Chommell sector summit

In 32 BBY, recently-elected Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo held the Chommell sector summit for the leaders of other planets in the Chommell sector. Amidala, seeking to reverse the isolationist policies of her predecessor Sanandrassa, hoped to rebuild ties between Naboo and other planets in order to strengthen her world. Several other planets sent representatives, although Governor Kelma of Karlinus was the only other head of state to attend personally. Unbeknownst to Amidala, however, the summit led the Sith Lord Darth Sidious — publicly Naboo's own Senator Sheev Palpatine — to accelerate his brewing plans to have Naboo invaded by the Trade Federation, as he wanted Naboo weak enough that the people's suffering during the occupation would be severe, gaining him the sympathy votes necessary to be elected Supreme Chancellor. Although Amidala's overtures to the other planets were mostly well-received, the Sith-orchestrated blockade began the very day the summit ended, with Kelma's starship departing just as the Trade Federation arrived.
==Prelude==
Sanandrassa was elected Queen of Naboo in 34 BBY, following Queen Réillata's decision to step down after only a single term of office. During her reign, Sanandrassa took an isolationist approach to offworld relations, neglecting Naboo's neighbors in the Chommell sector and weakening the planet's ties with them. Among other things, this negatively affected Naboo's food supplies, leaving the planet's human population in danger of swift starvation if they were cut off from the rest of the galaxy. This state of affairs suited Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith, who was publicly Naboo Senator Sheev Palpatine and who intended to use the planet as a stepping stone to becoming Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic.
After serving one two-year term in office, Sanandrassa was voted out as Queen in 32 BBY, replaced by fourteen-year-old Padmé Amidala, the youngest Queen in quite some time and who had been heavily favored to win the election. Amidala strongly disagreed with Sanandrassa's isolationist stance, but had kept her views quiet while campaigning, feeling that openly criticizing the Queen like that was inappropriate. After her coronation, Amidala began making overtures to the other worlds of the Chommell sector, hoping to restore diplomatic ties and alliances with them. After a lack of success in opening trade ties, as she was concerned about the state of Naboo's food stocks, Amidala decided to invite the heads of state of many other planets in the sector to a summit, to be held in Theed. The young Queen, after announcing her plans to the Naboo Royal Advisory Council, commed Senator Palpatine on Coruscant to inform him as well. Upon learning of Amidala's plans, Sidious realized he would have to accelerate his plans regarding Naboo.
==The summit==
Many of the worlds which were invited to the summit declined the invitation, with the leaders of several worlds opting to instead attend via hologram. The leaders of Jafan and Kreeling opted to send their children as ambassadors, a move which had been intended as an insult but which did not have the desired effect, as Amidala felt that the children would be more amenable than their parents. Other worlds sent ambassadors instead of their planetary leaders. One of the few heads of state to attend personally was Governor Kelma of Karlinus.
The summit convened the morning after the delegates had arrived, discussing increasing trade between the worlds of the sector, as well as various concerns the worlds had.
==Aftermath==
The day the various delegates were due to leave, the Trade Federation, a large corporation whose leaders were secretly under Sidious' thumb, began moving into the Naboo system in preparation to blockade the planet. Publicly, their reasons were due to anger over various taxation bills that had been presented to the Galactic Senate, bills that Senator Palpatine had been known to vocally oppose.
Governor Kelma was the last delegate to leave, and after planetary sensors picked up something odd in the system, Captain Quarsh Panaka of the Royal Naboo Security Forces had her starship expedite its departure. The Naboo picked up one final transmission from Kelma's ship as it departed the planet, a surprised exclamation, before the starship made hyperspace. Moments later, the news came that the planet was under a blockade. Back at the palace, Amidala received a threatening transmission from Federation head Viceroy Nute Gunray demanding that she sign a treaty which would effectively hand Naboo over to the Federation, which she refused to do.
The Trade Federation eventually invaded the planet several days later, which sparked a political crisis in the Republic government, as Amidala managed to escape to Coruscant with the assistance of the Jedi who had been sent to negotiate with the blockaders. The crisis achieved all of Palpatine's aims, as he was elected Supreme Chancellor thanks to a Vote of No Confidence called for by Amidala, allowing him to begin the downfall of the Republic.
Amidala's overtures to the other worlds of the Naboo sector were ultimately successful, with Karlinus in particular rebuilding ties: Kelma attempted to send food to help Naboo while it was blockaded, although the ship was forced to divert to Enarc.
==Behind the scenes==
The summit appeared in the 2020 novel Queen's Peril by E. K. Johnston.
==Appearances==
*Queen's Peril 
==Sources==
*Star Wars: Timelines 
==Notes and references==
Category:Events during the Republic Era
Category:Naboo culture
Category:Political events