Nawab ofBengal
First to reign Murshid Quli Khan 1717 – 30 June 1727
Details
Style	His Majesty
First monarch	Murshid Quli Khan
Last monarch	Siraj ud-Daulah (Independent) Mansur Ali Khan (Under British)
Formation	1717; 308 years ago (1717)
Abolition	1882; 143 years ago (1882)
Residences	Chehel Shetun Palace, Hirajheel Palace,Hazarduari Palace
Appointer	Hereditary (1717–1757) British Empire (1757–1882)

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History ofBengal
Ancient kingdoms Pundravardhana Vanga Suhma Rarha Samatata Anga Harikela Pragjyotisha
Classical dynasties Gangaridai Bhulua Nandas Mauryans Shungas Guptas Varmanas Gaudas Kamarupa Jaintia Gour Laur Mallabhum Bhadras Khadgas Palas Kamboja Palas Senas Chandras Devas Pratapgarh Taraf
Medieval Bengal Delhi Sultanate Khalji dynasty Mamluk dynasty Tughlaq dynasty House of Balban City states: Sonargaon Lakhnauti Satgaon Bengal Sultanate: Ilyas Shahi dynasty House of Ganesha Hussain Shahi dynasty Karrani dynasty Sur Empire Twelve Bhuyan Confederacy Kingdom of Mrauk U Jaintia Kingdom Pratapgarh Kingdom Koch dynasty Kingdom of Tripura Kingdom of Bhurshut Mughal Empire: Bengal Subah Burdwan Raj Rajshahi Raj Nadia Raj Bettiah Raj Nawabs of Bengal Zamindars Maratha expeditions in Bengal
Colonial Bengal Portuguese Chittagong Dutch Bengal French Bengal Danish Bengal Austrian Bengal British Bengal Battle of Plassey Bengal famine of 1770 Santal Revolt Chuar rebellion Indian Mutiny of 1857 Bihar famine of 1873–74 Partition of Bengal (1905) Eastern Bengal and Assam Bengali Renaissance Bengal famine of 1943 Direct Action Day Radcliffe Line Partition of Bengal (1947)
Post-partition era East Bengal/East Pakistan (1947–1971) East Bengali refugees History of East Pakistan 1964 East Pakistan riots Bengali language movement Bangladesh Liberation War
Modern period West Bengal 1947–present Bangladesh 1971–present
Related Architecture of Bengal History of Bengali literature Bangamata History of the taka Muslin trade in Bengal List of governors of Bengal Presidency Prime Minister of Bengal Maritime history of Bengal
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Etymology Timeline Traditional Urheimat
Ancient Neolithic 7600 - 3300 BCE Bronze Age 3300 – 1200 BCE     Pundra kingdom c.1280 – c. 300 BCE Iron Age 1200 – 200 BCE Vanga kingdom c.1100 – c. 340 BCE     House of Vijaya 543 BCE - 66 CE Northern Culture 700 – 200 BCE Gangaridai c. 350 – c. 300 BCE Nanda Dynasty c. 345 BCE– c. 322 BCE Mauryan Empire 325 – 185 BCE Samatata kingdom c. 232 BCE – 800 AD Shunga andKushan c. 185 BCE – c. 75 CE Southwestern Silk Road c. 114 BCE – c. 1450 CE Indo-Roman trade relations c. 30 BCE – c. 600 CE Gupta Empire 240 – 550 CE Kamarupa kingdom 350 – 1140 CE
Medieval Jaintia Kingdom 500 – 1835 CE Gauda Kingdom 590 – 626 CE Laur kingdom 600 - 1565 CE Harikela kingdom 600 - 650 CE Gour Kingdom 600 – 1303 CE Khadga dynasty 650 – 750 CE Bhadra dynasty c. 700s CE Pala Empire 750 – 1100 CE Chandra dynasty 900 – 1050 CE Sena dynasty 1070 – 1320 CE Deva dynasty 1100 – 1250 CE Muslim conquest 1202 CE Khaljis of Bengal 1204 - 1231 CE Taraf Kingdom c. 1200s – c. 1600s CE Bhulua Kingdom 1203 – 1600s CE Delhi Sultanate 1204 – 1338 CE     Mamluk Dynasty 1206 – 1290 CE     Khalji Dynasty 1290 – 1320 CE     Tugluq Dynasty 1320 – 1338,1342 CE City State Sultanates     Sonargaon 1338 – 1352 CE     Lakhnauti/Gauda 1342 – 1352 CE     Satagon/Saptagram 1342 – 1352 CE Twipra Kingdom c. 1400 – 1949 CE Bengal Sultanate 1352 – 1576 CE     Ilyas Shahi dynasty 1342 – 1487 CE     House of Ganesha 1414 – 1436 CE     Habshi dynasty 1487 – 1494 CE     Hussein Shahi 1494 – 1538 CE     Suri Interruption 1539 – 1554 CE     Muhammad Shahi 1554 – 1564 CE     Karrani dynasty 1564 – 1576 CE Pratapgarh Kingdom 1489 – 1700s CE
Early Modern Koch Kingdom 1515 – 1956 CE Suri Dynasty 1540 – 1556 CE Baro-Bhuyans 1550 – 1620 CE Portuguese settlement in Chittagong 1528 – 1666 CE Kingdom of Mrauk U 1530 – 1666 CE Mughal Empire 1576 – 1717 CE     Bengal Subah 1576 – 1717 CE     Rajshahi Raj c. 1700s - 1950 CE     Zamindars 1700s - 1900s CE Pratapaditya Kingdom 1602 – 1611 CE Sitaram Ray Kingdom 1688 – 1714 CE Nawabs of Bengal 1717 – 1757 CE     Maratha Invasions 1742 - 1751 CE     Afghan insurrections 1745 - 1750 CE     Siege of Calcutta 1756 CE Shamsher Gazi's Kingdom 1748 – 1760 CE Company Raj 1757 – 1858 CE     Bengal famine of 1770 1770 CE     Bengal Renaissance 1772 - 1913 CE     Faraizi movement 1818 – 1884 CE     The Great Rebellion 1857 – 1858 CE Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya 1830 – 1831 CE     Titumir's rebellion 1830s CE British Raj 1858 – 1947 CE     First Partition of Bengal 1905 CE     Bengal and Assam 1905 - 1912 CE     Bengal famine of 1943 1943 CE     Bengali Prime Minister 1937 - 1947 CE     Noakhali riots 1946 CE
Modern East Bengal 1947 – 1955 CE     Second Partition of Bengal 1947 CE     East Bengali refugees 1947 CE     Bengali language movement 1948 – 1956 CE East Pakistan 1955 – 1971 CE     1964 East Pakistan riots 1964 CE     Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 1965 CE     Six Point movement 1966 CE     1969 Mass uprising 1969 CE     General election 1970 CE     Non-cooperation 1971 CE Liberation War 1971 CE     Declaration of Independence 1971 CE     Provisional Government 1971 – 1972 CE     Bangladesh genocide 1971 CE     Surrender of Pakistan 1971 CE
Contemporary Constituent Assembly 1972 CE Constitution 1972 CE Insurgency 1972 – 1975 CE Bangladesh famine 1974 CE BaKSAL era 1975 CE Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 1975 CE Jail Killing 1975 CE Military coups 1975 - 2011 CE Chittagong Hill Tracts conflict 1977 - 1997 CE 1990 mass uprising 1990 CE Caretaker government 1996 CE Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord 1997 CE 2006–08 Political crisis 2006–2008 CE Hasina era 2009–2024 CE Vision 2021 and Digital Bangladesh 2008 CE Bangladesh Rifles revolt 2009 CE International Crimes Tribunal 2009 CE Shahbag protests 2013 CE Shapla Square protests 2013 CE 2013 Quota reform movement 2013 CE 2015 Political crisis 2015 CE 2018 Road-safety protests 2018 CE 2018 Quota reform movement 2018 CE Smart Bangladesh 2022 CE July Revolution 2024 CE Aftermath of the July Revolution 2024 – present CE
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TheNawabs of Bengal^[1][2][3][4] were the Independent hereditary rulers ofBengal. In the early 18th-century, the Nawab of Bengal was the independent ruler ofBengal (Bengal,Bihar andOrissa which constitute the modern-dayIndian states ofWest Bengal,Bihar andOdisha and the sovereign country ofBangladesh). The Bengal Subah reached its peak during the reign of NawabShuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan.^[5][6][7] They are often referred to as theNawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa (Bengali:বাংলা, বিহার ও উড়িষ্যার নবাব).^[8] The Nawabi Bengal's capital were based inMurshidabad which was centrally located within Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. Their chief, a former prime minister, became the first Nawab. The Nawabs governed as independent monarchs. The Nawabs, backed by bankers such as theJagat Seth, became the financial backbone of the Subcontinent court.

The Nawabs, especially under the rule ofAlivardi Khan of 16 years, were heavily engaged in various wars against the Marathas. Towards the end, he turned his attention to rebuilding and restoringBengal.^[9]

The Nawabs of Bengal oversaw a period ofproto-industrialization. The Bengal-Bihar-Orissa triangle was a major production center for cotton muslin cloth, silk cloth, shipbuilding, gunpowder, saltpetre, and metalworks. Factories were set up in Murshidabad, Dhaka, Patna, Sonargaon, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Cossimbazar, Balasore, Pipeli, and Hugli among other cities, towns, and ports. The region became a base for theBritish East India Company, theFrench East India Company, theDanish East India Company, theAustrian East India Company, theOstend Company, and theDutch East India Company.

The British company eventually rivaled the authority of the Nawabs. In the aftermath of thesiege of Calcutta in 1756, in which the Nawab's forces overran the main British base, the East India Company dispatched a fleet led byRobert Clive who defeated the last independent NawabSiraj-ud-Daulah at theBattle of Plassey in 1757.Mir Jafar was installed as the puppet Nawab. His successorMir Qasim attempted in vain to dislodge the British. The defeat of Nawab Mir Qasim of Bengal, NawabShuja-ud-Daula ofOudh, and Mughal EmperorShah Alam II at theBattle of Buxar in 1764 paved the way for British expansion across India. The South IndianKingdom of Mysore led byTipu Sultan overtook the Nawab of Bengal as the subcontinent's wealthiest monarchy; but this was short-lived and ended with theAnglo-Mysore War. The British then turned their sights on defeating theMarathas andSikhs.

In 1772, Governor-General Warren Hastings shifted administrative and judicial offices from Murshidabad toCalcutta, the capital of the newly formedBengal Presidency, and thede facto capital of British India.^[10] The Nawabs had lost all independent authority since 1757. In 1858, the British government abolished the symbolic authority of the Nawab court. After 1880, the descendants of the Nawabs of Bengal were recognised simply asNawabs of Murshidabad with the mere status of apeerage.^[11]

The Bengal Subah was the wealthiest country in subcontinent in 18th century.^[13] There were several posts under the Mughal administrative system of Bengal sinceAkbar's conquest in the 1500s.Nizamat (governornership) anddiwani (premiership) were the two main branches of provincial government under the Mughals.^[14] TheSubahdar was in-charge of thenizamat and had a chain of subordinate officials on the executive side, includingdiwans (prime ministers) responsible for revenue and legal affairs.^[14] After the death of Emperor Aurangzeb, Bengal gradually became independent, and in 1717, through Murshid Quli Khan, Bengal separated from the Mughals. However, they maintained a nominal allegiance to the Mughals. In reality, they were independent.^[15]

The Mughal court heavily relied on Bengal for revenue.Azim-us-Shan, the Mughal viceroy of Bengal, had a bitter power struggle with his prime minister (diwan) Murshid Quli Khan. Emperor Aurangzeb transferred Azim-us-Shan out of Bengal and into Bihar in 1703 as a result of the disputes. After the viceroy's exit, the provincial premier Murshid Quli Khan emerged as thede facto ruler of Bengal. His administrative coup merged the offices of thediwan (prime minister) andsubedar (viceroy). In 1716, Murshid Quli shifted Bengal's capital fromDhaka to a new city named after himself. In 1717, Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar recognized Khan as the hereditary Nawab Nazim. The Nawab's jurisdiction covered districts in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.^[16] The Nawab's territory stretched from the border withOudh in the west to the border withArakan in the east.

The chief deputy of the Nawab was the Naib Nazim of Dhaka, the mayor of the former provincial capital whose own wealth was considerable; the Naib Nazim of Dhaka also governed much of eastern Bengal. Other important officials were stationed in Patna,Cuttack, and Chittagong. The aristocracy was composed of theZamindars of Bengal.^{[citation needed]} The Nawab was backed up by the powerful Jagat Seth family of bankers and money lenders. They served as financiers to both the Nawabs and European companies operating in the region.

The Nawabs profited from the revenue generated by the worldwide demand ofmuslin trade in Bengal, which was centred in Dhaka andSonargaon. Murshidabad was a major centre of silk production.^[17]Shipbuilding inChittagong enjoyed Ottoman and European demand.Patna was a centre of metalworks and the military-industrial complex. The Bengal-Bihar region was a major exporter ofgunpowder andsaltpetre.^[18][19] The Nawabs presided over an era of growing organization in banking,handicrafts, and other trades.

Bengal attracted traders from acrossEurasia. Traders were lodged atcaravanserais, including theKatra Masjid in Murshidabad; and theBara Katra andChoto Katra in Dhaka.Dutch Bengali trading posts included the main Dutch port of Pipeli in Orissa; theDutch settlement in Rajshahi; and the towns ofCossimbazar andHugli. The Danes built trading posts inBankipur and on islands of theBay of Bengal.Balasore in Orissa was a prominent Austrian trading post. Bengali cities were full of brokers, workers, peons, naibs, wakils, and ordinary traders.^[20]

The Nawabs were patrons ofthe arts, including the Murshidabad style ofMughal painting,Hindustani classical music, theBaul tradition, and local craftsmanship. The second NawabShuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan developed Murshidabad's royal palace, military base, city gates, revenue office, public audience hall (durbar), and mosques in an extensive compound called Farrabagh (Garden of Joy) which included canals, fountains, flowers, and fruit trees. The second Nawab's reign saw a period of economic and political consolidation.^[20]

The third NawabSarfaraz Khan was preoccupied with military engagements, includingNader Shah's invasion of India. Sarfaraz Khan was killed at theBattle of Giria by his deputyAlivardi Khan.^{[citation needed]} The coup by Alivardi Khan led to the creation of a new dynasty. However he was also known asShuja ul-Mulk (hero of the country) mostly due to him repelling all Maratha invasions of Bengal.^{[citation needed]}

The Afghan insurrections in Bengal, also known as the Afghan mutinies were a series of four revolts led by the Afghans living in theBengal Subah between 1745-1750. They were led by ambitious individuals like Mustafa Khan, Sardar Khan and Shamshir Khan with the intent to carve out their own Afghan state in Bengal. The insurrections were ultimately suppressed.

The resurgent Maratha Empire launched raids against Bengal in the 18th century, which further added to the decline of the Nawabs of Bengal. The Bengal Subah was met by a series of face to face confrontations by the Maratha Empire including theFirst Battle of Katwa, theSecond Battle of Katwa, the Battle of Burdwan and theBattle of Rani Sarai, Battle of Birbhum, First and Second Battles of Midnapur where NawabAlivardi Khan defeated the Marathas and repelled their attacks.^[21][22] The Maratha raids lasted a decade from 1741 to early 1751.

