Mandalorians
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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.
Government
Mand'alor
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Mandalorian Aliite
| Mandalorian Clans |
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Defunct / Exiled Clans
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Aliit'tsad
Mandalorian Ruling Council
Under the New Mandalorians, the Ruling Council was a democratically selected committee of ministers who advised the Duchess of Mandalore, during audiences in the Sundari Royal Palace. They presided over Mandalore directly, and administered the other worlds of Mandalorian Space through planetary Governors; it was represented in the Galactic Senate.
During the Imperial Occupation, the Ruling Council was replaced by a Regional Governor. When Mandalore the Liberator came to power, he established a bipartite government; the Aliit'tsad representing the True Mandalorians, and a new Ruling Council to represent the New Mandalorians. To emphasise the cooperation and power-sharing of these previously opposed political factions, Mandalore moved the Ruling Council to the traditional capital Keldabe; while the Aliit'tsad would hold their assemblies "on neutral ground" in the Sundari Royal Palace.
- Prime Minister - Falcris Ordo
- Minister of Law
- Minister of Labor
- Minister of Finance
- Minister of the Interior
The Minister of Law is responsible for mediating legal disputes based on the differences between the New Mandalorian and True Mandalorian legal systems, particularly those related to land rights, inheritance, duels and other "lawful killings", and a host of other complicated judicial issues.
The Minister of Labor supervises the evolution of the Mandalorians from a slave population to a paid population, working with labor unions and workers' guilds to ensure fair wages and safe conditions, and to ensure that the labor force is distributed well enough to ensure that Mandalore has sufficient food and resources to be self-sufficient.
The Minister of Finance manages the treasury and the economy, and is responsible for ensuring that the Mandalorians are both paid and taxed fairly, as well as supervising the commodities market, and trade.
The Minister of the Interior ensures the welfare of the New Mandalorian population through education, healthcare, security, transportation, and such; for True Mandalorians, their Aliit is responsible for these provisions.
Military
Mandalorian Crusaders
Commandos
Mandalorian Protectors
Protectors
Mandalorian Guard
Bounty Hunters' Guild
Hunters
Government
Mandalore currently possesses a tripartite government. Mand'alor leads the Mandalorian Aliite, the clans who endorse his claim to the title, and who make up the bulk of the surviving True Mandalorians. The Al'alor is Prime Minister of the Ruling Council, which represents the New Mandalorians and the general population who are not subject to the Resol'nare or Superhero Codex. The Akaan'alor leads the bulk of Mandalore's military, keeping it separate from any potential quarrels between the New and True Mandalorians.
Mand'alor
Originally, Mand'alor was the title adopted by the leader of the Mandalorian Crusaders. Over time however, as the Mandalorians evolved into a clan society, it became the title bestowed upon an individual chosen by the Aliite as a "high chieftain" of the clans. The Mand'alor is both a military and a political leader; obedience to Mandalore is deeply ingrained in the Mandalorian warrior philosophy.
After the end of the Crusader era, the rise of the New Mandalorians took power away from the clans. The True Mandalorians still continued to appoint a "secret" Mand'alor, though it was a largely ceremonial gesture. After the True Mandalorians were defeated in the civil war in 60 BBY, the Death Watch began to regard their Ori'alor in the same way, throughout the Clone Wars and the Imperial Occupation of Mandalore.
Mandalore the Liberator was the first Mand'alor to openly lead the Mandalorians for nearly 750 years, following the Uprising of 9 ABY. To foster cooperation between the New Mandalorians and True Mandalorians, he formed a government that shared power between the Ruling Council and the Aliite, with the bulk of the military independent of both to "add obstacles" to the factions' ability to go to war over their disagreements. He also implemented a number of symbolic gestures and changes, such as:
- The Ruling Council meet in the traditional capital, Keldabe, rather than the New Mandalorian capital, Sundari.
- The Aliit'tsad meet on "neutral ground" in the New Mandalorian capital, Sundari, to "keep politics out of Keldabe".
- Wearing armour decorated to echo the darjetii Darth Maul, whose coup overthrew the New Mandalorians; a reminder of the dangers of alliances with Sith.
- Carrying the black-bladed Darksaber favoured by the Death Watch Ori'alor; a reminder of the difference between a just crusade and a dishonourable one.
Mandalorian Ruling Council
Under the New Mandalorians, the Ruling Council was a democratically selected committee of ministers who advised the Duke or Duchess of Sundari.
When Mandalore the Liberator ascended to power, the New Mandalorian government was no more, but much of the Mandalore's formerly enslaved population did not want to embrace the warrior culture of the True Mandalorians. To avoid civil war, Mand'alor proposed that both the Aliite and the Ruling Council would both play an active part in government, with the Ruling Council advising him as they had advised the Dukes and Duchesses in the past. To emphasise this power sharing, Mand'alor moved the Ruling Council to the traditional capital of Keldabe, while the Aliite would hold their audiences and summits in the New Mandalorian capital, Sundari.
The Ruling Council currently consists of five individuals:
- Prime Minister - or Al'alor, is the chief advocate for the common populace, and is the man trusted by Mand'alor to be one of his key advisors and to administrate matters of state on a day-to-day basis.
- Minister of Law - responsible for rationalising the New Mandalorian and True Mandalorian legal systems, settling disputes over land rights, breaches of the Supercommando Codex by those beholden to it, distinguishing between legal killings and illegal murders; and a host of other complicated judicial issues.
- Minister of Labor - oversees the transition of the Mandalorians from a slave population to a paid population, working with labor unions and worker's guilds to ensure fair wages, safe conditions, and maximum employment, while also ensuring that Mandalore produces enough food and resources to sustain itself.
- Minister of Finance - oversees the treasury and the economy, sourcing money through trade and from taxation of the Aliit, and assuring it is distributed fairly to the general populace and the various government budgets; as well as ensuring that vital commodities from offworld can be afforded and are sourced.
- Minister of the Interior - ensures the safety and welfare of the population, through education, healthcare, security, transportation, and other such services and projects.
Though not formally a member of the Ruling Council, the Aran'alor of the Mandalorian Guard is usually in attendance. The Prime Minister is usually addressed as Sol'yc ("first"), while the other Ministers are addressed as Alor' ("leader", "sir").
Ruling Council
- Prime Minister - Falcris Ordo
- Minister of Law
- Minister of Labor
- Minister of Finance
- Minister of the Interior
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 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; their usual form of address is Alor ("leader"). Each aliit has it's own sigil or aliik, which is worn on the armour of all it's members. The aliit is expect to provide for the education, accommodation, and wellbeing of it's members, and are granted certain special privileges and freedoms to practice their beliefs; in return they are expected to adhere strictly to the Resol'nare and the Supercommando Codex, and risk excommunication from their clan and from Manda'yaim if they fail to do so.
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".
Military
Most of the Mandalorian military is organised into the Mandalorian Crusaders, who operate Mandalore's defensive fleet, and comprise the majority of it's supercommando forces. The Mandalorian Protectors are supercommandos of the Aliite, who earn the rights and privileges of their status by defending those incapable of or unwilling to defend themselves. The Mandalorian Guard is a security militia drawn mostly from the general populace, which answers to the Ruling Council and is responsible for peacekeeping and law enforcement.
Mandalorian Supercommando
Anyone with a weapon can be a verde ("warrior"). To a Mandalorian, a ramikad - a raider, crusader, or commando - is the kind of elite, mobile soldier that made the Mandalorian Crusaders infamous seven thousand years ago. As with the rest of the galaxy, the term "commando" implies skill and discipline; to be a Crusader, a Mandalorian needed to be better than the mere soldier they were to fight against.
The concept of the Ori'ramikad or "supercommando" took that concept further: it was about not only being a more skilled soldier, but also being a better and more honourable soldier, keeping to a code of ethics and protocol beyond the mere basics that the Crusaders had already established with the Resol'nare and the Canons of Honor. The concept originated with Mandalore the Preserver and the Mandalorians on Dxun and Onderon, but did not gain much attention within the rest of Mandalorian culture until Jaster Mereel of the True Mandalorians composed his Supercommando Codex, which provided hundreds of rules and guidelines on how to be that better soldier.
