The EIC's Forgotten Army: How a Corporation Built a Military Machine

We often think of the East India Company as a trading body that somehow ended up ruling India. But how did a company of merchants actually conquer a subcontinent? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Company's transformation into a military powerhouse — from the early factories defended by a handful of guards to the vast armies of sepoys and European officers that redrew the map of India. They focus on the EIC's three 'Presidency armies' — Bengal, Madras, Bombay — and the innovations that made them effective: standardized drill, artillery trains, and the crucial role of Indian soldiers. The conversation touches on key figures like Sir Eyre Coote, the Battle of Buxar (1764), and the controversial system of 'double batta' extra pay. They also discuss the social composition of the sepoy ranks — high-caste Brahmins from Bihar and Awadh who made up the Bengal Army — and how the Company's reliance on these groups later sowed seeds of discontent. A must-listen for anyone wondering how a corporation defeated the Mughal Empire. #EastIndiaCompany #SepoyArmy #BattleOfBuxar #EyreCoote #BengalArmy #MadrasArmy #BombayArmy #RobertClive #BritishEastIndiaCompany #IndianHistory #MilitaryHistory #ColonialIndia #Corporation #MughalEmpire #DoubleBatta #Sepoy #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo