11 , 987 BBY The year 11 , 987 before the Battle of Yavin ( BBY ) was a span of time that featured significant changes in the leadership of the Galactic Republic . A cult of conspiratorial religious zealots known as Pius Dea usurped power over the Republic with the help of a secretive society called the Malkite Poisoners . The zealots impeached reigning Supreme Chancellor Pers ' lya and installed the Pius Dea figurehead Contispex I , assassinating the Bothan not long after he was removed from office . The new chancellor , housing Humanocentric beliefs , then unleashed a series of religious - based crusades against alien species and those who worshiped other deities . The rise of the Pius Dea cult marked the end of the Kymoodon Era and the beginning of the Pius Dea Era . Proem . During the years of the Old Republic , the governing body gradually but steadily expanded its boundaries . Most of the settlements , however , were in a wedge - shaped region of space known as the Slice . Aside from occasional protrusions into unknown areas and isolated settlements , most of galactic society lived within the confines of known hyperspace routes and the established hyperlane s . Settlers and explorers , however , continued to search the wild and unexplored areas of the galaxy . In the years leading up to 12 , 000 BBY , this steady advancement continued . The Supreme Chancellor during this time was the Bothan Pers ' lya . At the same time , however , the religious conspiracy - based cult of zealots known as Pius Dea was growing in power . The group held the beliefs of anti - alien Humanocentrism and that followers of other religions were " unbelievers " and idolaters . The galaxy in 11 , 987 BBY . During that year , Supreme Chancellor Pres ' lya became embroiled in an impeachment scandal . The religious and conspiratorial cult Pius Dea , coupled with the assistance of the secret group known as the Malkite Poisoners , led the ousting of Pers ' lya and the installation of Pius Dea figurehead Contispex . With Contispex in power , the Pius Dea cult would begin a series of religious - based conflicts known as the Pius Dea Crusades within several years . The beginning of the crusades marked the end of the Kymoodon Era and the beginning of the Pius Dea Era . Impact . Contispex , as part of Pius Dea , held the belief that alien species and religious - followers were heathen " unbelievers . " This view , coupled with the idea that the deities of the non - Human cultures needed to be destroyed , led the chancellor to attack Hutt Space . To some , the Hutts posed a legitimate threat to the Republic . Eventually , however , the Pius Dea crusades turned against other alien species which did not threaten the security of the Republic . Even after the reign of Contispex , Pius Dea controlled the chancellery for about one thousand more years , resulting in a devastating series of crusades . In the end , the crusades caused a rift between the rimward planets and the Core Worlds which would be exploited as late as the Galactic Civil War . Behind the scenes . The reign of Contispex and Pius Dea is first mentioned in " The New Essential Chronology " with supplemental mentions in " The New Essential Guide to Droids " and " The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia " . The circumstances surrounding the installation of Contispex and the Pius Dea crusades were expanded upon in the StarWars . com " " - published story " Tinker , Tailor , Soldier , Praji " by Nathan O ' Keefe . The Pius Dea era was greatly expanded upon in " The Essential Guide to Warfare " , which established definite years for many of the events in the era .