Dark Lord of the Sith/Legends

"The Sith must be ruled by a single leader, the very embodiment of the strength and power of the dark side. If the leader grows weak another must rise to seize the mantle."

- Darth Revan's holocron

The title of Dark Lord of the Sith originally referred to the emperor of the Sith Empire, and later was taken by the leader of the Sith Order. Before Kaan, there was only one Dark Lord of the Sith at a time, who was the head of the Order - in more recent periods, it was a title shared by multiple individuals simultaneously. The term referred to individuals of both sexes, though Lumiya claimed the title of Dark Lady of the Sith.

The title Dark Lord of the Sith is often thought to be synonymous with the title Darth. Contrary to this, however, is the fact that Sith apprentices have been known to carry the title as well. Two examples would be Darth Malak as Darth Revan's apprentice, and Darth Bandon as Darth Malak's. Many Sith Lords have used the Darth title, but there is no evidence as to the synonymity of these two appellations.

The title of Dark Lord was possibly comparable to that of a Jedi Grand Master.

History of the title
"I now complete your initiation to the power of the dark side...so that you may bring to pass the great destiny foretold...Exar Kun, because of you the Sith will NEVER die...you have rightly earned the title of--DARK LORD OF THE SITH!"

- Marka Ragnos crowns Exar Kun the new Dark Lord of the Sith

The first Dark Lord of the Sith was the leader of the exiled Dark Jedi who, after their defeat in the Hundred Year Darkness conquered the Sith species and ruled over them as gods.

Xendor, believed to be the first Dark Jedi, is possibly the predecessor of the Dark Lords of the Sith, though he himself was never a Sith Lord (although he may have returned from the dead to take the position as the Dark Underlord many centuries later).

After the fall of the Sith Empire, Naga Sadow gave the title to his apprentice, Freedon Nadd. The spirit of the dead Dark Lord Marka Ragnos then declared Nadd’s apprentice, Exar Kun, Dark Lord of the Sith. 3,000 years later, Lord Kaan began the practice of giving the title to all members of the Order, thus making it a title shared by many Sith for the first time in their long history. After the institution of the Rule of Two, the title was naturally held by only two members at a time, one being the Sith Master and the other being the Sith apprentice.

From the Hundred-Year Darkness to the New Sith Wars

 * Dathka Graush (status disputed)
 * Ajunta Pall
 * Tulak Hord
 * Marka Ragnos
 * Naga Sadow (chosen by the Sith Council, in opposition to Ludo Kressh)
 * Ludo Kressh (self proclaimed, in opposition to Naga Sadow)
 * Freedon Nadd
 * Exar Kun
 * Darth Revan
 * Darth Malak
 * Darth Nihilus
 * Unknown Darth
 * Darth Ruin
 * The Dark Underlord
 * Darth Rivan
 * Belia Darzu
 * Kaan

From the rise of Kaan to the Seventh Battle of Ruusan
From this point on, the tradition of a sole "Dark Lord of the Sith" ended. At the time of the Ruusan campaign there were a total of twenty-six Sith Lords who held the title in conjunction with their leader, Kaan. Among them were:


 * Qordis
 * Kopecz
 * Kas'im
 * LaTor
 * Seviss Vaa
 * Hezzoran
 * Borthis
 * Orilltha
 * Shenayag
 * Kaox Krul

Later, the students of the Sith Academy were also elevated to the rank, including:


 * Darth Bane
 * Githany
 * Sirak

Darth Bane's Reformed Order
In Bane's reformed order, two Sith held the title at the time, the only two living members of the order in the entire galaxy: a Master and an apprentice. In addition to Darth Bane, members of this order included:


 * Darth Zannah
 * Darth Cognus
 * Darth Millennial
 * Darth Vectivus
 * Darth Plagueis
 * Darth Sidious
 * Darth Maul
 * Darth Tyranus
 * Darth Vader

Post-Palpatine
After the Battle of Endor, the title Dark Lady of the Sith was claimed by an Emperor's Hand, Lumiya. It was an uncertain time for the Sith, and though several beings proclaimed themselves Sith Lords, it would be years before a cohesive Sith Order was rebuilt.


 * Lumiya
 * Flint
 * Carnor Jax
 * Kyp Durron (self proclaimed, under the influence of Exar Kun)



Legacy Era
With the re-emergence of Lumiya, after the devastating Yuuzhan Vong War, she began to forge the Sith remnants into a new, cohesive order. After her death, the mantle was inherited by her final apprentice and Vader's grandson, Darth Caedus. Months later, Caedus had his own apprentice as well: Tahiri Veila. Many Sith Lords would follow in the ten decades after, culminating in the rise of Darth Krayt.


 * Darth Caedus
 * Darth Krayt

Unknown era

 * Darth Andeddu

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith
 * Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith audio drama
 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War
 * Darth Maul: Saboteur
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novelization
 * "Skywalkers"
 * Star Wars Missions 9: Revolt of the Battle Droids
 * Star Wars Rebellion: The Ahakista Gambit
 * Legacy of the Force