The third season of The Mandalorian has focused on showing Mandalorian culture and what the warrior people look like living, training and hunting together. So it only makes sense that we’d also look at the very planet Mandalorian culture originated from: Mandalore (Mand’alor or Manda’yaim in Mando’a). It was named after Mandalore the First, who conquered the planet with help from his Taung warriors.

RELATED: The Mandalorian Season 3: Win Tickets To Watch The Finale In Cinema

Audiences have only seen Mandalore a handful of times, and it wasn’t until Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore that we got a good look at the planet and what it might have looked like in its heyday.

What is Mandalore?

Mandalore is a war-torn planet located in the Outer Rim Territories. It was once the homeworld of the Mandalorians but was abandoned after the Great Purge. This allowed several indigenous creatures to take over the planet, including the four-eyed Alamites, who attacked Din Djarin and Bo-Katan Kryze upon entering the Sundari ruins.

The planet has two moons, including Concordia (once a mining base and agricultural centre) and was once teeming with life. Before it became the crystal-surfaced, stormy wasteland it is presently, Mandalore once had a lush surface and boasted forest, jungles, lakes, mountains and seas.

RELATED: Did The Mandalorian Season 3 Retcon The Book of Boba Fett Character Arcs?

The Living Waters of Mandalore and the Taming of the Great Mythosaur

The Mythosaur is a creature of legend said to have lived in the Mines of Mandalore. It was tamed by Mandalore the Great, the first Mandalorian. The memory of the large creature lived on past its apparent extinction, as the Mythosaur skull now serves as an important symbol of Mandalorian culture and the planet Mandalore.

It resided in the Living Waters, a ceremonial ground which served as the location at which Mandalorains could redeem themselves, a practice still followed by the Children of the Watch despite their belief that the Living Waters had been made inaccessible due to the Purge. Star Wars fans were introduced to the idea of the Living Waters in The Book of Boba Fett when Din reveals that he has removed his helmet in front of people in Chapter 5: Return of the Mandalorian.

The Mythosaur was considered extinct long before the Great Purge of Mandalore, having been taken out by the Taung, who conquered the planet and named it Mandalore. However, the return of the Mythosaur was marked when Bo-Katan got a glimpse of one shortly after Din Djarin fell/was dragged into the depths of the Living Waters.

RELATED: Purrgils – What Grogu in Hyperspace Means for The Mandalorian

The Mandalorian Wars

After the Taung renamed themselves Mandalorians, after Mandalore the First, they thirsted for conquest and thus began conquering different star systems and bringing them under Mandalorian law. During the wars, the Neo-Crusaders arose and helped conquer more worlds.

During a battle of Malachor V, Jedi Knight Revan ended the wars when he killed the then Mandalore in single combat. This defeat caused many Mandalorians to return to the planet of Mandalore, while others became bounty hunters, mercenaries and bandits.

Candorian Plague and the Arrival of Aga Awaud: Mandalore the Uniter

During the Republic Dark Age, the Candorian Plague spread throughout the galaxy, and Mandalore was one of the many planets affected by the deadly illness. During this time, the planet weakened, allowing raiders to attack Mandalore with little resistance.

During this time, Aga Awaud, a Mandalorian mercenary, returned to his home planet and saw it was in ruins. Deciding to take action, he took up the title of Mandalore and called the Mandalorians spread throughout the galaxy to return home and build up the planet’s defences again.

Mandalore flourished under his rule and became a regional industrial power and symbol of stability in the Outer Rim.

RELATED: The Mandalorian Season 3: How The Show Is Handling the Loss of Gina Carano

The Mandalorian Excision

Following the end of the New Sith Wars, the Mandalorians decided to advance themselves technologically and build up a rigid, militant society. However, after the devasting war against the Sith, Mandalore’s choices alarmed the Galactic Republic. Due to their Mandalorian traditions, they refused to join the Republic.

They refused to suffer through a second war, so the republic acted rashly and had the Jedi lead a strike force on Mandalore. The attack was swift and devastating, leaving entire sections on several Mandalorian worlds as barren deserts. The Republic referred to it as the Mandalorian Excision, while the Mandalorians referred to it as the Dral’Han (the Annihilation).

Following the devasting loss of the Mandalorians, the Republic occupied their space and set up a provisional government to oversee affairs. While the Mandalorians were able to preserve their warrior culture, many held resentment for the Republic and the Jedi and several new branches of Mandalorians formed.

RELATED: The Mandalorian Season 3: Everything We Hope To See In The Star Wars Series

New Mandalore

Isolated from the traditionalist warrior clans that resided on the planet, the New Mandalorians were a reformist political faction that renounced Mandalore’s past violence to save the planet and try to help it survive. However, their resentment towards the Republic caused the planet to remain neutral during the Clone Wars.

They took advantage of their talent as builders and inventors, creating cities in Mandalore’s deserts and ruling over the warring clans scattered across the planet. Their renouncement of ancient Mandalorian ways caused them to become known as the Faithless.

The Republic welcomed the New Mandalorians and offered representation in the Galactic Senate for the first time since Mandalore the First and the Taung conquered the planet. 

Formation of the True Mandalorians

In 60 BBY, Jaster Mereel, a law officer born on Concord Dawn, became the Mandalore. He had a strong moral code and was exiled from his home planet after killing a corrupt superior officer before becoming a Mandalorian. Taking note of the Mandalorian people’s dissatisfaction with the savage ways of certain clans, Mereel decided that it was time for the Mandalorians to be held to a higher standard.

He created the Supercammando Codex, behavioural guidelines which Mereel developed from his own morals. He stated that any Mandalorians who wished to fight should conduct themselves as honourable mercenaries and would be considered highly-paid soldiers.  Mereel’s followers soon started calling themselves the True Mandalorians.

Of course, many amoral Mandalorian warriors disagreed with his guidelines and attempts to rein in their way of living.

RELATED: Gina Carano Fired From The Mandalorian After Social Media Controversy

Formation of the Death Watch

The Mandalorians who resented Mereel rallied behind Tor Vizsla, a barbaric Mandalorian soldier, who called the group the Death Watch. They were determined to destroy the New Mandalorians and return Mandalore to its ancient roots of conquest and raiding.

Their ultimate goal was to start another war and continue the galactic conquest that had begun when the Mandalorians first arrived on Mandalore.

Civil War: Tor Vizla’s Death Watch vs Jaster Mereel’s True Mandalorians

The Death Watch and the True Mandalorians conflict crew until a Civil War eventually broke out. The New Mandalorians chose to reject both groups and stay away from the conflict as much as possible. Though it was between two small factions of Mandalorians and barely affected those living off-world, the Civil War between the warring Mandalorian clans was philosophically and ideologically important to Mandalorian culture.

Tor Vizsla killed Mereel on Korda Six, and command of the True Mandalorians fell to his son Jango Fett. The war continued on several worlds until a final battle was held on Galidraan. The Death Watch’s schemes led a Jedi Strike team to kill every True Mandalorian except Jango Fett, who the Jedi took into custody, and the Galidraan government sold into slavery. Fett became a bitter man who swore vengeance against Vizsla and waged a personal vendetta against the Jedi that stayed with him until his death at the beginning of the Clone Wars. This resulted in his agreement to allow the Clone Troopers to be grown using his DNA.

RELATED: Yay! Toxic Star Wars Fans Finally Discovered The Mandalorian

The Great Clan Wars

Following their “victory” against the True Mandalorians, the Death Watch tried to exploit the divided loyalties between the feuding clans on Mandalore. However, war eventually erupted, and any attempts the Death Watch made to gain support against the New Mandalorians were futile and resulted in a loss of numbers.

The second Mandalorian Civil War further divided clans and saw family members fighting each other, adding to the scars of the centuries-old Mandalorian Excision. At the end of the wars, the Death Watch had failed to unseat the New Mandalorians and the Mandalorian warlords responsible for the conflict either joined the regime or exiled themselves to the moon Concordia.

The Rule of Duchess Satine Kryze

For a while, Mandalore lived in peace under the rule of Duchess Satine Kryze, who had been named Mandalore by the New Mandalorians after the Great Clan Wars, even though the title technically still belonged to Jango Fett.

During the Clone Wars, she and Senator Tal Merrik of Kalevala, who represented the Mandalorian System in the Galactic Senate, had the Mandalore System join the Council of Neutral Systems (which was comprised of nearly 1500 star systems). 

Despite their neutrality, many Mandalorian mercenaries were seen fighting on either side of the war.

The Death Watch’s Return

Following the death of Tor Vizsla at the culmination of the Great Clan Wars, the Death Watch came under the leadership of Pre Vizsla. He became acting governor of Concordia and seemed like an ally to Duchess Kryze. But, in truth, he despised her.

Following the death of Jango Fett, Vizsla proclaimed himself Mandalore and began assembling an army in Concordia’s abandoned Beskar mines. He found an Ally in Count Dooku and dreamed of conquering Mandalore.

Attempts on the Duchess’ Life

Following a Death Watch attack on a Republic Cruiser and rumours that Mandalore was building an army for the Confederacy, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi visited Duchess Kryze on Mandalore. While there, the Memorial Shrine in Sundari’s Peace Park was bombed by the Death Watch.

The two investigated the bombing and learned about the Death Watch’s secret staging ground before returning to Mandalore. Kryze then set out to Coruscant to plead her planet’s case and was rescued by Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker from Separatist forces.

The Death Watch’s attempts on her life continued during her time on Coruscant, but she still managed to stall Mandalore’s involvement in the Clone Wars and prevent the Death Watch’s attempts to conquer her planet.

