The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the

Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and ...

( divided between the state of

Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...

Marathwada region Marathwada () is a proposed state and geographical region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurangabad division of Maharashtra ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

and Kalyana-Karnataka region of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...

). ''Nizam'', shortened from ''Nizam-ul-Mulk'', meaning ''Administrator of the Realm'', was the title inherited by Asaf Jah I. He was the former ''

Naib Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب; bn, নবাব/নওয়াব; hi, नवाब; Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ; Persian, Punjabi , Sindhi, Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Noba ...

'' (

suzerain Suzerainty () is the rights and obligations of a person, state or other polity who controls the foreign policy and relations of a tributary state, while allowing the tributary state to have internal autonomy. While the subordinate party is cal ...

) of the

Great Mughal The Mughal emperors ( fa, , Pādishāhān) were the supreme heads of state of the Mughal Empire on the Indian subcontinent, mainly corresponding to the modern countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The Mughal rulers styled t ...

in the Deccan, the premier courtier of Mughal India until 1724, the founding of an independent

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic ( constitutional monar ...

as the " Nizam (title) of Hyderabad". The

Asaf Jahi dynasty The Asaf Jahi was a Muslim dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Hyderabad. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Persian culture, language, and literature, the fa ...

was founded by Mir Qamar-ud-Din Siddiqi (Asaf Jah I), who served as a ''Naib'' of the

Deccan sultanates The Deccan sultanates were five Islamic late-medieval Indian kingdoms—on the Deccan Plateau between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range—that were ruled by Muslim dynasties: namely Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bidar, Bijapur, and Golconda. ...

under the Moghul Empire from 1713 to 1721. He intermittently ruled the region after Emperor

Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...

's death in 1707. In 1724 Mughal control weakened, and Asaf Jah became virtually independent of the Mughal Empire; Hyderabad would then become a tributary of the

Maratha Confederacy The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of ...

, losing a series of battles through the 18th century. When the

English East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...

achieved paramountcy over the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...

, they allowed the Nizams to continue to rule their princely states as client kings. The Nizams retained internal power over

until 17 September 1948, when Hyderabad was integrated into the new Indian Union. The Asaf Jah dynasty had only seven rulers; however there was a period of 13 unstable years after the rule of the first Nizam when two of his sons ( Nasir Jung,and Salabath Jung) and grandson Muzafur Jung ruled. They were never officially recognised as rulers. The seventh and last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, fell from power when India annexed Hyderabad in 1948 in

Operation Polo Operation Polo was the code name of the Hyderabad " police action" in September 1948, by the then newly independent Dominion of India against Hyderabad State. It was a military operation in which the Indian Armed Forces invaded the Nizam-ru ...

Hyderabad

By the time of its annexation, Hyderabad was the largest and most prosperous among all the princely states. It covered of fairly homogeneous territory and had a population of roughly 16.34 million people (as per the 1941 census). Hyderabad State had its own army, airline, telecommunication system, railway network, postal system,

currency A currency, "in circulation", from la, currens, -entis, literally meaning "running" or "traversing" is a standardization of money in any form, in use or circulation as a medium of exchange, for example banknotes and coins. A more general ...

and radio broadcasting service. Hindus were also given highest of the government posts; like 2-time Prime Minister of Hyderabad - Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad,

Maharaja Chandu Lal Chandu Lal Malhotra (1766 – 15 April 1845 ), better known as Maharaja Chandu Lal was the prime minister (1833–1844) for 3rd Nizam of Hyderabad Sikandar Jah. He was born in Hyderabad Deccan (now Hyderabad, India) and hails from a family from ...

and Raja Sham Raj I. Raja Sham Raj II, a member of H. E. H Nizam's Executive Council. The position of Kotwal was also given to a Hindu, Raja Bahadur Venkatarama Reddy.

History

Etymology

The name ''Nizam'' comes from

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Persian ''niẓām'' which means "order" or "arrangement", and was typically given to high state officials. Nizām-ul-mulk was a title first used in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Persian language Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken an ...

, as in Abu Ali Hasan ibn Ali Tusi (11 April 1018 – 14 October 1092), better known by his honorific title of Nizam al-Mulk (Persian: نظام‌ الملک, "Order of the Realm"). This word, like many other words, was from

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

into

Persian language Persian (), also known by its endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of the Indo-European languages. Persian is a pluricentric language predominantly spoken an ...

Descent

According to Sir Roper Lethbridge in ''The Golden Book of India'' (1893), the Nizams are lineally descended from the First Caliph

Abu Bakr Abu Bakr Abdallah ibn Uthman Abi Quhafa (; – 23 August 634) was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha, a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as the first caliph of Islam. He is known with the honor ...

, the successor of the

Islamic prophet Prophets in Islam ( ar, الأنبياء في الإسلام, translit=al-ʾAnbiyāʾ fī al-ʾIslām) are individuals in Islam who are believed to spread God's message on Earth and to serve as models of ideal human behaviour. Some prophets ar ...

Muhammed. The family of Nizams in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

is descended from Abid Khan, a Persian from

Samarkand fa, سمرقند , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from the top:Registan square, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, view inside Shah-i-Zinda, ...

, whose lineage is traced to Sufi Shihab-ud-Din Suhrawardi (1154–91) of Suhraward in Iran. In the early 1650s, on his way to

hajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried o ...

, Abid Khan stopped in Deccan, where the young prince

, then Governor of Deccan, cultivated him. Abid Khan returned to the service of Aurangzeb to fight in the succession wars of 1657–58. After Aurangzeb's enthronement, Abid Khan was richly rewarded and became Aurangzeb's favourite nobleman. His son Ghazi Uddin Khan was married to Safiya Khanum, the daughter of the former imperial

Grand Vizier Grand vizier ( fa, وزيرِ اعظم, vazîr-i aʾzam; ota, صدر اعظم, sadr-ı aʾzam; tr, sadrazam) was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. The office of Grand Vizier was first ...

(prime minister) Sa'dullah Khan.

Mir Qamaruddin Khan Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. He ...

, the founder of the line of Nizams, was born of the couple, thus descending from two prominent families of the Mughal court. Ghazi Uddin Khan rose to become a General of the Emperor Aurangzeb and played a vital role in conquering

Bijapur Bijapur, officially known as Vijayapura, is the district headquarters of Bijapur district of the Karnataka state of India. It is also the headquarters for Bijapur Taluk. Bijapur city is well known for its historical monuments of architectural i ...

and

Golconda Sultanate The Qutb Shahi dynasty also called as Golconda Sultanate ( Persian: ''Qutb Shāhiyān'' or ''Sultanat-e Golkonde'') was a Persianate Shia Islam dynasty of Turkoman origin that ruled the sultanate of Golkonda in southern India. After the col ...

s of Southern India in 1686. He also played a key role in thwarting the rebellion by Prince Akbar and alleged rebellion by Prince Mu`azzam. India1760 1905

After Aurangzeb's death and during the war of succession, Qamaruddin and his father remained neutral thus escaping the risk of being on the losing side; they remained marginal players in the Mughal court during the reigns of Bahadur Shah I (1707–12) and Jahandar Shah (1712–13). Their successor Farrukhsiyar (1713–19) was appointed Qamaruddin the governor of Deccan in 1713, awarding him the title ''Nizam-ul-Mulk''. However, the governorship was taken away two years later and Qamaruddin withdrew to his estate in

Moradabad Moradabad () is a city, commissionary and municipal corporation in Moradabad district of Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Moradabad is situated on the banks of the Ramganga river, at a distance of from the national capital, New Delhi and ...

. Under the next emperor, Muhammad Shah (1719–48), Qamaruddin accepted the governorship of Deccan for the second time in 1721. The next year, following the death of his uncle Muhammad Amin Khan who had been a power-broker in the Mughal Court, Qamaruddin returned to the Delhi and was made the ''wazir'' (prime minister). According to historian Faruqui, his tenure as prime minister was undermined by his opponents and a rebellion in Deccan was engineered against him. In 1724, the Nizam returned to Deccan to reclaim his base, in the process making a transition to a semi-independent ruler.

Reign

In 1724, Asaf Jah I defeated Mubariz Khan to establish autonomy over the ''Deccan Suba'', named the region ''

Hyderabad Deccan Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, an ...

'', and started what came to be known as the

. Subsequent rulers retained the title ''Nizam ul-Mulk'' and were referred to as Asaf Jahi Nizams, or Nizams of Hyderabad. * Nizam I never formally declared independence from the Mughals; he still flew the Mughal flag, and was never crowned. In Friday prayers, the sermon would be conducted in the name of Aurangzeb, and this tradition would continue until the end of Hyderabad State in 1948. The death of Asaf Jah I in 1748, resulted in a period of political unrest as his sons, backed by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces, contended for the throne. The accession of Asif Jah II, who reigned from 1762 to 1803, ended the instability. In 1768, he signed the treaty of Machilipatnam, surrendering the coastal region to the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Sou ...

in return for a fixed annual rent. * * * Hyderabad state 1909

Following the decline of the Mughal power, the region of Deccan saw the rise of the

Maratha Empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Sh ...

. The titullar Nizams themselves fought during the Mughal-Maratha Wars since the 1720s, which resulted in the Nizam paying a regular tax ('' Chauth'') to the Marathas. The major battles fought between the Marathas and the Nizam include Palkhed,

Bhopal Bhopal (; ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes'' due to its various natural and artificial lakes. It i ...

, Rakshasbhuvan, and

Kharda Kharda(Shivpattan)is a township in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It lies near Ahmednagar District’s south-eastern border with Osmanabad District and Beed District, and is 18 km south-east of Patoda. Rajuri is 17 km north-west, w ...

, in all of which the Nizam lost. Following the conquest of Deccan by Bajirao I and the imposition of ''chauth'' by him, the Nizam essentially remained a tributary of the Marathas. The Nizam VI riding an elephant in a procession from Moula Ali, circa

The Nizam VI riding an elephant in a procession from Moula Ali, circa

In 1805, after the East India Company victory in the Second Anglo-Maratha War, the Nizam of Hyderabad came under their protection. In 1903, the Berar region of the state was separated and merged into the Central Provinces of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

, to form the

Central Provinces and Berar The Central Provinces and Berar was a province of British India and later the Dominion of India which existed from 1903 to 1950. It was formed by the merger of the Central Provinces with the province of Berar, which was territory leased by the B ...

