Hutt Empire

"In the years before the Republic the Hutts were a dominant force in the galaxy, but they never constructed an empire."

- Bastila Shan, 3,956 BBY

The Hutt Empire was an ancient interstellar empire founded by the Hutt species before the formation of the Galactic Republic.

History
Between the fall of the Infinite Empire and the rise of the Republic, the Hutt Empire was the major power in the galaxy, although its influence was primarily economic; the Hutts generally seemed to regard political or military conquest as less important than control of commerce.

One exception to the above rule was the war against Xim the Despot. During Xim's reign his own empire attempted to vanquish the Hutts and rule the Si'Klaata Cluster, resulting in the Hutt-Xim conflict. However, the Hutt Empire made a pact with the Nikto, Klatooinian and Vodran. This new slave army was crucial to the Hutt victory at the Third Battle of Vontor circa 25,100 BBY which saw the defeat of Xim's War-Robots.

Following the battle, the Treaty of Vontor was signed by the Hutts, Klatooinians, Vodrans, and Nikto. This treaty set the Hutts up as eternal overlords of the three other species and of the Si'Klaata Cluster.

During the Tionese War in 24,000 BBY, the Galactic Republic won its war against the Honorable Union of Desevro & Tion (one of the feuding states that rose from the ashes of Xim's empire a millennium after his death) by using its agents to stir up trouble in Hutt space. However, this only worsened the divide between the Hutts and Tionese.

Around 12,000 BBY, the newly-selected Pius Dea Supreme Chancellor Contispex launched an attack on the Hutt Empire as part of his sect's crusade against "rival alien sects" in the Outer Rim. While this action was popular among most citizens of the Republic due to the Hutts' unpopularity throughout the Galaxy, Contispex soon moved on to target other alien species, resulting in lingering tensions between the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim.

At some point in history, the Hutt Empire collapsed and all that was left became known as the Hutt Space, though the Hutt Kajidics had taken together, paticually in Bootana Hutta, the Oversector was still referred to as the Hutt Empire, and the Hutts continued to be a galactic power, until the Empire's demolition in 26 ABY by the Yuuzhan Vong Empire during the Extra-galactic invasion.

Government and politics
It was governed by the Clans of the Ancients&mdash;later known as the Hutt Grand Council&mdash;which was composed of every Hutt clan.

Astrography
This empire was based mainly in the Outer Rim though it also covered a portion of the Mid Rim. The Hutt Empire was near the Tion Hegemony and occasionally both fought.

Behind the scenes
In Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Bastila Shan says the Hutts never built an empire.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Hutt and Seek