Grand Moff

Grand Moff was the title given to the Regional Governors of Oversectors. These sectors, also called Priority Sectors, were locations that were of special interest to the Emperor. These included the Imperial capital of and the. Some Moffs like Grand Moff Tarkin held authority over multiple Priority Sectors.

Authority of Grand Moffs
Grand Moffs received drastically increased authority, military forces, and funding in order to compensate for their enhanced position. The position of Oversector governor was the fifth highest in the Empire after the Emperor, Military Executor, Grand Vizier, and Grand Admirals. Technically, this made them equal to Imperial Advisors as they both answered directly to the Emperor. While Imperial Advisors could appoint Moffs, only the Emperor himself could appoint Grand Moffs.

Grand Moffs were personally appointed by the Emperor's will but the first of their number in Grand Moff Tarkin was actually promoted by after the submission of the. The Grand Moffs reported directly to the Emperor and competed for his favor.

The Grand Moffs were higher in authority than the Moffs but there is no indication that Moffs actually reported to the Grand Moffs. Instead, the Grand Moffs held direct control over their territories. Grand Moffs also had drastically different levels of power with Grand Moff Tarkin having control over most of Oversector Outer while Grand Moff Hissa likely only had control over the Kessel Sector. It is possible the Emperor weakened the title of Grand Moff after the disaster with the Death Star.

In theory, the Imperial Advisors were more prestigious than the Grand Moffs and closer to the Imperial seat of power on Coruscant. Their direct access to the Emperor gave them less practical power than Grand Moffs whom often wielded supreme authority over their territories in a manner that brooked little opposition. This is demonstrated by the Grand Moffs role in the Imperial Mutiny. Part of this may be because the Imperial Advisors had no military power by themselves while the Grand Moffs had their massive Oversector Fleets.

History of Grand Moffs
The rank of Grand Moff was created by recommendation of Wilhuff Tarkin as part of his Tarkin Doctrine submission to the Emperor. It was an attempt to cope with the problems of increasing rebel activity across Sector lines. His promotion further came with assignment to the Death Star project.

The rank suffered the first in a series of treasonous scandals when Grand Moff Trachta joined with others in an attempted coup d'état against the Emperor. The plot failed and the traitor Grand Moffs were executed for their treason. This would not be the end of their plotting since the Emperor suspected (correctly) that Grand Moff Tarkin also held ambitions towards the throne.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Rebellion captured Grand Moff Ravik and intended to imprison him for trial when he was killed in a strange adventure involving the Charon. The mutated Grand Moff Ravik was eventually killed by Rebel Alliance agents.

During the Post-Endor Imperial power struggle, several Grand Moffs, including Valance and Ariak Caldny, sat on the Interim Ruling Council. By the time of Vastir Tokrev's reign, the number of Grand Moffs had dwindled to only a few.

Notable Grand Moffs

 * Grand Moff Pellar Hadrian
 * Grand Moff Haldor Vicari