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The Bombay Army: How East India Company Recruited Indian Soldiers
In the 18th century, the English East India Company built a formidable military force not from British redcoats, but from local Indian soldiers known as sepoys. This episode focuses on the Bombay Army, one of the three presidency armies, and how it evolved from a small garrison into a disciplined force that helped secure British dominance in India. We explore the motivations of Indian recruits — from high-caste Brahmins to low-caste peasants — the role of the sepoy in key battles like the capture of Bassein (Vasai) in 1739 and the Anglo-Maratha Wars, and the cultural tensions that simmered…
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