The Forgotten French East India Company in Bengal

Before the British East India Company came to dominate Bengal, the French Compagnie des Indes Orientales established a major foothold at Chandannagar on the Hooghly River. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how the French built a thriving colony under Joseph François Dupleix, turning Chandannagar into a rival to Calcutta. They discuss the prosperous textile trade, the strategic fortifications, and the pivotal role of the French in the Carnatic Wars. The narrative culminates in the 1757 Battle of Chandannagar, where Robert Clive and the British navy captured the French settlement, effectively ending French ambitions in Bengal. Along the way, they touch on the multicultural fabric of Chandannagar, the legacy of French architecture, and the little-known story of the French privateers who operated in the Bay of Bengal. This episode sheds light on a forgotten chapter of Bengal's colonial history that reshaped the power dynamics of 18th-century India. #FrenchEastIndiaCompany #Chandannagar #Dupleix #CarnaticWars #HooghlyRiver #BattleOfChandannagar #RobertClive #BengalHistory #ColonialIndia #CompagnieDesIndes #FrenchColonialism #18thCentury #TextileTrade #Fortification #Privateers #History #FexingoHistory #SouthAsia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo