The East India Company had been allowed to construct a fort to facilitate trade with the Bengal *subah*(province) of the Mughal Empire. Trade was booming, gold was flowing, all was well, Bengal was, after all, the richest province of the Empire.
That is, until they tried to renegotiate terms. For some reason, this fell through, and the governor, Shaista Khan, increased taxes from 2% to 5.5% over some perceived insult delivered by Josiah Child, the local English commander. The Company tried to retaliate by forming an alliance with the Kingdom of Arakan, raiding shipping lanes and even calling in reinforcements from the home islands. Their plan was to take over fortified coastal enclaves and somehow wrest away Bengal from the Mughals through some magic only they in their arrogance could explain.
They didn’t really manage any gains on land, so they started capturing ships full of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca. This promptly turned the conflict from a local tax dispute to a full on war by catching Emperor Aurangzeb’s attention. He seized all company assets, sent out his navy and dispatched an army to aid Shaista Khan in smashing the company’s back with the mailed fist of Empire.
The Company surrendered, begged forgiveness and paid damages. All in all, a minor footnote in history. But really, what were they even cooking? The worst risk assessment ever.
Moidada77 on
30k war elephants is peak BS
Same-Visit5978 on
Anyone who is against the EIC is my friend
PhoenixKingMalekith on
How did the Mughal empire even managed to fail ?
chengelao on
God that’s so hilarious. Although India would eventually fall to colonialism over the next two centuries, there are moments like these where the hubris of the early days of the East India Company really sends me.
Like bro, you aren’t that far ahead in the tech tree yet. Calm down.
Pjolterping on
Colonial armies had won against these odds before, so it’s not that surprising that they made an attempt.
BIG-STEPPER-88 on
East India Company – Ahhhh yes Bengal is giving me more money than other nations.
Local Governer – Hey so some increase in taxes
East India Empire – WE WAGE WAR
The Mughal Empire – Crushing defeat to the british
East India Empire – Well we got fucked. REMATCH???
*Raids and captures ships going to mecca and makes it a war on religion, Mughals were muslim. They absolutely annihilate the brits*
East British Empire – The risk I took was calculated but the odds werent in my favour.
SamsterBD on
Big fucks small. It is known.
chilling_hedgehog on
Only idiots and anglosaxon historians would believe those numbers
9 Comments
The East India Company had been allowed to construct a fort to facilitate trade with the Bengal *subah*(province) of the Mughal Empire. Trade was booming, gold was flowing, all was well, Bengal was, after all, the richest province of the Empire.
That is, until they tried to renegotiate terms. For some reason, this fell through, and the governor, Shaista Khan, increased taxes from 2% to 5.5% over some perceived insult delivered by Josiah Child, the local English commander. The Company tried to retaliate by forming an alliance with the Kingdom of Arakan, raiding shipping lanes and even calling in reinforcements from the home islands. Their plan was to take over fortified coastal enclaves and somehow wrest away Bengal from the Mughals through some magic only they in their arrogance could explain.
They didn’t really manage any gains on land, so they started capturing ships full of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca. This promptly turned the conflict from a local tax dispute to a full on war by catching Emperor Aurangzeb’s attention. He seized all company assets, sent out his navy and dispatched an army to aid Shaista Khan in smashing the company’s back with the mailed fist of Empire.
The Company surrendered, begged forgiveness and paid damages. All in all, a minor footnote in history. But really, what were they even cooking? The worst risk assessment ever.
30k war elephants is peak BS
Anyone who is against the EIC is my friend
How did the Mughal empire even managed to fail ?
God that’s so hilarious. Although India would eventually fall to colonialism over the next two centuries, there are moments like these where the hubris of the early days of the East India Company really sends me.
Like bro, you aren’t that far ahead in the tech tree yet. Calm down.
Colonial armies had won against these odds before, so it’s not that surprising that they made an attempt.
East India Company – Ahhhh yes Bengal is giving me more money than other nations.
Local Governer – Hey so some increase in taxes
East India Empire – WE WAGE WAR
The Mughal Empire – Crushing defeat to the british
East India Empire – Well we got fucked. REMATCH???
*Raids and captures ships going to mecca and makes it a war on religion, Mughals were muslim. They absolutely annihilate the brits*
East British Empire – The risk I took was calculated but the odds werent in my favour.
Big fucks small. It is known.
Only idiots and anglosaxon historians would believe those numbers