The Lost Portuguese Colony of Bengal: Porto Grande de Hugli

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten Portuguese settlement of Porto Grande de Hugli, established in the 16th century on the banks of the Hooghly River. They discuss how Portuguese traders and missionaries, arriving from Goa and Diu, built a fortified colony that became a hub of commerce, piracy, and religious conflict. The episode covers the rise of the settlement under the patronage of local rulers, its brutal sacking by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1632, and its aftermath. Key figures include the Portuguese captain Sebastião Gonçalves Tibau, who earlier operated from the Sundarbans, and the Mughal subahdar Qasim Khan. The conversation weaves in details about the slave trade, the Inquisition, and the architectural legacy, including the Augustinian monastery at Bandel. Lucas and Luna also touch on the broader context of European competition in Bengal, setting the stage for later conflicts with the Dutch and English. #Portogrande #Hugli #PortugueseBengal #ShahJahan #SebastiãoGonçalvesTibau #Sundarbans #HooghlyRiver #MughalEmpire #SlaveTrade #BandelChurch #Augustinian #Goa #Diu #Cartaz #Firangi #BengalHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo