Bengal War

The Bengal War, also known as the Campaign for the Eastern Subahs, was fought between 1756 and 1765 by Mughal imperial crown prince Ali Gohar. He was also known as Shah Alam II Nawab of Bengal from the British East India Company.

During the Seven Years' War, the English East India Company seized the Nawab of Bengal's lands and refused to pay taxation or tribute to the Great Moghul. In response to this acquisition, Shah Alam II launched the Bengal War in 1759. Although the Battle of Patna took place in 1758, the Battle of Chinsurah and the Battle of Fort St. David had already taken place.

Most of the Bengal War conflicts occurred near Patna, where Mir Qasim joined Shah Alam II and whose leaders Ramnarian, an ally of the East India Company, was defeated in 1759. In 1760, John Caillaud and Miran (Mir Jafar's son) defeated Shah Alam II. The Rohillas, Durranis, and the Nawab Vizier (Grand Vizier) Shuja-ud-Daula were belligerent in the triumph against the Maratha Confederacy Third Battle of Panipat joined Shah Alam II in 1761. They marched together towards Murshidabad, only to be forced to retire in defeat once more. They subsequently besieged Patna but were repulsed by Capt. Knox's army. Major Camac captured Shah Alam II in Bihar in 1761 and permitted him to flee to Awadh, where he was the re-crowned monarch. With the support of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, he prepared more expeditions against Bengal Subah. During the Bengal War, though, Mir Qasim was possibly his most formidable opponent. At the Battle of Buxar, they established a coalition led by the Great Moghul against Hector Munro of Novar of the East India Company. Shah Alam II, who later became a pensioner of the British East India Company in 1765.

Before becoming an English pensioner, Shah Alam II managed to take and hold Bihar. While he possessed the Mughal Crown Prince, John Caillaud had affixed three official seals to documents showing an intent to assassinate Shah Alam II, claims that Caillaud would later fiercely refute. The English East India Company launched an attack against Shuja-ud-Daula.