Get complete information on the Provincial Policy of Muhammad Shah

Get complete information on the Provincial Policy of Muhammad Shah

Muhammad Shah took no interest in the affairs of the Government. He spent his time in frivolous pursuits surrounded by low favourites. He left everything to his Wazir Qainar-ud-Din Khan, son of Mir Muhammad Amin Khan. Unfortunately, the Wazir was an indolent, procrastinating and pleasure-loving person. Delhi was without Government. The provincial Governments got no help from the Centre in the hour of their need.

When Nadir Shah threatened Afghanistan and the Governor of Kabul asked for help, nobody cared for his request.

The leading nobles were jealous of the power of the Wazir and intrigued against the Mughal Empire with its enemies. They shirked all military tasks involving any risk. None of them was willing to face the Marathas. They invented excuses when they were asked to proceed against the Raja of Jodhpur. The results were disastrous. The Mughal Empire began to disintegrate. Many provinces virtually became independent.

Murshid Quli Khan in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and Saadat Khan in Avadh paid only nominal allegiance to Delhi. The Nizam set up an independent dynasty of his own in the Deccan. In the Doab, the Rohillas set up autonomous chieftainships. The Marathas occupied Gujarat, Malwa and a part of Bundelkhand. The Governors of Kabul and Lahore were left to their own resources.

Bengal

As regards Bengal, it became an independent state within a few years of the death of Aurangzeb. Although Murshid Quli Khan was made the Governor of Bengal as late as 1717, he had been its effective ruler since Deputy Governor (Naib Nazim) and Dewan of Bengal and Orissa under Prince Azim. Shortly before the death of Aurangzeb, Azim left the province in the hands of Murshid Quli Khan and after the coronation of his father; he stayed away at the capital. During that period, all power rested in the hands of Murshid Quli Khan.

In 1717, Farrukh Siyar appointed Murshid Quli Khan as permanent Nazim or Governor of Bengal. In 1719, he was appointed the Nazim of Orissa also. He freed himself from central control but continued to send regularly his tribute to the Mughal Emperor. He established peace by freeing Bengal of internal and external danger. Bengal was relatively free of uprisings by Zamindars. The only three major uprisings during his rule were by Sitaram Ray, Udai Narayan and Ghulam Muhammad and then by Shujat Khan and finally by Najat Khan.

After defeating them, he gave their Jagirs to Ramjivan his own favourite. He was a good administrator and he improved the finances of the state. He converted all Jagir Lands into Khalisa Land directly administered by the Crown and appointed contractors to collect the revenue.

Those contractors became the Landlords or Zamindars who, later on, were confirmed and made hereditary by Lord Cornwallis. He also helped the growth of trade and gave all possible help and incentives to traders. He was a man of puritan character and he despised all kinds of lixuruy. He succeeded in bringing prosperity to the Province of Bengal. He died in June 1727.

Murshid Quli Khan had no male issue and hence he was succeeded by Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan, his son-in-law. Shuja-ud-Din divided Bengal into four administrative units, improved its finances, looked after the welfare of the subjects and gave them justice impartially. Towards the close of his reign, power fell in the hands of a clique of self-seeking advisers consisting of Hazi Ahmed, Alam Chand and Jagat Seth Fateh Chand. He died in 1739.

Shuja-ud-Din was succeeded by his son Sarfaraz Khar. He neglected the work of administration. Power was enjoyed by those very people who had formed a clique during the reign of his father.

Alivardi Khan, the Deputy Governor of Bihar and brother of Hazi Ahmad, tried to capture power. He marched with his army towards Murshidabad. Sarfaraz Khan was defeated and killed in a battle on 10 April, 1740. Alivardi Khan captured the Masnad of Bengal. He secured confirmation of his new position from the Mughal Emperor.

Alivardi Khan was a competent ruler. He looked after the welfare of his subjects and administered Bengal well. He was troubled by the Afghan Rebels in Bihar and Maratha invasions. He suppressed the Afghans in 1^48 but was forced to conclude a treaty with the Maraths by which he agreed to pay Rs. 12 lacs per annum as Chauth to the Marathas. He died on 10 April, 1756.

Alivardi Khan was succeeded by his grandson Siraj-ud-Daulah. The latter showed vigour and energy in administration and succeeded in supressing his enemies and rivals of the Masnad. He came into conflict with the British who gave shelter to the enemies of the Nawab, misused their trading rights and strengthened their fortifications at Calcutta. The Nawab tried to check them. A conspiracy was hatched against him.

The Nawab was defeated in the Battle of Plassey in June 1757 A.D. and killed. Mir Jafar was placed on the Masnad of Bengal by the English East India Company. He was replaced by Mir Qasim by the English in 1760. Mir Qasim fought the Battle of Buxer in 1764. Thus, the Government of Bengal passed into the hands of the English East India Company.

It is maintained that the Nawabs of Bengal gave Bengal a long period of peace and orderly administration and promoted trade and industry. They gave equal opportunities for employment to the Hindus and Muslims. They filled the highest civil posts and many of the military posts with Bengalis, most of whom were Hindus. While appointing revenue farmers, Murshid Quli Khan gave preference to Local Zamindars and Money-lenders who were mainly Hindus. In this way, he laid the foundations of a new landed aristocracy in Bengal.

The Nawabs gave encouragement to all merchants, Indian or foreign. They provided for the safety of roads and rivers from thieves and robbers by establishing regular Thanas and Chowkies. They checked private trade by officials. They prevented abuses in the customs administration. They maintained strict control over the foreign trading companies and their servants and prevented them abusing their privileges. They compelled the servants of the English East India Company to obey the laws of the land and pay the same customs duties as were being paid by the other merchants. Alivardi Khan did not allow the English and the French to fortify their factories at Calcutta and Chandernagar.

However, they made a mistake in not firmly putting down the increasing tendency of the English East India Company to use military force or to threaten its use to get its demands accepted. They had the power to deal with the threats of the Company but did not take timely action against the English Company. The Nawabs of Bengal also neglected to build a strong army and had to pay a very heavy price for this negligence. It is pointed out that the army of Murshid Quli Khan consisted of only 2000 cavalry and 4000 infantry.

Alivardi Khan was constantly troubled by the Marathas and was forced to give them his own territory, but he did not raise a big army which could stand against the English East India Company. They failed to check the growing corruption among the officials judicial officials like the Qazis and Muftis took bribes. Their enemies took full advantage of these weaknesses and succeeded in establishing their hold over Bengal.