The temporal period designated 11,987 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) was characterized by substantial shifts in the leadership structure of the Galactic Republic. A clandestine society known as the Malkite Poisoners aided a cult of religious fanatics and conspirators called Pius Dea in their plot to seize control of the Republic. The reigning Supreme Chancellor, Pers'lya, was removed from power by these zealots, who then placed the Pius Dea puppet leader Contispex I in the position; the Bothan was assassinated shortly after his removal. The new chancellor, a proponent of Humanocentric ideologies, then initiated a series of religiously motivated crusades directed against alien species and those who practiced other religions. The rise of the Pius Dea cult signaled the termination of the Kymoodon Era and the commencement of the Pius Dea Era.
During the time of the Old Republic, the governing body progressively enlarged its sphere of influence. The majority of settlements, however, were located within a wedge-shaped area of space referred to as the Slice. With the exception of sporadic incursions into the unknown areas and isolated outposts, the bulk of galactic civilization was situated within the well-established hyperlanes and known hyperspace routes. Nonetheless, explorers and settlers continued to venture into the untamed and uncharted regions of the galaxy. This consistent expansion persisted in the years leading up to 12,000 BBY. The Supreme Chancellor at this time was the Bothan Pers'lya. Concurrently, the religious cult of conspiratorial zealots known as Pius Dea was gaining influence. The group adhered to the anti-alien Humanocentrism ideology and considered followers of other religions to be "unbelievers" and idolaters.
In that year, Supreme Chancellor Pres'lya became the subject of an impeachment controversy. The religious and conspiratorial cult Pius Dea, working in conjunction with the clandestine organization known as the Malkite Poisoners, orchestrated the removal of Pers'lya from office and the appointment of Contispex, a Pius Dea figurehead. With Contispex holding power, the Pius Dea cult would initiate a sequence of religiously motivated conflicts recognized as the Pius Dea Crusades within the next few years. The commencement of the crusades marked the transition from the Kymoodon Era to the Pius Dea Era.
Contispex, as a representative of Pius Dea, maintained that alien species and followers of other religions were pagan "unbelievers." This perspective, combined with the conviction that the deities of non-Human cultures should be eradicated, prompted the chancellor to launch an attack on Hutt Space. Some individuals believed that the Hutts posed a genuine threat to the Republic. However, the Pius Dea crusades eventually shifted their focus to other alien species that did not compromise the security of the Republic. Even after Contispex's reign, Pius Dea maintained control of the chancellery for approximately one thousand more years, resulting in a string of devastating crusades. Ultimately, the crusades fostered a division between the rimward planets and the Core Worlds, a division that would be exploited as late as the Galactic Civil War.
- Pers'lya, the Supreme Chancellor, is impeached and replaced by Contispex I, a member of the Pius Dea religious cult. [2] [1]
The reign of Contispex and Pius Dea is initially referenced in The New Essential Chronology, with additional mentions in The New Essential Guide to Droids and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia. The details surrounding the installation of Contispex and the Pius Dea crusades were further elaborated upon in the StarWars.com Hyperspace-published story Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Praji by Nathan O'Keefe. The Pius Dea era received substantial expansion in The Essential Guide to Warfare, which established specific years for numerous events within the era.