Suez Canal Company
In 1858, the Universal Company of the Maritime Suez Canal, or Suez Canal Company, was formed by French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps to build the Suez Canal, beginning construction on April 25 1859. Although Napoleon had originally conceived the idea to build the canal in 1799, the project never came to fruition. The Suez Canal Company was granted permission to construct the canal and operate the canal for 99 years, when its control would be returned to the Egyptian government. Shares in the company were originally divided primarily between French and Egyptian parties, however, the British government purchased Egypt's shares in 1875, resulting in French and British control of the canal.