The Jedi Order (A Non-Canonical History)

The Jedi Temple On Coruscant

Early History
The Jedi originated nearly forty thousand years ago
as an Order of eremetical 'seekers' after a Universal
Principle they called The Force which they sought to
understand through meditation and mental disciplines.
Gradually the early Jedi gave up their eremitical
way of life for enclosed communities where like minded
contemplatives could share techniques and insights.
Over time they realized that isolated contemplation
was not the path to the Force and began to go out into
the greater community as healers and teachers.
The shift from essentially pacifistic 'social
workers' to Knights Militant actively defending peace
and justice was highly controversial both within the 
Order and with the public who were understandably
nervous about the Jedi's strange powers. The early
Jedi Knights deflected much of this popular
apprehension by placing themselves at the service of
the Interplanetary Republic under the authority of the
Senate.
Marital arts, especially sword and staff
techniques, had been part of the Jedi Way from its
earliest days when lonely hermits had often been
forced to defend themselves from outlaws.
The lightsabre was originally developed as a hand
weapon by the Republic military but was found to be
too difficult for most recruits to use. The Jedi, with
their Force assisted reflexes were able to master the
difficult and dangerous weapon and it soon became
their trademark along with the somewhat less favored
'lightpike'.
As the Republic expanded the Jedi came into contact
with other Orders and Schools dedicated to the Force
assimilating much of their teachings and traditions.
The Order of Jedi Knights evolved into a loose
confederation of scholae varying somewhat in details
of philosophy and discipline but united in their basic
commitment to Service and the Force.
A co-ordinating Council was established on
Coruscant to act as a regulating body and liaison with
the Republic Senate.
The Sith Schism
 The Dark Side had always been a threat and a
tempation to those who followed the Jedi Way. From the
begining there were those who failed the test and
became Dark Adepts. 
Though dangerous they also tended to be emotionally
unstable, lacking both settled purpose and
self-discipline. They were seldom able to evade the
Jedi for long. 
The now nameless Master who founded the Sith was
the exception among Dark Adepts. Unlike his
predecessors the first Sith was systematic and
disciplined in his exploration of the Dark Side. He
became convinced the true power of the Force lay there
and the Jedi should embrace it, abandoning their role
as servants to become rulers of the Galaxy. 
When he presented these conclusions to the Council
they were rejected in horror. Undeterred he escaped
imprisonment to found his own Order dedicated to the
Dark Side, the Sith.
Other disaffected Jedi were his first recruits.
Later joined by untrained Force Sensitives
undiscovered or rejected by the Jedi.
Where the Jedi called themselves 'knights' and were
sworn to serve and defend the Sith assumed the title
'lord' and sought power. Their twin aims were Galactic
domination and the total destruction of the Jedi
Order. 
At first it seemed likely they'd achieve both
ambitions. Planet after planet fell to the Sith Lords
and their Dark Servants. The Jedi defenders either
killed or in a few rare cases suborned. 
Then a young Jedi Knight, Altor Starrider, emerged
from his remote frontier planet to rally the Jedi and
the military forces of the Republic against the Sith.
Aided by his nine sons Altor led the resistance
against the Dark Lords.
Growing arrogant in their power the Sith began to
conspire against their Master and each other. The Jedi
took full advantage of this weakness. Feeding the
distrust and enmity amongst the Sith by every possible
means until it exploded into open warfare decimating
the Sith Order and breaking the back of their Empire.
Then the Jedi led Republic forces swept in, taking
back the captive worlds and destroying the few
surviving Sith Lords. All but one.
The Starrider did not live to see the final
victory, nor did six of his nine sons. It was the
seventh son, Loran Starrider, who led the Republic to
triumph. Aided by a powerful heirloom created by his
father.
The Rider's Star is a Force vergence centered on a
simple kiber crystal set in a silver star. Given by
Loran to his own son, and passed down through
generations of Starrider heirs from his time to our
own.
But the Sith were not totally destroyed. A lone
survivor, Darth Bane, carried on the tradition. Wiser
than his predecessors he decreed there were to be only
two Sith Lords at a time. A Master and his Apprentice.
The successors of Darth Bane continued to work in
secret for power and the destruction of  the Jedi.
Over the next eight centuries four Sith Lords emerge
to openly challenge the Order and the Republic. Three
died leaving an Apprentice to carry on. But the
fourth, Darth Moloch, and his Apprentice were
destroyed together when when their stronghold fell. Or
so the Jedi thought.
For a thousand years there would be no further sign
of the Sith.
