Angharad

Angharad was the second planet in the Anghara system, located on the distant edges of the Outer Rim. It was colonized by Humans at some point shortly after the invention of hyperspace travel, and then largely forgotten by the rest of the galaxy.

During the waning years of the Old Republic, Angharad carried on a robust trading relationship with Republic corporations, particularly the Coridani Mining Corporation, or CMC. The relationship seemed so mutually beneficial that some speculated Angharad would give up its independent status and formally join the Republic.

Unfortunately, loopholes in trade law made it more profitable for CMC to engage in a hostile takeover of the planet. In 25 BBY, CMC sent mercenary troops into areas populated by civilians, in an attempt to seize full ownership of the planet. The attack was halted by the Jedi Knights, including Obi-Wan Kenobi and then-teenaged Anakin Skywalker.

Significance In Galactic History
For many years, Angharad was chiefly known as a major source of natural compounds used in starship radiation shielding.

The planet was also the site of a notable battle between Republic forces and a Trade Federation faction, which occurred in 25 BBY. Although the Battle of Angharad was seen as an isolated incident at the time, in many ways it prefigured the coming war with the Separatists.

Pre-Colonization: Geology


At the time it was colonized, Angharad's climate was one of extremes. The northern region of its lone supercontinent was a massive desert, while the region to the south consisted of grasslands and lush rainforest. In between stood the Akitlán Mountains, which had peaks that stood higher than ten kilometers.

The Akitláns were a relatively young range, however, and before geologic forces created them, a large basin in the north was covered by a shallow sea.

After the mountains appeared, however, warm, moist air could no longer blow up from the ocean to the northern half of the continent. Low-hanging rainclouds were blocked by the high peaks, and water vapor turned to rain or snow on the southern face of the mountains.

The land to the south became a place with two seasons: a hot, relatively dry summer; and a temperate winter with torrential rainstorms.

Meanwhile, the ancient sea to the north slowly evaporated, and became the Honovi Desert. The Honovi's apparent barrenness was an illusion, however. Its former plant and animal life left the soil rich in inorganic salts and organic materials.

Post-Colonization
The Anghara were Human, and were most likely descended from a relatively small group of early space explorers. Sporadic contacts with the people of Angharad were recorded both before and during the time of the Old Republic, but the Anghara appear not to have taken to space travel again until shortly before the Battle of Angharad.

In 124 BBY, CMC purchased a 99 year monopoly on mining the Honovi desert for rare compounds and minerals used in starship manufacture. The original treaty was extremely favorable to CMC. The Anghara people did not live in the Honovi, and the capital was far to the south. They were not interested in making starships, so the empty land seemed useless to them. For many years, the urban, influential Anghara barely noticed the offworlders' presence.

The first signs of tension between the local people and the miners arose in the remote mountain areas. Trade agreements did exist between the groups, but local authorities had difficulty making sure the terms were honored. The mountain villagers were not Republic citizens, and were barely recognized by their own government, so offworlders could often mistreat them with impunity. Local people responded with vigilante justice. Angry villagers sabotaged or stole CMC equipment, which in turn resulted in violent security patrols and illegal arrests.

Over time, hostilities between mountain residents and CMC employees reached a point where some form of open fighting seemed inevitable. The attempted coup of 25 BBY had primarily financial motivations, but its genocidal character was probably rooted in longtime enmity between villagers and CMC miners.

The Battle Of Angharad
Preparations for the takeover of Angharad began as CMC's mining monopoly was set to expire. Over the previous century, the Anghara leadership had become more aware of the value of their world's resources, and Republic trade law had changed to better protect independent worlds from being exploited. Anghara statesmen in Kohana wanted to end CMC's monopoly and seek other, more profitable arrangements.

There seemed to be no legal way for CMC to hold on to its inexpensive source of raw materials.

Then Keril Sarpedon, CMC's Chairman and a member of the Trade Federation, decided to take advantage of the very laws that were put in place to protect people like the Anghara. He planned to have the longtime mining settlement of Turannos declare itself a native, rival government to the official capital of Kohana. With the help of a mercenary army, these "native rebels" would take over Angharad, and set up a puppet government for CMC.

Since Republic laws did not extend to the lone, independent planet, the Jedi and the Courts could not intervene.

It was actually the alleged abduction of a Republic humanitarian worker that allowed the Jedi Knights to investigate the situation. The mercenaries made the mistake of fighting the Jedi, which brought the full power of Republic authority against the hired army.

For a short time, Angharad was the site of a Republic civil insurrection, fought on foreign soil.

Aftermath
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The result of the Battle of Angharad was not very favorable to anyone. The Anghara had sought to strengthen their independent world-state, and yet they found themselves forced to accept a Republic military presence in the name of "keeping peace."

The CMC lost their mining monopoly, and many company executives were prosecuted.

The Jedi were forced to stretch their overtaxed resources even further, as they sought to protect Republic interests outside of Republic space.

The Republic Senate saw the Battle of Angharad as yet another reason to create a standing army. Multiple far-flung conflicts like the Battle of Angharad showed the shortcomings of the Jedi Order, and paved the way for widespread acceptance of a clone military.

Culture


Anghara society had many different classes, and each class had its own distinct way of living. The wealthy elite in Kohana lived in a fairly technologically-advanced society, even by Republic standards. Someone visiting from the Core Worlds might have found them a bit quaint and tradition-bound, but not startlingly backward.

The poorer urban classes had few luxuries, but enjoyed more civil rights than many poor Outer Rim dwellers. They had the right to participate in some elements of their government, and most considered themselves "citizens" rather than mere "residents" or "subjects."

Centralized government did not extend much farther than the urban areas surrounding Kohana and the tropical Bay of Basham, however, and variations on tribal forms of government were common in rural areas. Some rural Anghara communities had access to quite a bit of advanced technology, while others did not. Distance from trade routes and Republic outposts determined which areas had the most rustic ways of life.

Rural Anghara generally made a living by farming, herding, or fishing, depending on the area where they lived.

Despite the differences in their way of life, it was generally agreed that the Anghara all spoke one language, although some dialects were not mutually intelligible. There were also certain cultural constants that cut across class and regional lines, such as a reverence for tradition, deference to the elderly, and a belief in a spiritual connection between people and the land.

Religion


Most Anghara followed some variant of a religion that combined animism with ancestor worship. It was commonly believed that the spirits of the dead remained in one's ancestral homeland, or for urban Anghara, in the area around one's home. Villages and neighborhoods tended to remain in one place for long periods of time due to this belief. ‎ Nearly all Anghara also revered the Akitlán Mountains, particularly the enormous Mt. Mahavashti. The montaine rainforest on the south side of the Akitláns was known as "the Spirit Country," and was generally considered a holy place.

At the time of the Battle of Angharad, it was this reverence for ancestral land that led some Spirit Country residents to remain and fight Sarpedon's army instead of fleeing. The most notable of these local resistance fighters were the people of Nidawi, a small mountain village that was particularly hard-hit by CMC raids.

The people of Nidawi proved to be invaluable allies to Obi-Wan Kenobi as he sought to forestall the mercenaries' invasion.

Behind The Scenes

 * "Angharad" is actually a Welsh woman's name that means "loved greatly." It is also the name of the heroine in "How Green Was My Valley."


 * The story of Spirit Warriors of Angharad is a Star Wars adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.


 * The natural environment of Angharad is borrowed from real-world Nepal, with some of the Utah Salt Flats thrown in.

Appearances
Spirit Warriors of Angharad