Mir Jafar
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Syed Mir Muhammed Jafar Ali Khan, or Mir Jafar (born 1691 – died February 5, 1765) was a monarchical ruler (Nawab) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. He succeeded Siraj-Ud-Daulah. His rule is widely (though somewhat inaccurately) considered the start of British rule in India.
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[edit] Early life
An Arab by descent, (son of Sayyed Ahmad Najafi) Mir Jafar came to Bengal as a penniless adventurer. He took up a job in Nawab's army and slowly promoted himself. Nawab Ali Vardi Khan later gave him the hand of his half-sister (Shah Khanam) and seven thousand horses to command.
Mir Jafar's initial military career was not without glory. He rescued Ali Vardi Khan's nephew, the hapless Saulat Jung, from the clutches of Mirza Baqir at Katak. He played a prominent role in Ali Vardi Khan's many military campaigns, specially against Murshid Quli Khan and the Marathas.
However, Mir Jafar had higher ambitions. Arrogant in his position he took advantage of an Ali Vardi Khan weakened by a decade of fighting with Marathas to enter into a conspiracy with Ataullah (the faujdar of Rajmahal) to overthrow and murder the Nawab . Unfortunately, the conspiracy was unearthed and he was stripped of most of his powers. He returned to Murshidabad, where he regained the trust of the Nawab's nephew, Siraj-Ud-Daulah, and slowly returned to power and prominence.
[edit] The Overthrow of Siraj-Ud-Daulah
Soon after Ali Vardi Khan's natural death Siraj Ud Daulah became the Nawab of Bengal at Murshidabad. On ascending the throne, he made the controversial decision of elevating a Kayastha named Mohanlal as his supreme Diwan. This elevation of a Hindu to such a prominent position caused the established nobility, and in particular Mir Jafar, great offence. He was then the bakshi or head of the armed forces, second only to the Nawab, and the elevation of Mohanlal to a post above him was taken almost as a personal insult. He became determined to overthrow Siraj-Ud-Daulah and gain the Nawabi for himself.
His opportunity came when Shiraj-Ud-Daulah was distracted in his campaign against the British. Siraj-Ud-Daulah's behavior had alienated many of his nobles, and many lent a sympathetic ear. Unfortunately, Siraj-Ud-Daulah returned victorious from Kolkata and discovered the conspiracy; he demoted Mir Jafar and appointed Mir Madan, who was loyal to the Nawab, the new bakshi. Ghulam Husain says "Sirāju-d-daulah placing large batteries in front of Mīr Jafar’s palace was ready to blow him up, and ordered him to quit the City." There is some question here as to why Mir Jafar was not more severely reprimanded, but its probable that Siraj-Ud-Daulah was wary of going too far given Mir Jafar's influence and widespread dissatisfaction with his court at the time.
Mir Jafar was left smarting under this new insult while Siraj-Ud-Daulah was busy with his campaign against the British. He now linked up with the rich banker Jagat Sheth and the former Diwan, Rai Durlabh and sent out feelers to the British East India Company. On 1st May 1757, the British Calcutta Council made a secret treaty with Mir Jafar, promising to place him on the throne of Bengal. William Watts, the chief of the British factory at Cossimbazar conducted the conspiracy with remarkable diplomatic skill and secrecy. On 5 June 1757 he personally visited Mir Jafar and obtained his oath of allegiance.
Meanwhile, the British had recovered from initial setbacks against Siraj-Ud-Daulah, received reinforcements from Madras, and regrouped under Robert Clive. Siraj-Ud-Daulah was soon on the run, retreating to Murshidabad and attempting to win back the favor of Mir Jafar and obtain the backing of the considerable military force still under Jafar's command. Though no longer Bakshi, Mir Jafar retained a substantial number of foot soldiers and cavalry. Mir Jafar, it is recorded, was not particularly impressed by the promises of the notoriously cruel and unreliable Siraj-Ud-Daulah. He encouraged the British to continue their march towards Plassey.
On the day of the Battle of Plassey, Siraj-Ud-Daulah faced off against the British, apparently with overwhelming force, but at the critical time Mir Jafar's men stood watching passively while the soldiers of Siraj-Ud-Daula were decimated by the smaller but much better armed British forces.
[edit] The Nawab Years
After Siraj Ud Daulah’s defeat and subsequent execution, Mir Jafar achieved his long-pursued dream of gaining the throne, and was propped up by the British as puppet Nawab. Soon, however, he realised that British expectations were boundless and tried to wriggle out from under them; this time with the help of the Dutch. However, the British defeated the Dutch at Chinsurah and retaliated by forcing him to abdicate in favor of his son-in-law Mir Qasim. However, Mir Qasim proved to be both able and independent, willing to live with but not bow to the British. The Company soon went to war with him, and he was eventually overthrown. Mir Jafar managed to worm his way back into the good graces of the British; he was again appointed Nawab in 1763 and held the position until his death at 1765.
History has not treated Mir Jafar kindly. Mir Jafar himself is generally regarded in the same manner as Vidkun Quisling in Norway, Benedict Arnold in the United States, and Philippe Pétain in France. His memory is widely reviled by the people of Bengal; the word ‘mirjafar’ in Bengali and the phrase, simply, meer jafar in Urdu are now synonymous with traitor, used much as quisling is used in English.
[edit] Descendants
- A direct descendant of Mir Jafar, Iskandar Mirza was the last Governor General and the first President of Pakistan.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- "Riyazu-s-salatin", A History of Bengal, Ghulam Husain Salim (translated from the Persian): viewable online at the Packard Humanities Institute
- The Banglapedia article on Mir Jafar
