EPISODE · Jul 2, 2026 · 6 MIN
The Portuguese Pirate Queen of Bengal's Sandwip Island
from The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In this episode of The Hidden History of Bengal, Lucas and Luna uncover the story of a woman who ruled the pirate kingdom of Sandwip Island in the Bay of Bengal during the early 17th century. After the death of the Portuguese mercenary leader Domingos Carvalho, his widow — known only as the 'Queen of Sandwip' — took control of the island fortress and led a fleet of pirate ships for over a decade. We explore how this forgotten queen navigated the treacherous politics of the Mughal Empire, the Arakanese kingdom, and rival European traders. Learn about her alliance with the Magh pirates of Arakan, her clashes with the Portuguese, and the eventual fall of Sandwip to the Mughal general Shaista Khan. Drawing on Portuguese chronicles, Mughal records, and local Bengali histories, we piece together the life of one of South Asia's most overlooked female rulers. #History #FexingoHistory #BengalHistory #Sandwip #PortuguesePirates #PirateQueen #ShaistaKhan #MughalEmpire #Arakan #MaghPirates #BayOfBengal #Chittagong #DomigosCarvalho #17thCentury #WomenInHistory #ForgottenQueens #SouthAsianHistory #Piracy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
In this episode of The Hidden History of Bengal, Lucas and Luna uncover the story of a woman who ruled the pirate kingdom of Sandwip Island in the Bay of Bengal during the early 17th century. After the death of the Portuguese mercenary leader Domingos Carvalho, his widow — known only as the 'Queen of Sandwip' — took control of the island fortress and led a fleet of pirate ships for over a decade. We explore how this forgotten queen navigated the treacherous politics of the Mughal Empire, the Arakanese kingdom, and rival European traders. Learn about her alliance with the Magh pirates of Arakan, her clashes with the Portuguese, and the eventual fall of Sandwip to the Mughal general Shaista Khan. Drawing on Portuguese chronicles, Mughal records, and local Bengali histories, we piece together the life of one of South Asia's most overlooked female rulers. #History #FexingoHistory #BengalHistory #Sandwip #PortuguesePirates #PirateQueen #ShaistaKhan #MughalEmpire #Arakan #MaghPirates #BayOfBengal #Chittagong #DomigosCarvalho #17thCentury #WomenInHistory #ForgottenQueens #SouthAsianHistory #Piracy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
NOW PLAYING
The Portuguese Pirate Queen of Bengal's Sandwip Island
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.