The Portuguese in Bengal: Pirates, Merchants, and the Making of Hooghly

Before the British arrived, the Portuguese made a dramatic entrance into Bengal. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how a handful of Portuguese adventurers—some missionaries, some pirates, some traders—established a presence in the Bay of Bengal during the 16th and 17th centuries. They discuss the Portuguese settlement of Hooghly, their conflicts with the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, and the forgotten story of the ‘Magh’ pirates from Arakan who terrorized the Bengal delta with Portuguese guns. Lucas explains how Portuguese privateers like Sebastião Gonçalves Tibau carved out their own little kingdoms, and how the Mughal conquest of Hooghly in 1632 marked the end of an era. Along the way, they touch on the early Jesuit mission in Bengal, the slave trade from the region, and the strange hybrid culture that emerged when Portuguese men married Bengali women. It’s a story of violence, commerce, and cultural mixing that shaped the coastlines of early modern Bengal.

#Portuguese in Bengal #Hooghly #Shah Jahan #Mughal #Sebastião Gonçalves Tibau #Arakan #Magh Pirates #Bengal Delta #Jesuit Mission #Slave Trade #16th Century #17th Century #Bay of Bengal #Trading Posts #Piracy #Colonialism #History #FexingoHistory

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo