Here’s the complete timeline of Star Wars: The Old Republic, a vast part of Star Wars history explored in the popular MMORPG. Developed by BioWare back in 2008, Star Wars: The Old Republic is a phenomenally successful MMORPG set 300 years before Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and a staggering 3,600 years before the Skywalker saga. New content is still releasing now, making The Old Republic one of the few parts of the old Star Wars Expanded Universe that’s still continuing.
Technically, The Old Republic isn’t canon; for all that’s the case, though, the Star Wars timeline officially uses the game’s logo to represent he Old Republic Era. Quite a few major events have been referenced in canon, from the Alsakan conflicts to the Hundred Years Darkness, and there seem to be striking parallels between Sith history in canon and Legends. Here’s a brief primer on the history of Star Wars: The Old Republic, showing how it all blends together.
9 The Founding of the Republic
25,053 BBY
A series of interplanetary skirmishes – known to history as the Unification Wars – led to several worlds banding together to form the first Republic. Humans and Duros successfully reverse-engineered the first hyperdrives, making trade between these Core Worlds easier than ever before. Early hyperspace routes were mapped between Coruscant to Ossus, homeworld of the Jedi Order, and the Jedi became part of the Republic.
These events seem to have played out in a similar way in canon, although it is unclear whether Ossus was ever considered the Jedi homeworld. More will no doubt be revealed in James Mangold’s upcoming
Dawn of the Jedi
movie.
8 The Great Manifest Period & the Alsakan Conflicts
20,000 BBY – 10,966 BBY
The Great Manifest Period is characterized by Republic expansion and the growth of bureaucracy to maintain a government of this vast size. This was not a time of peace, however; a humanocentric faith called Pius Dea grasped control of the Republic, establishing the Contispex dynasty. The Republic launched several crusades against other worlds, repeatedly clashing with the inhabitants of the planet Alsakan. The Jedi withdrew from the Republic in 11,933 BBY, and moved against the Republic at last in the Seventh Alsakan Conflict. Jedi Grand Master Biel Ductavis ultimately succeeded Contispex XIX as Grand Master, after Pius Dea collapsed.
This began a period known as the Ductavis Era, as the Jedi Grand Master worked to rebuild galactic government. It established a precedent for the Jedi to take over the Republic at times of conflict, even shutting down the Senate on occasion. This historical context subtly reframes the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, where the Jedi considered overthrowing Chancellor Palpatine.
The Great Manifest Period and the Alsakan Conflicts have been mentioned in canon, although few details have been revealed.
7 The Hundred-Year Darkness
7,000 BBY to 6,900 BBY
A group of Jedi who practiced alchemy and used the dark side of the Force split away from the Jedi. They learned how to create Sithspawn, monstrous creatures that they led against the Jedi and the Republic, and the two factions fought for a century until the Dark Jedi were beaten on the Outer Rim planet Corbos. The Dark Jedi were exiled, ultimately settling on the Sith homeworld of Korriban (renamed Moraband by George Lucas in Star Wars: The Clone Wars).
The Hundred-Year Darkness happened in canon, too, with the same kind of Jedi schism taking place. The group who would become known as the Sith settled on Moraband; the name Korriban is apparently an ancient alternative for the planet.
6 The Rise of the Sith
6,900 BBY – 5,000 BBY
The Dark Jedi exiles took control of the planet Korriban, which was inhabited by a powerful race of Force-sensitives called the Sith; they established themselves as Dark Lords of the Sith, and they began to interbreed with Korriban’s natives. Naturally expansionist, the Dark Lords of the Sith began to spread out across the galaxy, establishing the first Sith Empire. It was only a matter of time before the Sith Empire collided with the Jedi and the Republic.
We don’t know much about this period in canon, but recent comics have alluded to an early Sith of this time, Darth Ravi, whose story is still being told.
5 The Great Hyperspace War
The Republic continued to grow, and the Dark Jedi exiles and the Hundred Years Darkness were forgotten; meanwhile, the Sith also forgot the Galactic Republic, focused on their own power. Unwitting hyperspace prospectors from the Republic stumbled on Korriban, making the Sith aware of their rival galactic power at last, and Sith Lord Naga Sadow led an invasion. The conflict threatened to consume even Coruscant, but Sith in-fighting undermined them, and the Republic triumphed.
Naga Sadow is confirmed to exist in canon, and there have been mentions of the Great Hyperspace War.
4 Ascension of the Sith Emperor
4,999 BBY
Lord Vitiate used the chaos in the Sith ranks as an opportunity to become Emperor of the Sith. He used dark Force powers to drain the life force of countless Sith Lords, unnaturally extending his own life. Vitiate led the Sith deep into the Unknown Regions, where they rebuilt their strength and prepared for vengeance. The Sith settled on the forgotten jungle world of Dromund Kaas, which became their new capital.
The Sith Emperor is canon, although unnamed, and the planet Dromund Kaas was recently established as a key Sith planet in canon too.
3 The Mandalorian Wars
3,976 BBY – 3,960 BBY
Mandalore the Ultimate united the Mandalorian clans to wage war against the Republic and the Jedi. The conflict only came to an end due to the wisdom and skill of the Jedi Revan and Malak, and the final showdown took place in the Battle of Malachor. A Sith superweapon was activated, devastating both fleets and ravaging the planet Malachor. Revan and Malak became focused on uncovering the dark side powers they believed responsible for spurring the Mandalorians to war.
The Mandalorian Wars are confirmed to have taken place in canon, and both Revan and Malak have been name-dropped.
2 The Jedi Civil War & the Time of Revan
3,960 BBY – 3,950 BBY
Revan and Malak explored the Unknown Regions, stumbling on the Sith Empire. The Emperor was able to turn the two to the dark side, and he commanded Revan to locate an ancient Rakatan weapon called the Star Forge; instead, Revan took the power of the Star Force for himself, and established a new rival Sith Empire. Revan was in turn betrayed by Malak, and he was rescued by the Jedi, his mind reprogrammed using the Force. He killed Malak and destroyed the Star Forge; Malak’s Sith Empire was taken over by a shortlived Sith Triumverate.
Haunted by visions of the Emperor, Revan launched a new mission into the Unknown Regions. He found his way to Dromund Kaas, and briefly escaped with the help of Jedi exile Meetra Surik and the Sith Lord Scourge. An assassination attempt on the Emperor went horrifically wrong, and he was imprisoned by the Sith.
1 The Great Sith Wars
3,681 BBY – 3,640 BBY
The Sith Empire returned from exile in a fresh, devastating attack on the Republic. Sith hopes of a quick victory were dashed, and the conflict lasted for three decades until the Sith took advantage of a pretend peace treaty to strike at Coruscant itself. The Sacking of Coruscant left the galactic capital in ruins, and the war ended in Sith victory with the Treaty of Coruscant. The Republic retreated to Tython, taking the opportunity to prepare for war once again – leading to an uneasy status quo in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
