History and Historiography

All Dharma Dispatch essays on History and Historiography

Essays

How Murshid Quli Khan Facilitated the Renewal of Hindu Power in Bengal

How Murshid Quli Khan Facilitated the Renewal of Hindu Power in Bengal

Murshid Quli Khan elevated talented Hindus to high positions in his civil and military administration and created a new Zamindari class in Bengal

Building a Pit of Human Shit as the Revenue Model of Murshid Quli Khan

Building a Pit of Human Shit as the Revenue Model of Murshid Quli Khan

Murshid Quli Khan adopted extremely savage methods of torture to extract revenue from the Bengal province

“The Bengal Province is being Sucked by a Double Set of Leeches!”

“The Bengal Province is being Sucked by a Double Set of Leeches!”

Murshid Quli Khan's radical Ijtara revenue system outrages the old elite of Bengal who complain to the Mughal emperor

Murshid Quli Khan’s Ijtara System and Bengali Cinema

Murshid Quli Khan’s Ijtara System and Bengali Cinema

As the Subahdaar of Bengali, Murshid Quli Khan introduces the Ijtara system of revenue collection which has far-reaching consequences lasting up to the early 20th century

The Pathetic Breakdown of the Mughal Dynasty and the Resurgence of Murshid Quli Khan

The Pathetic Breakdown of the Mughal Dynasty and the Resurgence of Murshid Quli Khan

Aurangzeb's grandson Azim-us-Shan dies in a botched up war for succession, which is followed by another series of such wars. In the end, Murshid Quli Khan is elevated as the Subahdaar of Bengal, which begins a new chapter in his career.

Aurangzeb’s Death and Murshid Quli Khan’s Exile to the Dakkhan

Aurangzeb’s Death and Murshid Quli Khan’s Exile to the Dakkhan

Aurangzeb’s death changes Murshid Quli Khan's fortunes for the worse. His enemy Azim-ud-din now takes revenge by banishing Quli to the Dakhhan

Murshidabad: The City Founded by a Shia Bigot

Murshidabad: The City Founded by a Shia Bigot

Muhammad Hadi successfully destroys his assassination plot hatched by Aurangzeb's grandson. He gets the title Murshid Quli Khan and renames the city of Makhsudabad as Murshidabad.

Muhammad Azim-ud-din: Aurangzeb’s Grandson and the Extortionist of Bengal

Muhammad Azim-ud-din: Aurangzeb’s Grandson and the Extortionist of Bengal

Aurangzeb’s grandson, Muhammad Azim-ud-din was appointed as the Subahdaar of Bengal in 1697. He ruled the province with shocking oppression and extortion and clashed with Muhammad Hadi or Murshid Quli Khan

Murshid Quli Khan: The Brahmana who Founded Murshidabad

Murshid Quli Khan: The Brahmana who Founded Murshidabad

The first episode of a comprehensive history of Murshid Quli Khan, Aurangzeb's confidant and the first Nawab of Bengal

Here are Some Sanskrit Primary Sources of Maratha History

Here are Some Sanskrit Primary Sources of Maratha History

Presenting a list of some important Sanskrit primary sources narrating the history of the Maratha Empire