The Core Worlds, also referred to as the Galactic Core, and during the Imperial Era in Legends continuity, the Imperial Core, represented some of the most esteemed, advanced, renowned, and unrestricted planets, boasting the highest population densities in the galaxy. This region served as the epicenter for galactic culture, financial activities, technological innovation, educational institutions, and artistic expression. Powerful noble families wielded significant influence, and nearly all interstellar corporations maintained offices or established their headquarters within the Core Worlds. While the term "Core" broadly aligned with the galaxy's central region in astrophysical terms, its precise application was often more nuanced.
The primary Rimward hyperlanes extended outward across slightly more than half of the galactic disk. The Core Worlds occupied a C-shaped area surrounding the Deep Core, which constituted the heart of the astrophysical core (typically regarded as a distinct, separate region), stretching outward toward the Unknown Regions.
Prior to the formation of the Galactic Republic in 25,053 BBY, much of the history and cultures of the Core Worlds remained shrouded in mystery throughout much of galactic history. In many prominent galactic circles, it was a common belief that Humans originated from one of the Core Worlds. Speculation centered on Coruscant as humanity's birthplace, although concrete archaeological evidence supporting this theory was scarce or nonexistent. Circa 1,000,000 BBY, the Celestials engineered the Corellian system by employing the massive Centerpoint Station to gravitationally tow the five planets—Corellia, Selonia, Drall, Talus, and Tralus—through hyperspace to orbit the star Corell. Subsequently, these planets were populated by Selonians, Dralls, and humans originating from Coruscant, leading to the system's diverse multi-species composition. The Celestials also employed similar technologies in the creation of the Vultar system.
Many millennia ago, war erupted on Coruscant between the near-Human Taungs and the thirteen original Human nations known as the Battalions of Zhell. A volcanic eruption devastated the Zhell, blanketing the skies with ash for two years, prompting the Taungs to adopt the name Dha Werda Verda (Warriors of Shadow). Eventually, the Human Zhell rebounded and forced the Taungs to leave the planet. Around 100,000 BBY, the Columi surveyed Coruscant and the Duros homeworld of Duro, dismissing the indigenous civilizations as primitive failures. During this era, Coruscant's surface gradually transformed into the planet-wide ecumenopolis of Galactic City. Newer structures were erected upon older ones, resulting in the near-total disappearance of exposed land. The forgotten underlevels of the city were characterized by darkness, pollution, and criminal activity, while the upper levels housed government offices and the luxurious penthouses of the elite.
In 35,000 BBY, the insectoid Killiks of Alderaan constructed the Castle Lands of Oroboro. At some point, the Killiks colonized the nearby world of Alsakan. They were removed from Alderaan in 30,000 BBY by the Celestials after depleting Alderaan's natural resources, and were long believed to be extinct by the galaxy until their re-encounter in the Unknown Regions in 35 ABY.
Between 35,000 BBY and 25,200 BBY, the Infinite Empire of the Rakata subjugated and enslaved the inhabitants of several worlds within the Core region, including Duro and the Corellian systems. Slaves originating from these worlds were utilized in the construction of the Star Forge in 30,000 BBY. Under Rakatan rule, the Humans of Coruscant's colonization efforts were restricted to sleeper ships, which eventually landed on Alderaan, in the Tion Cluster, Seoul 5, Kuat, Alsakan, Axum, Anaxes, Atrisia, Metellos, Corulag, Csilla, and numerous other worlds. Ultimately, the Rakata were decimated by a widespread plague, triggering slave uprisings on their conquered worlds in the Core.
Over the ensuing two centuries, Coruscant became interconnected with other Core Worlds, including Corellia, Alderaan, New Plympto, and Duro, via hyperspace cannons, through the Herglic Trade Empire. During this period, the government of Coruscant peacefully absorbed the neighboring Azure Imperium. During these pre-Republic years, the languages spoken on Coruscant and its surrounding worlds merged to form Old Galactic Standard. Before the advent of the hyperdrive, galactic civilization remained confined to the Core Worlds. As densely populated and heavily industrialized centers, the Core Worlds gradually evolved into a socio-economic powerhouse, essential for galactic dominance over the millennia.
In 25,053 BBY, the Galactic Republic was established through the signing of the Galactic Constitution following the Unification Wars. Its founding members comprised a number of key Core Worlds, collectively known as the Core Founders, including Coruscant, Alderaan, Duro, Kuat, and Humbarine. As a founding member of the Republic, Duro experienced a golden age under the leadership of Queen Rana Mas Trehalt. Later, the monarchy was replaced by a collection of ruling corporations managed by the Duros High House, led by a Chief Representative Officer. During this era, Human and Duros scientists reverse-engineered the Rakatan hyperdrive, leading to the invention of the modern hyperdrive. This breakthrough spurred vigorous colonization within a small region of the Core known as the Tetrahedron.
The Tetrahedron was based on the theories of a Duros hyperspatial physicist who posited that Coruscant, Alderaan, Corellia, and the Ginn Jump formed the four corners of a specific region of space. Due to its strategic location and extensive infrastructure, Coruscant served as the capital of the Republic, holding the coordinates 0-0-0 on hyperspace maps. The discovery of the Perlemian Trade Route connected Coruscant to the Outer Rim world of Ossus, which became the domain of the Jedi Order over the subsequent millennia and a fortress world preventing Tionese and Hutt expansion into the Core. Over the following millennia, the Corellian Run was mapped, linking Coruscant to Corellia and beyond. The wedge-shaped region defined by these two trade routes became known as "the Slice." The Core Worlds' portion of the Slice was called the Arrowhead, and soon the Republic expanded into the Colonies. Several Core Worlds, such as Anaxes, Basilisk, and Ixtlar, prospered from this territorial expansion.
In 24,000 BBY, war erupted between the Republic and the Union, spreading across both sides of the Perlemian. The Republic emerged victorious by turning the Hutts against the Tionese, ending the Union's existence as an independent state and paving the way for Core-based Republic's galactic dominance. By 23,900 BBY, all the worlds of the former Honorable Union had joined the Republic, with the exception of Desevro, which remained proudly isolationist. Initially, the government on Coruscant favored slow expansion, despite its promotion of hyperspace exploration. However, against the government's wishes, the Republic's membership surged during its first millennium, primarily due to worlds seeking protection from Hutt Space.
During the Great Manifest Period (20,000 BBY–17,000 BBY), the Republic expanded eastward across the galaxy into the Inner Rim and Expansion Region. Despite this, the Slice remained the heart of navigable space. Eventually, the Republic expanded beyond the galactic-northern and -southern borders of the Slice, although most of the galaxy remained unexplored, with the exception of outposts such as Ord Mantell (12,000 BBY) and Malastare (8000 BBY). The space west of Coruscant remained largely unexplored, as analogues to the Perlemian Trade Route and the Corellian Run in that direction had yet to be discovered. Furthermore, progress was hindered by dangerous one- or two-light-year jumps into a region of hyperspatial anomalies. Consequently, the Republic government focused its expansion efforts eastward.
During this period, several key Core Worlds, including Coruscant and Alsakan, established holdings in the Expansion Region. However, this region suffered greatly as a result of Alsakan's attempts to seize control of the Republic from Coruscant. This rivalry led to seventeen Alsakan Conflicts, spanning from 17,000 BBY to 3017 BBY. However, most of the fighting occurred between their holdings in the Expansion Region, rather than in the Core itself. Predictably, Coruscant emerged victorious in every conflict. In 15,500 BBY, following a disastrous first contact, Coruscant was attacked by Star Dragons in the Duinuogwuin Contention. The conflict was peacefully resolved by Supreme Chancellor Fillorean and the Star Dragon philosopher Borz'Mat'oh, who jointly founded the University of Coruscant.
In 12,000 BBY, the Core Worlds fell under the influence of the theocratic and humanocentric Pius Dea sect, which installed one of their own, Contispex I, as the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. Over the following centuries, his descendants sanctioned several crusades against rival alien sects in the Outer Rim, which retaliated, plunging the galaxy into a perpetual state of alternating hot and cold wars. During this period, several military outposts known as Ordnance/Regional Depots were established, ostensibly to protect Human settlers from hostile alien threats. This further exacerbated interspecies tensions, as the anti-alien nature of the crusades led to an exodus into Hutt Space and transformed the Rimward Slice into a militarized zone dominated by war profiteers. Although Pius Dea rule ended in 11,000 BBY, the repercussions of these crusades would continue to strain relations between the Core and the Outer Rim for millennia.
During the Great Hyperspace War in 5000 BBY, Coruscant was invaded by the Sith Empire, which quickly overwhelmed the Senate District. With the destruction of Sith Lord Naga Sadow's Sith Meditation Sphere above Primus Goluud, the Sith forces were driven back by reinforcements from Anaxes. Republic forces then invaded and devastated Sith Space, effectively ending the Sith Empire. In 4250 BBY, the Third Great Schism was fought on Coruscant, with the surviving Dark Jedi fleeing to the Vultar system. The Dark Jedi discovered that the system had been artificially constructed by the Celestials and attempted to use the ancient machinery, including the Cosmic Turbine, but ended up destroying themselves and the system during the Vultar Cataclysm.
By 4225 BBY, Kaikielius had become impoverished and transformed into a crime hub dominated by the Neimoidians and Hutts. A joint Jedi and Republic task force ousted the Hutts and other criminal elements, and the planet was rebuilt with Republic assistance. In 4015 BBY, the Great Droid Revolution on Coruscant was suppressed, but it sparked increased anti-droid sentiment among the galactic populace. During the Great Sith War, the Krath and their Mandalorian allies attacked several Core Worlds, including Basilisk, Foerost, Kaikielius, and Coruscant. Following the devastation of Ossus in 3996 BBY, the Jedi Council established its residence in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where many Jedi relics from Ossus were relocated. The Temple underwent significant expansion and reconstruction over the preceding millennia.
The Core Worlds largely avoided the devastation of the Mandalorian Wars, the Jedi Civil War, and the Sith Civil War, as most of the fighting occurred in the outer regions of the galaxy. In 3962 BBY, the Mandalorians inflicted significant damage on Duro. During the Great Galactic War, the resurgent Sith Empire and their Mandalorian allies blockaded the Hydian Way, cutting off the Core Worlds from vital supplies and raw materials from the Colonies and Outer Rim. This sparked rioting on Coruscant, and there was discussion within the Senate regarding complete surrender to the Sith. However, the Republic's situation improved due to the intervention of the Mirialan smuggler Hylo Visz, who successfully breached the Mandalorian blockade. Subsequently, the Sith offered to negotiate a peace with the Republic on Alderaan in 3653 BBY. Catching the Republic and Jedi off guard, a Sith fleet invaded and rampaged through the galactic capital, inflicting substantial damage to the Galactic Senate and Jedi Temple. The Republic was compelled to sign the unfavorable Treaty of Coruscant, ceding territories to the Sith. This event set the stage for the Cold War, characterized by border skirmishes and proxy wars.
In 3017 BBY, Coruscant emerged victorious in the Seventeenth Alsakan Conflict, concluding a long series of conflicts with its rival, Alsakan. This victory solidified Coruscant's dominance as the galaxy's political and economic center, granting it a monopoly on sponsoring colonization and settlement of outlying systems. In 3000 BBY, Corellia StarDrive was acquired by Corellian Engineering Corporation following the demise of its design team.
By 1100 BBY, the Republic had entered a "Dark Age" after centuries of prolonged warfare with various Sith factions, including the New Sith Empire. This era was marked by widespread corruption, corporate bankruptcies, rampant lawlessness, and the depletion of mineral resources. The Republic could no longer afford to maintain the HoloNet beyond the Core Worlds, necessitating the use of couriers for communication between worlds outside the Core. To make matters worse, a galaxywide epidemic of Candorian plague decimated populations, with some worlds losing as much as two-thirds of their inhabitants. The Jedi gained greater influence within the Republic government, assuming control of the office of Supreme Chancellor. Although infighting appeared to have fractured the unity of the Sith, the situation strained the Republic Navy and Army, which also fell under increasing Jedi control. During the Light and Darkness War (1010 BBY–1000 BBY), Lord Kaan's reorganized Brotherhood of Darkness launched deep incursions into the Core, capturing Corulag, Chandrila, and Brentaal IV, but failed to seize the galactic capital, Coruscant.
Following the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, Tarsus Valorum—the first non-Jedi Supreme Chancellor in centuries—implemented the Ruusan Reformation, which curtailed the power of the Chancellor, augmented the Galactic Senate's authority, and dissolved the Republic's military. The Ruusan Reformation also sought to combat corruption and decentralize power away from a few dominant Coreward sectors by reorganizing the existing millions of sectors into just 1,024 sectors. Each of the new sectors was granted its own Senator, although exceptions were made for politically influential core worlds to maintain their individual representation. Slots were also allocated for species types and cultural entities. However, by increasing the power of the Senate, the Reformation inadvertently increased gridlock and reduced representation for numerous worlds and systems.
The subsequent era was characterized by a lack of large-scale conflict, allowing the region to largely recover and prosper. Nevertheless, small, short-lived conflicts and threats persisted. Around 500 BBY, Corellia allied with Selonia and Drall in a failed attempt to conquer the Federation of the Double Worlds. In 470 BBY, Corellia attempted to secede from the Republic, progressing far enough to close its sector's borders and withdraw from the Senate using Contemplanys Hermi, but the plan ultimately failed, and the system remained a reluctant Republic member-state. In 380 BBY, the Corellian Jedi Keiran Halcyon defeated the Afarathu pirates, a sect of Selonian terrorists who sought to exterminate all Humans on Corellia. The Afarathu would resurface during the Galactic Civil War. In 312 BBY, the Corellian King Berethron e Solo established a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, replacing his own absolute monarchy. In 150 BBY, the Royal House of Solo was overthrown by Corellia's powerful conglomerates, including Gowix Computers, the Corellia Mining Corporation, and the Corellian Engineering Cooperation, which then installed a pro-business government known as the Diktat.
At a certain point, some individuals, all belonging to the Human species and originating from the Core Worlds, concluded that the extensive urbanization of their area, the anxieties inherent in city life, and the absence of harmonious relationships with others were not to their liking. Consequently, they made the decision to establish a settlement on Leritor, a relatively insignificant planet situated in the Mid Rim near the Corellian Run. In the year 33 BBY, a terrorist group known as The Flail, leveled accusations of corruption against the Galactic Senate, and subsequently disrupted essential public services on Coruscant, encompassing commerce, communications, transportation, and weather management. Their actions resulted in the destruction of both property and human lives. However, their activities were brought to a halt by agents working under the direction of Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum, a descendant of Tarsus Valorum from a distant lineage.
Following the events of the Naboo crisis in 32 BBY, Palpatine, a secret Sith Lord and Senator representing Naboo, ascended to the position of Supreme Chancellor. In 27 BBY, Coruscant narrowly avoided complete destruction at the hands of Ashaar Khorda, who employed the Infant of Shaa in his attempt. Jango Fett, Zam Wesell, and Yarael Poof played crucial roles in saving Coruscant, with Poof ultimately sacrificing his own life in the process. Despite their heroic efforts, news of this averted catastrophe was not widely disseminated. By 23 BBY, the stability of the Core Worlds faced a threat due to the successes achieved by Count Dooku's Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the Senate found itself divided between those who supported and those who opposed the Military Creation Act. While the majority of the Core Worlds maintained unwavering loyalty to the Republic, the Separatists garnered support from various remote worlds and sectors within the Expansion Region, the Mid Rim, and the Outer Rim. The secession of Republic-aligned planets such as Ando and Sy Myrth led to a significant exodus of Aqualish and Sy Myrthians from Coruscant. As a response to escalating tensions, the Corellian sector, under the leadership of Senator Garm Bel Iblis, declared its neutrality and temporarily withdrew from the Republic, once again invoking the principle of Contemplanys Hermi.
Throughout the duration of the Clone Wars, Coruscant, along with other Core Worlds, frequently experienced Separatist terrorist activities, assassinations, and military campaigns. During the Dark Reaper crisis in 22 BBY, Separatist forces commanded by Sev'rance Tann destroyed the geothermal generators located on the planet Sarapin's, which disrupted the region's power supply. Separatist uprisings that occurred on Brentaal IV and Esseles were swiftly suppressed by forces of the Republic and the Jedi Order. Coruscant itself was subjected to a raid, and several prominent Republic officials, including former Chancellor Finis Valorum and Senator Viento, were assassinated by Separatist operatives. In that same year, the Fourth Constitutional Amendment was enacted, granting Republic worlds situated in the Core, Colonies, and Inner Rim greater voting power compared to worlds located in the Expansion Region and beyond.
