The EIC's Forgotten Palace: Government House and Imperial Calcutta

When the East India Company transformed from a trading corporation into a territorial power, it needed a seat befitting its new status. This episode explores the construction of Government House in Calcutta — not just a building, but a deliberate statement of imperial authority. We trace its origins from the modest Fort William to Richard Wellesley's grand vision after the Battle of Plassey. The house became the nerve center of Company rule, hosting durbars, signing treaties, and projecting British power across India. We discuss Wellesley's insistence on European neoclassical design, the discomfort it caused among traditional Indian elites, and how it set the stage for the Raj. Along the way, we touch on the architects — Charles Wyatt and John Garstin — and the house's later life as the residence of Viceroys. This episode also includes a brief, sincere note on listener support for the show. #EastIndiaCompany #GovernmentHouse #Calcutta #RichardWellesley #BritishRaj #FortWilliam #NeoclassicalArchitecture #CharlesWyatt #JohnGarstin #ImperialPalace #Kolkata #Durbar #BattleOfPlassey #CompanyRule #History #FexingoHistory #ArchitectureHistory #ColonialIndia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo