East India Company

The East India Company (EIC), also known as the Honorable East India Company (HEIC) or the British
East India Company  was an English and later British joint-stock company,

How the East India Company replaced the Rule of British crown?

Company rule in India (sometimes, Company Raj, refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India

Company over parts of the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after
the Battle of Plassey, when the Nawab of Bengal Sirajuddaulah surrendered his dominions to the
Company, in 1765, when the Company was granted the diwani, or the right to collect revenue,
in Bengal and Bihar in 1773, when the Company established a capital in Calcutta, appointed its
first Governor-General, Warren Hastings, and became directly involved in governance.

Why was it formed?

It was formed to pursue trade with the "East Indies" but ended up trading mainly with the Indian
subcontinent and Qing China..

Who were the leaders?

John Watts, George White were the founders of the company.

Additional Information

The Company had armed forces and armed ships. It fought against various Indian rulers and struggled
against the Dutch East India Company and other European nations. It was ruled by one governor and
24 directors. It became a monopoly in most parts of India.

The company was dissolved in 1874. Its role was taken over by the Government of India (the British Raj).
At its height, the Indian Empire covered a huge area from Baluchistan in the west to Burma in the east,
plus Ceylon and a number of other islands.