Alderaanian Parliament

The Alderaanian Parliament was a governing body on the Core World of Alderaan. The parliament was founded after King Darrus Alde united the planet under his rule early in its history, prior to the formation of the Galactic Republic. Only members from the noble houses of Alderaan were eligible to serve in the parliament. The nobility of Alderaan were responsible for ruling the planet and choosing the reigning monarch in often vicious, always intricate games of local politics. Each noble house bore the family name of its original founders, and many nobles traced their lineage back over hundreds of generations. However, noble blood was not a requirement for house membership; in less traditional houses, it was not unheard of for an ambitious servant or farmer to rise above his or her station.

After the Treaty of Coruscant that ended the Great Galactic War and Alderaan's subsequent withdrawal from the Galactic Republic, the Crown prince of Alderaan, Gaul Panteer—who personally withdrew Alderaan from the Republic in protest over the treaty—was assassinated; the queen died a few days later.

With no monarch and no heir, the parliament was tasked with deciding which of Alderaan's noble houses would inherit the throne. The legislature became deadlocked, leading one of the houses to decide to settle the matter by force. This house's actions led to one of the bloodiest civil wars in galactic history.

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