MIR JAFAR, a nawab of Bengal, whom the English East India Company's Council raised to that office after the defeat at Plassey of Suraj-ud Dowla. On the outbreak of war between Great Britain and France, Clive took possession of the French factory of Chandernagar on the Hoogly, which Suraj-ud-Dowla resented as an aggression. Clive with 1000 Europeans and 2000 sepoys met Suraj-ud-Dowla's army at Plassey, 70 miles from Calcutta, overthrew Suraj-ud-Dowla there on the 23d June 1757, and put aside Suraj-ud Dowla in favour of Mir Jafar, for whom authority was obtained from the Moghul court. Mir Jafar, as the reward, was asked to pay a kror of rupees to the E. I. Company, .and 85 lakhs to the naval squadron and the inhabitants of Calcutta, and 12,80,000 to Mr. Drake, the Governor, to Colonel Clive, Mr. Becker, Mr. Walls, and Major Kilpatrick; the total amount demanded being Rs. 2,69,77,500.
But the nawab could only provide One-half of the asked amount, and even of the reduced amount one-third had to be accepted it jewels and plate. But, at the same time, Mir Jafar granted to the Company the zamindari of the Twenty - four Parganas around Calcutta, an area of 882 square miles, and in 1759 the Dehli emperor bestowed on Clive the right to receive the land tax. Clive was raised to the rank of mansabdar of 6000 foot and 5000 horse, and received as jaghir a large allotment of land near Calcutta. Subsequently, after a ten years' tenure, Clive's jaghir reverted to the E. I. Company. In 1761 Mir Jafar was set aside, and replaced by his son-in-law Mir Kasim.
Suraj-ud-Dowla's forces at the battle of Plassey numbered 35,000 infantry, 15,000 cavalry, and 50 cannon.