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Chapter III		168
Account of the Nazims of Bengal appointed by the Mughal Emperors of Delhi— Nazims and Diwans defined— Accession of Emperor Jahangir— Insurrection of Osman Khan— Nizamat or Viceroyalty of Rajah Man Singh— Wazir Khan appointed Diwan of Bengal— Rajah Man Singh re-called, not being able to subdue Osman Khan— Nizamat of Qutbuddin Khan— Qutbuddin Khan killed by ’Alī Quli Beg, surnamed Sher Afghan Khan, at Bardwan— Sher Afghan Khan, husband of Meherunnessa (afterwards Empress Nur Jahan)— Emperor Jahangir’s chivalry towards his Queen Empress Nur Jahan— Jahangir Quli Khan appointed Nazim or Viceroy of Bengal— Islam Khan appointed Governor of Behar— Islam Khan promoted to the Nizamat of Bengal— Afzal Khan, son of Shaikh Abul Fazl Allamī, appointed Governor of Behar— Rule of Nawab Islam Khan over Bengal, and an account of the fall of Osman Khan— Nawab Islam Khan transfers the seat of Mughal government from Tandah to Dacca or Dhaka or Jahaugirnagar— Battle between the Imperialists under Shujait Khan and the Afghans under Osman Khan, near Dhaka or Dacca— Osman hit by a canon-ball, and dies— Afghans now throughly crushed— Islam Khan leads an expedition against the Mags, defeats them, and sends some Mag captives to Emperor Jahangir, in charge of his son, Hoshang Khan— Nawab Islam Khan dies— Nizamat of Nawab Qasim Khan— Assamese make an incursion into the conquered Imperial domains— Qasim Khan re-called— Nizamat of Ibrahim ‘Khan’ and arrival of Prince Shah Jahan in Bengal— The title of Khan a high honorific distinction under the Mughal Emperors— Ahmad Beg Khan appointed Governor of Orissa— Shah Jahan’s insurrection— an account of Shah Jahan’s invasion of Bengal and the fall of Ibrahim Khan Fateh Jang at Rajmahal— Many Barha Syeds for political and military services receive from Mughal Emperors honorific title of Khan which in course of time obliterates all traces of their Syed descent— Shah Jahan marches to Dacca— Prince Shah Jahan’s fightings with the Imperial Army and his withdrawal to the Dahkin— Assign­ment of Bengal in Jagir to Mahabat Khan and his son— Nizamat of Nawab Mukkaram Khan— Nizamat of Nawab Fedai Khan— Emperor Jahangir dies, and his son, Shah Jahan, ascends the throne of Delhi— Nizamat of Nawab Qasim Khan— Qasim Khan, under orders of Emperor Shah Jahan, expels the Portugnese from Bengal— Nizamat of Nawab ’Azam Khan— The Assamese make an incursion into Bengal— ’Azam Khan recalled by the Emperor— Viceroyalty of Nawab Islam Khan II— Islam Khan sends out punitive expedi­tion to Kuch Behar and Assam— Islam Khan recalled for being installed as Imperial Vazir at Delhi— Nizamat of Bengal bestowed on Prince Shah Shuja— In the interregnum, Nawab Saif Khan repre­sents Shah Shuja in Bengal— Rule of Prince Muhammad Shuja— Prince Shuja transfers temporarily seat of Mughal government from Dhaka or Dacca, or Jahangirnagar to Rajmahal or Akbarnagar— and deputes his father-in-law, Nawab ’Azam Khan, as his Deputy Governor at Jahangirnagar— In 1658 A. C. Shah Shuja prepares a new Rent-roll of Bengal— The Prince recalled— Shah Shuja a lover of architecture and builds numerous marble edifices in Rajmahal, Monghyr and Dacca— Nizamat of Nawab Itaqad Khan— Nawab Ita­qad Khan recalled— Rule of Prince Shah Shuja for the second time in Bengal— Akbar banished most of his ’Ulama to Bengal— Emperor Shah Jahan falls ill— Fratricidal wars between Shah Jahan’s son, Dara Shekoh, Shah Shuja, Aurangzeb and Murad— Arangzeb triumphs in the end over all the brothers— Shah Shuja defeated and pursued by Aurangzeb’s general, Mir Jumla, Muazzam Khan, Khan-i-Khanan— Viceroyalty of Mir Jumla, Nawab Muazzam Khan, Khan-i-Khanan— Prince Shah Shuja flies to Arrakan, where he perishes— The Khan-i-Khanan Muazzam Khan Mir Jumla leads expeditions to Kuch Behar and Assam, and subdues them, falls ill, returns and dies at Khizrpur near Naraingunge in the Dacca dis­trict— Viceroyalty of Nawab Amirul-Umara Shaista Khan— Nawab Shaista Khan chastises thoroughly the Mag and Portuguese pirates, and with his son Buzurg Umed Khan re-conquers Chitta­gong and names it Islamabad— Nawab Shaista Khan forms a promi­nent figure in connection with the early commercial enterprises of the English East India Company— Nawab Shaista Khan builds numerous Madrassahs or Colleges, Mosques, rest-houses, bridges and roads— Economic condition of the people in Bengal attains an unique degree of prosperity— Rice sells at two annas per maund— Nawab Shaista Khan builds the Katrah or tower and other buildings at Dhaka or Dacca— Viceroyalty of Nawab Ibrahim Khan— The English merchants style Nawab Ibrahim Khan “the most famously just and good Nabob”— Ibrahim Khan allows the English to return from Madras and finally settle at Sutanati (future Calcutta)— Emperor Aurangzeb engaged in fighting for twelve years in the Dakhin against the Musalman kingdoms of Bijapur and Golcondah, and Ahmadnagar, and also against the Mahrattas under Sivaji and Sambhu— The Emperor’s protracted absence from his capital leads to outbreak of insurrections in different parts of the Empire— Rebellion of Subha Singh, Zamindar of Chittwah and of Rahim Khan, the Afghan— Kishan Ram, Zamindar of Bardwan, killed by the rebels— Nurullah Khan, Faujdar of the Chaklah of Jasar (Jessore), advances to fight with the rebels, but retreats soon after to the fort of Hughli, and seeks for help from the Dutch of Chinsurah— Kishan Ram’s daughter, a heroine, kills Subha Singh for attempt upon her chastity— Himat Singh succeeds Subha Singh— The rebels harry half the province of Bengal from Bardwan to Rajmahal— This opportunity utilised by the English for fortifying their new settlement in Calcutta— Brave fall of Niamat Khan and his nephew, Tauhar Khan— News of the disaster carried to Nawab Ibrahim Khan who exhibits pusillanimity— News carried to Emperor Aurangzeb, who appoints Zabardast Khan to be Faujdar of Bardwan and Mednipur, and to chastise the rebels— Zabardast Khan, son of Ibrahim Khan, chastises the rebels— Azimu-sh-shan appointed Viceroy of Bengal and Behar, Nawab Ibrahim Khan being recalled by Emperor Aurangzeb— Battle of Bhagwangolah— Zabardast Khan defeats Rahim Khan or Rahim Shah— Rahim Shah’s flight to Bardwan— Viceroyalty of Prince Azimu-sh-shan and fall of Rahim Khan— Azimu-sh-shan’s jealousy of Zabardast Khan— Azimu-sh-shan marches to Bardwan— Zabar­dast Khan in disgust leaves Bengal and proceeds to the Emperor Aurangzeb in the Dakhin— Tiyuls, jagirs, madad-i-mash, Altamgha land-tenures noticed— Recrudescence of Rahim Shah’s rebellion— Rahim Shah treacherously attacks Azimu-sh-shan, and nearly captures the latter— Loyal gallantry of Hamid Khan Quraishi (Faujdar of Silhat) who moves swiftly to Azimu-sh-shan’s rescue, turns disaster into victory and kills Rahim Shah, the rebel— Azimu-sh-shan after victory enters Bardwan, and makes a pilgrim­age to the shrine of the saint Shah Ibrahim Saqqa— Jagat Rai, son of Kishan Ram, invested by the Prince with the zamindarĩ of Bardwan— The prince erects a Cathedral Mosque at Bardwan— The prince founds the town of Shahganj alias Azimganj, in the suburbs of Hugli City— Azimu-sh-shan’s Mosque at Shahganj— Farukh Sir, Azimu-sh-shan’s son, blessed by the saint of Bardwan, Sufī Baizīd, and prophesied by the saint as the future Emperor of India— Azimu-sh-shan sails from Bardwan for Dhaka or Dacca or Jahan­girnagar on Imperial war-vessels— Azimu-sh-shan speculates at Dhaka in trade and introduces Sauda-i-Khas and Sauda-i-’Am, and is sharply rebuked by Emperor Aurangzeb— The Emperor appoints Mirza Hadi, surnamed Kartalab Khan (afterwards Murshid Quli Khan), to the office of Dīwan of Bengal— Powers of the Diwan defined— Powers of the Nazim defined— Azimu-sh-shan lazy and covetous, and in July 1698 for the sum of 16,000 rupees permits the English to purchase from existing holders the right of renting the three villages of Calcutta, Sutanati and Gobindpur— Both the Nizam’s and the Diwan’s powers regulated by an Imperial Pro­cedure Code revised year after year by the Emperor— The Pro­cedure Code or Dastur-al-’Amal in India described— Kartalab Khan appoints sagacious and thrifty Collectors to every Pargannah, Chaklah and Sarkar— Murshid Quli Khan (Kar Talab Khan) resumes Jagirs in Bengal of the Bengal mansabdars, and allots them Jagirs in lieu in Orissa— A big surplus in the Bengal Revenue thus effected— Murshid Quli Khan enhances the Revenue— assessments of Bengal, presents a prosperity Budget, and becomes Emperor Aurangzeb’s favourite— Azimu-sh-shan becomes jealous of Murshid Quli Khan, and plots his destruction— Khiraj, Jaziah, Tamgha, Jihat, Sair Jihat revenue and taxes described— At the instigation of Azimu-sh-shan, the Naqdi troops in Dacca mutiny, and surround Murshid Quli Khan— Murshid Quli Khan behaves dauntlessly, pays up the troops and cashiers them, and reports the affair to the Emperor— Emperor Aurangzeb threat­ens Azimu-sh-shan, and orders the latter to quit Bengal and with­draw to Behar— Murshid Quli Khan removes with the Revenue offi­cers from Dacca or Jahangirnagar to Makhsūsābad, which he names after himself Murshidābād— The Mughal Special Intelligence Department, consisting of the ‘Waqiah-navis’ and ‘Sawanih-navis’ described— Leaving Farrukhsīr as his Deputy in Bengal, Azimu-sh-shan proceeds first to Mungir (Munghyr) and then to Patna, which he names ’Azīmabad, and settles down there— Emperor Aurangzeb’s fatal mistake in fighting against and crushing the Musalman kingdoms of Golkondah, Ahmadnagar and Bijapur— The effacement of these Musalman kingdoms in the Dakhin resulted in letting loose the Mahratta freebooters and other adven­turers that had, hitherto, no political existence— Mughal system of Revenue-accounts— Mughal Account-Officers— Emperor Aurang­zeb appoints Murshid Quli Khan Deputy Nazim of Bengal, in addi­tion to his office of Dīwan— Mughal Revenue and Fiscal Officials described— Bestowal of the Deputy Nizamat of Bengal on Murshid Quli Khan, as Deputy of Azimu-sh-shan— Mint-towns in Bengal— Nankars land-tenures described— ’Amils (collectors of revenue), Shiqdars and Amins— Status of Zamīndars described— Murshid Quli Khan prepares a perfect Revenue-Roll of Bengal and resurveys lands in all the mahals of Bengal— Murshid Quli Khan’s settlement and survey procedures described— Murshid Quli Khan gives taqavi or taccavi or agricultural loans and advances, and