 According to historian Nitish Sengupta, "Bargi" is a corruption of a Marathi word "bargi", which denoted horsemen who were supplied with horses and weapons by the state, in contrast to "shiledars", who brought their own.Alivardi Khan became Nawab of Bengal in April 1740 by defeating and killing Sarfaraz Khan.His seizure of power was challenged by Sarfaraz Khan's brother-in-law Rustam Jung, who enlisted the backing of Raghoji I Bhonsle, the Maratha ruler of Nagpur.