Poisoning of Mandalorian Children

After reaffirming that Mandalore would remain neutral, the planet’s economy struggled as the Republic closed off key trade routes. Prime Minister Almec decided trading through the Black Market was the only way to ensure Mandalore’s survival. This resulted in the Mandalorian children being poisoned by tea with high levels of slabin. Almec’s operation was cripple thanks to Naboo Senator Padmé Amidala and Duchess Kryze’s investigations.

When Ahsoka Tano was sent to Mandalore to educate the Royal Academy Students, they discovered food and supplies that were being moved without official approval. This exposed Almec, who had the student, Duchess and Jedi Padawan arrested. Unfortunately for him, they fought back, and Almec was promptly arrested.

The Death Watch Finally Claims Mandalore

The Death Watch eventually allied themselves with Darth Maul, the Shadow Collective and several other crime families. The crime families attacked key locations around Sundari, which caused the Mandalorians to doubt Satine.

Pre Vizsla took full advantage of this by publicly promising they would protect Sundari from further attacks. The Death Watch received the public’s support, and Satine was secretly arrested and imprisoned.

Unfortunately, soon after Vizsla declared himself Prime Minister of Mandalore, he and Maul disagreed, and Vizsla promptly arrested the Sith Lord and his apprentice. While in prison, Maul allied himself with Almec and the three escaped.

Maul killed Vizsla, claiming the title of Mandalore and leadership of the Death Watch. Almec informed the public that Satine was responsible for Vizsla’s death.

The Death of Duchess Kryze

Not taking kindly to new leadership, a portion of the Death Watch, including Vizsla’s lieutenant and Bo-Katan (Satine’s sister), worked together to free Satine so she could contact the Republic for aid. Unfortunately, she was captured again, but Obi-Wan Kenobi soon arrived, infiltrating the Death Watch and freeing Satine.

Unfortunately, Maul managed to murder Satine and imprisoned Kenobi after doing so.

Following Satine’s death, a Civil War broke out among the Death Watch’s forces between those loyal to Bo-Katan and those loyal to Maul. Bo-Katan helped Kenobi escape in the chaos, hoping he would bring reinforcements.

Darth Sidious arrived soon after, having learned about the situation on Mandalore, and he quickly took care of his former apprentice by ending his rule and killing his apprentice. Maul soon returned to rule Mandalore through Almec.

RELATED: Pedro Pascal’s Top 10 Most Iconic Movie & TV Performances

The Siege of Mandalore

In the last days of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano and the 332^nd Division assisted Bo-Katan Kryze in her takeover of Mandalore and the defeat of Maul. As a result, Maul was finally arrested, Prime Minister Almec was killed, and Bo-Katan Kryze was officially appointed the Regent of Mandalore, ending the Mandalorian Civil War.

Invasion by the Galactic Empire

Unfortunately, she couldn’t enjoy victory or peace for very long. Following the formation of the Galactic Empire, Kryze was betrayed by Gar Saxon and his clan, who swore their allegiance to the Empire and allowed Mandalore to fall. As a result, Saxon was made Viceroy of Mandalore.

Kryze refused to align herself with the Empire and became a leader of the Mandalorian resistance.

The Mandalorian Civil War During the Imperial Era

Another Civil War began between the clans Saxon and Ren after Ursa Wren killed Viceroy Saxon. While the Empire backed Saxon, Wren was backed by Clans Kryze, Vizsla, Rook, Eldar and the last surviving member of the Mandalorian Protectors, Fenn Rau.

Following the destruction of the “Duchess”, a weapon designed to react to the Beskar alloy within Mandalorian armour and incinerate the warriors within, the Mandalorian Clans pledged themselves to Lady Bo-Katan, who inherited the Darksaber and the mantle of Mandalore.

The Great Purge of Mandalore

Realising that they would never conquer the warrior people, the Empire took matters into its own hands. It proceeded with one of its most devastating acts of violence prior to the construction of the Death Star. Though Bo-Katan and her people attempted to fight the imperial forces, they stood no chance, and that attack became known as the Night of a Thousand Tears.

The Empire sent TIE bombers in waves and laid waste to the planet, using fusion bombs to obliterate the cities while KX-series security droids and Viper probe droids took care of any survivors. Moff Gideon took part in the purge and claimed the Darksaber from Bo-Katan, one of the few Mandalorians who survived and fled.

After the total annihilation of the planet, the Empire gathered the few items of value that had survived the purge, including Mandalorian Beskar, which they cast into Imperial ingots. As a result, Mandalorians came to believe that their homeworld was cursed and poisoned and chose never to return to its surface.

Mandalore and its people have been through a lot. From several Civil Wars to unprompted attacks from outside parties, they can never seem to catch a break. But, hopefully, in the future, the people of Mandalore will rise to their former glory.

RELATED: The 10 Most Powerful Star Wars Characters

What are your thoughts on Mandalore and Mandalorian history?

Mandalore: The Tragic History of Star Wars’ The Mandalorian Written by Hannah Lieberum for Fortress of Solitude