2018-02-07 Wed

Murshid Quli Khan was the founder of the Nawabi regime in Bengal. He began his careers in Bengal as provincial Diwan and ended as the Nazim or governor of Bengal and Orissa, Diwan of Bihar and faujdar of several districts, occupying all posts in the same time in the early 18th century.

Emperor Aurangzeb was in search of an efficient man for being the Diwan of Bengal when his choice fell on Murshid Quli Khan. In the year 1701, he was sent to Bengal as the Diwan. Murshid Quli Khan was an honest officer and he had already served as a Diwan of the province of Orissa. He was efficient in his work and was praised among the imperial officials.

Murshid Quli Khan was held unparalleled in goodness and morality of purpose. His services during the war placed him in the good books of Aurangzeb. The title of Murshid Quli Khan was bestowed upon him by Emperor Aurangzeb. During and after the reign of Aurangzeb, Murshid Quli Khan's rise was noteworthy. Even after ascending the throne as the Nawab of Bengal, Murshid Quli Khan never broke his ties with the Mughals and continued to send annual tribute to Delhi.

Murshid Quli Khan changed the name of the city Makhsusabad to Murshidabad and released ‘Zurbe Murshidabad’ coin, in his own new mint.

This silver rupee of Murshid Quli Khan was struck in the name of Muhammad Shah. The obverse of the coin bears Persian legend which read as ‘Sikka Mubarak Badshah Gazi Muhammad Shah’, with rosette mintmark while the reverse of the coin is inscribed as ‘Sanah 7 Zarb Jahangirnagar Julus Mainamat Manus’.