Great Jedi Purge

The Great Jedi Purge, later also known as the Second Jedi Purge or Palpatine's Purge, referred to the efforts initiated by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, upon his creation of the Galactic Empire, in 19 BBY, to eradicate the Jedi Order. It resulted in the near-annihilation of the Jedi, as it had been with the First Jedi Purge that occurred after the Jedi Civil War.

The purge officially began with Order 66, following a botched attempt by Mace Windu and three other Jedi to arrest Sidious, who was the Supreme Chancellor. The Jedi were deceitfully declared the enemies of the Republic, and the Grand Army of the Republic was compelled to turn on them.

Sidious, now Emperor of the Galactic Empire, used his new apprentice, Darth Vader, who was formerly Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, and other agents of the Empire to hunt down and kill the remaining Jedi. Some Jedi fought the Empire until their deaths, like Roan Shryne, and those at the Conclave on Kessel. Others hid from the Empire, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda.

In the nineteen years that followed Order 66, many Jedi fell to Vader, Inquisitors, Emperor's Hands, Dark Jedi, and even bounty hunters. The Jedi were also hunted by the Emperor's Shadow Guard. By 0 BBY so few Jedi remained, the Emperor no longer considering the Jedi a threat and ended the Purge.

Text and facts from the “Great Jedi Purge/Legends” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.