The Eleemosynary was an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, a warship utilized as the personal command ship for the cyborg Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik of the Galactic Empire. This destroyer was among the numerous vessels forming the Imperial Fleet present at the Battle of Endor, even though Teshik himself was situated aboard the second Death Star battle station. After the Death Star's obliteration, the Grand Admiral managed to escape and return to the Eleemosynary, from which he continued engaging the Rebel Alliance for a period of three hours following the commencement of the Imperial retreat. Ultimately, the Alliance brought the Eleemosynary to a halt using concentrated ion cannon barrages, leading to Teshik's capture.
The Eleemosynary served the navy of the Galactic Empire as a Star Destroyer. It functioned as the dedicated command ship for Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik, a prominent figure within the Empire.
By the time 4 ABY arrived, the cyborg Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik was actively using the Eleemosynary as his command ship. During the Battle of Endor, this Star Destroyer was positioned in the Endor system, while Teshik himself was stationed on the second Death Star, a battle station being constructed above the Forest Moon of Endor. Alongside the majority of the Imperial Fleet that was also stationed in the system, the Eleemosynary participated in the Battle of Endor against the Navy of the Rebel Alliance.
As the conflict escalated, the Alliance successfully destroyed the reactor core of the Death Star. Teshik managed to evacuate the battle station prior to its destruction, making his way back to the Eleemosynary. Despite an order for Imperial forces to withdraw, Teshik chose to remain in the Endor system with his command ship and continue the fight against the Rebels. However, after three hours, the Alliance managed to disable the Eleemosynary by unleashing a concentrated attack of ion cannon fire. The Alliance forces successfully captured both the destroyer and its commander; Teshik was subsequently executed.
Osvald Teshik, a Grand Admiral with a body that was 75% artificial, commanded the Star Destroyer Eleemosynary. A tactical mastermind wholly devoted to the Empire, Teshik stood his ground even when facing insurmountable odds. This was apparent during the final stages of the Battle of Endor, but his refusal to retreat led to his capture by the Alliance. He was later executed by the New Republic, the Alliance's successor state.
The first mention of the Eleemosynary appeared in "Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals," an article penned by Daniel Wallace and Abel G. Peña that was published in Star Wars Insider 66. In a StarWars.com blog post, Wallace clarified that "eleemosynary" means "supported by charity," suggesting that Peña likely chose the name for Teshik's command ship.
An early version of "Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals," co-authored by Wallace and Peña for Star Wars Gamer magazine, identified the Eleemosynary as an Imperial-class Star Destroyer. When the article was revised for inclusion in Star Wars Insider, some details regarding the Grand Admirals and their flagships were removed. The Eleemosynary's class was one of the pieces of information that was cut.
While "Who's Who" indicates that the Imperial retreat was ordered three hours before Teshik and his ship were captured by the Alliance, The New Essential Chronology claims that Captain Gilad Pellaeon of the Star Destroyer Chimaera issued the withdrawal order four hours after the second Death Star's destruction, after the Eleemosynary was disabled. This article follows the timeline presented in "Who's Who."
- " Who's Who: Imperial Grand Admirals " – Star Wars Insider 66 (First mentioned)
- "Grand Admirals: What Have They Got in their Pocketsses?" – Continuity, Criticisms, and Captain Panaka – Daniel Wallace's StarWars.com Blog (content now obsolete; backup link)
- The New Essential Chronology
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia