Mir Jafar

Syed Mir Jafar Ali Khan Bahadur (c. 1691 – 5 February 1765) often known as Mir Jafar, his full, formal name Shuja ul-Mulk, Hashim ud-Daula, Nawab Ja'afar 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Mahabat Jang was a Bengali Shia Muslim^[1] remembered for the agreement he made with the British when he was Nawab of Bengal. This agreement meant that the Army of Bengal surrendered to the British army and were killed at the Battle of Plassey. This was the start of the British rule in Bengal.^[2]

He is remembered by the people of Bengal and Pakistan. The word "mirjafar" in Bengali and the phrase "meer jafar" in Urdu now are often used to mean traitor.

Mir Jafar was an influential figure in the history of Bengal during the 18th century. He was born in the early 1690s and hailed from a noble family. Mir Jafar initially served as a commander in the army of Nawab Alivardi Khan, the ruler of Bengal. However, in 1757, during the Battle of Plassey, he betrayed the Nawab and colluded with the British East India Company. This treacherous act resulted in the British victory over the Nawab's forces, marking a significant turning point in the colonization of India by the British. In return for his betrayal, Mir Jafar was installed as the puppet Nawab of Bengal by the British. His reign as Nawab was marred by corruption and subservience to the British, which led to discontent among the people. Mir Jafar's name became synonymous with betrayal, and he is almost exclusively remembered as a traitor in South Asian history.