During the Foerost campaign in 20 BBY, commander Dua Ningo's Bulwark Fleet of the Separatists managed to breach the Republic blockade at Foerost, causing widespread destruction to several critical Republic outposts throughout Sector Zero, a region of strategic importance. In response, the Republic launched the Victory Fleet, led by Captains Jan Dodonna and Terrinald Screed, and composed of the newly developed Victory I-class Star Destroyers. The two opposing fleets engaged in battles at Ixtlar, Alsakan, and Basilisk, culminating in the defeat of Ningo's forces at Anaxes. As a reward for his contributions, Screed was appointed to oversee the Coruscant Home Fleet. Nevertheless, General Grievous's forces successfully captured the Core Worlds of Kaikielius and Duro during Operation Durge's Lance. Furthermore, Grievous' forces also orbitally bombarded and depopulated Humbarine and unleashed the Loedorvian Brain Plague, resulting in the extermination of all humans within the Weemell sector.
In 19 BBY, Republic forces, under the command of Jedi Masters Saesee Tiin and Plo Koon, successfully recaptured the strategically significant world of Rendili, which enabled Coruscant to assume control of the Rendili Home Defense Fleet. This victory, along with a series of subsequent triumphs at Duro, Commenor, and Balmorra in the Colonies, shifted the momentum of the war in favor of the Republic, compelling the Separatist fleet to retreat to the Mid and Outer Rim Territories. The Republic's capital underwent increased fortification, and the humanocentric COMPOR successfully exerted pressure on the Coruscant government to deport all members of species whose homeworlds had aligned with the Confederacy.
Despite the extensive precautions implemented, the Confederacy managed to launch a surprise raid on Coruscant. By circumventing the heavily fortified Corellian sector through the utilization of secret hyperspace routes within the Deep Core, provided by Darth Sidious, a Separatist fleet commanded by General Grievous launched an assault on Coruscant. While the Republic and Jedi defenders were preoccupied, Grievous, accompanied by his elite IG-100 MagnaGuards, successfully captured Palpatine. However, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi managed to rescue the Supreme Chancellor from the notorious Separatist flagship known as the Invisible Hand. Ultimately, the battle turned in favor of the Republic, and the Separatist armada was compelled to execute a full retreat.
At the conclusion of the Clone Wars, specifically in 19 BBY, the Republic underwent a transformation and was re-established as the Galactic Empire. Given its advantageous geographical location and robust economic foundation, the Core became a crucial stronghold for the Empire. Following Emperor Palpatine's Declaration of a New Order, Coruscant was renamed the Imperial Center. The majority of the predominantly Human Core Worlds, including Coruscant, Kuat, and Anaxes, which had demonstrated unwavering support for the Republic's war efforts during the Clone Wars, transferred their allegiance to the Empire. During the Imperial era, the Republic's informal policy of humanocentrism was formalized into law through the Empire's promotion of Human High Culture. Non-human species residing on Coruscant were compelled to reside in segregated ethnic neighborhoods, while various alien homeworlds situated within the Core, such as New Plympto, Orooturoo, and Caamas, were subjected to Imperial atrocities. Following a prolonged period of resistance on the pro-Separatist planet of New Plympto, led by Purge survivor Dass Jennir, the Nosaurians were brutally subjugated and enslaved, with their treatment being reduced to that of mere animals. As retaliation for the Caamasi's opposition to Imperial policies, Palpatine issued an order for the bombardment of Caamas in 19 BBY. Bothan operatives sabotaged the planetary shields, while the Imperial fleet proceeded to level the planet's surface, causing extensive damage to the natural environment and forcing the species to evacuate the planet.
Several notable figures within the Imperial regime, including Supreme Commander Gilad Pellaeon, Imperial Intelligence Director Ysanne Isard, Governor Wilek Nereus, and Commander Nahdonnis Praji, hailed from various Core Worlds. However, the region also served as the home for several prominent opponents of the Galactic Empire. The founders of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Senators Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, originated from Chandrila and Alderaan, respectively, as did the former Corellian senator Garm Bel Iblis. Other notable figures within the Alliance who hailed from the Core Worlds included future New Republic Chief of State Leia Organa, the Corellians Han Solo, Crix Madine, and Wedge Antilles, as well as the former Republic Navy Captain Jan Dodonna.
During the Galactic Civil War, pro-Imperial factions initiated efforts to infiltrate Ralltiir's financial system and manipulate its markets to favor the Empire. This involved the erasure of fiscal records belonging to alien investors. Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, Rebel sympathizers within the Ralltiiri High Council attempted to halt these activities and restore equilibrium to the markets. In response, an Imperial force under the command of Lord Tion invaded the planet. Subsequently, Imperial forces disbanded the High Council, placed the planet under military occupation, and interned its population in camps. Tion also imposed a blockade on the entire Ralltiir system (prohibiting even relief organizations from traversing his blockade), which severely disrupted commerce along the Perlemian.
