Siraj-ud-Daulah – Nawab of Bengal & Bihar – 1756-1757 CE – Silver Rupee Murshidabad mint INO Alamgir II 1170/4 RY

Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, (AH 1169/1170-1171/1756-1757 CE), Murshidabad mint, Denomination: AR Rupee, Composition: Silver, Issued in AH 1170/4 RY (INO Alamgir II), Struck at Murshidabad then under the Control of the Nawab of Bengal, rosette sun mint mark on obverse, Weight: 11.49 grams, Diameter: 24 mm, Reference: KM-460.15, About Very Fine, + Extremely Rare.

During the mid-18th century, Bengal was ruled by Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. Ascending the throne in 1756, Siraj inherited one of the richest provinces of the Mughal Empire. His short reign was dominated by rising tensions with the British East India Company, ultimately leading to the decisive Battle of Plassey in 1757. Betrayed by key nobles, Siraj was defeated and later executed, marking the end of effective indigenous rule in Bengal and the beginning of British political dominance. Despite his fall, Siraj ud-Daulah is remembered as a symbol of resistance against colonial expansion.

The coinage of this period reflects the political realities of the time. Although struck in the name of the Mughal emperor Alamgir II, such coins were issued under the authority of the Bengal Nawab, maintaining formal Mughal legitimacy. Dated to Alamgir II’s RY 3 and RY 4, these issues clearly fall within the ruling period of Siraj ud-Daulah. Most coins of Siraj’s era were heavily minted at Murshidabad and Azimabad (Patna), with smaller issues from Jahangirnagar (Dhaka) and Calcutta, reflecting Bengal’s economic strength and administrative reach.