Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / The Forgotten Mughal Empress: Alivardi Khan and Bengal's Last Stand
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've covered a lot of Bengal's story — the Palas, the Senas, the Mughals, the British takeover. But there's one figure who sits right in the middle, a man who fought like hell to keep Bengal independent from everyone — Marathas, Afghans, the Company — and almost succeeded. I'm talking about Alivardi Khan. Luna: Alivardi Khan — I know the name, but I'm hazy on the details. Wasn't he the one who came before siraj ud daulah? Lucas: Exactly right. He was the last effective Nawab of Bengal before the British really got their claws in. But here's the thing — he wasn't even Bengali. He was an Afghan mercenary from the Afshar tribe, born in present-day Iran. His family had served the Mughals for generations, but he rose to power through sheer military skill and political cunning. Lucas: Let's set the stage. After Murshid Quli Khan died in 1727, his son-in-law shuja ud din Muhammad Khan took over, and he ruled for about twelve years. But when Shuja died in 1739, his son Sarfaraz Khan became nawab — and he was weak, inexperienced, and surrounded by corrupt courtiers. Alivardi, who was the deputy governor of Bihar at the time, saw his chance. Luna: So he just marched on Murshidabad and took the throne? Lucas: Pretty much. In April 1740, Alivardi met Sarfaraz's army at the Battle of Gheria, near what's now the border of West Bengal and Bihar. Sarfaraz was killed in action — accounts say he was shot dead while trying to rally his troops. Alivardi then entered Murshidabad and proclaimed himself nawab. But his troubles were just beginning. Lucas: Because almost immediately, the Maratha Empire — which was at its peak under the Peshwas — launched a massive invasion of Bengal. These were the Bargi raids, named after the Maratha light cavalry who swept through the countryside, looting, burning, and extorting money. They came year after year, starting in 1741, and they were brutal. Luna: Wait, the Bargis — I've heard that term before. Weren't they the ones who dug up graves looking for treasure? Lucas: That's exactly what they did. Contemporary sources talk about them breaking into tombs and even cutting open pregnant women because they thought the victims had swallowed gold coins. The terror was so complete that entire villages were abandoned. Alivardi had to fight a war on two fronts — the Marathas from the west and the Afghans from the north, plus keep the Mughal emperor in Delhi from interfering. Lucas: He was a brilliant tactician, though. He used Bengal's rivers and marshes to slow down the Maratha cavalry, and he built a string of fortified outposts along the border. But the cost was staggering. Between 1741 and 1751, the constant warfare and the plunder caused a famine that killed an estimated one million people — maybe more. Luna: One million dead from famine, and that's even before the British showed up. That's a staggering number. Lucas: It is. And it's often forgotten because the later famines under British rule were even more catastrophic. But Alivardi managed to hold on. In 1751, he finally made peace with the Marathas by agreeing to pay an annual tribute — the chauth — and ceding the province of Orissa. It was a compromise, but it bought him time. Lucas: And that time was crucial, because it let him focus on domestic affairs. He reformed the army, bringing in European-trained gunners and even employing some French officers. He also maintained good relations with the Jagat Seth family — the bankers who essentially controlled Bengal's economy — and kept the Mughal emperor at arm's length by sending rich gifts and nominal obedience. Luna: So he was effectively independent, but he never formally broke with the Mughals? Like a viceroy who didn't listen to Delhi? Lucas: Exactly. He minted his own coins in his own name, but the Friday prayers were still read in the Mughal emperor's name — that was the symbol of sovereignty. He was a pragmatist. He knew he couldn't take on the entire Mughal army, so he played the game. Lucas: But here's where it gets complicated. Alivardi had no surviving sons — his two sons died young — so he had to choose a successor from his daughters' children. His favorite was his grandson, siraj ud daulah. But Siraj was arrogant, impulsive, and deeply unpopular with the powerful Jagat Seth family and the Armenian merchants. Alivardi knew this and tried to groom him, but he couldn't change his nature. Luna: And that's the guy who ended up facing Robert Clive at Plassey and losing everything. Lucas: Exactly. Alivardi died in 1756 at the age of about 80 — some say 85 — after a long illness. His death was the signal for a power struggle that the British exploited perfectly. Within a year, siraj ud daulah had captured Calcutta, the British had retaliated, and the stage was set for Plassey. If Alivardi had lived another decade, or if he'd chosen a better successor, the history of British India might have been very different. Luna: It's almost tragic — he spent his whole life fighting to keep Bengal independent, and within three years of his death, it was gone. Lucas: That's the thing about these 'what if' moments. But let's not romanticize Alivardi too much — he was ruthless. He crushed rebellions with extreme violence, once having a rebel leader's head pickled and sent to Delhi as a trophy. He also imposed heavy taxes to fund his wars, which hit the peasantry hard. Still, he was one of the most capable rulers Bengal ever had. Lucas: And you know, talking about Alivardi and the real cost of keeping a show like this running — I mean, there's no big network behind this. It's just a few of us, and the listeners who chip in on buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo make it possible to research these stories and share them. That's it — no ads, no sponsors. If you've been getting something out of these episodes, that's where you can keep them coming. Luna: Yeah, it's a small thing that makes a big difference. And we get to keep it ad-free, which I love. Lucas: Exactly. So back to Alivardi — one more thing that I think is really telling. During the famine of the 1740s, he actually tried to help. He ordered grain to be distributed free of charge in Murshidabad, and he remitted land taxes in the worst-hit areas. That is more than the British East India Company ever did during the famines of the 1770s or 1943. So he wasn't just a warrior; he was a ruler who felt responsible for his people. Luna: That puts the later famines in perspective. The Company often didn't even try. Lucas: Right. And that's a theme we'll keep coming back to — how the old regimes, for all their flaws, often had a sense of moral obligation that the profit-driven Company lacked. Alivardi Khan was a product of his time, and his time was the last moment Bengal could call its own. Luna: What happened to his family after he died? Did the British wipe them all out? Lucas: Not all of them. siraj ud daulah was killed after Plassey, but Alivardi's other descendants survived — some in obscurity, others as zamindars under the British. Siraj's own daughter was even given a pension by the Company. But the line of power was broken. The Nasiri dynasty — that's what Alivardi's family is called — faded into history, remembered mostly in folk ballads and a few scholarly books. Lucas: And that's the thing about these stories. The winners write the history, but the losers — the ones who fought and lost — they still have something to teach us. Alivardi Khan's Bengal was a place of sophistication, wealth, and resilience. And it was devoured by forces it couldn't control. Luna: I'm glad we're telling his story. It's one of those pieces that makes the bigger picture make sense. Lucas: Absolutely. And there's so much more to explore — the role of the Armenian merchants, the French presence in Chandernagore, the cultural flowering under his patronage. But that's for another episode.