The Clone Wars are a series of fictional intragalactic battles in George Lucas's science fiction saga Star Wars. The conflict is first mentioned in the film, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), but no details are given (except for the obvious mention of clones being involved), and the wars themselves are not featured until the series' fifth and sixth films, Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005), the second and third episodes of the six-part Star Wars film series. The 2D animated microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003–2005) and 3D CGI animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–present), chronicle some of the war's major campaigns. Additional events and stories are detailed in a multimedia campaign consisting of Star Wars literature and video games. Many of the events featured have parallels in history, politics, and mythology from which Lucas and other writers drew inspiration.

The Clone Wars began during the Separatist Crisis when thousands of star systems seceded from the Galactic Republic to form the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS). The first battle occurs on the CIS planet Geonosis where the Republic's new clone army, led by Jedi generals, combats the Separatists' battle droids. War quickly spreads across the galaxy and eventually reaches the Republic's capital, Coruscant. The Clone Wars end shortly after the with the Separatist Massacre on Mustafar and the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The events causing the war and those leading to its conclusion are orchestrated by the Republic's chief executive, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.