Portugal's Forgotten Asian Capital: The Rise and Fall of Goa

Goa, seized by Afonso de Albuquerque in 1510, became the heart of Portugal's Estado da Índia—a dazzling city of churches, palaces, and markets that rivaled Lisbon itself. This episode traces Goa's transformation from a small port on the Mandovi River to a global crossroads where spices, silks, and souls were traded. We explore Albuquerque's brutal sack, the construction of the Sé Cathedral and Basilica of Bom Jesus, the role of the Inquisition in Goa, and the city's decline after the 17th century as the Portuguese shifted focus to Brazil. We also touch on the unique Indo-Portuguese culture that emerged—Goan cuisine, architecture, and the synthesis of Catholic and Hindu traditions. Finally, we discuss how the 'Rome of the East' fell into decay, with its churches abandoned and its port silting up, leaving behind a ghost of empire that still haunts the tropics. #Goa #AfonsoDeAlbuquerque #EstadoDaIndia #PortugueseEmpire #SéCathedralGoa #BasilicaOfBomJesus #GoaInquisition #IndoPortuguese #MandoviRiver #ViceroyOfGoa #IndiaPortugalHistory #Architecture #ColonialHistory #SpiceTrade #ChristianityInIndia #Empire #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo