Revision as of 09:31, 18 February 2014

The Mandalorians or Mando'ade are a warrior culture found on Mandalore and neighbouring worlds. Traditionally an elective monarchy built on a system of clans that began several thousand years ago, from 738 BBY the New Mandalorians took power, ushering in an era of peace, democracy and neutrality that lasted until the Clone Wars.

In 10 ABY, the Imperial occupation was ended by Mandalore the Liberator, who has begun to lead efforts to rebuild their planet, society, and culture.

History

Several thousand years ago, a Taung known as Te Sol'yc Mand'alor ("Mandalore the First") conquered the planet Manda'yaim, exterminating the native Mythosaur population. Ever since, the Mythosaur skull has been used as a symbol of the Mandalorians, and each chosen leader has adopted the name Mand'alor.

Mandalorian Crusaders

Some time around 7000 BBY, Te Shukali Mand'alor ("Mandalore the Conqueror") established the Mandalorian Crusaders, and began the Mandalorian Crusades: a campaign of conquest lasting three thousand years, which established Mandalorian Space and led to the devastation of many other worlds and cultures. The Crusades came to an end in 3996 BBY when Te Kandosii Mand'alor ("Mandalore the Indomitable") was defeated in single combat by Ulic Qel-Droma, who forced him to swear his allegiance to Exar Kun's Sith Empire. The Mandalorians fought in the Great Sith War, until Mand'alor was slain at the Battle of Onderon.

The surviving Mandalorians made a home on Onderon's moon, Dxun, and were united under Te Ani'la Mand'alor ("Mandalore the Ultimate"), who reorganised them into the Neo-Crusaders, a much more regimented and disciplined military force. They launched a campaign of attacks on worlds left undefended in the wake of the Great Sith War, leading to a conflict against the Jedi known as the Mandalorian Wars. This ended in 3960 BBY with a devastating defeat at the Battle of Malachor V, with Mand'alor killed in single combat by the Jedi Knight Revan.

Many survivors again sought shelter on Dxun. In 3954 BBY, Canderous Ordo became Te Taylir Mand'alor ("Mandalore the Preserver"). Ordo was a controversial Mandalore, having allied both with Revan and the Jedi Exile; though in both instances he claimed it was for the greater good of the galaxy, and the Mando'ade. Despite his efforts to reunite the Mandalorians however, they remained fragmented for much of the next three centuries.

By 3661 BBY, the Mandalorians survived only as scattered warrior clans and war bands; as a code and credo rather than a united people. This changed with the return of the Sith Empire, who engineered the ascension of a gladiator from the arenas of Geonosis to become the new Mand'alor. He used his victories in the arena to gain attention, and rallied the fragmented Mandalorian clans to his banner. However he was little more than an Imperial puppet, and was remembered after his death as Mandalore the Lesser.

Mandalore the Vindicated, who became Mand'alor after defeating his corrupt predecessor, set about reuniting the clans. He was not uncontested, with some clans believing they should follow the example of Mandalore the Preserver rather than the more traditional values the current Mand'alor advocated. Worse, Mandalore the Vindicated was still willing to embrace the idea of Mandalorians as warriors for the Sith Empire, taking steps to make them even more invaluable to the darjetii. Historians generally regard the defeat of these dissenters as the death knell for traditional Mandalorian culture.

New Mandalorians

After the New Sith Wars, the Mandalorians were once again fragmented, and weakened to the point that the plague-stricken homeworlds had come under attack by raiders from the surrounding sectors. In 1058 BBY, Aga Awaud rallied the Mandalorians into the defense of their sector, and went on to become Mandalore the Uniter; under his leadership, Mandalorian Space emerged from the Republic Dark Ages as one of the most stable political regions, and a major industrial power.

The Galactic Republic found this stability alarming however, and after efforts to cripple the Mandalorian economy with taxation, they launched a pre-emptive strike in 738 BBY. The bombings - called the Mandalorian Excision by the Republic, and the Dral'Han ("Annihilation") by the Mando'ade - left vast regions of the Mandalorian homeworlds as barren desert. The Mandalorians were disarmed, and an occupation government was put in place, and out of the collaborators emerged the New Mandalorians: a faction that resented the Republic for their actions, but felt that the traditional Mandalorian warrior approach would only provoke more retaliation. They established isolated cities in the devastated areas - including their capital, the domed city Sundari - and embraced a pacifist and technologically advanced lifestyle in strict contrast to the old ways. Eventually the New Mandalorians were invited to have representation in the Republic Senate.

Traditionalist Mandalorians were forced underground and offworld, becoming known as the Aka'liit ("Faithful"), and practising their beliefs in secret until 60 BBY, when two ideologies emerged. The True Mandalorians believed that they needed to reaffirm their adherence to the Canons of Honor that dictated Mandalorian ethics and conduct, creating the Supercommando Codex to outline these new and revived principles. The Death Watch on the other hand believed that the only path to honour was war and conquest, and that only through conflict against ancient enemies like the Jedi and the Republic could they be truly Mandalorian. This philosophical divide led to a civil war, which ended in 44 BBY with the True Mandalorians all but obliterated, and the Death Watch left scattered and fragmented.

Mandalorian Occupation

In 22 BBY, the Clone Wars began: a conflict between the Galactic Republic and a group of Separatists led by the darjetii Count Dooku. The New Mandalorians went to great pains to remain neutral, much to the frustration of the Death Watch, who began a brief campaign of terrorism. With the backing of the Separatists, this became a fully fledged coup: despite Count Dooku's backing however, the coup was thwarted by the intervention of the Jedi.

Fallen from favour with the Separatists, the Death Watch was approached in 20 BBY by Darth Maul, and became one of the members of the Shadow Collective. With the backing of Black Sun and the Pyke Syndicate, the Death Watch successfully overthrew the New Mandalorians and took power; only to be betrayed by Darth Maul, who executed the Death Watch Ori'alor ("Overlord") Pre Vizsla, and installed a puppet government with him as the secret Mandalore. A brief civil war broke out between the supercommandos loyal to the Shadow Collective, and those still loyal to Death Watch ideals.

The Republic seized the opportunity to send troops to Mandalore to help quell the civil war, forcing the supercommandos on both sides to flee. Some went on to establish the Mandalorian Protectors, a rebel group that allied itself with the Separatists; a large cadre of Death Watch retreated to Shedu Maad on the edge of the Hapan Cluster, devolving into pirates. The Republic meanwhile stationed a garrison on Mandalore to safeguard the planet while a new government was established; when the Republic became the Galactic Empire, that protection quickly became an occupation, with the population enslaved and forced to help the Imperials strip mine their planet for beskar: the nigh indestructible metal known as Mandalorian iron.

Mandalorian Liberation

In 9 ABY, Beskade Goza challenged the Ori'alor of the Death Watch on Shedu Maad to single combat. Though it cost him an eye he won, and assumed leadership of the Death Watch. Leading them home to Mandalore, he formed an alliance with the Mandalorian Protectors, convincing the two groups to set aside their philosophical differences until Manda'yaim was free. When the Rebel Alliance gained access to Starkiller missiles and used them to force a cease fire with the Empire, Goza convinced the Mandalorian Protectors to endorse him as the new Mand'alor, allowing him to invoke the Resol'nare and rally Mandalorians from across the galaxy. They staged an Uprising, and successfully managed to drive the Empire out of Mandalorian Space. When the Alliance-Imperial Treaty was signed, Mandalore was declared a sovereign territory, aligned with neither government.

Dubbed Te Na'mirci Mand'alor ("Mandalore the Liberator"), Goza set about rebuilding Mandalore in the hopes that the True Mandalorians, New Mandalorians, Death Watch - and as of 10 ABY, the descendants of the Neo-Crusaders on Onderon who left Alliance space to return "home" - could coexist amicably, without having to compromise any of their beliefs.

Government

Mand'alor

Ruling Council

The

Mandalorian Aliite

Those who follow the tenets of the Supercommando Codex, and the beliefs of the True Mandalorians are largely organised into the Aliite, usually translated into Basic as "Clans". Similar to noble houses on other worlds, an aliit are semi-autonomous entities and center around bloodlines and family groups; but most Mandalorians think of their comrades as siblings, and adoption is common practice in Mandalorian culture. As the saying goes, Aliit ori'shya tal'din - family doesn't end with blood.

The leader of an aliit is known as the Aliit'alor - the "clan chieftain" or "clan commander", depending on the translator's preference. Each aliit has it's own sigil or aliik, which is worn on the armour of all it's members.

Under Mandalore the Liberator, the largest and most politically powerful clans have been assembled into the Aliit'tsad: a Clan Council to provide a forum for grievances to be aired and resolved, and where important issues can be discussed. For the duration of Aliit'tsad meetings, all participants - even the Mand'alor - are considered of equal status and equal voice. The Council meets in the Sundari Royal Palace in the old New Mandalorian capital: a symbolic gesture to have the Aliite meet on "neutral ground", and to "keep politics out of Keldabe".

Mandalorian Clans:

• Clan Goza - Led by Beskade Goza, the incumbent Mand'alor.
• Clan Koine - Led by Amaros Koine, but represented on the Aliit'tsad by Alec Tallen. An old clan known for it's willingness to adopt new members.
• Clan Ordo - Led by Falcris Ordo, the incumbent Prime Minister. An old clan known for it's involvement in progressive politics.

Defunct / Exiled Clans:

• Clan Fett - The clan of Jango Fett, template for the Clone Army of the Republic. It's last member, Boba Fett, died in 4 ABY.
• Clan Vizsla - The clan of Tor Vizsla and Pre Vizsla, leaders of the Death Watch; who wore Clan Vizsla's aliik.

Ruling Council

Military

Mandalorian Crusaders

Mandalorian Protectors

Mandalorian Guard

Culture

Language

The language of the Consortium is Hapan. Few people are able to speak any other language, due to the Hapes Cluster's relative isolation from the rest of the Galaxy. See Mando'a Terms for more information.