Initially known as Mirza Muhammad Ali, Alivardi Khan was the Nawab (governor) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Born in 1740, he was the son of Mirza Muhammad, an Arab by descent. He served as the superintendent of the filkhana (elephant stables) and the zardozkhana (department of embroidered clothes) at the court of Azam Shah, the second son of Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb. When the king was killed in a battle, he went to Bengal in 1720 and from there to Cuttack, Orissa to find a job. Appointed at first in a small job by Shujauddin Muhammad Khan, the Nawab of Orissa, he later became the chief adviser of Shujauddin in all dealings of the province. Shujauddin was pleased in his effective recommendations and promoted him as faujdar (a military officer in charge of an army under the command of a chief during the pre-Mughal period) in 1728 and gave him the title of 'Alivardi'.
In1732, Bihar was added to Bengal by Emperor Muhammad Shah Nawab appointed Alivardi as its Naib Nazim (deputy subahdar to assist the Nawab in administering the outlying areas). He improved the economic condition of the government by properly collecting the old taxes and recovering arrears from the Zamindars or landowners.
After the death of Shujauddin in 1739, his son Sarfaraz Khan came into power. He was not a good administrator, and Alivardi recognized it as the exact time to bring the province under his domination. Alivardi killed the Nawab at the battle of Giria in 1740. By the end of 1741, he suppressed all of his enemies and established his supreme authority over Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. Soon after his coronation, he faced the continuous invasions of Marathas from 1742 to 1751. The Nawab effectively resisted the invaders. These battles caused an economic crisis in the province. Because of his old age, he made a peace treaty with the Marathas in 1751 and agreed to pay one fourth of his revenue to the Marathas every year. After the treaty, he paid his attention to reconstruct many towns and villages, which had been ruined by the Marathas. He also promoted agriculture.
Next he had to face a revolt by the Afghans of Bihar. They started a reign of terror in Bihar. The Nawab marched against them and re-occupied the province. He then faced the interference of the European traders in the politics of Bengal. These disturbances affected his physical and mental heath. He passed away in 1756 at the age of 80.
