Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan

Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan
Nawab Nazim of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha (Nawab of Bengal) Mīrzā royal Motamul ul-Mulk (Guardian of the country) Shuja ud-Daula (Hero of the state) Asad Jang (Lion in War)
Reign	1 July 1727 – 26 August 1739
Predecessor	Murshid Quli Khan
Successor	Sarfaraz Khan
Issue Sons: Mirza Asadullah Khan (Sarfaraz Khan) and Mirza Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur Daughters: Nafissa Begum Sahiba and Durdana Begum Sahiba
Full name Mirza Shuja ud-din Muhammad Khan (Mirza Deccani)
Father	Nawab Jan Muhammad Khan (Mirza Nur ud-din Muhammad)
Mother	(detail not available)
Born	Around 1670 (date not available) Burhanpur
Died	26 August 1739 Murshidabad
Buried	Roshnibagh, Murshidabad
Religion	Islam

Sons: Mirza Asadullah Khan (Sarfaraz Khan) and Mirza Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur

Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan was the Nawab of Bengal. He married Zainab un-nisa Begum and Azmat un-nisa Begum, the daughters of Murshid Quli Khan by Nasiri Banu Begum. Shuja-ud-Din's third wife was Durdana Begum Sahiba. After the death of his father-in-law on 30 June 1727, he ascended to the Masnad (throne) of the Nawab.

Born at Burhanpur, Deccan, as Mirza Shuja ud-din Muhammad Khan (Mirza Deccani), son of Nawab Jan Muhammad Khan (Mirza Nur ud-din Muhammad), he was appointed Subahdar (Provincial governor) of Odisha in 1719. He was also appointed as the Subahdar of Bengal in July 1727 and Subahdar of Bihar in 1731. The title of Subahdar was bestowed by the Mughal Emperor of Delhi.

In absence of a direct heir, Murshid Quli Khan nominated his grandson Sarfaraz Khan to the Masnad. Murshid Quli Khan died in 1727 and Sarfaraz Khan was to ascend to the Masnad.

Then, Shuja ud-din was the Subahdar of Odisha with Alivardi Khan as his Naib (Deputy). Murshid Quli was not generally pleased of the inclusive and people friendly policies of Shuja ud-Din. Accordingly, when Sarfaraz Khan was announced heir, Shuja ud-Din was disturbed at the idea of being in the employment of his son. Alivardi Khan and his brother Haji Ahmed convinced Shuja ud-Din that he himself was more suitable for this position. With support from Alivardi and Haji he made preparations for a take over. He received support from Mughal Emperor, Muhammad Shah in Delhi, who was ready to help him. Shuja ud-Din marched at the head of a large army towards Murshidabad, the capital of the Nawabs of Bengal. To avoid a conflict in the family, the dowager Begum of Murshid Quli Khan intervened; and her son-in-law Shuja-ud-Din ascended to the Masnad of Bengal after Sarfaraz Kahn abidicated in favour of his father. By August 1727, Shuja-ud-Din was firmly established and recognised as the second Nawab of Bengal.