Siraj ud-Daulah's Calcutta: How a Fort Became the Jewel of Empire

The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History · May 2, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In 1756, the British settlement of Calcutta was a modest trading post with a small fort. When Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah attacked and took Fort William, the East India Company was humiliated. But within a year, the British were back, rebuilding Calcutta as a military stronghold and commercial hub. This episode explores the transformation of Calcutta from a vulnerable outpost to the imperial capital of British India. We trace the construction of the new Fort William, the clearing of the Maratha Ditch, and the engineering of a city designed for defense and extraction. We also look at the forgotten…