All great empires begin with a seed, a seed that then transforms an empty field into an oasis of life. That seed was the East India Company, and from that seed the East India Company transformed England into what it is most famous for today, a vast empire that ruled the majority of Eurasia . The East India Company began by looking for a way to develop new trade and connect to untouched and unknown places. It can be said that the trade routes and posts established in India were the real beginning of the empire. After the trade evolved and became increasingly popular among the European superpowers, competition intensified. The Company stood its ground and instead of simply warding off competition, the East India Company entered into alliances with rivals to strengthen their roots. To defend their newly acquired properties and population, they created armies equipped with the advanced weaponry and skills of the British Empire. Through alliances, the use of armies, and the domination of world trade, the East India Company laid the foundations of the British Empire. Before the Company became a well-developed commercial and land acquisition machine, it began as a curiosity. In the 1580s, Francis Drake had just completed his voyage around the world and England had defeated the Spanish Armada. After these historic events, England decided to travel to the notorious Orient. One of the first explorers of the East was a London merchant named John Midenhall. In 1599 he sailed for India and stayed there for seven years before returning to England. But the most important event that occurred in the history of the East India Company occurred in 1600, when Queen Elizabeth authorized the Company to charter a v...... middle of paper ......The East India Company began losing its trading power due to the Regulatory Act of 1773, and eventually losing its Indian power to other trading countries eager to make more money. The Bengal Mutiny of 1857 marked the end of the East India Company. The British Crown replaced the Eastern Company after 200 years of Company rule in India. Three years later, the East India Company's headquarters in London was destroyed (East of India Web). The East India Company created a base for the British Empire and was ultimately destroyed by the empire that created it. The company established factories across India and shaped the Indian government using its factories. Armies were trained and used to defend their territory and trade in India. The Company's legacy in India tragically fell into the hands of the British Crown and ended a commercial dominance that was much more than just trade..