Battle of Eliad The Battle of Eliad was a significant engagement of the Minos Cluster Campaign during the Great Galactic War . Beginning in 3680 BBY , the battle was waged between the forces of the Sith Empire and those of the Jedi Order in alliance with the Galactic Republic . The conflict began when the Empire launched its invasion of the Minos Cluster in the first year of the war , a move that shocked the Republic and sent the capital planet of Coruscant into panic . In response to the offensive , the Jedi High Council dispatched a fleet of battlecruisers to ferry Jedi Knights to the frontlines in the Minos Cluster , including the embattled planet of Eliad , where the Empire had commenced a massive invasion . For months , the Jedi defenders and Imperial conquerors engaged one another in a sustained stalemate , resulting in heavy casualties on both sides . Although the battle for Eliad later turned in favor of the Jedi and Republic , the larger campaign continued throughout the twenty - eight years of the war . The Sith were eventually recalled from the Minos Cluster in preparation for the Sacking of Coruscant in 3653 BBY , effectively forfeiting any persisting contest on Eliad and in the greater Minos Cluster . Prelude . The Battle of Eliad was a conflict spurred on by the overtures of the Sith Empire during the early days of its invasion of the Outer Rim Territories . In 3681 BBY , the Sith led their refurbished Empire into the Great Galactic War against the Galactic Republic , making many drastic and successful advances into enemy territory . The early focus of the war was in the Outer Rim , where Republic security forces struggled to mount a concentrated defense . As a result , the Empire swept across the Tingel Arm , scattering their opponent ' s fleets and sending shockwaves throughout the Republic ' s populace . Deliberation and cooperation turned to gridlock on the Republic ' s capital world of Coruscant — a situation made even more dire with the Empire ' s invasion and seizure of the Minos Cluster , a resource - rich region in the Outer Rim . While the Republic Senate debated fruitlessly on appropriate courses of action , the High Council of the Jedi Order authorized a fleet of battlecruisers to ferry Jedi Knights to the front for the defense of the Minos worlds . In 3680 BBY , the vessels departed Coruscant , leaving behind the rapidly deteriorating political arena for a rapidly deteriorating tactical theater . The battle . Upon reaching the Minos Cluster , a number of the Jedi vessels deployed to Eliad , where the Empire had launched a massive invasion led by Sith Lords and enforced by numerous Imperial soldier s . The Jedi made landfall and engaged the enemy , but their arrival did not reflect a quick success . Instead , the belligerent forces dug into the world , fighting one another for months on end and suffering heavy losses as a result . The challenges faced by the Jedi were only amplified by events along the Rimma Trade Route , which had been blockaded by Imperial ships to prevent the free flow of goods and war materiel to the frontlines of the Minos Cluster . Several months into the engagement , the Jedi began to see increased success in their defensive actions , slowly turning the tide of the battle in their favor . Prior to this point , the Sith had managed to confound their efforts through overwhelming force and control of the Rimma Trade Route , having managed to fend off Republic efforts to free the hyperlane and deliver much - needed supplies to the Jedi combatants . However , around this time the Republic managed to regroup and break the blockade — a development which occurred in conjunction with a significant Jedi victory on Eliad ' s surface . Gnost - Dural , a young Kel Dor Jedi Knight , contributed to that victory on Eliad by dueling with a Sith Lord of the ancient Sith species . Although Gnost - Dural had feared direct confrontation with a member of the notoriously fierce race , he was able to quickly defeat his opponent . After the fight , the Kel Dor Jedi took the Sith ' s lightsaber for examination and recorded his experiences in a personal war journal . Aftermath . During the early days of the battle , riots and violent political demonstrations gripped Coruscant as the planet descended into panic . However , as reports of the Jedi ' s heroism and sacrifices began to filter back to the Republic ' s capital , morale was lifted and the demonstrations ended . While senators and Jedi resumed defense negotiations , Republic citizens flocked to military recruitment offices , creating a boom in enlistment numbers . Soon , Republic soldier s began to occupy the front lines , giving the Jedi a much needed reprieve and allowing them to be assigned to other theaters . Gnost - Dural was ultimately reassigned to serve with the Republic Navy and other commanders were brought into the theater . By the third decade of the war , Jedi Master Orgus Din and Havoc Squad ' s Lieutenant Harron Tavus had been given command of the Republic forces in the Minos Cluster , including any remaining defenders on Eliad . The contest for the Minos Cluster continued throughout the twenty - eight years of the Great Galactic War and only came to an end when the Sith forfeited the region in preparation for their Sacking of Coruscant in 3653 BBY . Behind the scenes . The Battle of Eliad was first introduced to " Star Wars " canon by Robert Chestney in his book , " The Journal of Master Gnost - Dural " . The book is written as a series of first - person entries into a journal kept by the Jedi Master Gnost - Dural during the Great Galactic War and littered with notations by Grand Master Satele Shan , allegedly added during the Cold War . " The Journal of Master Gnost - Dural " was released December 16 , 2011 as part of the collector ' s edition bundle of " " , to which Chestney also contributed .