Image from the diary of Carl Johan Gethe, a cartographer on board the Gotha Leyon, which left Sweden on a three year trading expedition in 1746. Gethe's diary or Dagbok is titled: Dagbok hallen pa resan till Ost Indien begynt den 18 octobr: 1746 och slutad den 20 juni 1749 or 'Diary of a journey to East India begun on 18 October 1746 and ending June 20, 1749'. The Swedish East India Company (Swedish: Svenska Ostindiska Companiet or SOIC) was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1731 for the purpose of conducting trade with the Far East, and grew to become the largest trading company in Sweden during the 18th century. It closed in 1813.