Best Live From The Plantation Podcasts (2025)

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255. Victorian Narcos: From Opium To Fentanyl (Ep 9) 50:19

5d ago50:19

50:19

What led to the Second Opium War? Why wasn’t China colonised by Europeans? When did China start referring to this period as the “century of humiliation” and how did this narrative shape nationalism in the 20th century? Anita and William are joined by Stephen R. Platt, author of Imperial Twilight, for the final instalment of this series in which the…

1
254. Victorian Narcos: Fire Monkeys, Iron Gunships, & Peasant Warfare (Ep 8) 52:47

7d ago52:47

52:47

Who won the First Opium War? Why did British troops feel guilty about their role? What treaty led to Britain taking control of Hong Kong? Anita and William discuss the tragic imbalance of The First Opium War, and the traumatic ways in which Chinese citizens responded to the humiliation it entailed… Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to…

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253. Victorian Narcos: Drug Dealers Lead Britain to War (Ep 7) 44:48

12d ago44:48

44:48

How did opium traders convince the British Cabinet to wage war on China? Who was Lord Palmerston? Why was China, one of the biggest empires in the world, so ill-prepared for war at sea? William and Anita discuss how James Matheson launched a propaganda campaign in the British press which led to warships being sent to China, on the way to start The …

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Fighting for Family, Healing, and the Dogs Who Saved Her | Ilima-Lei Macfarlane | HIH 01-12 1:18:20

12d ago1:18:20

1:18:20

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane is a professional MMA fighter and proud Native Hawaiian born and raised in Honolulu. Known to fans as “The Ilimanator,” she made history as Bellator’s first-ever women’s flyweight champ and built a reputation for her grit and submission skills. In this episode of Here in Hawaiʻi, Ilima gets personal. She talks about her deep lo…

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252. Victorian Narcos: Selling Drugs To The Queen (Ep 6) 52:40

14d ago52:40

52:40

Who was Commissioner Lin and how did he crack down on foreign opium in China? Why was Charles Elliot so hopeless that he landed Queen Victoria with a bill owing millions to drug dealers? What was the Canton factory system and what was it like to live there? Anita and William meander through the at-times shocking story of how Victorian drug dealers …

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251. Victorian Narcos: Flooding China With Indian Opium (Ep 5) 57:18

19d ago57:18

57:18

Who were Jardine and Matheson? What was life like for workers growing opium in India? How does George Orwell relate to the East India Company opium trade? William and Anita explore how William Jardine and James Matheson accumulated immense power and wealth by becoming international drug dealers in the 1830s… Empire Club: Become a member of the Empi…

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The Real Roots of Local Culture: Power, Plantations & Pan-Ethnic Solidarity | Dr. Kealani Cook | HIH 01-11 1:01:41

19d ago1:01:41

1:01:41

What if the real legacy of Hawaiʻi’s plantation days isn’t just in our food, slang, or aloha shirts — but in our fight for solidarity? In this episode we sit down with Dr. Kealani Cook, Associate Professor of History at UH West Oʻahu, for a mini-history lesson on how plantation-era Hawaiʻi shaped the cultural and political landscape we live in toda…

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250. Victorian Narcos: Banished From Beijing (Ep 4) 36:07

21d ago36:07

36:07

How did the Macartney Mission fail so spectacularly? Where does the word ‘kowtow’ come from? Why were the diplomats banished from the Forbidden City? Listen as William and Anita continue the story of how the Macartney expedition completely failed to develop diplomatic relations with imperial China in 1793. _____________ Empire Club: Become a member…

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249. Victorian Narcos: Doomed Envoy to China (Ep 3) 39:00

26d ago39:00

39:00

Who led the first British envoy to China? What did Europeans think of China in the 1700s? Why did the diplomats bring a huge planetarium as a gift for the Chinese emperor? William and Anita continue the story of the build up to the Opium Wars with the story of the doomed British envoy to China. _____________ Empire Club: Become a member of the Empi…

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A First-Gen Filipina’s Journey to Med School | Emily Erika | HIH 01-10 49:26

