- "Despite this, some particularly zealous governors, such as Moff Iraydion of the Belderone sector saw an opportunity to solidify Imperial control of their systems by banning Republic credits and any equivalent local currency."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Iraydion was the Imperial Moff of the Belderone sector. They banned Republic credits and local currencies in their sector despite there being significant delays in the delivery of the newly minted Imperial credits. This resulted in localized financial collapse within the Belderone sector that resulted in a large amount of its population joining Imperial service out of desperation.
Biography
A planned collapse
- "Almost overnight residents of some of Iraydion's worlds effectively discovered that they were bankrupt."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Moff Iraydion capitalized on the delay in Imperial credit deliveries to solidify Imperial control over the Belderone sector.
Iraydion was a Moff of the Galactic Empire who served as governor of the Belderone sector during the Imperial Era. After the Empire's formation[1] in 19 BBY,[2] there were significant delays in supplying more distant systems with the newly minted Imperial credits. Despite this, Iraydion banned the use of Republic credits and other local currencies, seeing it as an opportunity to solidify Imperial control over the systems in their sector.[1]
These bans rendered the savings and wealth of many of the sector's inhabitants obsolete and drove many to bankruptcy overnight. Fearing punishment, shops would not accept the banned currencies, even in exchange for food and other basic items, and many businesses could no longer pay their workers. Given the scarcity of legal tender, when the Imperial credits did arrive it caused price inflation and resulted in a localized financial collapse.[1]
A dependent sector
- "The result of this localized financial collapse was a significant part of the population joining Imperial service, either through military recruitment or heading into industrial jobs that could at least guarantee a usable currency. Both outcomes were ultimately beneficial to the Empire as alternative employment sectors collapsed leaving people to depend on the state for survival."
- ―Beaumont Kin, The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
Iraydion's actions resulted in a boost in enlistment within the Imperial Military (early Imperial forces pictured) and employment in the regime's industry.
The result of Iraydion's bans was that a significant part of the now desperate population of their sector joined Imperial service. With other employment sectors having collapsed, people took industrial jobs with the Empire or were recruited into the Imperial Military just to earn the only useable currency. These outcomes were seen as beneficial to the Empire as the population had become dependent on the state and more pliable to being complicit with the regime's actions.[1]
The consequences of Iraydion's actions were recorded in a file on financial controls in the "Belderone sector" section of the Imperial Archives, which the historian Beaumont Kin referenced in[1] his[3] book The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire[1] in 35 ABY.[4]
Personality and traits
Iraydion was an especially zealous governor.[1]
Behind the scenes
Iraydion was mentioned in the 2024 reference book Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, which was written by Dr. Chris Kempshall.[1]
Sources
- Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire (First mentioned)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire states that thirty years have passed since the end of the Galactic Civil War and months have passed since the Battle of Exegol. As Star Wars: Timelines dates the end of the war to 5 ABY and the Battle of Exegol to 35 ABY, the in-universe The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire must have been published in 35 ABY.