encourages the tenantry to till their lands and improve agriculture— Murshid Quli Khan no believer in Permanent Settlements, and pre­fers Ryotwari to Farming Settlements— Islamic Revenue systems recognize the soil as State property, and allot a portion of its profit or produce to the actual tiller of the soil for his labour on it, and abhor the ‘middle men’— The constitution of the surveying party and the Settlement procedure under the Mughal Emperors almost exactly analogous to the existing British Survey and Settlement Procedure— Murshid Quli Khan chastises the Zamindar of Bishan­pur (or Vishnupur)— Asadullah Khan, Zamindar of Bīrbhum, munificent in his gifts and madad-i-mash grants to scholars and saints— Rajahs of Tipra, Kuch Behar, and Assam all caved in before the vigorous personality of Murshid Quli Khan— During Murshid Quli Khan’s Administration, no foreign incursion nor internal distur­bance— In consequence, military expenditure reduced, and nearly abolished— Hindu Zamindars forbidden by Murshid Quli Khan to ride on palkis— Murshid Quli Khan strict and impartial in his administration of justice— To avenge the wrong done to another, Murshid Quli, Khan in obedience to the Islamic law, executes his own son— Murshid Quli Khan harsh to defaulting zamindars— Forcible conversion of Hindus to Islam only on the part of two Nau-Moslem rulers in Bengal— Poddar or the Treasurer— Procedure of sending remittances of the Revenue to the Emperor— Some old industries and arts and manufactures in Bengal— Murshid Quli Khan secures from Emperor Aurangzeb title of ‘Motamunul-Mulk Alau-d-daulah Jafir Khan Nasir Jang’— Imperial Mansabdars, hearing of the prosperity of Bengal, seek for offices in Bengal— Nawab Saif Khan appointed Faujdar of Purniah on recommendation of Emperor Aurangzeb— Qanungo Darab Narain— Qanungos Sheo Narain and Jai Narain— Ziau-d-din Khan, Faujdar of Hugli and Admiral of all the sea-ports on the coast of Coromandel, a patron of the English merchants, dismissed by Murshid Quli Khan who with the Emperor’s sanction brings the port of Hugli under his immediate authority, though hitherto it was independent of the Subahdari of Bengal— Murshid Quli appoints Wali Beg as Faujdar of Hugli— The French, Dutch and English secretly support Ziau-d-din Khan— Battle between Ziau-d-din and Wali Beg near Huglī— Ziau-d-din withdraws to Delhi— Kankar Bangali; his insolence to Nawab Jafar Khan; Jafar Khan’s retort— Syed Akram Khan, Diwan of Bengal, dies, and is succeeded by Syed Razi Khan, hus­band of Nafisah Khanam— The ‘Baikant’ or ‘Reservoir of filth’ into which defaulting Zamindars were thrown— Insurrection of Sitarām Zamindar of Mahmūdabad (in Jessore or Jasar) and murder of Mīr Abū Turab, Faujdar of Bhusna (formerly in Jasar or Jessore, now in Faridpur district)— Sitaram’s residence at Muhammadpur or Mahmudpur, at the confluence of the Madhumati and Barasia rivers in Jasar (Jessore) district— Pir Khan, Mir Abu Turab’s general, detailed to chastise Sitaram— On Mir Abu Turab’s fall, Hasan Alī Khan, scion of a noble family, who had married Murshid Quli Khan’s wife’s sister, appointed Faujdar of Bhusna— Hasan Ali Khan captures Sitaram and his women and children, and sends them to Murshidabad to Nawab Jafar Khan (Murshid Quli Khan) who hangs Sitaram, and bestows his zamindari on Ram Jivan— Emperor Aurangzeb dies, and his son Bahadur Shah succeeds him— Prince Azimu-sh-shan sets out for the Imperial Capital— Prince Farrukh-sir comes to Murshidabad and is received with honour, and puts up at the Lal Bagh palace, as Nawab Jafar Khan’s guest— Nawab Jafar Khan remits the revenue of Bengal to Emperor Bahadur Shah— Emperor Bahadur Shah dies, and is succeeded by his son, Jahandar Shah— Azimu-sh-shan killed— Asad Khan the Prime Minister and Amiru-l-Umara Zulfuqar Khan— Farrukh-sir resolves, under the inspiration of his brave mother Sahebu-n-Nissa, to fight for the Imperial Crown against Jahandar Shah— The Syed brothers espouse Farrukh-sir’s cause— Farrukh-sir being displeased with Jafar Khan, appoints Rashid Khan to supersede Jafar Khan— Battle between Rashid Khan and Jafar Khan— Rashid Khan killed— Farrukh-sir defeats Emperor Jahan­dar Shah near Akbarabad or Agra, and ascends the Imperial throne— Jahandar Shah and the Amiru-l-Umara slain— Accession of Emperor Farrukh-sir to the throne of Delhi— Nawab Jafar Khan sends presents and tribute to Emperor Farrukh-sir— Farrukh-sīr confirms Jafar Khan as Nazim and Dīwan of Bengal, Behar, and Orissa— On Jafar Khan’s representation, Nagar Set’s uncle and agent, Fatih Chand Sahū, was invested by the Emperor with the title of ‘Jagat-Set,’ and appointed Imperial Banker for Bengal— Jafar Khan purchases from his personal income Zamindari of Qis-mat Chunahkhalī in Pargannah Kalharbah in the district of Murshidabad, names it Asadnagar after his maternal grandson, Mirza Asadullah Sarfaraz Khan— Jafar Khan bestows the Deputy-Governorship of Jahangirnagar (Dacca) on Mirza Lutfullah, a son-in-law of Shujau-d-din Khan, and gives him the title of Murshid Quli Khan— Emperor Farrukh-sir slain, and Sultan Rafiu-d-darajat raised to the throne by the Syed brothers— Rafi-u-darajat dies and is succeeded by Rafi-u-d-daulah— Rafi-u-d-daulah dies, and is suc­ceeded by Emperor Muhammad Shah— Nawab Jafar Khan sends to Emperor Muhammad Shah tribute and presents from Bengal— The Emperor bestows on the Nawab the Subahdari of Orissa in addi­tion— Bengal free from Mahratta raids— Nawab Jafar Khan’s quarrel with the Christian Danes who had erected a Factory at Banqibazar— The Danes though secretly supported by the French, expelled from Bengal— Ahsanullah Khan, Faujdar of the port of Hugli— Shujait Khan and Nijat Khan, Zamindars of Tonki Sarubpur (in Jessore or Jasar district)— Jafar Khan creates the office of Super­intendent of Dacoity with spies under the latter— Jafar Khan con­fiscates the zamindari of Shujait Khan and Nijat Khan, and settles it with Ram Jivan— Perfect peace and security in Bengal— Jafar Khan establishes Thanahs or military police out-posts at Katwah Murshidganj, Pupthal— Thieves, dacoits and robbers exterminated— Nawab Jafar Khan’s (Murshid Quli Khan) character, conduct and policy— A copy of the Qoran transcribed by Nawab Jafar Khan by his own hand exists in the shrine of Makhdum Akhī Siraju-d-din at Sadu-l-lapur— Weekly price-current reports prepared— Rice sold at 5 or 6 maunds per rupee in Bengal— People eat polao and qaliah daily, spending only one rupee per month— People happy and comfortable— No exportation of food-grains permitted— A preventive officer appointed under the Faujdar of Hugli to see that ships in the harbour did not smuggle out food-grains from Bengal— Murshid Quli Khan has only one wife— Abstemious in habits, but allows himself the luxury of ice-water and ice-preserves— Mango culture in Bengal— Murshid Quli Khan stríctly impartial in administration of justice— To avenge the death of an oppressed man, Murshid