17 , 018 BBY The year 17 , 018 before the Battle of Yavin ( BBY ) was a span of time that marked the onset of the First Alsakan Conflict and , as a result , the end of the Great Manifest Period . The Republic ' s boundaries had been expanding as Core - based and corporate interests pushed waves of expansion , settlement , and resource harvesting throughout the Slice . During this time , the planets of Alsakan and Coruscant had developed a heated rivalry , and Alsakan ' s desire for economic , political , and cultural superiority and independence had reached a breaking point . The conflict initially started as a blockade and armed colonial protection but quickly escalated to war . The conflict officially began with the First Battle of Virujansi , when the Republic seized control of the planet from Alsakani interests . Proem . The Great Manifest Period of the Galactic Republic had been a time of expansion for the Galactic Republic . Lead by Alsakan , Corellia , and Coruscant , planetary governments and organizations began massive colonization and resource stockpiling efforts throughout the Slice . In the northern portion of this region , especially near the Perlemian Trade Route , the planet of Alsakan had greatest socio - political control . It had settled colonies and staked claim to numerous resource - rich worlds . Coruscant competed for worlds in the central portion of the Slice , with its efforts being fronted by Republic - backed mega - corporations . Hostilities brewed as the two planets fought for dominance not only economically , but also culturally . The Republic ' s bureaucracy and politicking grew with fervor , fueling the rivalry as sectors of the galaxy had become so large that they were ungovernable . The growing governmental structure included the creation of the Bureau of Ships and Services more than one thousand years prior to the conclusion of the Great Manifest Period . This organization was created to help regulate interstellar trade as well as to maintain records of starship transactions and movements . Such expanding government and loss of local control irked Alsakan and Corellia on philosophical and cultural levels . Alsakan began sending armed warships to protect its colonization interests , which caught the ire of the Coruscant - based corporate barons . The galaxy in 17 , 018 BBY . The Republic abruptly cascaded into open fighting with the sudden outbreak of the First Alsakan Conflict in 17 , 000 BBY . The intensifying strife between Alsakan and Coruscant had reached a boiling point with the use of Alsakani warships to advance colonization . The Grand Companies — the major trading companies along the Core stretch of the Corellian Run and Metellos Trade Route — objected to this move , and Duros freighters began clashing with Alsakani warships . The Republic backed the Duros merchants , sparking a war between the two factions when they assaulted and captured Virujansi in 17 , 018 BBY . Six years later , Alsakan forces liberated the planet . Corellia remained neutral by protecting its interests in the southern portions of the galaxy in spite of its sympathies and philosophical alignments toward Alsakan . Impact . Inside the Republic , the conflict between Alsakan and Coruscant was the first of seventeen such skirmishes between the two planets . Battles took place for more than three hundred years , including the Battle of Kes in 16 , 921 BBY , the First Siege of Porus Vida in 16 , 820 BBY , and the Siege of Belasco , which began in 16 , 800 BBY . The First Alsakan Conflict was ultimately ended when the Bureau of Ships and Services in 16 , 700 BBY , which threatened to withhold access to the system of hyperspace beacons . The Senate also addressed issues regarding representation and bureaucratic control upon the conflict ' s conclusion . Tension remained high , however , and hostilities resumed 500 years later in 16 , 200 BBY . The seventeen conflicts occurred in all , destroying historical landmarks such as Belgoth ' s Beacon and the Alsakan Mosaics while and laying waste to portions of the Expansion Region . The new period of conflict marked the beginning of the Indecta Era . Behind the scenes . The year 17 , 018 BBY is first mentioned in the " The Essential Guide to Warfare " , with it marking the commencement of the First Alsakan Conflict . The exact date of the conflicts had only been established prior as " approximately " 17 , 000 BBY in paper publications " The New Essential Chronology " and " The Essential Atlas " along with the StarWars . com feature " The Written Word " .