Mirza Najaf Khan

Mīrzā Najaf Khān Bahādur, simply known as Mirza Najaf Khan (1723 – 26 April 1782) was a Mughal nobleman and adventurer of Safavid lineage who came to Delhi around 1740 from Iran after Nader Shah had displaced the Safavid dynasty in 1736. He became a courtier of Mughal emperor Shah Alam II (17401782). Najaf Khan has been called the "last great general of the Mughal Empire" as after his death, the control of the Mughal territories was taken over by Mahadaji Shinde in 1784/5, and the Mughal authority got reduced to the walls of Delhi.

Najaf Khan married his sister into the family of the Shia Nawabs of Awadh, which resulted in him gaining the title of Deputy Wazir of Awadh, and himself married the daughter of Najib ad-Dawlah. He served during the Battle of Buxar, and was the highest commander of the Mughal army from 1772 till his death in April 1782.

Mirza Najaf Khan was an extremely capable commander, acquainted with European military tactics. He led several successful campaigns for the Mughal emperor. He has also been praised by contemporary biographers to be benevolent, loyal and polite. Due to courtly intrigue set by his rivals, like Abdul Ahad Khan, a coldness in relationship had developed between him and the emperor. However, the relationship had been mended by the time of his death due to Tuberculosis. Mirza Najaf Khan's incomplete tomb, the commander-in-chief of the Mughal Army during the reign of Shah Alam II.

Death Najaf Khan died on April 26, 1782, after serving Mughal throne for forty two years.

Mirza Najaf Khan had an adopted son Saif-ud-Daula Nawab Najaf Quli Khan, a Rathore Rajput who had converted to Islam from Hinduism. After Mirza Quli's death, there was a dispute about his possessions as he left no child to inherit them. Mirza Quli's widow, a sister of Ghulam Kadir, requested emperor for her adopted son on Mirza's position of deputy wazir but this claim was rivaled by Mirza Shafi Khan who had a great army and considerable resources in the Mughal court, Mirza was also the closest of relatives to Najaf.

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