dea rule met its end in that famous encounter which hardly needs retelling here."

- Gabrel Treon, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji: A Cartel of Genes

Contispex, as part of Pius Dea, held the belief that alien species and religious-followers were heathen "unbelievers." This view, coupled with the idea that the deities of the non-Human cultures needed to be destroyed, led the chancellor to attack the Hutt Empire. To some, the Hutts posed a legitimate threat to the Republic. Eventually, however, the Pius Dea crusades turned against other alien species which did not threaten the security of the Republic. Even after the reign of Contispex, Pius Dea controlled the chancellery for about one thousand more years, resulting in a devastating series of crusades. In the end, the crusades caused a rift between the rimward planets and the Core Worlds which would be exploited as late as the Galactic Civil War.

Notable events

 * Ord Mantell is settled and established as an advanced military outpost for Old Republic colonists.
 * The Ithorians make contact with Republic space.
 * Supreme Chancellor Pers'lya is impeached and replaced with religious cult zealot Contispex.
 * Under Contispex, the Pius Dea cult begins the Pius Dea Crusades.

Behind the scenes
The reign of Contispex and Pius Dea is first mentioned in The New Essential Chronology with supplemental mentions in The New Essential Guide to Droids and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. The circumstances surrounding the installation of Contispex and the Pius Dea crusades were expanded upon in the StarWars.com Hyperspace-published story Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji by Nathan O'Keefe. One thing of note, however, is that the Hyperspace story states that Contispex was installed around 12,000 BBY, while other sources, such as The New Essential Chronology, provide 12,000 BBY as an exact date during which he was given power.