Quli Khan executes his own son, and obtains the title of ‘Adalat-Gastar’— Qazi Muham mad Sharf appointed by Emperor Aurangzeb Qazi or Chief Justice of Bengal— Qazi Muhammad Sharf’s remarkable integrity, and judicial independence— How Qazis or Judges and Magistrates were recruited, and how their judicial independence was safeguarded by Musalman Emperors of India— Qazis subordinate only to the Shara or the Muhammadan Law— A Police Superintendent of Hugli stoned to death under orders of Nawab Jafar Khan (Murshid Quli Khan) for enticing away the daughter of a Mughal citizen— Murshid Quli (Nawab Jafar Khan) erects a treasury, a Katrah or Tower, a Cathedral Mosque, a Monument and a Reservoir— Murshid Quli Khan proclaims Sarfaraz Khan as his heir, and dies— Nizamat of Nawab Shuja-ud-din Muhammad Khan— Sarfaraz Khan reports Nawab Jafar Khan’s (Murshid Quli’s) death to Emperor Muhammad Shah, and also to his ownfather, Shujau-d-din Khan, who was Deputy Nazim in Orissa— Shujau-d-din aspires to the Nizamat of Bengal, leaves his son Muhammad Taqi Khan as Deputy Nazim of Orissa at Katak (Cuttack) and marches swiftly to Bengal— Fighting between the father and the son avoided through the good offices and wisdom of the widowed Begam of Nawab Jafar Khan (Murshid Quli Khan)— Shujau-d-din’s character, conduct and policy— his humane treatment of the Bengal defaulting zamindars— Shujau-d-din sends tribute and presents to Emperor Muhammad Shah— Nawab Shujau-d-din’s public works— Nawab Shujau-d-din delegates the duties of the Nizamat of Bengal to a Council or Cabinet of Advisers, and himself prefers pleasures— Haji Ahmad, Rai Alamchand Dīwan, and Jagat Set Fatehchand members of Nawab Shujau-d-din’s State Council in Bengal— Alamchand appointed Deputy Dīwan of Bengal— Ante­cedents of Haji Ahmad and Mirza Bandi (afterwards Ali Vardi Khan)— Chief Administrative Officers in the beginning of the regime of Nawab Shujau-d-din Khan— Quarrel between Shuja Quli Khan, Faujdar of Hugli, and the English, Dutch and French merchants— English goods seized, but afterwards released— Chief of the English factory at Qasimbazar agrees to pay three lacs as nazar to Nawab Shujau-d-din Khan— Chief of the English factory in Calcutta remits the nazar to Nawab Shujau-d-din Khan— Behar added to the Bengal Satrapy by Emperor Muhammad Shah— Ali Vardi Khan appointed Deputy Governor of Behar by Nawab Shujau-d-din— General Abdul Karim Khan, Ali Vardi’s principal colleague— Ali Vardi chastises the Banjarah tribe and subdues the zamindar of Bhojpur, Tikari, and Namdar Khan Muin— Ali Vardi obtains for the Emperor Muhammad Shah title of “Mahabat Jang Bahadur”— Haji Ahmad, Ali Vardi, Alamchand and Jagat Set plot to bring about a rupture between the two sons of the Nawab (Sarfaraz Khan and Muhammad Taqi Khan), in order to obtain personal advantages— Rupture between the brothers takes a serious turn, when Nawab Shujau-d-din interferes, and Muhammad Taqī Khan departs for Katak, where he dies— Murshid Quli Khan (No. 11), son-in-law of Nawab Shujauddin, and Deputy Nazim of Jahan­girnagar or Dacca, appointed Deputy Nazim of Orissa— An account of Mir Habib, principal adviser of Murshid Quli Khan (No. 11) both in Dhaka or Dacca or Jahangirnagar, and in Orissa— Whilst at Jahangirnagar, during the regime of Nawab Shujau-d-din Khan, Mir Habib, lieutenant of Murshid Quli Khan No. 11) conquers Tiprah, which was henceforth named Raushanabad— Aqa Sadek, zamindar of Patpasar— Nurullah, zamindar of Parganah Jallalpur— Murshid Quli (No. 11) receives the title of Rustam Jang— Mir Habib re-or­ganises the administration and settlement of Orissa, and effects a surplus in its revenue— During the conflict between Muhammad Taqi Khan and Safaraz Khan, the Rajah of Parsutam or Puri removes Jagannath, the Hindu God, to across the Chilka lake— Rajah Dand brings back Jagannath to Puri— Sarfaraz Khan, Governor of Jahangirnagar, his Deputy-Governor being Ghalib Ali Khan— Jasunant Rai, the State Secretary at Jahangirnagar— Murad Ali Khan, Superintendent of the Nawarah at Jahangirnagar or Dacca— Rajballab, clerk of the Dacca Admiralty— Mirza Muhammad Said, Faujdar of Ghoraghat and Rangpur and Kuch Behar— Badiuz­zaman, zamindar of Birbhum— Karatchand, zamindar of Bard­wan— Nadir Shah’s invasion of India— Shujauddin or Nawab Shujau-d-daulah dies, and is succeeded by his son, Nawab Sarfaraz Khan— Nizamat of Nawab Sarfaraz Khan— Treachery of Sarfaraz Khan’s Councillors, Haji Ahmad, Jagat Set, and the Rai Raian— Treachery of Ali Vardi Khan— Battle of Gherea— Sanguinary fight between Ali Vardi Khan and Sarfaraz Khan— Sarfaraz Khan killed— Decline of Moslem Bengal from this date— Nizamat of Ali Vardi Khan— Ali Vardi Khan banishes to Dacca the Begams of Sarfaraz Khan— Emperor Muhammad Shah’s lament on the Bengal revolu­tion— Ali Vardi’s Personnel of Government— Ali Vardi wages war against Murshid Quli Khan II, Governor of Orissa, and bestows all important offices on his own relatives— Durdanah Begam, the brave wife of Murshid Quli Khan II— Mirza Baqir, son-in-law of Murshid Quli Khan II— Ali Vardi bestows the Governorship of Orissa on his nephew and son-in-law, Saulat Jang alias Said Ahmad Khan— Saulat Jang taken prisioner, and Mirza Baquir takes the mas­nad of Orissa— Ali Vardi’s avenging expedition to Orissa— Mirza Baqir flies— Mir Habib, the Deputy of Murshid Quli Khan II, seeks help of the Mahrattas in order to invade Bengal— Mabratta incur­sions into Bengal, under the inspiration of Mir Habib— At length, peace concluded between Ali Vardi and Mahrattas— Ali Vardi dies— Ali Vardi’s character— Ali Vardi succeeded by his maternal grandson Siraju-d-daulah— Nizamat of Nawab Siraju-d-daulah— Siraju-d-daulah’s character and policy— His mistakes— Mohanlal, a Kyeth, appointed Chief Minister— Siraju-d-daulah’s quarrel with Rajballab leads to rupture with the English— Treachery of Mir Jafar, Dulab Ram and Jagat Set who invite over the English— Siraju-d-daulah’s quarrel with Shaukat Jang, Faujdar of Purniah— Siraju-d-daulah captures Calcutta, and names it Alinagar and leaves Manikchand as its Governor— The English under Clive return to Bengal— The English re-take Calcutta, and defeat Manikchand— On the invitation of Mir Jafar, Dulab Ram and Jagat Set, the English under Clive march to Plassey— Battle of Plassey— Defeat and murder of Siraju-d-daulah— Nizamat of Jafar Ali Khan or Mir Jafar— Mir Jafar’s and his son Miran’s cruelty to Siraju-d-daulah’s mother and aunt, Amanah Begam and Ghaseti Begam, who are drowned— Miran suffers and receives retribution by being killed by lightning— Mir Jafar replaced by Mir Qasim— Nizamat of Nawab Mir Qasim Ali Khan— His character and policy— Mir Qasim removes his capital from Murshidabad to Monghyr— Mir Qasim’s rupture and fight with the English— Mir Jafar re-installed as Nazim of Bengal— Battle of Baksar— Grant of the Diwani of Bengal to the English by Emperor Shah Alam— Mir Qasim’s adventures and death.