The Marathas committed many atrocities across Bengal causing many to flee from West Bengal to East Bengal.^[23] 400,000 civilian Bengalis were massacred by theBargis (Maratha warriors) includingtextile weavers,silk winders, andmulberry cultivators.^[24][25] Many Bengalis were mutilated and contemporary accounts describe the scene of mass gang-rape against women.^[26] Alivardi Khan the Nawab of Bengal fearing even worse devastation and destruction agreed to pay Rs. 1.2 million of tribute annually as thechauth of Bengal and Bihar to the Marathas, and the Marathas agreed not to invade Bengal again.

The expeditions, led byRaghuji Bhonsle ofNagpur, also established de facto Maratha control overOrissa, which was formally incorporated in the Maratha Empire in 1752.^[27][28]

Nawab Murshid Quli Khan was notorious for his repressive tax collection tactics, including torture for non-payment.^[29] Nawab Alivardi Khan's successor was NawabSiraj-ud-Daulah. Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah grew increasingly wary of the British presence in Bengal. He also feared invasions by theDurrani Empire from the north and Marathas from the west. On 20 June 1756, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah launched thesiege of Calcutta, in which he won a decisive victory. The British were briefly expelled from Fort William, which came under the occupation of the Nawab's forces. The East India Company dispatched a naval fleet led byRobert Clive to regain control of Fort William. By January 1757, the British retook Fort William. The stalemate with the Nawab continued into June. The Nawab also began cooperating with the French East India Company, raising the ire of the British further. Britain and France were at the time pitted against each other in theSeven Years' War.

On 23 June 1757, theBattle of Plassey brought an end to the independence of the Nawabs of Bengal.^[30][31] Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah and his French allies were caught off guard by the defection of the Nawab's Commander-in-ChiefMir Jafar to the British side. The British, under the leadership of Robert Clive, gained enormous influence over Bengal Subah as a result of the battle. The last independent Nawab was arrested by his former officers and killed in revenge for the brutality against his courtiers.

Mir Jafar was installed as the puppet Nawab by the British. However, Jafar entered into a secret treaty with the Dutch East India Company. This caused the British to replace Mir Jafar with his son-in-lawMir Qasim in October 1760. In one of his first acts, Mir Qasim ceded Chittagong,^[32]Burdwan andMidnapore to the East India Company. Mir Qasim also proved to be a popular ruler. But Mir Qasim's independent spirit eventually raised British suspicions. Mir Jafar was reinstalled as Nawab in 1763. Mir Qasim continued opposing the British and his father-in-law. He set up his capital inMunger and raised an independent army. Mir Qasim attacked British positions in Patna, overrunning the company's offices and killing its Resident. Mir Qasim also attacked the British-alliedGorkha Kingdom. Mir Qasim allied with NawabShuja-ud-Daula ofAwadh and Mughal EmperorShah Alam II. However, the Mughal allies were defeated at theBattle of Buxar in 1764, which was the last real chance of resisting British expansion across the northern Indian subcontinent.

The South IndianKingdom of Mysore underHaider Ali andTipu Sultan briefly eclipsed the dominant position of Bengal in the subcontinent. Tipu Sultan pursued aggressive military modernization; and set up a company to trade with communities around the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. Mysore's military technology at one point rivaled European technology. However, theAnglo-Mysore War ended Tipu Sultan's ascendancy.^[33][34]

In 1765,Robert Clive, as the representative of theEast India Company, was given the Diwani of Bengal by theMughal emperorShah Alam II.^[35] With this a system of dual governance was established, with the Nawabs responsible for the Nizamat of Bengal and the Company responsible for the Diwani of Bengal. In 1772, this arrangement came to be abolished and Bengal was brought under direct control of the British. In 1793, the Mughal emperor also ceded the Nizamat of Bengal to the Company and the Nawab of Bengal was reduced to a mere titular position and pensioners of the Company. After theRevolt of 1857, Company rule in India ended, and theBritish Crown, in 1858, took over the territories which were under direct rule of the company. This marked the beginning ofCrown rule in India, and the Nawabs had no political or any other kind of control over the territory.^[36][37] Mir Jafar's descendants continued to live in Murshidabad. TheHazarduari Palace (Palace of a Thousand Doors) was built as the residence of the Nawabs in the 1830s. The palace was also used by British colonial officials.^[38]

Nawab Mansur Ali Khan was the last titular Nawab Nazim of Bengal. During his reign thenizamat at Murshidabad came to be debt-ridden. The Nawab left Murshidabad in February 1869, and had started living in England. The title of the Nawab of Bengal stood abolished in 1880.^[38] He returned to Bombay in October 1880 and pleaded his case against the orders of the government, but as it stood unresolved the Nawab renounced his styles and titles, abdicating in favour of his eldest son on 1 November 1880.^[38]

TheNawabs of Murshidabad succeeded the Nawab Nazims following Nawab Mansur Ali Khan's abdication, The Nawab Bahadurs had ceased to exercise any significant power.^[14] but were relegated to the status of azamindar and continued to be a wealthy family, producing bureaucrats and army officers.^[14][38][39]

TheZamindars of Bihar maintained a tenuous loyalty to the Nawabs of Bengal.^[40] Rebellion and the withholding of revenue was a common feature of the Nawab period in Bihar.^[41][42] Although Bihar had the potential to provide a large amount of revenue and tax, records show that the Nawabs were unable to extract any money from the chiefs of Bihar until 1748. And even following this, the amount gained was very low. This was again due to the rebellious nature of the zamindars who were "continually in arms".^[43]

According toJoão de Barros, Bengal enjoyed military supremacy overArakan andTripura due to goodartillery.^[44] Its forces possessed notable largecannons. It was also a major exporter ofgunpowder andsaltpeter to Europe.^[45][46] The Nawabi Army builtfortifications across the region, includingIdrakpur Fort,Sonakanda Fort,Hajiganj Fort,Lalbagh Fort andJangalbari Fort. The Mughals expelled Arakanese and Portuguesepirates from the northeastern coastline of theBay of Bengal. Throughout the late medieval and early modern periods, Bengal was notable for its navy andshipbuilding. The following table covers a list of notable military engagements by Mughal Bengal:

