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Commander-in-Chief

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"Starting immediately he is to cede all control into your hands... The Fleet will be yours.."

― Darth Sidious, to Darth Vader

Commander-in-Chief was a position assumed by the figure who exercised absolute control over a certain armed force, typically a civilian power such as a head or state or their deputy. Military-ranking officers who acted as commander-in-chiefs held the commission of supreme commander.

In the waning years of the Galactic Republic which encompassed the Clone Wars, the office within the Grand Army of the Republic was filled by the Supreme Chancellor, Sheev Palpatine, although much of the actual running, such as the tactical planning and fighting on the front was left to the Jedi Generals and the rest of Republic High Command. During the same conflict, General Grievous acted as commander-in-chief of the Separatist Droid Armies throughout his tenure as Supreme Martial Commander. Answearable only to the Head of State, consulting with the Separatist Executive Council and being the primary representative of Separatist High Command, the cyborg warlord coordinated the Separatists' war effort against the Republic and the Jedi Order and personally led many campaigns.

Within the Rebellion, Chancellor Mon Mothma served as Commander-in-Chief, the top authority of the Alliance's forces and Alliance High Command, though Admiral Gial Ackbar was the one directly in charge of the Alliance Fleet as Supreme Fleet Commander. For most of the Galactic Empire's reign, Lord Darth Vader held the office, thus being the uppermost martial figure, in charge of both the Imperial Military and Imperial High Command. Second only to the Emperor, the Emperor's Fist was briefed by the Joint Chiefs and conferred with the Grand Vizier and Grand Moffs while formulating the Imperial forces' agenda, overseeing the pacification operations, the cracking down of insurgency and the war effort against the Rebellion, often leading campaigns from the front.

History[]

With the official formation of the Grand Army of the Republic at the onset of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine became Commander-in-Chief of the Republic Military, though he relegated much of its managing to proper military officers from the Jedi Order and Republic High Command. Nonetheless, Chancellor Palpatine helped supervise many of the important operations such as the hunt for the Malevolence, the campaign on Ryloth and the Battle of Malastare, in addition to having the Strategic Advisory Cell pursue the construction of a superweapon that would eventually come to be known as the Death Star.

Between 24 and 22 BBY, General Grievous had accepted the position of Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies, making him the Confederacy military's commander-in-chief at the side of the Head of State, Count Dooku. As such, the cyborg warlord oversaw the CIS' war effort against the Galactic Republic, personally leading his forces during engagements on Caliban, Saleucami, Kamino and particularly during the incursion on Coruscant, in addition to coordinating surprise attacks with his then-flagship, the Malevolence, invading the Ohnaka Gang's haven on Florrum and massacring the Nightsisters of Dathomir.

By 9 BBY, Emperor's Fist, Darth Vader, was elevated to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Military, therefore second only to the Emperor, Darth Sidious, as absolute leader of the armed forces, especially the Imperial Navy, and one of the ultimate authorities in Imperial Intelligence and the ISB's affairs. In this capacity, the Dark Lord saw to expansionary and law-enforcement campaigns that included confrontations with the Grysk Hegemony, the suborning of the Benathy, and the hunt for Crimson Dawn, in addition to hounding insurgent cells such as the Hidden Path and the Lothal Spectres and most notably directing the war effort against the Rebel Alliance, personally commanding his forces from the front, particularly during the battles at Mako-Ta and Hoth.

By 0 BBY, Chancellor Mon Mothma had assumed the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Alliance Military, although she left much of the actual management to proper military-ranking officers like the Supreme Fleet Commander, Admiral Gial Ackbar, and Generals Davits Draven, Jan Dodonna and Crix Madine. Nevertheless, the former Senator of Chandrilla ordered the intelligence-gathering mission to Mustafar and assisted in planning the Rebellion's fight against the Empire, giving her full approval to the battles on Vrogas Vas and Endor.

Notable Commanders-in-Chief[]

Appearances[]

''Note: This list is incomplete''

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