We established a puppet government on the planet, but it is nothing more than just . . . that. A mere organ of our occupation. The local population seem to have almost no allegiance to it, though, so I am considering disbanding it entirely.
—General Jurech Tur, Military Governor of Darkon III
The Darkon Republic, also called the Darkon Protectorate, was a puppet state established by the Galactic Empire after it occupied Darkon III following the Clone Wars. It replaced the Darkon State, an independent government which was established before 19,000 BBY. The new regime was given very limited freedoms by the local Imperial administration, and was considered by many citizens as just an organ of the occupation forces. It was allowed to raise a military force after an insurgency began under the Darkon Partisans. The security force became known as the Darkon State Guard, and had around 38,000 members at it's peak, reinforcing the 40,000-man garrison that the Empire deployed.
The leader of the state was Imperial-appointed Vladimir Kriško, a former general of the Darkon Army, who agreed to take up the post in order to do his best to protect the people of Darkon III from the brutality of the Imperial regime. He was portrayed by propaganda as the 'Father of Darkon' and he urged the Darkon people to join him and the Empire in 'cleansing the galaxy from the Rebels'. He also urged the people to obey the occupational authorities. However, his regime had failed to win over the Darkon people, who mainly supported the Partisans. Despite his efforts to protect his people, the Imperial forces (and collaborators in the State Guard) killed more than 800,000 Darkon civilians.
After the Darkon National Uprising in 0 ABY, the occupation forces fled and the Darkon Republican government was left to defend itself. It was not capable of doing so, and dissolved a week later. Kriško was executed for high treason and war crimes, along with thirteen other government officials of the Republic.