Conflict	Bengal and allied forces	Opposition forces	Results
Conquest ofTripura (1729)Location:Tripura	Nawabs of Bengal Jagat Manikya (Manikya Dynasty)	Dharma Manikya (Manikya dynasty)	Victory[47] Bengali backedJagat Manikya invades and successfully defeats Tripura (Dharma Manikya) inUdaipur Jagat Manikya rules as a vassal of the Nawabs of Bengal
Annexation of Bihar (1733)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Bihar Subah	Victory Annexation of theBihar Subah into the territory of the Nawabs of Bengal.[48]
Subduing of theBanjara (c.1733 - c.1740)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Banjaras	Victory[49]
Subduing of theBettiah Raj (c.1733 - c.1740)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Bettiah Raj	Victory[49] Raja Dhrub Singh fled from Bhettiah
Subduing of theTekari Raj (c.1733 - c.1740)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Tekari Raj	Victory[50] Mustafa Khan of the Tekari raj employed as a General ofAlivardi Khan[51]
Subduing of theChakwars tribe (c.1733 - c.1740)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Bettiah Raj	Victory[49] Chakwars pay an annual tribute
FirstBattle of Giria (1740)Location:Giria,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal Nasiri Dynasty	Nawabs of Bengal Afshar Dynasty	Dynasty Change Alivardi Khan takes the throne marking the end of the Nasiri Dynasty ofMurshid Quli Khan.
Battle of Phulwarion (1741)Location:Phulbari,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Governor of Orissa Rustam Jang	Victory Alivardi Khan defeated Rustam Jang, deputy governor of Orissa and a relative of Sarfaraz Khan[52]
First Battle of Katwa (1742)Location:Katwa,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory The entireMaratha Army was evacuated out of Bengal The Maratha commanderBhaskar Pant was killed.[53]
First Battle of Midnapur (1742)Location:Midnapur,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory The Bengal forces defeated the Maratha forces and they were driven from Orissa beyond theChilka lake.[54]
Battle of Birbhum (1743)Location:Birbhum,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory The Maratha forces evacuated out of Bengal[55]
Second Battle of Katwa (1745)Location:Katwa,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory Raghuji Bhonsle was defeated by the Bengali army ofAlivardi Khan.[56]
Battle at Bhagalpur (1745)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory[57]
1st Afghan Insurrection (1745)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Afghans ofBihar Mustafa Khan	Victory[49] Retreat of Afghan troops Mustafa regroups and forms a stronger army and attackingPatna Zainuddin shot Mustafa Khan killing him instantaneously, thus crushing the Afghan army.
2nd Afghan Insurrection (1746)Location:Bihar	Nawabs of Bengal	Afghans ofBihar	Victory[49] Afghans along with their 6000 men retired to Dharbhanga (Tirhut).
Second Battle of Midnapur (1746)Location:Midnapur,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory Mir Jafar won a decisive battle against Mir Habib.[58]
Battle of Burdwan (1747)Location:Burdwan,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory Alivardi Khan heavily repulsed and defeated the Marathas.[59]
Battle of Rani Sarai (1748)Location,Bihar,Bengal Subah (Part of the third Afghan InsurrectionAndMaratha invasions of Bengal)	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire Afghans ofBihar	Victory Alivardi Khan defeated the allied Afghan and Maratha forces.[60]
Third Battle of Midnapur (1749)Location:Midnapur,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory[61]
Battle of Cuttack (1749)Location:Cuttack,Bengal Subah	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory[62]
Siege of Barabati Fort (1749)Location:Barabati fort	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory[62] Orissa recovered Fort surrendered to the Nawab
Fourth Battle of Midnapur (1750)Location:Midnapur,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Victory[62] Mir Habib retreats into the Jungle.
4th AfghanInsurrection (1750) Location:Bihar,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Afghans ofBihar	Victory[63] Alivardi subdued the revolt of the Afghans who were trying to separate Bihar from his administration.
End ofMaratha invasions of Bengal (1751) Location:Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	Maratha Empire	Stalemate Military Victory, Political Defeat Peace treaty signed ending theMaratha invasions of Bengal.
Battle of Kandarpi Ghat (1753)Location: Kandarpi Ghat,Mithila	Nawabs of Bengal	Khandwala dynasty	Defeat Maharaja Narendra Singh clashed against forces of the Nawabs of Bengal led by Bhikhari Mahtha, an official ofAlivardi Khan and emerged victorious.[64]
Battle of Manihari (1756)Location:Manihari,Bengal Subah	Nawabs of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah	Shaukat Jang	Victory Siraj-ud-Daulah's rebellious cousin, Shakuat Jang is killed[65]
Seige of Calcutta (First Anglo-Bengal War) (1756–1757) Location:Kolkata,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	United Kingdom British East India Company	Victory Treaty of Alinagar (Kolkata)
Battle of Plassey (Second Anglo-Bengal War) (1757) Location:Palashi,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal  France French East India Company	United Kingdom British East India Company	Defeat Significant expansion of British influence overBengal
Battle of Makwanpur (1763) (1763) Location:Nepal	Nawabs of Bengal	Nepal	Defeat Defeat and retreat ofMir Qasim
1st Battle of Patna (1763)Location:Patna,Bengal Subah	Nawabs of Bengal	United Kingdom British East India Company Mir Jafar (defected to the British) Jagat Seth	Victory[66] British driven out ofPatna
2ndBattle of Giria (1763)Location:Giria,Bengal	Nawabs of Bengal	United Kingdom British East India Company	Defeat NawabMir Jafar installed on the throne.
Third Anglo–Bengal War (Bengal War) (1763–1764) Location:Buxar,Bengal Subah	Nawabs of Bengal Mughal Empire Oudh	United Kingdom British East India Company Kashi Kingdom	Defeat Treaty of Allahabad(1765). British East India Company granted Diwani rights, or the right to collect taxes on behalf of the Emperor from the eastern province ofBengal

The following is a list of the Nawabs of Bengal. Sarfaraz Khan and Mir Jafar were the only two to become Nawab Nazim twice.^[67] The chronology started in 1717 with Murshid Quli Khan and ended in 1880 with Mansur Ali Khan.^[14][38][67]

Portrait	Titular Name	Personal Name	Birth	Reign	Death
Nasiri dynasty
	Jaafar Khan Bahadur Nasiri	Murshid Quli Khan	1665	1717–30 June 1727	30 June 1727[68][69][70]
	Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jung	Sarfaraz Khan	1700	1727–1727 (for few days)	29 April 1740[71]
	Shuja ud-Daula	Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan	1670	1 July 1727 – 26 August 1739	26 August 1739[72][73]
	Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jung	Sarfaraz Khan	1700	26 August 1739 – 29 April 1740	29 April 1740[71]
Afshar dynasty
	Hashim ud-Daula	Alivardi Khan	Before 10 May 1671	29 April 1740 – 9 April 1756	9 April 1756[74][75]
	Mansur-ul-Mulk Siraj-ud-Daulla	Siraj ud-Daulah	1733	9 April 1756 – 23 June 1757	2 July 1757[76][77]

Portrait	Titular Name	Personal Name	Birth	Reign	Death
Najafi dynasty
	Ja'afar 'Ali Khan Bahadur	Mir Jafar	1691	2 June 1757 – 20 October 1760	17 January 1765[78][79][80]
	Itimad ud-Daulah	Mir Qasim	1720	20 October 1760 – 7 July 1763	8 May 1777[81]
	Ja'afar 'Ali Khan Bahadur	Mir Jafar	1691	25 July 1763 – 17 January 1765	17 January 1765[81][82]
	Najm ud-Daulah	Najmuddin Ali Khan	1750	5 February 1765 – 8 May 1766	8 May 1766[83]
	Saif ud-Daulah	Najabut Ali Khan	1749	22 May 1766 – 10 March 1770	10 March 1770[84]
		Ashraf Ali Khan	1740	10 March 1770 – 24 March 1770	24 March 1770
	Mubarak ud-Daulah	Mubarak Ali Khan	1759	21 March 1770 – 6 September 1793	6 September 1793[85]
	Azud ud-Daulah	Baber Ali Khan	1760	1793 – 28 April 1810	28 April 1810[86]
	Ali Jah	Zain-ud-Din Ali Khan	1785	5 June 1810 – 6 August 1821	6 August 1821[87][88]
	Walla Jah	Ahmad Ali Khan	1760	1821 – 30 October 1824	30 October 1824[89][90]
	Humayun Jah	Mubarak Ali Khan II	29 September 1810	1824 – 3 October 1838	3 October 1838[91][92][93]
	Feradun Jah	Mansur Ali Khan	29 October 1830	29 October 1838 – 1 November 1880 (abdicated)	5 November 1884[38]

• Nawabs of Murshidabad
• Maratha invasions of Bengal
• Battle of Plassey
• Bengal Presidency

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• 1717 establishments in Asia
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