The conflict known as the Great Clan Wars, which is also referred to as the Mandalorian Civil War, was waged between the New Mandalorian faction, who advocated for peace, and martial traditionalists, who favored a warrior culture, for dominion over the Mandalorian homeworld of Mandalore. This occurred roughly between 41 BBY and 39 BBY according to the years calendar. Victory went to the New Mandalorians, and Duchess Satine Kryze then assumed the leadership role on Mandalore. The group later known as the "Old Mandalorians" were exiled and left for the greater galaxy, while the remaining traditionalists were banished to Concordia, the planet's moon, and eventually evolved into the Death Watch.
Once a world of lush greenery, the planet of Mandalore, the original home of the Mandalorian people, suffered a dramatic transformation. After centuries of warfare against both internal and external adversaries, the surface was reduced to a barren desert landscape. The surviving population sought refuge in scattered settlements, built near the few remaining sources of drinkable water, or retreated to Concordia, the planet's moon, which was also habitable. Concordia's food exports played a crucial role in sustaining those who remained on Mandalore. From the desert, the city of Sundari emerged beneath a colossal bio-dome, giving rise to the New Mandalorians. This movement aimed to redirect the Mandalorian people's energy and ingenuity towards the peaceful and creative reconstruction of their society.
They came to the conclusion that the mercenary skills in warfare had not provided enduring advantages to the majority of Mandalorians, and their influence gradually grew until they eventually challenged the martial traditionalists, a minority on Mandalore who resorted to violence to maintain their grip on power. This challenge occurred around the time that Duchess Satine Kryze assumed leadership of the movement. From approximately 41 BBY to around 39 BBY, a civil war erupted between these two factions, each vying for control of Mandalore. This conflict became known as either the Mandalorian Civil War or the Great Clan Wars.
Duke Adonai Kryze, the father of Satine Kryze, met his death during the conflict while defending Mandalore. Due to her significance, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, spent a year on Mandalore to safeguard Kryze from the traditionalists. These traditionalists dispatched bounty hunters to pursue the trio, forcing them to live as fugitives. During this period, Kryze and Kenobi developed feelings for each other. The already damaged surface of Mandalore suffered further devastation, and the planet's capital, Keldabe, was left in ruins due to the fighting.
The extensive loss of life during the war was a key factor in Kryze's aversion to violence, a pacifist conviction that she maintained throughout her life. When the war concluded, Kenobi made the decision to return to the Jedi Order, although he would have remained with Kryze had she requested it. The duchess then returned and embarked on a mission to rebuild Mandalore, governing the planet until the Clone Wars two decades later. The surviving traditionalists were exiled to Concordia, where they engaged in a futile power struggle, ultimately believed to have led to their extinction. Meanwhile, Mandalore underwent a reconstruction process and prospered under the guidance of the New Mandalorians, who relocated the planet's capital to Sundari, their center of influence.
The group known as the "Old Mandalorians," who were also dedicated to preserving Mandalore's warrior legacy, were also exiled following the war. A monument was erected in the city's Peace Park to honor those who perished on all sides of the conflict. Mandalore retained control of Concordia and became an active participant in the senate of the Galactic Republic, while maintaining neutrality during the Clone Wars. However, the traditionalists secretly regrouped under the leadership of Pre Vizsla, the governor of Concordia, and transformed into the Death Watch. This underground splinter group aimed to restore their people to the "glories" of their martial past by overthrowing the New Mandalorians, and they had sympathizers embedded at various levels of Mandalorian society. The Old Mandalorians, on the other hand, harbored no desire for revenge and instead established themselves as mercenaries in other parts of the galaxy.
Violence re-emerged on Mandalore when Death Watch revealed its presence by aligning itself with Sith Lord Count Dooku and the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. Following a disagreement with Dooku, Death Watch then forged an alliance with Darth Maul and the Shadow Collective to usurp the pacifist New Mandalorian government. Darth Maul subsequently killed Kryze during the ensuing conflict, bringing an end to her pacifist rule and triggering another civil war. Subsequently, the Galactic Republic siege to Mandalore to capture Maul. Following their victory, Bo-Katan Kryze became Lady of House Kryze and Mandalore's Regent.
However, she was ousted by the Galactic Empire when she refused to submit to their authority during their occupation of Mandalore and was replaced by Gar Saxon, who served as Viceroy and the Emperor's Hand on Mandalore. Seventeen years later, a third civil war erupted between Clan Saxon, backed by the Empire, and Clan Wren, supported by the Rebel Alliance. This conflict escalated further when Bo-Katan established the Mandalorian resistance and assumed the title of Mand'alor.
The civil war on Mandalore was initially mentioned in "Voyage of Temptation," an episode from the second season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series. Star Wars: Timelines places the Mandalorian Civil War around 42 BBY, which would predate the events of Padawan in 41 BBY. Given that Padawan depicts Kenobi's inaugural mission, this dating is likely inaccurate.
The Episode Gallery on StarWars.com erroneously treats the threat posed by insurgents and the civil war as separate occurrences. While the guide correctly states that Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi protected Satine Kryze from insurgents, it also claims that she returned after "a" civil war.