The EIC's Forgotten Spies: Ross Daniels and the Secret Intelligence of Empire

While the East India Company is famous for its armies, tea, and trade, its secret intelligence network was equally vital to maintaining power in India. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the shadowy world of Company spies, focusing on the little-known figure of Ross Daniels, a Scottish agent who operated in the Deccan and Mysore during the 1770s and 1780s. They discuss how the Company's intelligence-gathering evolved from casual reports to a structured system under Governor-General Warren Hastings, with agents like Daniels infiltrating the courts of Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan. The episode also touches on the use of coded messages, double agents, and the moral ambiguities of espionage. Lucas explains how the Company's spy network compared to contemporary European intelligence, and how information from spies like Daniels influenced key decisions in the Anglo-Mysore Wars. The conversation reveals a lesser-known aspect of the Company's operations, showing how intelligence was as crucial as gunpowder in the conquest of India. #EastIndiaCompany #RossDaniels #Spy #Intelligence #Mysore #HaidarAli #TipuSultan #WarrenHastings #Deccan #Espionage #CodedMessages #DoubleAgent #BombayMarine #AngloMysoreWars #18thCentury #BritishEmpire #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo