Nawab Nizam of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa (1717-1880)a and Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad (1882-1950)b Nawabs of Bengal and Murshidabad | |||||||||
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1717–1765 | |||||||||
Motto: Nil Desparandum "There is no cause for despair, never despair" | |||||||||
Capital | Murshidabadc | ||||||||
Common languages | English Arabic | ||||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
Historical era | Mughal rule in India Company rule in India | ||||||||
1526 | |||||||||
• Established | 1717 | ||||||||
23 June 1757 | |||||||||
22 October 1764 | |||||||||
1880 | |||||||||
1 November 1880 | |||||||||
17 February 1882 | |||||||||
• Disestablished | 1765 | ||||||||
Population | |||||||||
• 1901 | 75 million[1] | ||||||||
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Today part of | India Bangladesh | ||||||||
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Nawabs of Bengal (full title, the Nawab Nizam of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa) were the rulers of the then provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Between 1717 and 1765, they served as the rulers of the subah (or province) of Bengal.
Bengal
After the Independence of Bangladesh, the term "Bengal" incorporates to delineate the ethno-linguistic region of Bengal which including but not limited is all districts within the People's Republic of Bangladesh, as well as the faction from eastern India (commonly known as West Bengal) along with the Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Sikkim, and Jharkhand. During the first partition of Bengal in the early 19th century a new province, Eastern Bengal (then part of the Dominion of Pakistan) was created as a Lieutenant-Governorship along with Assaam.
History before the Nawabs' rule
Mughal Empire
In the 3rd century BCE, some regions of Bengal like the Kalinga was conquered by emperor Ashoka. In the 4th century AD, it was absorbed into the Gupta Empire. From the 13th century onward, the region was heavily ruled by the Sultanates of Bengal.
Emergence of the Nawab Nizam of Bengal
Murshid Quli Khan arrived as the Diwan of the Mughal Empire's Bengal subah (then known as Bangalah) in 1717 AD. Before his arrival there were four Diwans. And, after his arrival, Azim-ush-Shan held the Nizam's office. Azim got into conflict with Bengal Nawab Murshid Quli Khan over imperial financial control. Considering the complaint of Khan, the then Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered his grandson Azim to move to the subah of Bihar.[1] Upon Azim's departure the two posts united in one and Murshid Quli Khan became the first Nizam (meaning Ruler) of Bengal. Murshid Khan was appointed the "Nawab Nizam of Bengal" and ruled along with the Mughals. [2][3] Murshidabad with a muslim majority was the capital of the Bengal subah at 1707.[4]
History during the Nawabs' rule
From 1717 until 1880, three successive Islamic dynasties – Nasiri, Afshar and Najafi – ruled what was then known as Bengal.[2][27][28] The first dynasty, the Nasiri, ruled from 1717 until 1740. The founder of the Nasiri, Murshid Quli Khan rose through the ranks before becoming the Nawab Nizam of Bengal in 1717, a post he held until his death in 1727. He in turn was succeeded by his son-in law, Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan.[29] After Shuja-ud-Din's death in 1739 he was succeeded by his son, Sarfaraz Khan, who hold the rank, until he was killed in the Battle of Giria in 1741, and was succeeded by Alivardi Khan, former ruler of Patna, of the Afshar Dynasty in 1740.[30] The second dynasty, the Afshar, ruled from 1740 to 1757. Siraj ud-Daulah (Alivardi Khan's grandson), the last Afshar Nawab was killed in the Battle of Plassey in 1757.[31] They were succeeded by the third and final dynasty to rule the whole Bengal, the Najafi.[32]
With the Mughals
Bengal subah was one of the wealthiest parts of the Mughal empire.[33] As the Mughal empire began to decline, the Nawabs grew in power .[2][34] They wielded great power in their own right and finally became independent rulers of the Bengal region by the early 1700s.[34]
Maratha expeditions
Marathas undertook six expeditions in Bengal from 1741–1748. Maratha general, Raghunath Rao was able to annex Orissa to his kingdom permanently as he successfully exploited the chaotic conditions prevailing in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa after the death of Murshid Quli Khan in 1727.[35] Constantly harassed by the Bengal, Bhonsles, Orissa and parts of Bihar were economically ruined. Alivardi Khan made peace with Raghunathrao in 1751 ceding in perpetuity Orrisa up to the river Suvarnarekha, and agreeing to pay ₹12 lacs annually in lieu of the Chauth of Bengal and Bihar.[36] The treaty included ₹20 lacs as Chauth for Bengal (includes both West Bengal and Bangladesh) and ₹12 lacs for Bihar(including Jharkhand). After this Maratha was forced to a deal with the Bengals and was promised to never cross the boundaries of the Bengali (nawabian) territory again. [2]
British raj
History of Bengal |
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The breakup of the centralized Mughal empire by 1750, led to the creation of a large number of semi-independent kingdoms (all provinces of the former Mughal empire). Each of them were in conflict with their neighbor. These kingdoms brought weapons from British-French East India company's to fuel their wars. Bengal was one such wealthy kingdom. British and French supported the princes whoever ensured their trading interest. By 1773, British East India company asserted much authority and formed the Bengal Presidency over areas ruled by the Mughals and Nawabs. In 1793 (during Nawab Mubarak ud-Daulah's reign), the Nizamat (military power,civil and criminal justice) was abolished, British East India company thus annexed this former Mughal province as part of their empire and took complete control of the region, and the Mughals became mere pensioners of the British East India Company.Diwan offices except the Diwan Ton were also abolished.[6][7][39]
The Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II on the Mughal imperial throne
After the Revolt of 1857, Company rule in India ended, and all the territories which were under the rule of the British East India Company came under the British Crown in 1858, which marked the beginning of the British Raj. And administrative control of India came under the Indian Civil Service, which had administrative control over all areas in India, except the Princely States.[10] Mansoor Ali Khan (aka Feradun Jah) was the last Nawab of Bengal. During his reign the Nizamat at Murshidabad became involved in debts. The then Government of India involved it into an action of preventing further claims. Feradun Jah left Murshidabad in February 1869 and started living in England. The title of "Nawab of Bengal" was abolished in 1880.[40] The Nawab renounced his styles and titles of Nawab Nizam of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and abdicated in favour of his eldest son at St. Ives, Maidenhead, on 1 November 1880.[40]
Emergence of the Nawabs succeeding Indian independence
After Mansoor Ali Khan's abdication, his son, Hassan Ali Meerza succeeded as the first Nawab of Murshidabad with the lesser title of Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad after the predominant title of Nawab of "Bengal" was abolished under British raj in 1880.[32][40] After Lord Clive secured the Diwani of Bengal from Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II in 1765 for the East India Company, the Mughals did not have any effective authority anymore. So they lavishly enjoyed their title, privileges alongside with the honours they received. The Mughals had little or no say and ceased to control any significant force.[2][41] After Indian Independence in 1947 the British Supremacy over the Princely States ended and the states had the option of either acceding to India or to Pakistan or to remain independent. However, as Bengal, including Murshidabad, under British Raj, was subject to partition-laws on the basis of religious majority.[9] As Murshidabad had a Muslim majority, it became a part of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). It later merged with India on 17 August 1947.[42] However, the office continued to be held by the second Nawab Syed Wasif Ali Meerza Khan, who had held the office since 1906, and after his death in 1959. He was succeeded by his son, Syed Wasif Ali Meerza Khan Bahadur.[9] Waris Ali Meerza died in 1969, survived by his three sons and three daughters. According to the Nawab’s law, the eldest son of the Nawab succeeded him, however, Waris Ali's eldest son, Wakif Ali Meerza Bahadur, was excluded from the succession by his father for contracting a non-Muslim marriage and for not professing the Muslim religion. And Waris Ali took no steps during his lifetime to establish his succession. And before declaring his successor Waris Ali died. Since then there was no clear successor to Waris Ali. And following this as the title was in dispute, a legal battle ensued. Abbas Ali Meerza claimed to be the legal heir of Waris Ali on the basis of being the son of the daughter of Waris Alis' father, the second Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad, Wasif Ali Meerza; while Sajid Ali Meerza claimed the same on the basis of being the son by mut‘ah marriage of Wasif Ali. Before this, Abbas's maternal uncle, Fateyab Ali Meerza (full brother of Waris Ali Meerza), had moved Calcutta High Court, challenging the Murshidabad Estate (Management of Properties) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1980. Though this law, the entire property of Murshidabad Estate (the Nawab of Bahadur Murshidabad's personal and private properties) was transferred to the state government of West Bengal. The High Court had ruled that Fateyab had no locus standi to file the case. Then the case reached the Supreme Court. And after Fateyab died in 1998, Abbas and Sajid started a case claiming to be the legal heir and successor to Waris Ali Meerza. The Supreme Court felt that Abbas also had a claim as he was the son of the only daughter of Wasif Ali. And finally the Supreme Court judges, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice R K Agrawal, gave their judgement on 13 August 2014 declaring the then 72-year-old Abbas Ali Meerza (full name, Syed Mohammed Abbas Ali Meerza) the successor and legal heir to the former Nawab of Murshidabad, Waris Ali Meerza, thus ending the dispute over the office, a dispute which had been on since Waris Ali's death in 1969. And the Court directed Abbas Ali Meerza, son of Syed Md. Sadeque Ali Meerza, to be the direct descendant of Waris Ali Meerza.[43][44] It is a fact that with the promulgation of the Indian Constitution on 26 January 1950, the Dominion of India was transformed into the Republic of India in 3 years, and the Article 18 of the Indian Constitution (which is a part of the Right to Equality, a fundamental right in India), titles were abolished. The Article prevents the state from confirming any title except those titles given by the Government to those who have made their mark in military and academic fields. Such titles and awards include the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Shri and the Padma Vibhushan ((the Supreme Court, on 15 December 1995, upheld the validity of such awards)). Thus, with the promulgation of the Constitution, the title of the Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad was abolished. However, the Nawabs of "Bengal" Waris Ali Meerza retained titles such as Raes ud-Daulah. As Abbas Ali Meerza has been declared to be the successor and legal heir to Waris Ali Meerza, he can now legally succeed Waris Ali Meerza's office, however the title of the fourth Nawab Bahadur of Murshidbad would be unofficial. [9][45] .[3][4][5]
List of the Nawabs of Bengal
The following is a list of all the Nawabs of Bengal. Sarfaraz Khan and Mir Mohammad Jaffer Ali Khan (Mir Jaffer) were the Nawabs to retain the crown.[6] The chronology started in 1717 with Murshid Quli Khan and ended in 1881 with Mansoor Ali Khan's abdication.[7][8][6]
Portrait | Titular Name | Personal Name | Birth | Reign | Death |
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Jaafar Khan Bahadur Nasiri | Murshid Quli Khan | 1665 | 1717– 1727 | 30 June 1727 | |
Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jang | Sarfaraz Khan Bahadur | ? | 1727-1727 | 29 April 1740 | |
Shuja ud-Daula | Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan | Around 1670 (date not available) | July 1727 – 26 August 1739 | 26 August 1739 | |
Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jang | Sarfaraz Khan Bahadur | ? | 13 March 1739 – April 1740 | 29 April 1740 | |
Hashim ud-Daula | Muhammad Alivardi Khan Bahadur | Before 10 May 1671 | 29 April 1740 – 9 April 1756 | 9 April 1756 | |
Siraj ud-Daulah | Muhammad Siraj-ud-Daulah | 1733 | April 1756 – 2 June 1757 | 2 July 1757 | |
Ja'afar 'Ali Khan Bahadur | Mir Mohammad Jaffer Ali Khan Bahadur | 1691 | June 1757 – October 1760 | 17 January 1765 | |
File:Nawab Mir Qasim.jpg | Itimad ud-Daulah | Mir Qasim Ali Khan Bahadur | ? | 20 October 1760 – 1763 | 8 May 1777 |
Ja'afar 'Ali Khan Bahadur | Mir Mohammad Jaffer Ali Khan Bahadur | 1691 | 25 July 1763 – 17 January 1765 | 17 January 1765 | |
Nazam-ud-Daulah | Najimuddin Ali Khan Bahadur | 1750 | 5 February 1765 – 8 May 1766 | 8 May 1766 | |
Saif ud-Daulah | Najabut Ali Khan Bahadur | 1749 | 22 May 1766 – 10 March 1770 | 10 March 1770 | |
Mubarak ud-Daulah | Ashraf Ali Khan Bahadur | 1759 | 21 March 1770 – 6 September 1793 | 6 September 1793 | |
Azud ud-Daulah | Babar Ali Khan Bahadur | ? | 1793 – 28 April 1810 | 28 April 1810 | |
Ali Jah | Zain-ud-Din Ali Khan Bahadur | ? | 5 June 1810 – 6 August 1821 | 6 August 1821 | |
Walla Jah | Ahmad Ali Khan Bahadur | ? | 1810 – 30 October 1824 | 30 October 1824 | |
Humayun Jah | Mubarak Ali Khan Bahadur | 29 September 1810 | 1824 – 3 October 1838 | 3 October 1838 | |
Feradun Jah | Syed Mansoor Ali Khan Bahadur | 29 October 1830 | 29 October 1838 – 1 November 1880 (abdicated) | 5 November 1884 |
List of the Nawabs of Murshidabad
There have been four Nawabs of Murshidabad ,as of 2014, as follows:
Picture | Titular Name | Personal Name | Birth | Reign | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ali Kadir | Syed Hassan Ali Meerza Khan Bahadur | 25 August 1846 | 17 February 1882 – 25 December 1906 | 25 December 1906 | |
Amir ul-Omrah | Syed Wasif Ali Meerza Khan Bahadur | 7 January 1875 | December 1906 – 23 October 1959 | 23 October 1959 | |
Raes ud-Daulah | Syed Waris Ali Meerza Khan Bahadur | 14 November 1901 | 1959 – 20 November 1969 | 20 November 1969 | |
— | — | Disputed/In abeyance[3][4] | — | 20 November 1969 – 13 August 2014 | — |
— | Syed Mohammed Abbas Ali Meerza | Circa 1942 | 13 August 2014 – Present[3][4] | Present |
Notes
- ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India vol. IV 1907, p. 46
- ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1 January 1991). Fall Of The Mughal Empire- Vol. I (4Th Edn.) (Maratha Chauth from Bihar). Orient Blackswan. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
- ^ a b c Mahato, Sukumar (20 August 2014). "Murshidabad gets a Nawab again, but fight for assets ahead". Times of India. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ a b c TNN (22 August 2014). "Portrait of an accidental Nawab". Times of India. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "The last Nawab of Murshidabad, Waris Ali Meerza Khan Bahadur". Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ a b "The Nawabs of Bengal (chronologically)". Retrieved 28 July 2012.[dead link]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nawab
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
External links