page_title: Rajnagar, Birbhum
section_title: Nagar Raj
hierarchical_section_title: Rajnagar, Birbhum / History / Nagar Raj
caption_attribution_description: English: Historical building, mosque and monuments at Rajnagar, the then capital of Birbhum districts, West Bengal
context_page_description: Rajnagar is a census town in Rajnagar CD block in Suri Sadar subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It was formerly the capital of Royal Kingdoms in the area. With the fading away of the kingdoms, the town lost much of its importance.
context_section_description: Jonad Khan, an adventurous Pathan, is said to have established the House at Nagar in 1600, having treachouresly killed the Bir Raja under whom he served. He was succeeded by his son, Bahadur Khan, alias Ranmast Khan. Asadullah Khan (1697-1718), grandson of Bahadur Khan, was a pious man who was on good terms with Murshid Quli Khan, the Nawab of Bengal. A devout person, he enjoyed full autonomy.
  His son, Badi-uz-zaman Khan (1718–52) made an abortive attempt at shaking off the nominal allegiance to Murshidabad. He was invested with the title of Raja by Murshid Quli Khan. During his reign Birbhum was ravaged by the Marathas. They also overran Rajnagar. It was during the reign of his son, Asad-uz-Zaman Khan (1752-1777) that the Nagar Raj witnessed the zenith of its power and then started declining. The Raja was faithful to the Nawab and after the Battle of Plassey, was on bad terms with the British. He was defeated by the combined forces of the British and Mir Qasim in 1761. He fled, regrouped and fought back again. He was completely routed at the Battle of Hetampur in 1765. By a treaty, he was restored to his estate but much of his autonomy was lost.
  In the course of time, they lost their supremacy to the Hetampur Raj. The British set up their district headquarters at Suri, and by the early 19th century, Rajnagar had been reduced to a deserted town with dilapidated palaces and ruins of habitation, and the forest slowly encroaching.
caption: Rajnagar Raj Palace in a ruined condition
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