Mandalore (title)

"Mandalore is the name we give to our leader. Becoming Mandalore is the greatest honor any Mandalorian could aspire to."

- Mandalore the Preserver

Mandalore, or Mand'alor in Mando'a, was the title of the leader of the Mandalorians. The title originated with the mythical figure Mandalore the First, whose warriors were said to have conquered the planet of Mandalore. Eventually, the term came to be applied to the Mandalorian leaders, with the first known bearer of the title being Mandalore the Indomitable, who reigned during the Great Sith War. The last known person to claim the title of Mandalore was Boba Fett, whose Mandalorian Protectors fought on both sides during the Yuuzhan Vong War.

The title was notable for surviving at least 4,000 years, through considerable Mandalorian hardships. Despite several lost wars, infighting and the emergence of the Mandalorian mercenary phenomenon, at least twelve Mandalorians declared themselves Mandalores throughout the years, with varying degrees of success in their attempts to lead the Mandalorian clans.

History
"Now I am the new Mandalore!"

- A Mandalorian Crusader, upon finding the mask of Mandalore

When the Taung species were driven from Coruscant in the early years of the Galactic Republic, they searched the galaxy for a new planet to colonize. They decided upon a planet in the Outer Rim Territories populated by enormous mythosaurs. The leader of these Taung, Mandalore the First, led his warriors as they slaughtered the mythosaurs, and used their bones to establish cities. The planet was named Mandalore after this leader, and the Taung themselves started referring to themselves as "Mandalorians" in his honor.

Over time, Mandalorian leaders began using "Mandalore" as a title. By the time of Mandalore the Indomitable's reign, around 4,000 BBY, this title was represented by a war mask. Without the mask, no new Mandalore could be declared. This was the source of the great confusion and disillusionment that befell the Mandalorians at large at the end of the Mandalorian Wars&mdash;Mandalore the Ultimate had been killed in battle by the Jedi Revan, who took the mask for himself. It was not until Revan revealed the location of the mask to Canderous Ordo that the tradition was allowed to continue.

At some later time, the tradition of passing the title by passing on the mask of the Mand'alore faded, replaced by a simple tradition of declared succession.

Following Ordo's reign, little information is known about the Mandalores up until the time of Jaster Mereel and his rejection of the Mandalorian mercenary values, that had dominated Mandalorian culture ever since the end of the Mandalorian Wars. The last known Mandalore was Boba Fett, whose tenure represented a reunification of the Mandalorian clans, as well as a period of economic growth.

Tradition
"When our leader falls in battle, the most worthy takes his place."

- Mandalore the Preserver

At the time of the Mandalorian Wars, Mandalores were appointed based on individual "worth," the definition of which is unknown. Also, at the time, new Mandalores could be declared only when they equipped the mask of Mandalore. When the mask vanished for some time, the Mandalorian clans splintered. This tradition had died down around 60 BBY, by the time of Jaster Mereel's reign, when it seemed Mandalorians merely flocked to powerful and charismatic leaders.

Mandalore the First
Mandalore the First was the mythical leader of the Taung species at the time they colonized the planet Mandalore, which was named in his honor. Mandalore and his warriors slaughtered the planet's native mythosaurs, using their bones to erect large cities. It is unknown whether "Mandalore" was used as a name or as a title.

Mandalore the Indomitable


The first known person to use "Mandalore" as a title, Mandalore the Indomitable led his organization of Mandalorian Crusaders in combat against the Krath some 4,000 years BBY. After losing a duel to Ulic Qel-Droma, a Krath commander and Sith apprentice, Mandalore was forced to swear loyalty to the winning party. Shortly after, the Great Sith War erupted. Mandalore and his warriors participated in several battles on behalf of the Sith, even attacking the Galactic Republic capital world of Coruscant at one point.

However, the Mandalorian Crusaders and their allies were eventually driven back, suffering their final defeat in the battle of Onderon in 3,996 BBY. Caught between Onderonian and Republic forces, Mandalore ordered his crusaders to retreat back to Dxun, a moon of Onderon. Unfortunately for Mandalore, his Basilisk war droid was shot down, and he crashed in the jungle landscape, where he was immediately killed by the native fauna. One particular Mandalorian found Mandalore's corpse, looted and donned his mask, then proclaimed himself to be the new Mandalore.

Mandalore the Ultimate


The three decades following the end of the Great Sith War saw the rise of a new Mandalore. Adopting the epithet of "the Ultimate," Mandalore set up base on Dxun. From there, he recalled the remaining Mandalorian Crusaders, though few remained to heed his call. To alleviate this problem, Mandalore began accepting other species into the previously single-species Mandalorian clans. This reorganization led to the Mandalorian warriors being relabeled Neo-Crusaders. After being goaded by an unknown Sith faction (possibly the True Sith), the Mandalorians began the series of crusades that would become known as the Mandalorian Wars.

