Javed Khan Nawab Bahadur
Javed Khan (c. 1695 – 1754) was an Irani daroga (head of police) under the emperor Muhammad Shah (1722-1748), and as effective regent during the reign of Muhammad's weak successor, Ahmad Shah, from (1748-1754), during the period of final decline of the Mughal Empire, which after the Battle of Delhi (1737) had no control over any territory left other than the region immediately surrounding Delhi.
In 1722, Javed Khan was a "handsome eunuch of youthful age and robust personality" as he was made chief eunuch of the royal household. Upon the accession of Ahmad Shah Bahadur. In 1748, Javed Khan was conferred the title of Nawab Bahadur. Due to the weak leadership of the emperor, he acted as effective regent and took the leadership of the so-called "court party", pitted against Nawab Wazir.
In 1752, factions at court started quarreling and he, being head of the Irani faction, expelled the Torani Ghaziuddin, which resulted in a full blown civil war in 1753 that lasted for six months. His Irani supporter Nawab Safdar Jang was defeated at the hands of the Marathas under Mir Bakhshi (Head of Military) Ghaziuddin. At this, he prompted the Emperor to take action, who was under his influence. Thus the Imperial Army marched to Sikandarabad but met defeat at the hands of Ghaziuddin in 1754. Nawab Bahadur fled to Delhi but was killed immediately after Ghaziuddin's arrival.
References
- Jaswant Lal Mehta, "Fragmentation of the Mughal Empire (1707-60)", Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813, 2005, 133-136.