EPISODE · Jun 21, 2026 · 7 MIN
The 1760 Battle of Udaynala: Bengal's Last Afghan Stand
from The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
When the Mughal Empire crumbled in Bengal, a clan of Afghan chieftains carved out their own dominion in the dense forests of the Sundarbans. In 1760, as the British East India Company tightened its grip after Plassey, these 'Mughal bandits' made a desperate last stand at the fortress of Udaynala. This episode tells the story of the Khwaja family — Khwaja Askar, Khwaja Wajid, and the warrior-poet Khwaja Haider — who for a decade ruled a riverine kingdom from their mud-walled fort, minting their own coins and defying both the Nawab of Bengal and the Company. We explore their alliance with the French, their betrayal by a fellow Afghan, and the brutal siege that ended their dream. Along the way, we encounter the syncretic culture of the Bengal delta, where Afghan warriors adopted Bengali language and Hindu temple patronage even as they fought for Islamic sovereignty. It's a story of pride, piracy, and the last gasp of Afghan power in eastern India. #BattleOfUdaynala #KhwajaAskar #KhwajaWajid #KhwajaHaider #Sundarbans #BengalHistory #AfghanDynasty #EastIndiaCompany #MughalDecline #1760 #SiegeOfUdaynala #FrenchEastIndia #Chandannagar #Murshidabad #BengalDelta #NapoleonicWars #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
When the Mughal Empire crumbled in Bengal, a clan of Afghan chieftains carved out their own dominion in the dense forests of the Sundarbans. In 1760, as the British East India Company tightened its grip after Plassey, these 'Mughal bandits' made a desperate last stand at the fortress of Udaynala. This episode tells the story of the Khwaja family — Khwaja Askar, Khwaja Wajid, and the warrior-poet Khwaja Haider — who for a decade ruled a riverine kingdom from their mud-walled fort, minting their own coins and defying both the Nawab of Bengal and the Company. We explore their alliance with the French, their betrayal by a fellow Afghan, and the brutal siege that ended their dream. Along the way, we encounter the syncretic culture of the Bengal delta, where Afghan warriors adopted Bengali language and Hindu temple patronage even as they fought for Islamic sovereignty. It's a story of pride, piracy, and the last gasp of Afghan power in eastern India. #BattleOfUdaynala #KhwajaAskar #KhwajaWajid #KhwajaHaider #Sundarbans #BengalHistory #AfghanDynasty #EastIndiaCompany #MughalDecline #1760 #SiegeOfUdaynala #FrenchEastIndia #Chandannagar #Murshidabad #BengalDelta #NapoleonicWars #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The 1760 Battle of Udaynala: Bengal's Last Afghan Stand
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