Ferdinand Xaj

Ferdinand Xaj was a general in the Separatist Droid Army during the Clone Wars. A graduate of the Academy of Carida, Xaj served as a lieutenant colonel in the Senate Guard. However, he became disillusioned with the Galactic Republic and came into contact with a former Jedi named Count Dooku, who recruited the former guardsman into the Separatists. Xaj was promoted to colonel and commanded the M47 Division, a unit of the Droid Army, during the Battle of Geonosis. It was the one unit that performed successfully against the Grand Army of the Republic during the engagement, and Xaj was promoted to general. He asked and got the CIS high command's approval to form his own volunteer legion of organic troops, the Free Revolutionary Army. With the Count's approval, Xaj formed a political wing for the organization, the Committee for the Liberation of the Sentients of the Republic.

During the Clone Wars, Xaj fought in many pitched battles, during which he scored a number of victories against the Republic. He came to the attention of the Jedi Order, which identified him as the tactician behind those victories and wanted him killed. His Revolutionary Army grew larger, and in 21 BBY had the strength of five infantry divisions of all-organic troops. In addition, the Army had a droid-manned armored brigade under its command. The high success rate of the Revolutionaries in the first years of the war prompted even many clone trooper defections, and Xaj reformed the Committee to be more of a government than just a political wing. The Separatist leadership decided on installing Xaj as the leader of a Republic-type puppet government in the case of their victory. However, in 20 BBY, the Army suffered several defeats, which caused a large number of defections to the Republic. In 19 BBY, the Committee, under Xaj's leadership as the chairman, declared that they would keep fighting even if the CIS falls. Late that year, shortly after the Battle of Coruscant, Xaj transferred the committee and the army to Utapau.

As the Battle of Utapau began, Xaj led the Revolutionary Army and made some gains against Republic troops. However, it soon became clear that the CIS would not win. Upon hearing that General Grievous was killed at the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Xaj gave his men his last command: surrender to the Republic. He himself was captured by the newly-founded Galactic Empire. Xaj was sent to Coruscant and was held at the Republic Detention Center for a year. In 18 BBY, a show trial was made for him and seven top collaborators under his command. They were executed by hanging following the trials.