Commerce Guild

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Commerce Guild

The Commerce Guild was a trade conglomerate made up of major commercial entities, such as the SoroSuub Corporation. The Guild was known for pressuring smaller companies to join.

The guild was dissolved following the execution of Presidente Shu Mai and was imperialized by the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY.

History

The guild went as far back as 700 BBY, when it maintained a trading station in the Bpfassh system. Companies that resisted the Guild were placed under tremendous pressure by the Guild, including its security forces. Like the Trade Federation, Corporate Alliance and the InterGalactic Banking Clan, the Commerce Guild had its own security forces. The Guild was also powerful and had several corrupt planetary officials, senators, and industrial spies in its fold.

The Commerce Guild also had the power to buy entire planets. One such planet was Castell, the homeworld of the Gossam. The Commerce Guild enslaved the entire population of Castell. At the time, Shu Mai was the Commerce Guild's Chief of Property Resources. She initially used her position to liberate her people, but then followed this by raising the required tribute from her fellow Gossam. The Commerce Guild Chief of Staff was so pleased with Mai that they gave her the office of Presidente of the Commerce Guild. Afterward, Mai negotiated aggressively and managed to end the financial crisis that had ravaged Castell for a decade. The planet then gained importance for the Guild as a manufacturing center.

In 27 BBY, the Commerce Guild introduced a bill for the Galactic Republic approval, one that would gave the Guild a de facto monopoly over banking practices in the Outer Rim Territories. To improve the possibilities of its adoption, the Guild bribed several voting Senators to sponsor it. Many others, including Senator Bail Prestor Organa of Alderaan, openly opposed, even swearing to stop the legislative motion. To get rid of their interference, the Guild arranged a false accident during the Galactic Games of Euceron, where a racer would collide with the seats of the Senators. Liviani Sarno, member of the Guild and of the Game Council, organized the conspiracy with the help of Maxo Vista, who wanted to join the Guild. The plot was discovered by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jocasta Nu and stopped by Anakin Skywalker. As Organa and the rest of the opposition were still standing, the law was vetoed.

Nevertheless, the guilty parts were not judged, thanks partially to the perjury of Bog Divinian, who wanted the Guild to be in debt with him — something he achieved. With the help of the Guild and other sponsors, Divinian obtained political power, and thus retained the sympathies of the Guild. However, Divinian's career was forfeit as of 24 BBY, and the Guild lost any interest in helping him.

In 25 BBY, the criminal Slam gang attempted to break into a security vault of the Commerce Guild. Before they could perform their heist, the Slams were captured and sent to prison.

In 24 BBY, the Commerce Guild opened an office in the tax-free world Korriban. Guild members deserving a punishment were sent there, although the Guild motivated other corporations to open offices in Korriban spaceport of Dreshdae. Local executives were robbed in their hotels with alarming frequency. Using local crime against Guild workers as an excuse, the Guild sent a droid army (including DSD1 dwarf spider droids, homing spider droids to Korriban, violating the Republic laws.

In the years leading to the Clone Wars, Shu Mai greatly increased the military and commercial clout of the Guild. She also instigated strife on Ansion, resulting in the Mission to Ansion, and aligned the Guild with Count Dooku's Separatist movement.

In 22 BBY, Mai was present in a meeting of Separatist leaders on Geonosis which saw the birth of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. She knew that support of the Separatists would be treason against the Galactic Republic, but she could not resist the lure of promised wealth. She allied the Commerce Guild with the Confederacy during the Clone Wars, and supplied armies of battle droids to their Droid Army and starships to their starfleet.

During the Clone Wars, Shu Mai attempted to use combined military might from both the Confederacy of Independent Systems and Commerce Guild to distribute deadly trihexalon on Coruscant and therefore eliminate the Republic Senate. The plot was prevented by a group of Jedi padawans' led by Mavra Zane and Chewbacca.

Following the execution of Shu Mai at Mustafar by Darth Vader in 19 BBY, the Commerce Guild ceased to exist, and its remaining holdings were absorbed by the Galactic Empire. At least one Commerce Guild employee, Iaco Stark, took refuge within the Corporate Sector Authority.

Source

• Wookieepedia