Warlord

A warlord was a military leader in charge of civilian territory.
==History==
===Republic Era===
Throughout galactic history, the Hutt species controlled a criminal network known as the Hutt Clan, otherwise known as the Hutt Cartel, that stretched across numerous worlds and outright controlled a segment of the galaxy known as Hutt Space.The High Republic (2021) 5 At their best, the Hutts were known to act as warlords, while at their worst they were considered gangsters. Throughout its history, the Galactic Republic fought with warlords and other enemies, such as the Hutts whenever the cartel made moves against the Republic.The High Republic: Light of the Jedi At least after they had annexed a whole portion of the galaxy dubbed the Occlusion Zone, the ranks of the Nihil marauders included warlords, such as Melis Shryke. Furthermore, after the Nihil broadcasted the execution of Grand Master Pra-Tre Veter, Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh expressed her concerns that the public demonstration of the Republic's inability to protect its citizens would inspire countless minor warlords to begin carving up pieces of the galaxy into their own minor dominions.
The amnesiac Jedi Padawan Lula Talisola took up the life of a rogue NihilThe High Republic Adventures (2023) 3 warlord named Tartak Vil after the destruction of Starlight Beacon, establishing a mini-fiefdom on the moon BracrontThe High Republic Adventures (2023) 1 just outside the Nihil-controlled Occlusion Zone.The High Republic Adventures (2023) 2 Looking to keep herself alive and finding that people obeyed her without even asking when she wore stolen Nihil garb, even though she had no memory of what the Nihil were, she took up the life of "Tartak Vil" to stay safe. By keeping a low profile and taking advantage of the Galactic Republic's focus on the wider Nihil organization, "Vil" was able to maintain "his" rule on Bracront with the support of the locals, who "Vil" protected and supported as a noble leader. The arrival of Talisola's lost love Zeen Mrala helped Talisola move on from that life and awaken her old memories.
===Clone Wars===
The Confederacy of Independent Systems made use of the position of warlord, with holders of the rank includingStar Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle! its Supreme Commander,Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded the Kaleesh cyborg General Grievous. In his past, Grievous had also been a warlord of the Kaleesh at the head of the Izvoshra. As a Separatist warlord and the government's Supreme Commander, Grievous led the Confederacy military alongside Head of State Count Dooku and waged war against the Galactic Republic.Thrawn: Alliances Dooku was also considered a warlord.Darth Vader: Sith Lord Other Confederate warlords were Archduke Poggle the Lesser of the Stalgasin hiveStar Wars: On the Front Lines and Karkarodon Commander Riff Tamson.Ultimate Star Wars
Despite the peaceful ideals of the Jedi Order, its members would find themselves pressed into the role of Republic battlefield commanders for the war against the Separatists, with Jedi Knights and Masters assigned the rank of Jedi General under the Jedi Military Integration Act.Brotherhood One Jedi General, Master Pong Krell, would fall to the dark side of the Force and come to act as a warlord. Krell hoped to join Dooku and serve as the count's new apprentice, but his dreams were cut short by the clone troopers whose trust he had abused: Clone Captain Rex rallied the 501st Legion and 212th Attack Battalion against the rogue Jedi, and Krell would then be executed by trooper Dogma, who previously had been his most loyal follower.
===Imperial Era===
Kaplan was a warlord of the Galactic Empire. The Sith Lord Darth Vader—who, as apprentice to Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine. was allowed powerDarth Vader (2017) 12 over the Imperial Military comparable to that of a Commander-in-Chief—acted as a warlordStar Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi for the Empire. Burnium Ro was a warlord active in the Imperial Era who drew upon the imagery of the Nihil, creating a forceStar Wars (2020) 7 of self-styled Nihil holdouts.Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
The position of celebrant warlord existed within the Kingdom of Shu-Torun, where they sat as head of the War-Faith and led conflict against the kingdom's enemies. During the days of one king, he sat as both monarch and celebrant warlord, but he planned to pass down his crown to his eldest son Monthan, while the warlord title would be assigned to his second eldest child and current Shu-Torun war minister,Darth Vader (2015) 17 his daughter Hollian. The arrival of Vader, however, would result in the execution of the whole family aside from the king's youngest child, Princess Trios, who found herself inheriting every royal title and, thus, was both warlord and queen.Darth Vader (2015) 16
===After the Empire===
Following their major loss in the Battle of Endor, which saw the apparent death of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine and the destruction of the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station, the Galactic Empire shattered into factionalism.Star Wars: Squadrons After its fall in the Battle of Jakku, the EmpireAftermath: Empire's End was reduced to scattered warlords and mercenaries. While most of them vowed to resurrect the Empire, many were more interested in carving fiefdoms out of the Empire's ashes.Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
In the years after the fall of the Empire, Moff Gideon and Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo "Thrawn" served as warlords who planned to resurrect and lead the Empire themselves during their conflicts with the New Republic. Gideon was also a member of the Shadow Council, a grouping of Imperial Remnant warlords who worked together in secret and awaited Thrawn's return to make war against the New Republic. Having survived the action on Jakku, the former Imperial strategist Teza Nasz later united one of the warrior clans of Rattatak behind her as a warlord, having the strength and intelligence to maintain her position.Resistance Reborn Three decades after the Battle of Endor, Kylo Ren severed his ties with the Jedi Order and became the new Master of the Knights of Ren, a warlord, and, ultimately, Supreme Leader of the First Order. 
==Behind the scenes==
The position of warlord first appeared in Star Wars media through the character of Darth Vader, who made his canonical debut in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, itself the first Star Wars film. Canonically speaking, however, Vader was not identified as a warlord until the 2019 reference bookStar Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi.
The audio description for the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones available on Disney+ incorrectly translates a quote from Poggle to be that he is sending his "warlords" to hide in the Geonosis catacombs.Per the audio description for Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, available on Disney+. The film's subtitles instead state Poggle is saying he is sending his Geonosian warriors to the catacombs.
==Appearances==
==Sources==
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*Ultimate Star Wars
*Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
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*Star Wars: Galactic Atlas
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*Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection 
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*Star Wars: The Mandalorian: Guide to Season One
*Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
*Star Wars: Timelines
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==Notes and references==
Category:Confederacy of Independent Systems military ranks
Category:First Order ranks
Category:Galactic Empire ranks