The Imperial Coalition, also referred to as Palpatine's alliance, represented a union between the Ruling Circle and the remaining fleet commanders who maintained loyalty to the former Galactic Empire. This Empire had largely disintegrated after the Liberation of Coruscant in 6 ABY. It was established in the days following the death of Grand Admiral Thrawn at the Battle of Bilbringi in 9 ABY. While the Coalition controlled the former capital of Coruscant, alongside crucial Imperial worlds and star systems within the Deep Galactic Core and beyond the Core Worlds, Imperial authority remained fragmented. The unrealized success of Thrawn's campaign intensified conflicts between factions, ultimately leading to the outbreak of a large-scale Imperial Civil War within months. This war further divided Imperial forces until the return of Palpatine and his Dark Empire in 10 ABY.
Following his revival on Byss, Palpatine initiated the recruitment of Deep Core warlords, including Blitzer Harrsk, Treuten Teradoc, and Sander Delvardus, to his cause. Subsequently, the surviving members of the Ruling Circle joined, bringing along the Moffs and fleet commanders who maintained control over the former Empire. This led to the formation of the Imperial Coalition. The majority of these diverse factions harbored animosity towards each other, agreeing to the Coalition primarily out of fear of being excluded from the spoils. The Ruling Circle, populated by the late Emperor Palpatine and his Dark Side Adepts, was conceived by Palpatine as a replacement for the existing system of Moffs and governors within the Galactic Empire, aiming to establish a dark side theocracy. Simultaneously, the fleet commanders retained authority over the remnants of the Imperial Military, utilizing Star Destroyers and their escorts as instruments of destruction. Unbeknownst to many Coalition members, including the mainline Imperial forces under Gilad Pellaeon, Palpatine was the unifying force. During this period, the New Republic received numerous unusual reports regarding missing Imperial personnel and warships, including Inos Fonada and his armada, designers and blueprints from the fortress world of Keleda, and Admiral Feyet Kiez along with his Star Dreadnought Whelm. Furthermore, reports indicated that warlords Harrsk, Teradoc, Delvardus, and Foga Brill had ceased their scheming and skirmishing. New Republic Intelligence initially suspected that a single warlord had gained control. However, these forces had united under Palpatine's banner, preparing for a devastating strike on the galaxy. These reports were initially disregarded amidst the chaos following Thrawn's death, leading the New Republic to redeploy its forces to the Outer Rim.
In addition to maintaining control over the Deep Galactic Core and numerous highly industrialized regions beyond the Core Worlds, the Coalition launched an assault on the New Republic following Thrawn's defeat at Bilbringi. This campaign, marked by extreme violence, caught the New Republic off guard. Three massive task forces emerged from the Deep Core, including four Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts, including the Whelm, five Mandator IIIs, and three Vengeance-class dreadnoughts. With the Republic's forces scattered in the Outer Rim, the Coalition swiftly captured several key planets and star systems within the Core. The New Republic attempted to halt the advance at Metellos, but a fleet of raiders dispatched to Coruscant surprised them. The Coalition successfully captured Coruscant in a battle led by General Alix Balan in 10 ABY. However, the former galactic capital was not utilized as the primary base of operations.
Nevertheless, Imperial Advisors, like Ars Dangor, proposed holding a convention in the old Senate building on Coruscant. The purpose was to elect a new ruler from among themselves and establish a new Empire there to oversee the decisions of the newly-crowned ruler. Although Moffs and governors opposed and thwarted this plan, the leadership of the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order grew uneasy with what they perceived as treasonous scheming in making decisions based on mere political expediency. Individual ministers, munitions magnates, and functionaries promptly resumed their plotting, with the Inquisitorius following suit, wielding their authority by staging show trials as a result of their resentment towards the Military's independence.
The Military itself, encompassing both the army and navy, arrogated the power to appoint the new Emperor. The navy specifically demanded the right to select a new Grand Admiral from their chain of command to continue the Thrawn campaign. The army also sought to have its say in the matter. In response to the navy's demands, the bureaucracy dismissed the military, citing Thrawn's failure, and instead turned to regional militias and the CompForces.
Ultimately, violence broke out after months of political maneuvering within the Imperial Coalition. Thrawn's incomplete victory exacerbated internal conflict, escalating into a full-blown Imperial Civil War. The Emperor's Ruling Circle clashed with the military, triggering brutal wars of attrition involving numerous shifting loyalties. Navies engaged each other, siege orders and orbital bombardments were issued, terror troops destroyed planetary defense systems, and anarchy prevailed throughout cities. Counter-insurgency efforts and the presence of scavengers were widespread on the former Imperial capital.
The war transformed Coruscant into a disaster-stricken world. Although Palpatine returned with the Dark Empire in 10 ABY, the Emperor and his dark forces were defeated within a year, once again leaving Imperial forces vulnerable to internal greed. Despite this, New Republic planners held optimistic visions of rebuilding and rededicating Coruscant to the principles of civilization, even as Imperials desperately clung to their remaining territories.
- Dark Empire Sourcebook
- The Essential Chronology
- The New Essential Chronology
- The Essential Atlas (First identified as Palpatine's alliance)
- The Essential Guide to Warfare