Over time the British East India Company was able to establish exclusive control over India and prevent boats from other trading companies from docking. The East India Company did this by concentrating their trade and security almost entirely with India leaving other areas of East and Southeast Asia to be controlled by other countries' companies. As the British East India Company gained more trade control over India, it also assumed military and administrative control. The company and its private army also governed over these areas establishing their own laws and order without the direct oversight of any government. At its height, the Company controlled more land than the British government and was able to institute laws in those areas that would benefit the Company and extract profit. One of the best ways to learn about imperialism is to concentrate on an in-depth case study of a country before, during, and after it was colonized. India is an excellent candidate for such a case study on imperialism because it was by far the most valuable colony of the most powerful empire—the British Empire. It all started with a small global trading company—the East India Company—that grew and grew and eventually conquered much of South Asia. Before long, India became the “jewel in the crown” of the largest empire in the history of the world.