For years, Mandalore the Ultimate's forces sacked unaffiliated worlds outside of Republic space. The Republic initially failed to respond, until the conflict neared the planet Taris. The ensuing conflict lasted for three years, and saw Mandalore's Neo-Crusaders using devastating tactics such as nuclear bombing entire planets to ensure victory. It was not until a splinter group of Jedi, led by Knights Revan and Malak, entered the fray using tactics similar to Mandalore's, that the Mandalorian clans were pushed back. Mandalore the Ultimate was killed by Revan in the final battle of the war above Malachor V.

Unidentified Mandalore
After he had defeated Mandalore the Ultimate, Revan took Mandalore's mask, thus effectively prohibiting the appointment of a new Mandalore. However, there was at least one Taung who tried to reunite the Mandalorian clans following the crushing defeat in the Mandalorian Wars. Little is known of this person&mdash;even his name is a mystery. What is known is that he employed the assassin droid HK-47 around 3,957 BBY, and that he sent a small team of Mandalorians to Kashyyyk in 3,956 BBY to test cloaking equipment. He additionally claimed Mandalore the Ultimate to be a Sith-backed pretender to the title, and that he himself was the true heir to Mandalore the Indomitable. By 3,951 BBY, this unknown Mandalore had died, his followers absorbed into Canderous Ordo's nascent reunification movement.

Mandalore the Preserver


Canderous Ordo was born in the Clan of Ordo of the planet Ordo. He fought for the Mandalorian clans both in Mandalore the Indomitable's Great Sith War, and in Mandalore the Ultimate's Mandalorian Wars. Following the defeat at Malachor V in 3,960 BBY, Canderous became a mercenary on the planet Taris. After a series of events, he joined the amnesiac Jedi Revan in his quest to kill Darth Malak, destroy his Sith Empire, and end the Jedi Civil War. After accomplishing this, Revan revealed to Canderous the location of Mandalore's mask, and ordered him to reforge the Mandalorian clans. Canderous retrieved it, declared himself the new Mandalore, and set about the rebuilding from a military base on Dxun.

In 3,951 BBY, the Jedi Exile happened upon Canderous' still small operation on Dxun. After being persuaded by Kreia, a companion of the Exile's, he helped the former Jedi General defeat several powerful Sith. During the time spent traveling with the Exile, Canderous recruited quite a few Mandalorian mercenaries to his cause. Kreia predicted that Canderous's life would continue to be one of battle, and that thanks to his actions, the Mandalorians would be remembered for thousands of years.

The New Mandalore


In 3,661 BBY in the arenas of Geonosis, a young gladiator arose, calling himself "The New Mandalore", a title which was unclaimed for centuries. The New Mandalore called for the rest of the Mandalorians to confront their greatest challenge, the Knights of the Jedi Order. With an army amassed overnight Mandalore planted his forces in the Hydian Way trade route, cutting off the Republic's supply lines. The Jedi Order was hesitant to react but did, nevertheless, because it could not be ignored. They attacked the Mandalorian blockade, and were defeated quite quickly. This blockade held strong until smugglers allied with the Galactic Republic attacked the blockade and rescued the Republic. He was slain sometime after the Treaty of Coruscant and replaced by another.



Mandalore (Cold War)
This unidentified Mandalore rose to power sometime after the Treaty of Coruscant as he slew the gladiator who held the title.

Ung Kusp
Some time after the reign of Mandalore the Preserver, a Mandalorian mercenary named Ung Kusp claimed the title of Mandalore. Little is known of him, other than that he had a feud with the Mandalorian training master Jaing. At some point, he sent a squad of Mandalorians to capture a Sith artifact from a cyberneticist. They retrieved the artifact, killed Jaing (though he was later resuscitated), and earned the ire of the bounty hunter Durge, a friend of Jaing's, who swore to kill every last Mandalorian. Durge's hatred of the Mandalorians would play a pivotal role in the life of a later Mandalore.

Murdered Mandalore
This unidentified Mandalore reigned around 100 BBY. That year, he was assassinated by Durge and a group of rogue Jedi Knights in an act of vengeance for the Mandalorians' genocide of the Ithullans a century earlier. In return for Mandalore's death, the Mandalorians captured and tortured Durge, sending him past the brink of insanity and forcing him to spend decades in healing hibernation.

Jaster Mereel


Born on the planet Concord Dawn, Jaster Mereel served as Journeyman Protector in his local community before being exiled for murder. He was declared Mandalore some time prior to 60 BBY. Dissatisfied with the Mandalorian mercenary psychology, he established a set of rules titled the Supercommando Codex, which he hoped would restore honor to the Mandalorian clans. Some clans, however, disagreed with Mereel's vision, and rebelled, forming schismatic groups of their own. This led to the Mandalorian Civil War, where Mereel's faction, the True Mandalorians, fought the large splinter group called the Death Watch, led by the soldier Vizsla.

The war eventually brought Mereel back to his home planet, where he was hunted down by Death Watch troops. He sought refuge at the Fett family's farm, but was discovered. As his soldiers and the Fetts were killed, Mereel escaped with the young Jango Fett, who he adopted as his son. Mereel continued to lead his True Mandalorians until 52 BBY, when he was shot down and killed by Vizsla on Korda 6. Mereel was succeeded as Mandalore by Jango Fett, who would have a tremendous impact on Mandalorian society.

