Supreme Chancellor, usually simply known as the Chancellor was the title of the Galactic Republic Senate's Chief Legislator. Along with the President of the Republic and the Chief Justice of the Galactic Courts, the Supreme Chancellor was one of the most powerful beings in the Republic hierarchy.
Appointment of the Chancellor[]
The Chancellor was elected by and from the senators and representatives of the Galactic Senate and could serve two four-year terms before being forced to retire from the Chancellorship because of term limits. These term limits could be extended in times of emergency by a vote of the full Senate or during times of reformation. The Chancellor could be removed from office at any time by the Senate with a Vote of No Confidence; if at any time elections could not be held and the office was vacant, the Vice Chancellor would take over leadership of the Senate until a vote could be held. All of the Chancellors elected between 1,400 BBY and 1,000 BBY were Jedi, a trend finally broken with the 1,000 BBY election of Tarsus Valorum. It was during the Ruusan Reformation that Jedi and Sith were barred from holding elected office.
Powers and functions of the Chancellorship[]
Per the design of the Galactic Constitution, the Supreme Chancellor's powers were largely limited to the role of Chief Legislator. Serving mainly as an officiator of parliamentary procedure and the first among equals in the Senate, the Chancellor had the authority to call an Extraordinary Session of the Senate, and could invoke "Chancellor's prerogative" in circumventing minor aspects of the Senate's parliamentary procedure. The Chancellor also served as the head of the Senatorial Council. It was still a very prestigious position, however, and the Chancellor had a grand office in both the Senate Rotunda's Chancellery and in the dome-like Senate Office Building in Galactic City after its construction under the Palpatine administration. The Chancellor was properly addressed as "Your Excellency". The symbol of the office of the Chancellor, as well as the Galactic Senate as a whole, was a fanned spear. This sigil was also emblazoned prominently on the Chancellor's podium in the center of the Senate Rotunda's Main Chamber.
The office became much more powerful during the term of Chancellor Palpatine, who was able to convince the Senate to grant him a range of "emergency" powers due to the Separatist Crisis and then the Clone Wars, including an unconstitutional extension of his term of office after 24 BBY for the duration of the Separatist Crisis and authority as Commander-in-Chief of the new Grand Army. The Chancellor was given more direct power over administrative concerns, and he was allowed to overrule local planetary and sectorial governments. The Sector Governance Decree allowed him to appoint military governors to every planet in the Republic, and the Security Act amendment gave him complete control over the Jedi Order and Republic military, stripping both the Jedi High Council and the Senate of their previous oversight. Following the removal of Palpatine by the Jedi, a temporary Triumvirate consisting of a member of the Senate, Jedi High Council, and the military restructured the government, stripping away many of Palpatine's amendments and weeding out corruption before appointing a new Chancellor.
History[]
List of known Supreme Chancellors of the Galactic Republic[]
- Damian Andromias (25,053 BBY–25,046 BBY)
- Peliun Kirbat the Unready (24,299 BBY–24,285 BBY)
- Rannek Fillorean (11,506–11,498 BBY)
- Pers'lya (11,990–11,987 BBY)
- Contispex I (11,987–11,947 BBY)
- Contispex II (11,947–11,911 BBY)
- Contispex III (11,911–11,871 BBY)
- Contispex IV (11,871–11,820 BBY)
- Contispex V (11,820–11,758 BBY)
- Contispex VI (11,758–11,692 BBY)
- Contispex VII (11,692–11,599 BBY)
- Contispex VIII (11,599–11,513 BBY)
- Contispex IX (11,513–11,476 BBY)
- Contispex X (11,476–11,400 BBY)
- Contispex XI (11,400–11,382 BBY)
- Contispex XII (11,382–11,297 BBY)
- Contispex XIII (11,297–11,223 BBY)
- Contispex XIV (11,223–11,215 BBY)
- Contispex XV (11,215 BBY)
- Contispex XVI (11,215–11,152 BBY)
- Contispex XVII (11,152–11,050 BBY)
- Contispex XVIII (11,050–11,013 BBY)
- Contispex XIX (11,013–10,966 BBY)
- Biel Ductavis (11,966–11,960 BBY)
- Blotus (8,569–8,274 BBY)
- Trufra Fattum (5,012–5,009 BBY)
- Dartura Gafomaar (5,012–5,009 BBY)
- Damar Pultimo (5,004–4,999 BBY)
- Ada Devin (4,999–4,994 BBY)
- Dag Vand (4,994–4,986 BBY)
- Laertes Arkanus (4,986–4,982 BBY)
- Shamara Uporg (4,982–4,974 BBY)
- El'lona'Brishen (4,974–4,970 BBY)
- Rodsu Brin (4,970–4,962 BBY)
- Ridu V'rieska (4,962–4,956 BBY)
- Pekka Orainn (4,956–4,948 BBY)
- Duena Valorous (4,948–4,940 BBY)
- Vorta Drea (4,940–4,932 BBY)
- Ryate Landala (4,932–4,934 BBY)
- Padalynn Jinn (4,934–4,926 BBY)
- Deagyn Cors (4,934–4,926 BBY)
- Vocatara-Janev'Talatheen (5,802–4,795 BBY)
- Calus Berooken (3,653 BBY)
- Paran Am-Ris (3,653 BBY)
- Dorian Janarus (3,653–3,641 BBY)
- Leontyne Saresh (3,641 BBY–3,633 BBY)
- Rowan Vedij (3,017 BBY–3,009 BBY)
- 1400 onward; only Jedi
- Voron Yung (1,106 BBY—1,098 BBY) (Jedi)
- Faythe Derrosk (1,098 BBY—1,090 BBY) (Jedi)
- Alon Payne (1,090 BBY—1,082 BBY) (Jedi)
- Sadako Dolros (1,082 BBY—1,074 BBY) (Jedi)
- Taza Azrah (1,074 BBY—1,066 BBY) (Jedi)
- Harloth Calway (1,066 BBY—1,058 BBY) (Jedi)
- Diona Telcontar (1,058 BBY—1,050 BBY) (Jedi)
- Cyana Saedrin (1,050 BBY—1,042 BBY) (Jedi)
- Ordol Orailus (1,042 BBY—1,034 BBY) (Jedi)
- Eselis Genarra (1,034 BBY—1,026 BBY) (Jedi)
- Thoris Darus (56–52 BBY)
- Railin Frix (52–48 BBY)
- Isond Kalpana (48–40 BBY)
- Finis Valorum (40–32 BBY)
- Palpatine (32–19 BBY)
- Triumvirate (19–18 BBY)
- Bail Organa
- Mace Windu
- Wilhuff Tarkin
- Bail Organa (18–10 BBY)
- Aurek Sebron (10–2 BBY)
- Gidean Danu (2 BBY–2 ABY)
- Meana Tills (2–10 ABY)
- Mon Mothma (10–18 ABY)
- Zerra Tundarian (18–26 ABY)
- Borsk Fey'lya (26–34 ABY)
- Cal Omas (34–42 ABY)
- Ta'laam Ranth (42–46 ABY)