26d ago49:26

49:26

What does it take to become a doctor when no one in your family has even gone to college? In this episode, we sit down with Emily Erika — a first-generation Filipina and medical student — as she shares her incredible journey from doubting her dream to becoming the first in her family to pursue a career in medicine. Emily opens up about the cultural…

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248. Victorian Narcos: Sex, Drugs, & The Opium Agency (Ep 2) 46:10

28d ago46:10

46:10

How did Britain create a violent monopoly on opium production in India in the 1700s? What was the Opium Agency? Why did Chinese elites use opium during sex? Anita and William discuss how the East India Company competed with other traders to sell Indian opium to China despite it being outlawed… _____________ Empire Club: Become a member of the Empir…

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247. Victorian Narcos: Tea Starts A Drug War (Ep 1) 39:17

1M ago39:17

39:17

How did the British taste for tea start a war over the right to sell drugs to China? When did tea become fashionable in Britain? How did the Dutch bring tea to India? William and Anita explore how the nation’s love of tea created a domino effect that led to the East India Company running a more prolific international drug cartel than Pablo Escobar……

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She Made 808 Viral Before Viral Was a Thing | Daniela Stolfi-Tow | HIH 01-08 57:51

1M ago57:51

57:51

In this episode, we sit down with Daniela Stolfi-Tow, the local girl behind 808 Viral — one of Hawai‘i’s biggest digital platforms. From her early days growing up on O‘ahu into the wild world of viral content, Dani shares how she built and continues to nurture a space that celebrates local humor, culture and community. If you're not already, follow…

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246. Ireland Transformed: From Banning Condoms to Exporting Viagra 56:06

1M ago56:06

56:06

How did Ireland go from a farming economy to the home of Big Tech and Big Pharma in Europe in a few decades? Why were women imprisoned in “Magdalene Laundries” in Ireland until 1996? How did Irish society grapple with abuse within the Catholic Church? To conclude our series on Ireland & Empire, Anita and William are joined by the brilliant Fintan O…

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245. Inside The Good Friday Agreement with Alastair Campbell 56:58

1M ago56:58

56:58

What ended The Troubles? Why was 1998 the right moment for a peace treaty? Which issues caused the most heated debate? What was the food like in the negotiating room? Exactly 27 years on since the Good Friday Agreement was signed, what does its future look like? Listen as William and Anita are joined by Alastair Campbell, the lead strategist for To…

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244. The Troubles: IRA Secrets Exposed (Ep 4) 48:59

1M ago48:59

48:59

Who was responsible for the murder of Jean McConville? Which IRA secrets were revealed in the Belfast Project tapes? How did Gerry Adams move into politics and become a key figure in the signing of the Good Friday Agreement? Listen as Anita and William are joined for the final time by Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Say Nothing, to discuss how the …

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243. The Troubles: London Bombings, Hunger Strikes, & The Graveside Grenade (Ep 3) 56:09

2M ago56:09

56:09

Who organised the bombing of The Old Bailey in Central London? Why was Jean McConville abducted in December 1972? Why did the British government choose not to intervene when hunger strikers like Bobby Sands refused food in 1981? How was the graveside grenade incident linked to the first seed of peace that would one day end The Troubles? In the thir…

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242. The Troubles: Bloody Sunday & The British Army in Belfast (Ep 2) 40:40

2M ago40:40

40:40

What was the British Army’s policy of “Internment” in Northern Ireland, and how did it drive membership for the Provisional IRA? Who was General Kitson? How did the Price sisters go from peaceful protestors to IRA frontline soldiers? What happened on Bloody Sunday? In the second of four episodes, Anita and William are joined once again by Patrick R…

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241. The Troubles: War in the Streets of Northern Ireland (Ep 1) 45:19

2M ago45:19

45:19

What were The Troubles and why did they lead to 30 years of violence and division in Northern Ireland? How were Irish Catholics inspired by the American Civil Rights movement in 1969? Why did the British government deploy troops on the streets of Belfast? In the first of four episodes, Anita and William are joined by Patrick Radden Keefe, author of…

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240. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Irish Civil War (Ep 3) 1:03:43

2M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

In the aftermath of the Irish War of Independence in 1921, Michael Collins is sent to London to meet Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and other British officials to negotiate a treaty. After weeks of travelling back and forth across the Irish Sea, Collins and his fellow Sinn Féin negotiators return with a deal. Ireland would become a Free Stat…

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239. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Rise of The IRA (Ep 2) 1:02:26

2M ago1:02:26

1:02:26

The Irish republicans who led the Easter Rising of 1916 are tried for treason by the British government, and sentenced to death. Some are so unwell they have to be tied to a chair to be killed, and the brutality of these executions turns the tide of public opinion in Ireland, increasing support for the Republican cause. The remaining revolutionarie…

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238. Ireland’s Fight For Freedom: The Easter Rising (Ep 1) 56:50

2M ago56:50

56:50

The 1916 Easter Rising was a definitive moment in 20th-century Irish history. Its memory was evoked throughout The Troubles, with republicans wearing commemorative Easter Lily badges to honour the revolutionary martyrs that came before them. On Easter Monday in 1916, amongst the backdrop of the ongoing First World War, Irish revolutionaries brought…

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237. The Great Famine: The Irish Exodus to America (Ep 2) 45:58

2M ago45:58

45:58

The legacy of the Great Famine continues to shape not only Ireland, but the Irish diaspora in America, Canada, and the UK. In the mid-1800s, starving families fled the country in search of survival, gathering at the docks to board “coffins ships” sailing to Liverpool and the east coast of the USA. When “the famine Irish” arrived in America they res…

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236. The Great Famine: The Blight Strikes Ireland (Ep 1) 43:25

2M ago43:25

43:25

How did the memory of the Great Famine shape Irish identity? Could it have been prevented? From 1845 to 1852, a disease decimated potato crops across Ireland. Farmers of small plots who relied entirely on this monoculture were launched into complete destitution. Desperate families were evicted from their homes and suffered through starvation. Briti…

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235. The Viceroy, The Psychopath, and The Merchant: The Irish in Empire (Ep 3) 53:58

2M ago53:58

53:58

Ireland may have been England’s first colony but, by the 17th century, Irishmen were carving out their own imperial legacies in India. Gerald Aungier, an ambitious East India Company official, saw Bombay as a new frontier for plantation and trade. Drawing from his family’s plantation experience in Ireland, he laid the foundations for the establishm…

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234. Battle of the Boyne: Clash of Two Kings (Ep 2) 43:12

3M ago43:12

43:12

The Restoration reinstates the monarchy in England, Scotland & Ireland, and Irish Catholics believe that they will get their lands back for their loyalty to the king. And when the openly Catholic King James II succeeds his older brother, they are even more hopeful. But English Protestants fear that his reign will lead to a Catholic dynasty, and inv…

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233. Blood and Betrayal: Oliver Cromwell's Irish Invasion (Ep 1) 42:27

3M ago42:27

42:27

His statue may stand proudly outside the Houses of Parliament in London, but in Ireland, Oliver Cromwell is remembered as “the Devil from over the Sea” for the bloodshed he unleashed there from 1649 to 1653. Rising to prominence as a Parliamentarian during the English Civil Wars, Oliver Cromwell sought revenge against the Catholics who had killed P…

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Legacy: Genghis Khan 7:58

3M ago7:58

7:58

After victory in China, Genghis Khan goes west and takes on the Khwarezmians, surprising his enemy with a daring assault. He conquers all in his path and now controls the biggest empire the world has ever seen. But whose shoulders are broad enough to become his successor? Listen to Goalhanger and Wondery's podcast, Legacy, as Afua Hirsch and Peter …

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232. Colonising Ireland: The First Plantations (Ep 2) 40:59

3M ago40:59

40:59

In 1607, after launching a failed rebellion in Ulster against the English, Hugh O’Neill and other Irish nobles are forced to flee Ireland, and their lands are confiscated. In response to the revolt, an insidious narrative about Irish people emerges in Tudor England, describing them as ‘caterpillars’ and ‘barbarians’ who needed ‘civilising’. In the …

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231. Colonising Ireland: Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, & The Tudor Conquest (Ep 1) 40:19

3M ago40:19

40:19

Ireland is the only country in Western Europe that has experienced being colonised in the modern era. It was used by England as a laboratory for imperialism, and was the site of bloody colonial wars for centuries, yet many people in the neighbouring United Kingdom have little understanding of Ireland’s history. The new series on Ireland & Empire be…

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230. Britain’s Last Colony: Trump, Brexit, and Russia-Ukraine (Ep 2) 40:40

3M ago40:40

40:40

The future of the Chagos Islands hangs in the balance as world leaders debate how really owns the islands and who should be allowed to live there. Since the 1970s, the evicted Chagossian people have been using legal channels to fight their expulsion from their Indian Ocean homes, challenging Britain's claim to its last colony. Led by Olivier Bancou…

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229. Britain’s Last Colony: The Second World War, Forced Deportations, and 9/11 (Ep 1) 34:54

3M ago34:54

34:54

The Chagos Islands have dominated news headlines over the past few months, but the struggle of the Chagossian people to reclaim their island home has spanned decades. First colonised in 1513 by the Portuguese, the archipelago shifted from one imperial master to another over the course of the next three hundred years, until the British took control …

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228. The Man Who Lived A Thousand Lives: Prisoner of War (Ep 2) 45:17

3M ago45:17

45:17

Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel transformed India’s landscapes but faced immense personal struggles. Despite rising to prominence as the Maharaja of Mysore’s trusted landscape architect, Krumbiegel suffered greatly during the first and second world wars, enduring hardship and isolation in British-run camps. Krumbiegel’s resilience shone through even in a…

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227. The Man Who Lived A Thousand Lives: Taming Nature (Ep 1) 36:30

3M ago36:30

36:30

Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel's visionary work transformed the landscapes of India. From humble beginnings in Germany to an apprenticeship at Kew Gardens, Krumbiegel’s journey led him to Baroda, where he became the trusted landscape architect of the Maharaja. Designing the iconic Brindavan Gardens, shaping Bangalore’s reputation as the “Garden City,” a…

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226. The Rise and Fall of East India Company Painting (Ep 2) 40:18

3M ago40:18

40:18

Calcutta in the late 18th century was a chaotic, fast-growing city, filled with fortune seekers, towering mansions, and an ever-present sense of impermanence. Inspired by the botanical and zoological paintings they encountered in Lucknow, Sir Elijah Impey, the first Chief Justice of Bengal, and his wife, Lady Mary Impey, brought this style to Calcu…

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225. Painting the Empire: Art of the East India Company (Ep 1) 44:26

4M ago44:26

44:26

Company School painting is a fascinating yet often overlooked artistic tradition that emerged during the British East India Company’s rule in India. Indian artists blended Mughal, Rajput, and European styles to create detailed and vibrant artworks focused on flora and fauna. What makes these paintings extraordinary is how they capture not only scie…

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224. Empire in Your Garden 46:32

4M ago46:32

46:32

How did plants power imperialism? Gardening may be a quintessentially British hobby, but many of the familiar plants in our lives have a global – and colonial – history. From “fern-mania” leading wealthy Victorians to decimate environments around the world collecting ferns for their drawing rooms, to mahogany harvested by enslaved workers in the Ca…

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223. Empire of Plants: From Kew Gardens to Botany Bay 41:07

4M ago41:07

41:07

Kew Gardens near London is one of the most famous botanical gardens in the world, welcoming countless visitors every year. But what many visitors may not know is that the history of Kew and that of the British Empire are intimately intertwined… At the height of the empire, Queen Victoria visited the iconic glass Palm House six times in the first fe…

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222. The Downfall of the Mughals (Ep 3) 50:18

4M ago50:18

50:18

Aurangzeb is arguably the most controversial figure in Indian History. The mere mention of his name provokes fierce debate. Aurangzeb succeeded in seizing the throne by betraying his father and brothers. Infamous for his cold and ruthless vengeance against those in his way, Aurangzeb imposed puritan policies of religious intolerance on his subjects…

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221. War of Succession: The Battle That Shook India (Ep 2) 54:32

4M ago54:32

54:32

With their father in very bad health and rumours of his death swirling around the empire, Shah Jahan’s four sons decide it is their time to take his place. Only one has been chosen by Shah Jahan… The accomplished oldest son Dara Shukoh. However the war of succession has begun, and it will be brutal and stained by betrayal. The people of Delhi are t…

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220. Battle of Brothers: The Puritan vs The Mystic (Ep 1) 46:09

4M ago46:09

46:09

The battle of succession that erupted during a severe illness of Shah Jahan is often regarded as one which determined the fate of India. The eldest of Shah Jahan’s sons was Dara Shukoh—the Glory of Darius. Contemporary miniatures show that Dara bore a striking resemblance to his father, and like him he was luxurious in his tastes and refined in his…

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219. Building The Taj Mahal: Love, Loss, & Splendour (Ep 2) 50:55

4M ago50:55

50:55

Within days of his beloved wife’s death, Shah Jahan starts designing his grandest architectural project yet to express his love for her. Her mausoleum is to be a domed, symmetrical, bright white building surrounded by aromatic gardens. But the Taj Mahal is not the only beautiful structure the Mughal Emperor commissions. One of the most extravagant …

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218. Creator of The Taj Mahal: Shah Jahan’s Rise to Power (Ep 1) 44:04

4M ago44:04

44:04

Shah Jahan, the third son of the opium-addicted Jahangir, was born in 1592 with the name Khurram. More interested in precious gems and architecture than dancing girls at court, Khurram was reserved and carefully crafted his image as the “millennial sovereign”. Upon Jahangir's death, Khurram finds himself embroiled in a fierce succession struggle. H…

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217. Zebras and Zodiacs: Jahangir’s Art Revolution 50:20

5M ago50:20

50:20

Often overshadowed by his son’s architectural wonders like the Taj Mahal, Emperor Jahangir was a true connoisseur of beauty. His reign witnessed a flourishing of art, architecture, and craftsmanship through his patronage of impressive workshops of artists who created vibrant masterpieces. Jahangir continued expressing his love of the natural world …

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216. Seeds of British India: England’s First Ambassador to the Mughal Court 56:22

5M ago56:22

56:22

What do you buy for a man who has everything? Thomas Roe is tasked with wooing the Emperor Jahangir. On March 6th 1615, he sets sail from England on the 8 month voyage to the Mughal Empire, home to one fifth of the world’s population. He has been sent by James I and the East India Company on a diplomatic mission to improve trading relations. The En…

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215. Jahangir: A World of Light And Darkness 47:51

5M ago47:51

47:51

Prince Salim grows up in the continuously expanding empire of his father, Akbar. The young prince is being primed to take on this legacy, but he is more interested in studying the natural world with intense curiosity by dissecting animals and observing their mating rituals. Later, with Akbar dead and Salim ready to rule, he fights off claims to pow…

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214. The Empire of Frankincense & Myrrh 47:07

5M ago47:07

47:07

“The Nabateans are a silent partner in everything that goes on in the high summer of the Ancient period” - Bettany Hughes By the time of Jesus’ birth, a mysterious empire had built its wealth through trading two of the gifts present at the Nativity: frankincense and myrrh. Aromatic crystals harvested from the sap of gnarled trees, frankincense and …

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213. How Three Wise Men Became Three Kings 44:22

5M ago44:22

44:22

The story of the Three Wise Men has been reinterpreted since it was first written down. The gift-bearing visitors to the newborn Jesus were initially described as “Magi”, meaning Persians of a priestly caste, but by the 4th century they were given the individual names of Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar. And in Medieval Europe they were described not…

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212. Who Were The Three Wise Men? 44:43

5M ago44:43

44:43

The truth behind the story of the Three Wise Men has more connections to empire than many of us realise… Featured in every Nativity scene in school plays, churches, and art around the world, the Three Wise Men are key characters in the Christmas story. They are only mentioned once in the Bible, appearing in Matthew’s gospel described as the Magi - …

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211. A Beautiful World: The Art of Akbar 49:19

5M ago49:19

49:19

As a dyslexic child, Akbar explored his curiosities about the world through visual wonders, and by having literature read aloud to him. As an adult, his love of art evolved as he became the patron of a multicultural group of calligraphers, painters, poets and more. A now renowned Mughal artistic style developed from his court, with iconic paintings…

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