The Temple Era
The Dark Side had always been a threat to be
guarded against but in the wake of the Sith Wars the
Jedi became obsessed with the fear of it. The entire
Order was recreated specifically to prevent future
falls.
All the Jedi were gathered together on Coruscant to
live under the direct supervision of the Council in
the first of three great temples built to house them.
Originally Jedi Padawans were chosen by their
Masters, guided by the Force. Early adolescence was
considered the ideal time to begin the training but
younger or much older people might also be taught, the
decision being left entirely to the discretion of the
individual Master.
Under the Temple potential Jedi were identified
nearly at birth and taken from their families to be
reared in rigorous seclusion. Islolated from outside
influences and temptations. 
Where once Jedi had lived alone or in small groups
as part of the greater community they were now
arbitrarily cut off from it in their Temple fastness.
Contact even with their birth families was curtailed.
And attachments outside the Order firmly discouraged.
This estrangment was to cost them dearly when the
Sith finally moved.
The Empire
 The near destruction of the Jedi Order by the last
Sith Master, Darth Sidious a.k.a. The Emperor
Palpatine, is covered in detail by many other sources.
For the purposes of this esssay we will limit
ourselves to the bald facts.
The number of Jedi Knights had already been greatly
reduced by the casualties during the Clone Wars. Many
of the remainder were killed in the Emperor's suprise
attack on the Temple. Most of the Jedi operating in
the Core Worlds died in the first days of the purge.
Those on missions to the Outer Rim lasted longer but
the majority were eventually hunted down and killed by
the Emperor's Apprentice, Darth Vader, and his Dark
Servants.
Many survivors of the first stage of the purge
rallied to the Starrider brothers, descendants of
Altor and Loran. Their rebellion ended in ambush at
the battle of Condawn where the Rider's Star was
captured and the last of Altor's line believed killed.
Condawn was to be the Jedi's last attempt at open
resistance. Scattered survivors went into hiding,
keeping the tradition alive and awaiting the guidance
of the Force.
Palpatine's masterstroke was the corruption of
Anakin Skywalker, a Force Avatar, like Altor Starrider
before him, concieved by the Force to make a final end
to the Sith. Instead he joined them becoming Darth
Vader. The Emperor's victory seemed complete.
In fact there remained no less than three potential
saviors; Anakin Skywalker's twin children, Luke and
Leia; and Derik Starrider, last of Altor's line and
heir to the Rider's Star.
Hidden from both their father and the Emperor, who
were unaware of their existence, the Skywalker twins
had the potential to take up their father's abandoned
destiny and end the Sith forever. As did young Derik
Starrider, also carefully hidden by his mother and
aunt, if he could somehow regain the Rider's Star and
learn to use it's powers.
Yoda, the only surviving Councillor, and Obi-Wan
Kenobi, once Anakin's teacher, chose to concentrate
their efforts on Anakin's son. Training him up to be
the Jedi his father should have been. 
His sister Leia was adopted by Prince Bail Organa
of Alderaan. Her true identity unknown to all but the
Prince and the two Masters she was held in reserve, a
second hope should her brother fail.
Yoda at least was aware of the existence of the
third hope, Derik Starrider. Unfortunately so was the
Emperor after Derik succeeded in wresting the Rider's
Star from him.
Darth Vader was sent to deal with the last
Starrider heir. After an inconclusive hand to hand
fight Vader resorted to razing the planet in an
attempt to eliminate his rival. He failed but may
never have known it though the Emperor certainly did.
The Starrider and his family took refuge in the Outer
Rim Territory where they soon became involved in a war
against the Hutts.
As it turned out it wasn't Luke Skywalker's destiny
to destroy the Sith but rather to call his father back
to the Light Side so Anakin could complete the task
he'd been born for. It was the father not the son who
killed the Emperor ending the Sith Order forever.
The Restoration
 Less than thirty Jedi survived the purge and long
proscription. The new Jedi Council headed by Master
Dai-Men Jinn abandoned the Temple, desecrated by the
Emperor's long habitation, instead establishing
commanderies on Coruscant, Naboo, Aquilar and
Tatooine. As the Order grew further centers were
founded.
Though less centralized than under the Temple the
modern Jedi Order is still hierarchically organized.
Individual Jedi are responsible to the Master of the
local commanderie and he in turn to the Council on
Coruscant.
Along with the Temple the renewed Jedi Order has
discarded most of the practices belonging to it.
Especially the recruitment of infants and the the
enforced seclusion.
While still very few contemporary Jedi are much
more accessible than their Temple bound predecessors.
Mixing socially with the people of the Republic as the
earliest Jedi had done.