The Dutch East India Company

At a certain point in human history, mundane spices like pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, the stuff you have shoved in the back of your cabinet right now, made one company so much money it is still considered one of the valuable to ever exist. Not only were they extremely successful at running spice, they almost served as a country unto themselves. The Dutch government had granted the VOC (the acronym for the company in its native Dutch and so much easier to type) a monopoly on the spice trade from the Indies for 21 years. Combine that with permission to establish new colonies or outposts, dispense its own justice, make treaties with other rulers or governments, and operate its own Navy and soldiers. The VOC was a nation in more ways than some actual nations were. Other advantages the VOC had in ship building, it includes windmills, and the ability to raise capital with the advent of the stock exchange. The creation of shares in voyages would make its way to New Amsterdam in North America, soon to become New York City, you know, where the New York Stock Exchange is....seeing the connection here. Any way you slice it the VOC was huge, but as always, success does not come without a cost and boy did a lotta people pay for it. If you're still reading you can stop now and start the episode.