East India Company
The East India Company was a collective term for patent companies that European countries, including England, the Netherlands, and France, established in the 17th to 19th centuries. These companies were involved in the direct importation of goods from India and Southeast Asia, as well as colonial activities. The East India Company was a state monopoly enterprise, with the British, Dutch, and French companies being the most influential. It was established in 1600 under a royal charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I of England. During the reign of Charles II, it took on a modern Corporation form.