EPISODE · Jun 1, 2026 · 5 MIN
The Dutch in Bengal: Spice, Silver, and the Hooghly Rivalry
from The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
Before the British, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) ran Bengal's most profitable trade. This episode follows the rise and fall of the Dutch presence on the Hooghly River — from their first factory in 1627 to the Battle of Chinsurah in 1759 — and how their obsession with pepper and opium was outmaneuvered by the English, the Nawabs, and one very stubborn Mughal governor. We meet directors, spies, and a Dutch admiral who bombarded a town for better trading terms. Along the way we ask: why did the richest corporation of the 17th century lose its grip on Bengal? And what did the Dutch leave behind — from Chinsurah's old cemetery to the word 'bungalow'? #DutchBengal #VOC #Chinsurah #HooghlyRiver #BattleOfChinsurah #MughalEmpire #OpiumTrade #17thCenturyTrade #ColonialHistory #EastIndiaCompany #BengalHistory #SouthAsia #DutchColonial #Hooghly #Murshidabad #NawabOfBengal #SpiceTrade #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
Before the British, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) ran Bengal's most profitable trade. This episode follows the rise and fall of the Dutch presence on the Hooghly River — from their first factory in 1627 to the Battle of Chinsurah in 1759 — and how their obsession with pepper and opium was outmaneuvered by the English, the Nawabs, and one very stubborn Mughal governor. We meet directors, spies, and a Dutch admiral who bombarded a town for better trading terms. Along the way we ask: why did the richest corporation of the 17th century lose its grip on Bengal? And what did the Dutch leave behind — from Chinsurah's old cemetery to the word 'bungalow'? #DutchBengal #VOC #Chinsurah #HooghlyRiver #BattleOfChinsurah #MughalEmpire #OpiumTrade #17thCenturyTrade #ColonialHistory #EastIndiaCompany #BengalHistory #SouthAsia #DutchColonial #Hooghly #Murshidabad #NawabOfBengal #SpiceTrade #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Dutch in Bengal: Spice, Silver, and the Hooghly Rivalry
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