In 0 BBY, Leia Organa embarked on a humanitarian mission to deliver essential medical supplies and equipment to the Raltiiri High Council. She received permission to land from Tion himself. While there, Leia rescued a wounded Rebel soldier who subsequently revealed the existence of the first Death Star. Shortly thereafter, the Death Star, under the command of Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin, obliterated the prominent Core world of Alderaan, resulting in the deaths of billions and prompting widespread outrage that led many sentient beings to support the Rebel Alliance. Shortly after this devastating event, the Death Star was destroyed at the Battle of Yavin. In 1 ABY, Coronet City, the capital of Corellia, became the site of a heated skirmish between Imperial forces and elements of the Alliance, including the elite Rogue Squadron, who successfully rescued the former Storm Commando Madine from Imperial custody.
In 3 ABY, a Rebel team, led by Leia, infiltrated Coruscant in an attempt to enlist the assistance of Prince Xizor, the Falleen leader of the Black Sun, in uncovering the identities of the assassins who were targeting Alliance leader Luke Skywalker. However, this endeavor proved to be a trap, prompting Skywalker to devise a plan to rescue the Alliance delegates. During the ensuing skirmish, Xizor's palace was destroyed, and the Prince himself met his demise at the hands of Vader, whose flagship, the Executor, obliterated Xizor's skyhook. Capitalizing on the chaos, the traitorous Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin launched a coup against the two Sith Lords, but was ultimately eliminated by loyalist Imperial forces.
During the concluding phases of the Galactic Civil War, control of the Core Worlds fluctuated between the New Republic and the Empire on multiple occasions. With the demise of the Emperor and Darth Vader during the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, the region was fragmented and governed by various Imperial warlords. Coruscant was the location of a short-lived anti-Imperial uprising, which was suppressed by Imperial forces under the command of Grand Vizier Sate Pestage and Isard. While Pestage assumed control of the galactic capital, his authority was contested by the Imperial Ruling Council, which was secretly manipulated by Isard. In 5 ABY, the New Republic, the successor state to the Alliance, captured Ralltiir, Esseles, and Brentaal IV, the latter being an influential Core World situated near Chandrila. Isard strategically manipulated Pestage into relinquishing control of the strategically vital Brentaal to the New Republic as a means of undermining Pestage's position of power.
When Pestage's clandestine negotiations with the New Republic, aimed at ceding Coruscant in exchange for an independent fiefdom located in the Outer Rim, became public knowledge, the Ruling Council seized this opportunity to assert control over Coruscant. Pestage was incarcerated by local Imperial authorities on Ciutric IV, which prompted the New Republic to launch a rescue operation in an attempt to encourage further defections. However, this attempt proved unsuccessful, and Pestage was subsequently murdered by the warlord Admiral Delak Krennel, who then assumed control of Pestage's fiefdom. Meanwhile, Isard liquidated the entirety of the Ruling Council and seized control of Coruscant, transforming the capital into a fortified world against the advancing New Republic by reinforcing it with Imperial reinforcements.
In 6 ABY, Coruscant fell to Republic forces without intense fighting after Alliance operatives sabotaged the planet's shield generators. However, Isard had vanished and infected the capital's alien populations with the deadly Krytos virus as a means of exacerbating tensions between humans and aliens. While the Republic succeeded in treating the virus through shipments of bacta from Thyferra following the Bacta War, interspecies tensions remained pervasive. Subsequently, Isard escaped Coruscant aboard the Executor-class Star Dreadnought Lusankya, which functioned as a concealed private prison buried beneath layers of urban sprawl. This event triggered earthquakes that resulted in the deaths of millions.
In 9 ABY, Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces seeded the space surrounding Coruscant with cloaked asteroids, effectively blockading the New Republic capital by disrupting space traffic and preventing the planetary defense forces from lowering the world's shield generators. With Thrawn's death, the blockade was lifted. Following the defeat of the Imperial warlord Krennel's forces, the New Republic deployed the majority of its Core-based naval units into the Outer Rim, leaving the strategically crucial region undefended.
In 10 ABY, after Grand Admiral Thrawn was assassinated during the Battle of Bilbringi, the Imperial Ruling Council under Ars Dangor's leadership gathered Imperial warlords to organize a brutal blitzkrieg that recaptured several key systems in the Core Worlds within days. Ralltiir, Chandrila, Duro, Kaikielius, Esseles, and Metellos were swiftly taken over by the Imperial forces. Admiral Sander Delvardus commenced an orbital bombardment during the Battle of Metellos, resulting in the deaths of five billion inhabitants of the planet. A sizable Imperial armada bombarded Coruscant, forcing Chief of State Mon Mothma to evacuate the capital's population and relocate the New Republic to the Outer Rim. The Empire invaded the galactic capital, and the Ruling Council summoned the political leaders and military commanders of the Empire to reinstate Imperial governance. However, the Empire descended into a civil war that devastated Coruscant and caused widespread destruction throughout the Empire. After several months of infighting between rival Imperial fleets and armies, Emperor Palpatine returned to conquer the galaxy. Following his initial death during the Battle of Endor, Palpatine was reincarnated in a clone body at his secret throneworld of Byss in the remote Deep Core. Having regained control of the Core Worlds, Palpatine was able to launch Operation Shadow Hand, which targeted various "rebellious worlds" such as Dac, Balmorra, and Da Soocha V.
With his final demise in 11 ABY, the New Republic reclaimed the majority of the Core, while the Empire was pushed back to the Deep Core and regions within the Outer Rim, which collectively became known as the Imperial Remnant. The term "Imperial Core," or sometimes simply "the Core," was employed by supporters of both factions to denote areas of remaining Imperial control surrounding the Galactic Center. This usage persisted even after Coruscant and the majority of the historic Core Worlds had united under the New Republic, and the Imperial holdouts in the area were primarily confined to the Deep Core and the fringes of the Unknown Regions.
Until 25 ABY, the Core Worlds remained largely stable and prosperous, with the exception of brief minor disturbances such as the Corellian Crisis and the Second Imperium Crisis. During the Black Fleet Crisis (16–17 ABY), the New Republic Fifth Battle Group was deployed against the xenophobic Yevethan Duskhan League, which perpetrated genocide in the Koornacht Cluster. In 17 ABY, the Senate Hall on Coruscant was bombed during the Almanian Uprising, resulting in the deaths and injuries of numerous senators. Core-based Republic forces were also deployed against the Deep Core warlords.
During the Corellian Crisis in 18 ABY, the Sacorrian Triad attempted to facilitate the secession of the Corellian sector by supporting various separatist factions within the Corellian system and subsequently kidnapping a Republic delegation led by Chief of State Leia. However, one of these groups—the extremist Human League led by Thrackan Sal-Solo—turned against their Triad superiors by utilizing Centerpoint Station to generate an interdiction field that obstructed all travel to and from the system. The Sacorrian Triad employed Centerpoint to obliterate three planetary systems within the Core, including the Bovo Yagen system.
Tensions between the Human League and their Sacorrian backers reached a critical point when Thrackan attempted to secede the sector with himself as its leader. Upon deactivating the interdiction field, the Sacorrians deployed a war fleet, which was engaged by Bakuran and New Republic forces during the Battle of Centerpoint Station. Following this defeat, the New Republic reasserted its control over the Corellian sector and apprehended the rebels. To alleviate tensions between the region and the Coruscant government, Marcha of Drall was appointed as the sector's new Governor-General. Nevertheless, many Corellians continued to harbor desires for independence and resented New Republic intervention. Despite the normalization of foreign relations and trade with the Imperial Remnant in 19 ABY, the Republic continued to face resistance from splinter factions such as the Second Imperium, which conducted raids on Coruscant to acquire supplies and recruits in 23 ABY.
During the Yuuzhan Vong War, spanning from 25 to 29 ABY, the Yuuzhan Vong, invaders from beyond the galaxy, identified the Core Worlds as a key objective in their quest to dominate the entire galaxy. Initially, the Core Worlds displayed a lack of concern and were hesitant to dedicate resources to aid the Outer Rim planets, as the Yuuzhan Vong's initial attacks primarily targeted those regions. The situation shifted in 26 ABY when the Yuuzhan Vong expanded their offensive into the Mid Rim, Expansion Region, Hutt Space, the Inner Rim, and even launched a failed assault on Fondor located in the nearby Colonies. Billions of refugees, under the protection of the Senate Select Committee for Refugees, were then moved to Duro, which was thought to be a safe haven from further enemy attacks.
