Sarfaraz Khan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sarfarāz Khān |
|
|---|---|
| Mīrzā royal Motamul ul-Mulk (Guardian of the country) `Alā ud-Dawlah (Promoter of the state) Ḥaydar Jang (Lion in War) |
|
 |
|
| Naib Nazim of Dhaka | |
| Tenure | 1734 – 1739 |
| Predecessor | Mīrzā Lutfullāh Tabrīzī |
| Successor | `Abdul Fattāh Khān |
| Nawab Nazim of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa | |
| Reign | 13 March 1739 – 29 April 1740 |
| Predecessor | Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan |
| Successor | Alivardi Khan |
| Born | Mirza Asadullah Probably after 1700 |
| Died | 29 April 1740 |
| Burial | Naginabag, Murshidabad |
| Issue | Sons: Mīrza Hafizullah Khan (d. November 1771) Mīrza Mughal |
| Father | Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan |
| Mother | Zinat-un-nisa Begum |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
| Coronation | 1 July 1727 and 13 March 1739 |
| Dynasty | Nāṣirī |
Sarfarāz Khān (Bengali: সরফরাজ খান, Persian: سرفراز خان; around 1700 – April 29, 1740) was an important ruler known as a Nawab of Bengal. A Nawab was like a powerful governor or prince in India. Sarfaraz Khan was born as Mirza Asadullah.
His grandfather, Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, chose him to be the next ruler. This happened because Murshid Quli Khan had no direct son to take over. After his grandfather passed away in 1727, Sarfaraz Khan became the Nawab. However, his father, Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan, arrived with a large army. To prevent a family fight, Sarfaraz Khan stepped down, and his father became the Nawab. Later, his father chose Sarfaraz Khan to be his heir. So, when his father died in 1739, Sarfaraz Khan became the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa for the second time.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Ruler
Sarfaraz Khan, born Mirza Asadullah, was the son of Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan. His mother was Zinat-un-nisa Begum. He was also the grandson of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan of Bengal. Murshid Quli Khan passed away in 1727. Since he had no direct male heir, he chose Sarfaraz Khan to rule after him.
So, in 1727, Sarfaraz Khan first took the throne as Nawab. But when his father, Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan, heard about this, he marched towards Murshidabad with a big army. Murshid Quli Khan's wife stepped in to stop a family conflict. Sarfaraz Khan then gave up his position to his father. By August 1727, his father, Shuja-ud-Din, was officially recognized as the second Nawab of Bengal.
Sarfaraz Khan's Roles Before Becoming Nawab
After his father became Nawab, Sarfaraz Khan was given important jobs. He was made the Naib Nazim of Bihar. In 1734, he also became the Naib Nazim of Jahangirnagar, which is now Dhaka. Instead of moving to Dhaka himself, he appointed other officials to manage the city. During his time, Jahangirnagar grew a lot in farming and trade. It was a very successful period for the city.
Fate had it that his father, Shuja-ud-Din, later decided that Sarfaraz would be his successor. After Shuja-ud-Din died on August 26, 1739, Sarfaraz Khan once again became the Nawab of Bengal. This happened on March 13, 1739, and he took the title Ala-ud-Din Haidar Jang.
Sarfaraz Khan's Time as Nawab
Sarfaraz Khan was known for being a very religious and fair ruler. However, he often left the daily running of the government to his officials. He focused more on religious matters. Because of this, a powerful official named Alivardi Khan, who was the Nazim of Azimabad (now Patna), started to gain more power.
Sarfaraz Khan had also been the Diwan (chief financial officer) of Bengal for a short time during his father's rule. Later, he became the Nazim of Jahangir Nagar (Dhaka). But he never lived in Dhaka. He managed it through his advisor, Syed Galib Ali Khan. This showed his lack of interest in managing government and money matters. This lack of attention would cause him problems later.
Sarfaraz Khan was a very devoted person. He prayed regularly and fasted often. However, he lacked the strong leadership qualities needed for a ruler. He was so focused on religious duties that he neglected the important tasks of governing. He trusted a few people who had their own reasons for revenge against other officials.
These officials, like Haji Lutfullah and Mir Murtaza, disliked Haji Ahmed, who was a powerful minister. They spread bad stories about him and insulted him. Eventually, they made Sarfaraz Khan turn against Haji Ahmed. Haji Ahmed was removed from his position as Diwan. This job was then given to Mir Murtaza. The Nawab also wanted to remove Ataullah Khan, Haji Ahmed's son-in-law, from his military command.
Problems in the Court
Haji Ahmed worried about his many enemies. He tried to get help by writing to his brother, Alivardi Khan. He made small problems seem much bigger in his letters. Haji Ahmed also cleverly convinced Sarfaraz Khan to reduce his army and cut down on expenses. Sarfaraz Khan liked this advice and followed it. But while he listened to Haji Ahmed about cutting costs, he allowed Haji Ahmed's two sons to be arrested.
Sarfaraz Khan then started looking into how money was managed in Azimabad (Patna). He also called back the soldiers that his father had given to Alivardi Khan. These soldiers had been loyal to Alivardi Khan for many years. When they seemed unsure about leaving, Sarfaraz Khan took back the land that his father had given them. Haji Ahmed reported all these actions to his brother Alivardi Khan, making them sound worse than they were.
Alivardi Khan's Plan to Take Power
Alivardi Khan, hearing about these events daily, decided to use his connections in the court of Delhi. He wrote a secret letter to his friend Ishaq Khan, who had the Mughal Emperor's full attention. Alivardi Khan asked for the control of the three provinces (Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa) to be given to him. He promised to send a huge amount of money (ten million rupees) to the emperor, plus all of Sarfaraz Khan's wealth. To do this, he needed an official order from the emperor allowing him to take the provinces from Sarfaraz Khan.
After sending these letters, Alivardi Khan pretended he was going to fight against some local landlords. Under this excuse, he gathered his soldiers, who were always ready for battle. At the same time, he cleverly told Sarfaraz Khan about his fake plan. In reality, he was waiting for the right moment to make his true move.
Finally, about a year after his father's death, Alivardi Khan received the emperor's order. It was exactly what he had asked for. Now ready to march against Sarfaraz Khan, he secretly wrote to his allies, Jagat Seth and Fateh Chand, telling them the exact day he would begin his march. In March 1740, Alivardi Khan set out for Murshidabad, pretending to be on an expedition. He camped near the city of Patna.
Alivardi Khan sent a message to Sarfaraz Khan, saying he was not attacking him but coming to show respect. At first, Sarfaraz Khan was satisfied. But he eventually decided to lead his army himself. He arrived at the town of Comrah on April 9, 1740. Meanwhile, Alivardi Khan secured an important mountain pass and camped at Rajmahal. Sarfaraz Khan's army was led by a skilled general, Ghaus Khan. The rebel army was led by Alivardi Khan. The two armies met at Giria, a village by the Bhagirathi river, for a battle on April 26, 1740.
Defeat and End of His Rule
Sarfaraz Khan faced a very strong opponent in Alivardi Khan, who was an excellent leader even at 70 years old. Alivardi Khan also knew Sarfaraz Khan's weaknesses. Sarfaraz Khan was defeated and killed in the Battle of Giria, which took place by the Bhagirathi river. The battle was quick but fierce. The fight ended early when Sarfaraz Khan was hit by a bullet. The rest of his army fought bravely, but Alivardi Khan was too good a general for them.
The main reason for Sarfaraz Khan's defeat was that he didn't realize the danger Alivardi Khan posed. He didn't take steps to protect himself in time. Also, Alivardi Khan didn't give him much time to get settled in his rule. Sarfaraz was more worried about Nader Shah, who was causing trouble in Delhi and Punjab. Nader Shah had even written to Sarfaraz, making things worse. Sarfaraz Khan was a mild-mannered person. He didn't have the chance or the special skills needed to make a big impact on history during such difficult times.
Sarfaraz Khan ruled for a little over 13 months. With his death, the Nasiri Dynasty, started by Murshid Quli Khan, came to an end. Sarfaraz Khan had five sons and five daughters, but none of them became rulers. So, Alivardi Khan took over from the Nasiri Nawabs and became the new Nawab of Bengal. Alivardi Khan also started his own ruling family, called the Afshar Dynasty. Sarfaraz Khan is buried at Naginabag in Murshidabad.
