After the nomadic Mandalorian warriors attacked the planet Nouane in 3963 BBY, during the Mandalorian Wars, the Nouanese people petitioned the Republic for assistance. As a result, the region became an Allied Region affiliated with the Republic and governed by a Moff or Grand Moff. Nouane held this distinction into the years of the Galactic Empire that replaced the Republic, and the region became a steadfast supporter of Emperor Palpatine's regime as an Imperial client state. When the Empire fell, Nouane chose to declare independence rather than become a member of the emerging New Republic.
The semi-autonomous region of Nouane was located in the area of space known as the Northern Dependencies in the Inner Rim. In the early years of the Galactic Republic, Nouane was a thriving mini-empire, one of many such domains that could be found throughout the galaxy. Its capital planet was Nouane, located in the system of the same name.
During the Mandalorian Wars, Nouane joined the Republic as an Allied Region, a semi-autonomous affiliate of the galactic government. By this time, the region came to possess 212 inhabited star systems, including the Dwartii system. The Vaathkree Trade Corridor ran through the northwestern part of the region.
The region of Nouane was one of countless thriving mini-empires that existed in the galaxy during the early years of the Republic. Its capital was the eponymous world of Nouane. The region—a beacon of civilization surrounded on all sides by unexplored space—was known to the Republic as early as 22,000 BBY. By this time, a hyperlane ran from the planet Nouane to Uviuy Exen, a world in the Colonies.
In the centuries following 7000 BBY, the Republic kept watch on the Mandalorian warrior clans out of concern for Nouane and other areas of space. During the Mandalorian Wars of 3976–3960 BBY, however, the Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders attacked the planet Nouane, and the mini-empire turned to the Republic for assistance. Noaune was admitted into the Republic and reorganized into an Allied Region, the name given to a semi-autonomous region of space allied with the galactic government. Leaders of Allied Regions typically held the title of Moff or Grand Moff. As the centuries went by, the status of Allied Regions became largely ceremonial and the territories were gradually absorbed into the Republic as sectors; Nouane was one of the few to remain until the end of the Republic.
Over time, many of the Allied Region's worlds, scattered among 212 inhabited star systems, became well-known throughout the Republic. The planet Nouane, with its fabled libraries, became a destination of philosophers and artists from the Core Worlds; additionally, its ministers could be found on numerous ambitious worlds within the Republic in high places of power. The Four Sages of Dwartii, from the Dwartii system, brought their coldly-merciless political philosophy to the Republic, where it was greatly contested and studied.
By 19 BBY, centuries after Nouane joined it, the Republic was transformed into a Galactic Empire. Likewise, all of the remaining Allied Regions were reorganized into Imperial client states. As one such client state, Nouane was fervently loyal to Emperor Palpatine's new regime. However, when the Imperial government fell after the Battle of Endor and was gradually replaced by the New Republic, Nouane declared its independence. During Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign against the New Republic in 9 ABY, Nouane was neutral. By 16 ABY, the New Republic's reconnaissance vessel IX-26 was on a patrol assignment in Nouane before it was diverted to the Obroan Institute on Obroa-skai to pick up an archaeological team to aid in the investigation surrounding the organic starship known as the Teljkon Vagabond and its frozen homeworld of Brath Qella.
The region of Nouane was briefly mentioned in 1996's Before the Storm, written by Michael P. Kube-McDowell. The region received entries in 1998's Star Wars Encyclopedia and 2008's The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, but it was not until 2009's The Essential Atlas that Nouane was described in detail.
- Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Essential Atlas
- The Essential Guide to Warfare