The EIC's Forgotten Fort: Bombay Castle and the Island City

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the early history of Bombay — the swampy, seven-island archipelago that the East India Company acquired as a dowry in 1661. They trace the construction of Bombay Castle, the company's first fortified settlement on the west coast, and the audacious governorship of Gerald Aungier in the 1670s. Aungier transformed a malarial backwater into a thriving port by inviting Parsi, Gujarati, and Jewish merchants, offering religious toleration and security. The episode covers the challenges of Dutch and Portuguese rivalries, Maratha threats, and the gradual land reclamation that would eventually create modern Mumbai. Lucas also touches on the clash between the company's Bombay and Surat presidencies, and the pivotal role of the Bombay Marine in protecting trade. Listeners will come away with a vivid picture of how a tiny, disease-ridden island became the cornerstone of British power in India. #BombayCastle #GeraldAungier #EastIndiaCompany #MumbaiHistory #BombayMarine #Surat #MarathaEmpire #ParsiMerchants #PortugueseIndia #DutchEastIndiaCompany #IslandCity #LandReclamation #17thCentury #CompanyBahadur #IndiaTrade #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo