Principality of Bengal: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Former Country
#REDIRECT [[Bengal Subah]]
|conventional_long_name = Subah of Bengal
|common_name = Subah of Bengal
|continent = Asia
|region = [[Indian Subcontinent]]
|country = [[India]], [[Bangladesh]]
|era = Early Modern
|status = Former Bengal State
|event_start =
|year_start = 1717
|date_start =
|event1 =
|date_event1 =
|event_end =
|year_end = 1757
|date_end = 23 June
|p1 = Mughal Empire
|flag_p1 =
|border_p1 = no
|s1 = Company rule in India
|flag_s1 = Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg
|flag_type =
|image_coat = Coat_of_Arms_of_Nawabs_of_Bengal.PNG
|image_map = 1776 Rennell - Dury Wall Map of Bihar and Bengal, India - Geographicus - BaharBengal-dury-1776.jpg
|image_map_caption = The realm of the [[Nawabs of Bengal]] covered much of [[Eastern India]] and [[Bangladesh]]
|capital = [[Murshidabad]]
|common_languages = [[Persian language|Persian]] (official), [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Oriya language|Oriya]], [[Arabic]]
|religion = [[Islam]], [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]]
|government_type = Monarchy
|leader1 = [[Murshid Quli Khan]] (first)
|year_leader1 = 1717-1727
|leader2 = [[Siraj-ud-Daulah]] (last)
|year_leader2 = 1756-1757
|title_leader = [[Nawab of Bengal|Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa]]
|legislature =
}}

The '''Principality (or Kingdom) of Bengal''' was an independent [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] [[dominion]] or "[[Subah]]" ruled by the [[Nawabs of Bengal]].<ref>Farooqi, Salma Ahmed. (2011). ''A Comprehensive History of Medieval India''. Chapter 30. </ref>

==History==
{{tone|section|date=May 2014}}
[[Bengal]] is a region located in the low lying [[Ganges Delta]]. It was once ruled by a series of Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic kingdoms before falling under the rule of growing [[Mughal Empire]]. A chain of subordinate officials, consisting of governors and Diwans, ruled Bengal till 1716. In 1717, [[Murshid Quli Khan]] emerged as the governor of Bengal. With his considerable influence over the Mughal Emperor, [[Aurangzeb]], Khan had the Nazim, [[Azim-ush-Shan]], moved to Bihar. With this, Murshid Quli Khan became the first Nawab Nazim of Bengal. He moved the capital to Murshidabad, a town named after him, and established the Principality of Bengal.

The Principality was ruled under 3 dynasties: Nasiri, Afshar, and Najafi. Murshid Quli Khan ruled from 1717 to 1727, when he was succeeded by his son in law, [[Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan]]. After his death, in 1739, his son, [[Sarfaraz Khan]], became the new Nawab. Sarfaraz, however, was killed during the [[Battle of Giria]] and was succeeded by [[Alivardi Khan]], founder of the Afshar Dynasty. Alivardi Khan was considered to be a brilliant general and was able to establish peace with the [[Maratha Empire]]. After Khan, [[Siraj-ud-Daulah]], his grandson, took power. The young and inexperienced Nawab was able to anger most people in his court and the [[British East India Company]] in [[Calcutta]]. In 1757, the forces of the Nawab and the Company confronted each other in the [[Battle of Plassey]]. Though the former's forces were much more powerful than those of the latter, the Nawab's head general, [[Mir Jafar]], betrayed him and helped the British win. With this, the Principality was dissolved and the British took over control of Bengal while establishing Mir Jafar and the Najafi Dynasty as the puppet rulers of the region.

==Nawabs==
The following is a list of all the Nawabs of Bengal while it was independent. [[Sarfaraz Khan]] and [[Mir Jafar|Mir Muhammed Jafar Ali Khan Bahadur]] (''Mir Jafar'') were the only Nawabs to become the Nawab twice (though the latter was a puppet ruler).<ref name = dynasties>{{cite web|url=http://murshidabad.nic.in/history1.htm|title=The Nawabs of Bengal (chronologically)|accessdate=28 July 2012}}</ref> The chronology started in 1717 with Murshid Quli Khan and ended in 1760 with the removal of [[Mir Jafar]] <ref name = nawab>{{cite web|author=Murdhidabad.net|date=8 May 2012|title=The Nawabs ruled earlier under the Mughal and later under the British|url=http://murshidabad.net/history/history-topic-nawab.htm|accessdate=9 August 2012}}</ref><ref name=l>{{cite web|author=Murshidabad.net|date=8 May 2012|title=Decline of the Nawabs of Bengal|url=http://murshidabad.net/history/history-topic-feradun-jah.htm|accessdate=10 August 2012}}</ref><ref name = dynasties/>

{| style="width:100%;" class="wikitable"
! style="background:#b0dc58; width:10%;"| Portrait
! style="background:#b0dc58; width:10%;"| Titular Name
! style="background:#f0dc88; width:20%;"| Personal Name
! style="background:#b0dc88; width:8%;"| Birth
! style="background:#b0dc88; width:8%;"| Reign
! style="background:#b0dc28; width:8%;"| Death
|-
| colspan="6"|<center>'''Nasiri Dynasty'''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Murshid Quli Jafar Khan.jpg|90px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''Jaafar Khan Bahadur Nasiri''
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Murshid Quli Khan]]
| style="text-align:center;"|1665
| style="text-align:center;"|1717– 1727
| style="text-align:center;"|30 June 1727
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Sarfaraz Khan.jpg|90px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jang''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Sarfaraz Khan|Sarfaraz Khan Bahadur]]
| style="text-align:center;"|?
| style="text-align:center;"|1727-1727
| style="text-align:center;"|29 April 1740
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan.jpg|90px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''Shuja ud-Daula''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan]]
| style="text-align:center;"|Around 1670 (date not available)
| style="text-align:center;"|July, 1727 – 26 August 1739
| style="text-align:center;"|26 August 1739
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Sarfaraz Khan.jpg|90px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jang''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Sarfaraz Khan|Sarfaraz Khan Bahadur]]
| style="text-align:center;"|?
| style="text-align:center;"|13 March 1739 – April 1740
| style="text-align:center;"|29 April 1740
|-
| colspan="6"|<center>'''Afsar Dynasty'''
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Alivardi Khan.jpg|90px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''Hashim ud-Daula ''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Alivardi Khan|Muhammad Alivardi Khan Bahadur]]
| style="text-align:center;"|Before 10 May 1671
| style="text-align:center;"|29 April 1740 – 9 April 1756
| style="text-align:center;"|9 April 1756
|-
| style="text-align:center;"|[[File:Siraj ud-Daulah.jpg|90px]]
| style="text-align:center;"|''Siraj ud-Daulah ''
| style="text-align:center;"| [[Siraj ud-Daulah|Muhammad Siraj-ud-Daulah]]
| style="text-align:center;"|1733
| style="text-align:center;"|April 1756 – 2 June 1757
| style="text-align:center;"|2 July 1757
|-
|}

==Economy==
{{Expand section|date=April 2013}}

==Art and culture==
{{Expand section|date=April 2013}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Chawk Masjid Painting.jpg|Murshidabad
File:Renaldis muslin woman.jpg|Renowned for its fine cotton textiles, the [[muslin]] trade was crucial to the Bengal economy
File:Dutch V.O.C. factory in Hoegly (Hugli-Chuchura, Bengal)(Hendrik van Schuylenburgh, 1665).jpg|A Dutch trading post on the Hooghly River
File:Royal Peacock Barge.jpg|Ivory replica of the Royal Peacock Barge
File:Katra Mosque - Murshidabad.jpg|Great [[Caravanserai]] Mosque in Murshidabad
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* [[Delhi Sultanate]]
* [[Bengal Sultanate]]
* [[Mughal Bengal]]


{{coord missing}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bengal, Principality of}}
[[Category:Former countries in South Asia]]
[[Category:Former countries in Asia]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1717]]
[[Category:Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:History of West Bengal]]
[[Category:History of Bengal]]
[[Category:History of India]]
[[Category:History of Bangladesh]]

Revision as of 11:39, 7 April 2016

Subah of Bengal
1717–1757
Siraj-ud-Daulah
(last)
Historical era
Early Modern
• Established
1717
• Disestablished
23 June 1757
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Mughal Empire
Company rule in India

The Principality (or Kingdom) of Bengal was an independent Mughal dominion or "Subah" ruled by the Nawabs of Bengal.[1]

History

Bengal is a region located in the low lying Ganges Delta. It was once ruled by a series of Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic kingdoms before falling under the rule of growing Mughal Empire. A chain of subordinate officials, consisting of governors and Diwans, ruled Bengal till 1716. In 1717, Murshid Quli Khan emerged as the governor of Bengal. With his considerable influence over the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, Khan had the Nazim, Azim-ush-Shan, moved to Bihar. With this, Murshid Quli Khan became the first Nawab Nazim of Bengal. He moved the capital to Murshidabad, a town named after him, and established the Principality of Bengal.

The Principality was ruled under 3 dynasties: Nasiri, Afshar, and Najafi. Murshid Quli Khan ruled from 1717 to 1727, when he was succeeded by his son in law,

Calcutta. In 1757, the forces of the Nawab and the Company confronted each other in the Battle of Plassey. Though the former's forces were much more powerful than those of the latter, the Nawab's head general, Mir Jafar
, betrayed him and helped the British win. With this, the Principality was dissolved and the British took over control of Bengal while establishing Mir Jafar and the Najafi Dynasty as the puppet rulers of the region.

Nawabs

The following is a list of all the Nawabs of Bengal while it was independent. Sarfaraz Khan and Mir Muhammed Jafar Ali Khan Bahadur (Mir Jafar) were the only Nawabs to become the Nawab twice (though the latter was a puppet ruler).[2] The chronology started in 1717 with Murshid Quli Khan and ended in 1760 with the removal of Mir Jafar [3][4][2]

Portrait Titular Name Personal Name Birth Reign Death
Nasiri Dynasty
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
Afsar Dynasty
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

Economy

Art and culture

Gallery

  • Murshidabad
    Murshidabad
  • Renowned for its fine cotton textiles, the muslin trade was crucial to the Bengal economy
    Renowned for its fine cotton textiles, the muslin trade was crucial to the Bengal economy
  • A Dutch trading post on the Hooghly River
    A Dutch trading post on the Hooghly River
  • Ivory replica of the Royal Peacock Barge
    Ivory replica of the Royal Peacock Barge
  • Great Caravanserai Mosque in Murshidabad
    Great Caravanserai Mosque in Murshidabad

References

  1. ^ Farooqi, Salma Ahmed. (2011). A Comprehensive History of Medieval India. Chapter 30.
  2. ^ a b "The Nawabs of Bengal (chronologically)". Retrieved 28 July 2012.
  3. ^ Murdhidabad.net (8 May 2012). "The Nawabs ruled earlier under the Mughal and later under the British". Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  4. ^ Murshidabad.net (8 May 2012). "Decline of the Nawabs of Bengal". Retrieved 10 August 2012.

See also