Trade Federation

Trade Federation was a megacorporation that worked as an interstellar shipping and trade conglomerate. It grew so powerful during the waning years of the Galactic Republic, that it had its own representatives in the Galactic Senate. Founded in 350 BBY during the High Republic Era, it rose to prosperity in the Outer Rim and maintained its own private military. Over time, it became locked into a power struggle with the Republic that raged on for decades as the Federation grew in size, prestige, and power under the Neimoidian species. The Trade Federation would often force planets into exclusive contracts which, in several circumstances, gave them the ability to blockade planets and control system politics. Following the Clone Wars, the Galactic Empire allowed the Federation to remain in existence in vestigial form until its disestablishment upon the dissolution of the Imperial Senate.

During the Eriadu Conference, its leadership was killed by the Nebula Front. As a result, one ambitious cabal of Neimoidians jumped into the power vacuum, anointing Nute Gunray as the new Federation leader under the title of Viceroy. He secretly conceded to a pact with the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. The alliance between the Trade Federation and the Sith led to the invasion of the peaceful planet of Naboo and caused a crisis in the Senate, although the occupation was thwarted by Queen Padmé Amidala and her forces, as well as the Gungan Grand Army.

Escaping imprisonment and being welcomed into Count Dooku's entourage, Viceroy Gunray pledged his droid armies to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the Federation's forces fought both the Republic's military and the Jedi Order throughout the Clone Wars. Despite this, Senator Lott Dod kept denying claims of the Federation backing Count Dooku's Separatists, always asserting its corporate neutrality. By the time of the war, the business enterprise held much authority in the Quellor sector, exercising its influence in the affairs of the government of Cato Neimoidia. Gunray and his fellow Separatist Council members were betrayed by Darth Sidious, who had them killed by his apprentice, Darth Vader, at the end of the Clone Wars, and the Trade Federation was nationalized by the newly-formed Galactic Empire at the start of its reign.

The Trade Federation was subsequently subsumed into the Empire where it became powerless and obsolete. During the Galactic Civil War, the Trade Federation was liquidated as the Imperial Senate was dissolved.