Munni Begum
Munni Begum, 1775, widow of Mir Jafar of Bengal. Originally a dancing girl at the court of Nawab Mir Jafar (d. 1765) whom she later married, she was made the incharge of the Nawab’s household, and the guardian of the infant nawab, Mubarak-ud-Dula, by the governor-general, Warren Hastings. These appointments were severely criticized by the British Parliament. In 1775 Warren Hastings was accused by Nand Kumar of accepting a large bribe from the Begum for these favours, but the charges were never investigated.