In the final years of the Old Republic, after the Trade Federation's Invasion of Naboo, the Republic placed a law that had taxes placed on all trades to outlying star systems, causing many to believe that the Republic had grown corrupt. Because of this, Star systems, sectorial governments, and mega-corporations such as the Trade Federation and Techno Union, seceded from the Republic and formed the Confederacy of Independent Systems, or the Separatists among other terms. This alliance was led by Count Dooku, a former Jedi Master, and had an army consisting mostly of battle droids from the Techno Union, the Corporate Alliance, the Commerce Guild, the InterGalactic Banking Clan, and the Trade Federation. This droid army was secretly forged on Geonosis. When the Jedi and Grand Army of the Republic engaged the Droid Armies on Geonosis, it began the Clone Wars. Throughout the war, the Separatists won many battles with their droid armies, in addition to mercenaries such as the Mandalorian Protectors and Trandoshans, bounty hunters such as Cad Bane and Durge, local forces such as the Geonosians, Jabiimi Nationalists, and Umbaran Militia, and Dark Acolytes such as Asajj Ventress, but also suffered many defeats. In the end, like the Republic they fought against, the CIS were little more than pawns in Palpatine's plan to gain control of the galaxy.