Ghaseti Begum


Mehar un-Nisa Begum, better known as Ghaseti Begum, was the eldest daughter of Alivardi Khan, Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa during 1740–1758.

Early life

Ghaseti Begum married her cousin, Nawazish Muhammad Khan Shahmat Jang, the Naib-Nazim of Dhaka. Being childless, the couple adopted Ikram ud-Daulah, the younger brother of Siraj ud-Daulah. But Ikram ud-Daulah died of smallpox at a young age. Soon after Nawazish Muhammad also died from grief. Ghaseti Begum inherited vast wealth from her husband.

Conspiracy against Siraj ud-Daulah

After the death of Nawab Alivardi Khan, Ghaseti Begum tried to enthrone Shaukat Jang, the son of her second sister. But Siraj ud-Daulah managed to ascend to the power of Bengal. Eventually she secretly conspired against him with the help of Mir Jafar, the chief of Alivardi Khan's army, along with the merchants Omi Chand and Jagat Seth.

Death

After the fall of Siraj ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey in 1757, Ghaseti was imprisoned in the Jinjira Palace by Mir Jafar. But sensing danger, Miran, son of Mir Jafar, moved Ghaseti to Murshidabad in 1760. She was believed to have been drowned in the Buriganga River on the way by order of Miron, the assassin of Siraj.