Battle of Nimban (Cail's Empire)

The  was a space battle that occurred over the planet Nimban, fought between the Galactic Republic and the Hutt Empire in 4 BBY. It was preceded by the Nimban Crisis, which began roughly one month earlier. The local governor of Nimban, a Hutt planet on the edge of Imperial space, had been influenced and eventually puppeted by Imperial agents dispatched by Palpatine in 5 BBY to cause a crisis that would result in military action, the result being the humiliation of the Hutts and the severe weakening of their political influence galaxy-wide. Palpatine's bid was successful, and when the governor of the planet declared secession from the Hutt Empire, Emperor Durga responded by dispatching a Hutt battlegroup to coerce the governor to reconsider. Palpatine dispatched an Imperial fleet of his own, under the command of Vice Admiral Balmus Cail, and a month-long standoff ensued.

The tense standoff was broken when the Hutt governor proclaimed his intention to join the Galactic Empire, and subsequently the orbiting Hutt fleet dispatched troops to arrest the governor and take control of the planet once again. Vice Admiral Cail moved to engage the Hutts, and the ensuing battle resulted in the death of the Hutt admiral and severe damage to his fleet.

The Hutt Emperor, under the influence of Jabba the Hutt (the de-facto leader of the Hutt Grand Council), immediately began negotiations with Imperial diplomats. The result of the brief talks brought Nimban officially into the Galactic Empire and severely diminished Hutt influence in many sectors of the galaxy.