Trade Federation

"Supreme Chancellor, delegates of the Senate, a tragedy has occurred, which started right here with the taxation of trade routes, and has now engulfed our entire planet in the oppression of the Trade Federation!"

- Sheev Palpatine

The Trade Federation was an interstellar shipping and trade conglomerate during the waning days of the Galactic Republic, one so powerful that it had its own representative in the Galactic Senate. Its ultimate goal was to control all galactic trade routes, ports and freighters, and was willing to do anything to increase profits and avoid Republic taxes. In response to the taxation of the Free Trade Zones, and while under the manipulation of the Sith, the Trade Federation invaded Naboo with its Trade Federation army. The invasion being pretext for Naboo's Senator, Sheev Palpatine&mdash;secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious&mdash;to be elected Supreme Chancellor.

A decade after the war on Naboo, the Trade Federation pledged support to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, becoming its military benefactor during the Clone Wars. Publicly, however, the Federation denied all links to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, while maintaining a seat in the Republic Senate. The Federation leaders were killed by Darth Vader at the end of the war, and the corporation was nationalized by the newly formed Galactic Empire.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Journeys: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Tarkin
 * Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy
 * Star Wars: Shattered Empire, Part III
 * Aftermath
 * Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
 * Tarkin
 * Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy
 * Star Wars: Shattered Empire, Part III
 * Aftermath
 * Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy
 * Star Wars: Shattered Empire, Part III
 * Aftermath

Non-canon appearances

 * William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace: Star Wars Part the First