The EIC's Forgotten Architect: Gerald Aungier and Bombay's Rise

This episode dives into the early years of Bombay, the East India Company's neglected backwater that would become its commercial capital. Lucas and Luna explore the vision of Governor Gerald Aungier, who transformed a malarial island into a thriving port city. They discuss the Company's acquisition of Bombay as part of Catherine of Braganza's dowry, the construction of Bombay Castle, and the strategic decisions that attracted merchants from Surat, including Parsis, Jains, and Armenians. The episode covers the rivalry with Surat, the threat from the Siddi fleet, and how Aungier's policies of religious tolerance and secure trade laid the groundwork for Bombay's future. Names like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sir George Oxenden, and the Portuguese come up, as do the early challenges of disease, piracy, and the Mughal shadow. A story of urban ambition and imperial logistics, this episode reveals how a swampy outpost became the Urbs Prima in Indis. #Bombay #GeraldAungier #EastIndiaCompany #Mumbai #CatherineOfBraganza #BombayCastle #Surat #Siddi #ChhatrapatiShivaji #Parsis #Portuguese #IndianHistory #ColonialHistory #17thCentury #MarathaEmpire #MughalEmpire #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo