Murshidabad

1704-1717

Murshid Quli Khan Shifts the Capital to Murshidabad

From Dhaka to Murshidabad, Bengal's administrative and fiscal center is recast.

In the early eighteenth century, Murshid Quli Khan shifted Bengal's effective administrative center from Dhaka to Makhsudabad, later known as Murshidabad. The move strengthened centralized revenue management, aligned court and banking networks around a new political hub, and reoriented the province's governing geography before Plassey.

1717

Murshid Quli Khan Formally Appointed Nawab

Bengal enters a stronger quasi-autonomous nawabi phase under Mughal sanction.

In 1717, Murshid Quli Khan was formally appointed subahdar/nawab of Bengal, marking the institutional start of the nawabi regime. The arrangement preserved Mughal suzerainty while expanding provincial fiscal-political autonomy.

1757

Battle of Plassey

The battle that opened the door to Company control in Bengal.

The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked a decisive shift in Bengal's political destiny. A short military encounter turned into a structural transfer of power as the East India Company used alliance, betrayal, and financial leverage to secure influence in Bengal. The aftermath reshaped governance, revenue extraction, and sovereignty, laying the foundation for long-term colonial rule.