- "Ghorman was the scene of an early massacre, portent of the future of the Empire. A peaceful demonstration against rising taxes turned to tragedy and horror as the Republic warship sent to collect the taxes landed despite the protesters, killing or injuring hundreds."
- ―The pamphlet A Call to Reason distributed by the Rebel Alliance
The Colonies[3] planet Ghorman[1] had a primary spaceport.[4] In approximately 19 BBY,[5] hundreds of Ghormanians attended a[1] peaceful sit-in protest at the spaceport's landing pads in opposition to a new tax by[1] the recently declared[6] Galactic Empire. The Imperial Captain Wilhuff Tarkin arrived in a warship to collect the taxes[1] and ordered his pilot[6] to land on top of the protestors,[1] killing[2] and injuring hundreds in what became known as the Ghorman Massacre.[1]
Behind the scenes
Ghorman's spaceport was first mentioned in 1990's The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, written by Paul Murphy.[1] The magazine Star Wars Annual 1999 stated that multiple warships landed at the spaceport during the Ghorman Massacre,[7] while all other sources only mention that Tarkin's warship landed.[1][2][4][6] The 2005 reference book The New Essential Chronology by Daniel Wallace and Kevin J. Anderson stated that the massacre occurred at Ghorman's capital square rather than the spaceport.[8] This article follows the majority of sources that place the massacre at the spaceport.
Sources
- The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook (First mentioned)
- The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, Second Edition
- Star Wars Technical Journal of the Rebel Forces
- Star Wars Annual 1999
- Star Wars Annual 2008
Tarkin, Grand Moff in the Databank (original site is defunct)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Farlander Papers" — Star Wars: X-Wing
- ↑ The Essential Atlas
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Wars Technical Journal of the Rebel Forces
- ↑ The Official Star Wars Fact File 31 TAR 1-4: Grand Moff Tarkin states that the Ghorman Massacre took place shortly after Palpatine declared himself Emperor, which The New Essential Chronology dates to 19 BBY.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Official Star Wars Fact File 31 TAR 1-4: Grand Moff Tarkin
- ↑ Star Wars Annual 1999
- ↑ The New Essential Chronology