The East India Company: The Corporation That Conquered Nations — Fexingo History

The EIC's Forgotten Execution: Company Bahadur and the Trial of Warren Hastings

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore one of the most dramatic political trials of the 18th century: the impeachment of Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of Bengal. Hastings was charged with corruption, cruelty, and mismanagement by the British Parliament, including the torture of Indian rajas, the bribery of judges, and the illegal confiscation of lands. The trial, which lasted from 1788 to 1795, was a sensation in London, featuring star witnesses like Edmund Burke and Philip Francis. Lucas explains the key charges, including the treatment of the Begums of Awadh and the Rohilla War, and how the trial ultimately ended in Hastings' acquittal, but left a lasting stain on the Company's reputation. The episode also touches on the broader implications for British imperial rule and the early debates about colonial accountability. #EastIndiaCompany #WarrenHastings #Impeachment #EdmundBurke #CompanyBahadur #BegumsOfAwadh #RohillaWar #PhilipFrancis #BritishParliament #ColonialJustice #BengalPresidency #18thCentury #BritishEmpire #History #FexingoHistory #Corruption #TrialOfTheCentury #GovernorGeneral Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The EIC's Forgotten Shipwright: Lowji Nasarvanji Wadia and Bombay's Dockyards

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the pivotal but often overlooked role of Lowji Nasarvanji Wadia, a Parsi master shipwright who transformed Bombay into a major shipbuilding centre for the East India Company. They discuss how Wadia's expertise, honed in Surat, was recruited by Governor Gerald Aungier in the late 17th century to build the Bombay Dockyard, which launched some of the finest ships in the Company's fleet. The conversation covers the challenges of constructing dry docks in a tidal harbour, the unique design of the 'Bombay-built' ships that outperformed British-built vessels, and the legacy of the Wadia family who dominated the dockyard for generations. Lucas explains how the dockyard's success was tied to the broader story of the Company's rise, from the need for naval defence against the Siddi of Janjira to the construction of ships like the famous 'Falmouth' that sailed to China. The episode also touches on the relationship between the Parsi community and the British, and how shipbuilding expertise became a cornerstone of Bombay's economy, long before the city became a global metropolis. This is a deep dive into the industrial and maritime history that powered the Company's expansion across the Indian Ocean. #LowjiNasarvanjiWadia #BombayDockyard #ParsiShipbuilders #EastIndiaCompany #BombayHarbour #ShipbuildingHistory #GeraldAungier #Surat #MughalShipwrights #SiddiofJanjira #FalmouthShip #DuncanDock #WadiaFamily #CompanyBahadur #IndianOcean #MaritimeHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The EIC's Forgotten Fortress: Bombay Castle and the Island City

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the early years of Bombay under the East India Company. They discuss how the port city grew from a sparsely inhabited island into a strategic hub, driven by the construction of Bombay Castle and the vision of Governor Gerald Aungier. The conversation touches on the role of Parsi shipbuilders like Lowji Nasarvanji Wadia, the threat from the Siddi of Janjira, and the development of the Bombay Presidency. Listeners will learn about the Koli fishing communities, the arrival of Catherine of Braganza's dowry, and the transformation of Bombay's fortified landscape. The episode brings to life the challenges and triumphs of building a colonial city from scratch, with vivid details about Duncan Dock, the Mahim fortifications, and the interplay of Portuguese, Mughal, and Maratha influences. #EastIndiaCompany #BombayCastle #GeraldAungier #LowjiNasarvanjiWadia #Siddi #Janjira #Parsi #Koli #CatherineOfBraganza #BombayPresidency #MughalEmpire #PortugueseIndia #DuncanDock #Mahim #CompanyBahadur #History #FexingoHistory #ColonialIndia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The EIC's Forgotten Bankers: The Jagat Seth and the Battle of Plassey

This episode uncovers the story of the Jagat Seth, the banking dynasty that financed the Mughal Empire and, ultimately, helped the East India Company conquer Bengal. We explore how Fateh Chand and his nephew Mahtab Rai controlled the flow of gold and silver across the subcontinent, issuing hundis — bills of exchange — that moved fortunes without a coin changing hands. The Jagat Seth's role in the 1757 Battle of Plassey is often reduced to a footnote, but their decision to back Robert Clive against Siraj-ud-Daulah was decisive. We delve into the tension between the bankers and the nawab, the betrayal at Plassey, and how the Company gained control of Bengal's treasury. The episode also touches on the Jagat Seth's vast wealth, their mansions in Murshidabad, and the violent crackdown by Mir Qasim after Plassey that nearly wiped them out. A story of money, power, and the fragile alliances that built an empire. #JagatSeth #BattleOfPlassey #EastIndiaCompany #Bengal #MughalEmpire #SirajUdDaulah #RobertClive #MirQasim #Murshidabad #Hundi #BankingHistory #CompanyBahadur #IndianHistory #18thCentury #ColonialIndia #FinancialHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The EIC's Forgotten Failure: The Siege of Bombay 1689

In 1689, the East India Company faced its greatest humiliation: the Mughal siege of Bombay. After years of escalating tensions with Emperor Aurangzeb, the Company's arrogant military adventures in Bengal and on the western coast backfired spectacularly. A Mughal fleet under the Siddi admiral Yakut Khan blockaded Bombay Harbour, and thousands of Koli and Siddi soldiers stormed the island, burning the fledgling settlement and trapping the British inside Bombay Castle. This episode follows the commanders — the Company's Sir John Child and the Mughal admiral Yakut Khan — through the brutal three-month siege that nearly ended the Company's Indian enterprise. We explore the fragile defenses of Bombay in the 1680s, the role of the Janjira Siddis as Mughal allies, the political miscalculations by the Company's war council in Surat, and the humiliating peace treaty that followed. Why did the Company, so dominant later, come so close to being expelled? And how did this defeat reshape its approach to Indian power? The Siege of Bombay 1689 reveals a corporation on the brink, saved by diplomacy, tribute, and sheer luck. #SiegeOfBombay1689 #EastIndiaCompany #MughalEmpire #Aurangzeb #Siddi #YakutKhan #JohnChild #BombayCastle #Janjira #Koli #MughalNavy #CompanyBahadur #BombayHarbour #17thCentury #IndianHistory #ColonialHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]