However, Tsavong Lah, the newly appointed Warmaster, altered the invasion strategy, leading to a massive Yuuzhan Vong assault on Duro. The attack resulted in the destruction of the planet's orbital cities and the deaths of countless refugees. In an attempt to foster anti-Jedi sentiment, the Yuuzhan Vong proposed a cessation of hostilities in exchange for the surrender of all Jedi to their forces. Several influential politicians from the Core Worlds, including Senator Viqi Shesh and Corellian Governor-General Thrackan Sal-Solo, secretly aided the invaders. Following their devastating victory at Duro, Yuuzhan Vong forces captured New Plympto and Talfaglio within the Corellian sector in 27 ABY, subsequently seizing Ralltiir, Kuat, and Kaikielius.
On New Plympto, a resistance army, led by the Twi'lek Jedi sisters Alema and Numa Rar, fought against the occupation. The Yuuzhan Vong occupiers responded by eradicating the planet's population using a deadly virus. In retaliation to the New Republic's resistance, the Yuuzhan Vong attempted to execute refugees on Talfaglio, but a Jedi raid successfully prevented the atrocity. Consequently, the invaders launched a large-scale assault on Coruscant, the galactic capital, with a massive fleet. The ensuing battle resulted in significant losses on both sides, and Borsk Fey'lya, the Chief of State, was killed.
The Yuuzhan Vong then began the process of terraforming Coruscant, transforming it into a replica of their original homeworld, Yuuzhan'tar. They introduced alien species from their home galaxy, drastically altered the planet's landmarks, and even manipulated its climate by using dovin basals to move it closer to Coruscant Prime. Much of the former urban landscape was replaced with dense vegetation, and one of its moons was destroyed to create a vast asteroid field known as the Rainbow Bridge. As a result, Coruscant became the central hub of the new Yuuzhan Vong empire. Similar terraforming projects were implemented on Duro, transforming it into a lush, forested world, reversing centuries of pollution and neglect.
In 29 ABY, the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, the successor to the New Republic, reclaimed Coruscant after a major battle that led to the death of the Yuuzhan Vong Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane and a revolt among the oppressed Worker caste and Shamed Ones, inspired by the emerging Jeedai heresy. The Yuuzhan Vong were then relocated to Zonama Sekot, a sentient world that was a seed of the original Yuuzhan'tar. With the recapture of Coruscant and the reversal of the terraforming processes, Coruscant resumed its role as the galactic capital in 30 ABY.
After its reconstruction, Coruscant once again served as the galactic capital, and the Core Worlds gradually regained their former economic and cultural prominence. On Duro, the Yuuzhan Vong's terraforming efforts successfully restored a vibrant, habitable environment. During the Second Galactic Civil War, the efforts to establish peace and rebuild were hindered by conflicts between the Alliance and the secessionist Confederation, led by the Corellian system and the Bothans. In 40 ABY, Cal Omas, the Chief of State, was overthrown by Jacen Solo, a former Jedi who had become a Sith Lord, and Cha Niathal, which further divided the Alliance into factions that supported Jacen and the opposing Jedi Coalition. With the cessation of hostilities in 41 ABY, Natasi Daala, a former Imperial admiral, assumed the position of Chief of State, although the Core Worlds remained divided between the Alliance and the Confederation.
Before the Sith–Imperial War, the Galactic Alliance and the Fel Empire signed a treaty on Anaxes, agreeing to defend each other against potential threats from aggressive powers. Following the sabotage of the Ossus Project, the Fel Empire capitalized on widespread anti-Vong sentiment to declare war on the Galactic Alliance. Within three years, much of the Core, including Coruscant, fell under the control of the Fel Empire led by Roan Fel, who was later overthrown by Darth Krayt's Sith Empire in 130 ABY. Duro, now a thriving world, became an Imperial stronghold and housed the Imperial Naval Academy, where the most skilled Duros trained Imperial pilots and capital ship crew members.
As of 137 ABY, resistance against the Sith-led Empire in the Core Worlds persisted in the form of the Alliance's Core Forces under Admiral Gar Stazi throughout the Second Imperial Civil War. While much of the conflict took place in the Outer Rim Territories, the Temple of the Sith on Coruscant was raided by Cade Skywalker, a former Jedi. Later, a combined Galactic Alliance and Fel Empire fleet attacked Ralltiir and decimated the Coruscant Third Fleet, forcing the Sith Empire to allocate more resources to defend the strategically vital Core world.