Grand Vizier

The Grand Vizier, known simply as just Vizier, was the highest-ranking government officer in the Galactic Empire who led the Imperial Ruling Council and the Imperial Senate and was the deputy of Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine, and serving as well as an intermediary between the Emperor and high-ranking officials in the Imperial Military. The only titleholder was Mas Amedda, one of the most respected figures in the fascist government.

The position of Grand Vizier was established in the aftermath of the Clone Wars and the Galactic Republic's transformation into the Empire. Mas Amedda, a Chagrian who served as Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate under two Supreme Chancellors, Finis Valorum and Sheev Palpatine, in turn, was granted the title of Grand Vizier after Palpatine's ascension as Emperor. Having consolidated his rule over the galaxy, Emperor Palpatine all but retreated to the privacy of the Imperial Palace, leaving the day-to-day rule of state to Grand Vizier Amedda and attended to affairs of the Imperial Senate. Additionally, Amedda had the authority to rule as a proxy during the Emperor's absence from the cosmopolitan throneworld of Coruscant.

During the Galactic Civil War, Palpatine was killed at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, leaving the Empire without an Emperor. As the next highest-ranking official in the New Order, Grand Vizier Amedda assumed command of the Empire by default. However, he was unable to secure any real power beyond the capital, and could do little to prevent ambitious warlords from dividing the Empire into several remnants and factions. However, even the throne world of Coruscant universally acknowledged the Grand Vizier's authority, having fallen into a state of civil war between Imperial loyalists and rebel sympathizers.

Amedda would ultimately spend the final months of the war as a prisoner of Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax of the Imperial Navy. Using the Grand Vizier as a figurehead for propaganda purposes, Rax declared himself Counselor to the Empire, and therefore, became Emperor in effect while Amedda was sealed within the Imperial Palace. When a group of Coruscanti youths infiltrated the palace intending to assassinate the Grand Vizier, Amedda convinced them to rescue him instead, promising to end the war in return for his life. With the death of Rax and the defeat of the Empire at the Battle of Jakku in 5 ABY, Amedda signed the Galactic Concordance treaty, officially surrendering the Empire to the New Republic. In exchange, he was granted amnesty and allowed to resume his position as Grand Vizier on Coruscant, but in appearance only. Placed under the surveillance of Republic overseers, Amedda became the figurehead leader of a powerless provisional government on Coruscant.

Text and facts from the “Grand Vizier” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.