Battle of Plassey, 1757 — 1757 · Plassey

Language Movement, 1952 — 1952 · Language

Liberation War, 1971 — 1971 · Liberation

Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi movement, 1905 — 1905 · Partition

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Discover Bengal · Unfolded

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Alivardi Khan

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Former Nawab of Bengal

Alivardi Khan's long rule shaped the succession politics inherited by Siraj ud-Daulah before Plassey.

Est. 1947 · Bengal✺A Bilingual Archive

Biography

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Context

In the context of Nawabi Bengal before 1757., Alivardi Khan is recognized as Former Nawab of Bengal. Alivardi Khan's long rule shaped the succession politics inherited by Siraj ud-Daulah before Plassey.

Contribution

As Siraj ud-Daulah's predecessor and grandfather, his reign shaped the political order inherited during the Plassey crisis.

Impact

His administrative and succession legacy framed the instability exploited during Plassey.

nawabi-bengalsuccessionplassey-context

Topic Hub: Explore related topics - Colonial Bengal: From Plassey to Permanent Settlement

Timeline Placement

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Alivardi Khan appears in 4 linked timeline events, spanning 1727 - 1757.

First Appearance

1727

Latest Appearance

1757

Active Span

1727 - 1757

Linked Events

Legacy Summary

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His administrative and succession legacy framed the instability exploited during Plassey. This influence is reflected across 4 connected events.

References

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Key sources for understanding this figure

A Comprehensive History of Modern Bengal, 1700-1950

A three-volume survey covering the Nawabi era, colonial remaking, and the freedom struggle through 1950.

Cited in: 4 events

Alivardi Khan

Banglapedia entry on Alivardi Khan's accession and rule in Bengal.

Cited in: 1 events

Battle of Plassey

Concise reference on the actors, military context, and imperial consequences of the 23 June 1757 battle.

Cited in: 1 events

History

General Bangladesh history reference useful for political chronology around the Ershad takeover and the 1980s authoritarian period.

Cited in: 1 events

Jagat Sheth

Entry on the banking house linked to Murshidabad court finance and the political economy surrounding Plassey.

Cited in: 1 events

Maratha Raids in Bengal (Bargi invasions)

Reference overview for the Maratha/Bargi raids in eighteenth-century Bengal.

Cited in: 1 events

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Related Figures

Krishnachandra Ray of Nadia

Nadia zamindar, cultural patron, and Company-era political broker

Jagat Seth

Banking House and Court Financier

Charles Watson

Royal Navy Admiral

Eyre Coote

Company Military Officer

Ghaseti Begum

Nawabi court power broker and anti-Siraj faction figure

Khwaja Abdul Hadi Khan

Faujdar of Rajmahal

Related Events

1727

Shuja-ud-Din Administrative Phase in Bengal

1740

Alivardi Khan Becomes Nawab

1741-1751

Maratha Raids on Bengal (Bargi Invasions)

1757

Battle of Plassey

Related Places

Bengal Region

Palashi / Plassey

Appears In Events

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Timeline View

1727

Shuja-ud-Din Administrative Phase in Bengal

Shuja-ud-Din Administrative Phase in Bengal was a significant turning point in the political and social trajectory of Bengal/Bangladesh.

1740

Alivardi Khan Becomes Nawab

In 1740, Alivardi Khan defeated Sarfaraz Khan and took power in Bengal, opening a nawabi phase defined by military pressure, Maratha incursions, and attempts to defend provincial autonomy.

1741-1751

Maratha Raids on Bengal (Bargi Invasions)

Between 1741 and 1751, repeated Maratha raids, remembered in Bengal as Bargi invasions, devastated parts of Bengal and strained Alivardi Khan's regime.

1757

Battle of Plassey

The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked a decisive shift in Bengal's political destiny. A short military encounter became a structural transfer of power as the East India Company worked through court conspiracy, military defection, and financial alliance to break Siraj ud-Daulah's position. The aftermath reshaped governance, revenue extraction, and sovereignty, laying the foundation for long-term colonial rule.