Jango Fett


Another native of Concord Dawn, and the adopted son of Jaster Mereel, Jango Fett assumed the position of Mandalore immediately after Mereel's death in 52 BBY. His reign saw the continuation of the Mandalorian Civil War, to the point where the number of Death Watch supporters fell to a mere handful. It seemed the True Mandalorians had won, until an elaborate plan masterminded by Vizsla saw the utter destruction of Jango Fett's faction on Galidraan in 40 BBY. Jango was among the very few survivors, and was sold into slavery. He eventually escaped and killed Vizsla, effectively ending the Civil War. Mandalorian population was at a critical low, and Jango found himself a subject-less Mandalore.

Because of this, Jango took up the bounty hunter profession, which garnered him much recognition and fame. In 32 BBY, he was chosen by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas to be the clone template of the Grand Army of the Republic. Much of Jango's traditions were passed down to the millions of clone troopers, which helped ensure the continued survival of Mandalorian culture. While the clone soldiers were modified for rapid growth, Jango requested an unaltered clone of himself to raise as his son: Boba Fett, who would later become both a bounty hunter and Mandalore. Jango was killed by Jedi Master Mace Windu at the battle of Geonosis in 22 BBY.

Mandalore the Resurrector


Although Mandalorian tradition lived on through the Galactic Republic's clone army, the Mandalore title went unclaimed. Alpha-Ø2, one of the millions of Jango Fett's clones, suddenly found himself obsessed with reuniting the Mandalorians when one of Jango's memories was triggered in his subconscious around 24 BBY. He left the Republic army and returned to the Mandalorian homeworld Mandalore, where he declared himself "Mandalore the Resurrector." He established the Mandalorian Protectors, recruiting soldiers from the local police force and former Death Watch members. Numbering 212, the reformed Mandalorians helped Mandalore's government seize the facilities of MandalMotors, a large starship manufacturing company.

Mandalore the Resurrector and his Protectors entered the ongoing Clone Wars on behalf of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, participating in battles such as New Bornalex, Null, and New Holstice. After their final battle at Norval II, only three Protectors remained, including Mandalore. Shellshocked, he spent the remainder of his life roaming the galaxy, eventually being succeeded as Mandalore by Fenn Shysa. Mistaking him for Boba Fett, Ailyn Vel killed Alpha-Ø2 somewhere in the Extrictarium Nebula in 20 ABY.

Fenn Shysa


One of the few survivors of the Mandalorian Protectors, Fenn Shysa returned to Mandalore after the Clone Wars, only to find himself labeled an outlaw by the new, Galactic Empire-controlled government. Despite this, he and his friend Tobbi Dala were employed to train police units around the planet. Eventually, the two started a rebellion against the Empire that achieved some measure of success after twenty years of fighting. In the end, and with the sacrifice of Tobbi Dala, the Empire was routed and forced off Mandalore. The leadership of both his homeworld and its people fell on Shysa.

Shysa's tenure as Mandalore saw the Mandalorian Protectors rise from the ashes, defeating the Imperial Grand Admiral Miltin Takel, and freeing the entire Mandalore Sector from Imperial rule. Shysa would later help the Alliance to Restore the Republic in the early phases of the Nagai-Tof War, as well as in the battle against Lord Shadowspawn.

Boba Fett


Following Jango Fett's death, Boba traveled the galaxy as a bounty hunter, earning a reputation as the best in his profession. He often worked for the Hutt crimelord Jabba Desilijic Tiure, as well as the high-ranking Imperial Sith Lord Darth Vader. Despite living through both the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, Boba never outright allied with any of the factions involved. At some point, he married Sintas Vel, with whom he had a daughter named Ailyn Vel. Fett later abandoned his young family in order to return to bounty hunting.

After Fenn Shysa's death, Fett agreed to Shysa's dying wish and declared himself to be the new Mandalore. During the Yuuzhan Vong War, Boba and his Protectors fought first for, and later against, the Yuuzhan Vong invasion force. Following the war, he set about rebuilding the infrastructure of Mandalore, making alliances and treaties for the betterment of his people, and successfully attempting to get foreign money invested in the planet. Boba Fett was motivated by the realization that he was dying, and that if his life was to mean something he had to make the Mandalorians strong again.

Following the brief reign of Darth Caedus, Fett was unofficially given the title "Mandalore the Exile", due to the inability of himself or any other carrying his blood to set foot on Mandalore due to a genetically keyed hunter nanite plague released on the planet in the final days of the conflict.

Appearances

 * Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 8: Flashpoint, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 10: Flashpoint, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 14: Days of Fear, Part 2
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 15: Days of Fear, Part 3
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 19: Daze of Hate, Part 1
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 20: Daze of Hate, Part 2
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Republic Commando: Triple Zero
 * Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel
 * Imperial Commando: 501st
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
 * Boba Fett: A Practical Man
 * Bloodlines
 * Sacrifice
 * Revelation
 * Invincible
 * Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II