Alivardi Khan
Alivardi Khan (1671 – 9 April 1756) was the Nawab of Bengal from 1740 to 1756. He toppled the Nasiri dynasty of Nawabs by defeating Sarfaraz Khan in 1740 and assumed power himself.
| Alivardi Khan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shuja ul-Mulk (Hero of the country) Hashim ud-Daula (Sword of the state) Mahabat Jang (Horror in War) Nawab of Bengal | |||||
| Nawab Nazim of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa | |||||
| Reign | 29 April 1740 – March 1751 | ||||
| Predecessor | Sarfaraz Khan | ||||
| Successor | Himself (as Nawab of Bengal and Bihar) (Raghoji I in Orissa) | ||||
| Nawab Nazim of Bengal and Bihar | |||||
| Reign | March 1751 – 9 April 1756 | ||||
| Successor | Siraj ud-Daulah | ||||
| Born | 1676 Deccan Plateau, Mughal Empire | ||||
| Died | 9 April 1756 (aged 79–80) Murshidabad, Bengal, Mughal Empire | ||||
| Burial | Khushbagh, West Bengal, India | ||||
| Spouse | Sharfunnesa | ||||
| Issue |
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| Father | Mirza Muhammad Madani (A Native Deccani) | ||||
| Mother | A descendant of the Afshar tribe | ||||
| Religion | Shia Islam | ||||
| Military career | |||||
| Allegiance | Mughal Empire | ||||
| Service/ | Nawab of Bengal | ||||
| Rank | Nawab | ||||
During much of his reign Alivardi encountered frequent Maratha raids under Raghuji Bhonsle, culminating in the surrender of the province of Orissa in a peace settlement in 1751. He also faced separatist rebellions in Bihar as well as a revolt from his grandson Siraj ud-Daulah, though these were suppressed.
Alivardi spent the latter part of his reign rebuilding Bengal. He was a patron of the arts and resumed the policies of Murshid Quli Khan. He maintained a politically neutral stance with the European powers in the subcontinent and prevented any infighting amongst them in his dominions. He was succeeded by Siraj ud-Daulah in 1756.