Shelikhov-Golikov Company

The Shelikhov-Golikov Company (SGC) was a Russian fur trading venture, founded by Irkutsk entrepreneurs Grigory Shelikhov and Ivan Larionovich Golikov in 1783.

Russian ventures had been focused on maritime operations under promyshlenniki, though costs had continued to rise as more distant sea otter populations had to be exploited.

Shelikhov led aggressions on Kodiak Island against the indigenous Alutiiqs in 1784, known as the Awa'uq Massacre, where Russian employees killed over 2,000 people according to some estimates.

Visiting British and American ships typically paid higher rates for furs when negotiating with Alaskan Natives, which undercut the SGC trading operations.

The official noted that because "those charged with collecting the iasak had often misused their powers", many Alaskan Natives "shunned any allegiance and had attempted to take vengeance on the Russians in any way they could.

The College of Commerce supporting giving Golikov and Shelikhov "a noninterest-bearing loan of 200,000 rubles, to be repaid in installments over twenty years..." as the financial advisors felt the Imperial Government could draw profits by "collecting 10 percent duties for imported and exported goods.

Despite the support of government officials, Catherine refused to stray from her laissez-faire economic policies and declined granting a monopoly to the Irkutsk entrepreneurs.

[5] [7] Natalia delegated more responsibilities of the daily operations in Russian America upon Alexander Baranov, and used her son-in-law, Nikolai Rezanov to curry favor with the Imperial Court.