Trade Federation

The **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. 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.

At one point, the Trade Federation allied with the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. The alliance between the Trade Federation and the Sith Order led to the invasion of the peaceful planet of Naboo and caused a crisis in the Republic's government, although the occupation was thwarted by Queen Padmé Amidala and her forces. Escaping imprisonment and being welcomed into Count Dooku's entourage, Viceroy Nute Gunray pledged his droid armies to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the Federation's forces fought both the Galactic 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.

#### History

###### Invasion of Naboo

Prior to the Invasion of Naboo, the Federation came into contact with Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, who had a vested interest in the organization's projects and operations for his future plans. The Sith promised the Federation power and money in return for accepting his orders, so the corporation secretly allied with Sidious. Using its manufacturing might, the Federation began construction of its own droid army.

In response to the taxation of trade routes under the Republic, to help push through its own proposed legislation, the Trade Federation fleet blockaded and invaded Naboo with its droid army. Unknown to all, however, they were also following the orders of the manipulative Sith Lord Darth Sidious. The invasion served as a pretext for Naboo's Senator, Sheev Palpatine—secretly the public guise of Sidious himself—to be elected Supreme Chancellor. During this period of time, the Trade Federation was headed by Nute Gunray, who oversaw the invasion and installed himself in the Theed Royal Palace. He hoped to force Queen Padmé Amidala into signing a treaty that would effectively sign the planet over to the company. Allying with the Gungan Grand Army, Amidala and her forces eventually ended his occupation.

###### Clone War

A decade after the war on Naboo, the Trade Federation pledged support to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, becoming a major military benefactor during the ensuing Clone War. However, the Federation publicly denied all links to the Confederacy aside from their business dealings and claimed itself to be neutral. As such, Lott Dod was able to maintain his seat in the Republic Senate. Although the Federation displayed a bias towards the Separatists in business, the company used its neutrality to do business with both sides. Publicly, the Trade Federation also distanced itself from Viceroy Gunray, calling him "an extremist" and stating that his views did not represent the Federation's positions. While Gunray was still the head of the Federation, the Federation claimed he only led an extremist splinter faction.

Throughout the war, the Trade Federation was often used by the Separatists and the Sith as a puppet to drive more systems to their causes, though this was staunchly denied publicly.

While the Federation was neutral, Gunray's position on the Separatist Council gave the CIS access to use of Federation fleets.

At the end of the war, Lord Sidious betrayed the Federation leaders by having them killed by his newest apprentice Darth Vader on the volcanic world of Mustafar following the Outer Rim Sieges, and the corporation was nationalized by the newly formed Galactic Empire. The Federation was subsequently subsumed.

During the era of the Galactic Empire, the Trade Federation was vilified by many.