Mandalorian Crusaders
Mandalorian Protectors
Mandalorian Guard
Bounty Hunters' Guild
Culture
| Resol'nare |
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Rather than a race, the Mando'ade are a set of cultural beliefs, summed up as the Resol'nare or "Six Actions". These beliefs were fundamental, and held religious significance: those who kept to the Resol'nare would pass into Manda, the collective spiritual soul of the Mando'ade upon death; those who did not were "faithless", and damned.
Abandoning the Resol'nare was the biggest point of contention between the New Mandalorians and the True Mandalorians, more so than their political allegiances and ideologies. |
| Supercommando Codex |
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| New Mandalorians |
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| True Mandalorians |
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History
Timeline
- Ancient - Mandalore the First conquers Manda'yaim, wiping out the native Mythosaurs.
- 7000 BBY - Mandalore the Conqueror establishes the Mandalorian Crusaders. The Mandalorian Crusades begin.
- 3996 BBY - Mandalore the Indomitable is defeated by Ulic Qel-Droma, and swears loyalty to Exar Kun's Sith Empire.
- 3976 BBY - Mandalorian Wars.
- 3960 BBY - Mandalore the Ultimate is defeated at Malachor V by Revan. Many of the survivors return to Dxun.
- 3954 BBY - Mandalore the Preserver reorganises the Mandalorians on Dxun as Mandalorian Supercommandos.
- 3667 BBY - Mandalore the Lesser, a gladiator on Geonosis chosen by Imperial Intelligence, reunites the Mandalorians as a puppet of the Sith Empire.
- 3650 BBY - Mandalore the Vindicated defeats Mandalore the Lesser in single combat. He allies with the Sith Empire publicly, rather than in secret.
- 1058 BBY - Mandalore the Uniter rebuilds the Mandalorian Sector after the New Sith Wars, into an industrial superpower.
- 738 BBY - The Dral'Han or Mandalorian Excision. Republic forces bombard and obliterate Mandalorian cities as an unprovoked pre-emptive strike.
- The Mandalorian Sector is occupied by the Republic, and an interim government established.
- The New Mandalorians emerge as the dominant (pacifist) movement, cooperating with the Republic. Old traditions are practised only in secret or exile.
- 60 BBY - Jaster Mereel writes the Supercommando Codex, and unites the scattered warrior clans as the True Mandalorians.
- Tor Vizsla writes his manifesto, and establishes the Death Watch to oppose the True Mandalorians, sparking the Mandalorian Civil War.
- 58 BBY - The Battle of Concord Dawn. The Death Watch is believed to have been eliminated by the True Mandalorians.
- 52 BBY - Jaster Mereel is killed during the Battle of Korda Six. Jango Fett becomes the leader of the True Mandalorians.
- 44 BBY - The True Mandalorians are defeated by Judicial Forces led by Dooku at the Battle of Galidraan. Jango Fett survives and kills Tor Vizsla, fragmenting the Death Watch.
- The Great Clan Wars. The Death Watch survivors attack the New Mandalorians. They are defeated, and the survivors are exiled from Mandalore to her moon, Concordia.
- 22 BBY - The Clone Wars. Mandalore leads the Council of Neutral Systems, who refuse to take sides in the war.
- Pre Vizsla attempts a failed Death Watch coup against the New Mandalorians, with backing from the Separatists.
- 20 BBY - A second coup, backed by the Shadow Collective, succeeds. Darth Maul usurps Pre Vizsla, causing a civil war within Death Watch.
- The Republic intervenes, driving most of the Death Watch off Mandalore. Some travel to Shedu Maad, while others join the Mandalorian Protectors.
- 19 BBY - The Imperial Occupation. The populace is enslaved by the Galactic Empire, supported by MandalMotors and one of the Death Watch factions.
- 9 ABY - Beskade Goza gains control of the Death Watch on Shedu Maad, and returns to Mandalore to ally with the resistance.
- Mandalore the Liberator rallies Mandalorians from across the galaxy and leads an Uprising that ends the Imperial Occupation.
- 10 ABY - Descendants of Mandalore the Preserver's supercommandos return "home" from Onderon, which had recently joined the Alliance of Free Planets.
Language
The language of the Mandalorians is Mando'a. Understanding the language is one of the Resol'nare of Mandalorian society, and thus all True Mandalorians speak it; though many New Mandalorians do not. See Mando'a Terms for more information.
