The Jedi Schism was an event that split the Jedi Order three months after the start of the Clone Wars. Hundreds of Jedi refused the Jedi High Council's orders for them to follow Palpatine's appointment of them to positions within the Republic Army. Their reasons included the belief that it was not a Jedi's position to lead armies, that the Separatist Crisis should be handled through diplomacy and not war, and that they had better things to do.