The French East India Company was constituted during the reign of which French monarch?

Key Fact(s)

The French East India Company was established in 1664 under the reign of Louis XIV, one of the most powerful monarchs of France. The Company was formed as part of France’s broader policy of mercantilism, guided by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the finance minister of Louis XIV.

Its objective was to promote French trade and colonial expansion in India and the East and to compete with the English and Dutch trading companies. The Company received state backing and monopoly rights, reflecting strong royal support. This marked the formal beginning of French commercial and political ambitions in India, which later culminated in the Carnatic Wars.