. The last Nizam of Hyderabad state, Mir Osman Ali Khan crowned in 1911, had been the richest man in the world in his time. The Nizams developed the railway, introduced electricity, and developed roads, airways, irrigation and reservoirs; in fact, all major public buildings in Hyderabad City were built during his reign during the period of

British rule in India The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was hims ...

. He pushed education, science, and establishment of

Osmania University Osmania University is a collegiate public state university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad in 1918 , He released a farman to establish OSMANIA UNIVERSITY on the day of 28 August 1918. ...

. In 1947, at the time of the

partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...

, the

British government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_est ...

offered the 565

princely state A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, subject to ...

s in the sub-continent the options of acceding to either India or Pakistan, or remaining independent.

End of the dynasty

After the

Independence of India The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947. The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged from Bengal. ...

in 1947, the Nizam of Hyderabad chose to join neither India nor Pakistan. He later declared Hyderabad an independent state as the third dominion, but the Government of India refused to accept this. After attempts by India to persuade the Nizam to accede to India failed, and due to large scale atrocities committed by

Razakars Razakar (رضا کار) is etymologically an Arabic word which literally means volunteer. The word is also common in Urdu language as a loanword. On the other hand, in Bangladesh, razakar is a pejorative word meaning a traitor or Judas. In Pakis ...

(who wanted the Nizam to accede Hyderabad to Pakistan) on the Hindu populace, the Indian government finally launched a military operation named

. The

Indian Army The Indian Army is the Land warfare, land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Arm ...

invaded Hyderabad on 13 September 1948 and defeated his untrained forces. The Nizam capitulated on 17 September 1948; that same afternoon he broadcast the news over the State radio network. The Nizam was forced to accept accession to the new Union of India. His abdication on 17 September 1948 was the end of the dynasty's ambitions. Still he became the Rajpramukh, post independence based on public vote. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam, died on Friday 24 February 1967. All the Nizams are buried in royal graves at the Makkah Masjid near Charminar in Hyderabad excepting the last, Mir Osman Ali Khan, who wished to be buried beside his mother, in the graveyard of Judi Mosque facing

King Kothi Palace King Kothi Palace or Nazri Bagh Palace is a royal palace in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was the palace where the erstwhile ruler of Hyderabad State, Sir Mir Osman Ali Khan, lived. Etymology Initially, Kamal Khan constructed this palace f ...

State wealth

During the period of the Nizams' rule,

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...

became wealthy - thanks to the Golconda mines which were the 'only sources of diamonds in the world market at that time (apart from South African mines) making the 7th Nizam the richest person in the world. Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII and his family including Salar Jung I were taught by Nawab Sarwar Ul Mulk and Agha Mirza Baig Bahadur, who was his political advisor, and the senior-most

salute state A salute state was a princely state under the British Raj that had been granted a gun salute by the British Crown (as paramount ruler); i.e., the protocolary privilege for its ruler to be greeted—originally by Royal Navy ships, later also ...

among the Indian

s. It was spread over in the Deccan, ruled by the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The Nizams were conferred with the title of His Exalted Highness, and "Faithful Ally of the British Government" for their roles in the

Second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ea ...

and

Third Anglo-Mysore War The Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790–1792) was a conflict in South India between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company, the Kingdom of Travancore, the Maratha Empire, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was the third of four Angl ...

s and the

Indian Rebellion The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...

of 1857, becoming the only Indian prince to be given both these titles. One example of the wealth of the Nizams are the Jewels of the Nizams, an international tourist attraction once displayed in

Salar Jung Museum The Salar Jung Museum is an art museum located at Dar-ul-Shifa, on the southern bank of the Musi River in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is one of the notable National Museums of India. Originally a private art collection of the ...

, but now locked in an

Reserve Bank of India The Reserve Bank of India, chiefly known as RBI, is India's central bank and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian banking system. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It is responsible f ...

vault in Delhi. In 1948 Hyderabad state had an estimated population of 17 million (1.7

crore A crore (; abbreviated cr) denotes ten million (10,000,000 or 107 in scientific notation) and is equal to 100 lakh in the Indian numbering system. It is written as 1,00,00,000 with the local 2,2,3 style of digit group separators (one lakh is eq ...

), and it generated an estimated annual revenue of £90,029,000. The state had its own currency known as the Hyderabadi rupee, until 1951. The pace at which the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan amassed wealth made him one of the world's richest men in 1937, also known for his miserliness. He was estimated to be worth 660 crores (roughly 2 billion by the then exchange rates). According to the ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

All-Time Wealthiest List'' of 2008, Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan is the fifth richest man in recorded history per the figures, with an estimated worth of 210.8 billion adjusted by Forbes as per the growth of the US GDP since that period and the present exchange rate of the US dollar against the Indian rupee.

Institutions

The Nizams set up numerous institutions in the name of the dynasty including hospitals, schools, colleges, and universities that imparted education in Urdu. Inspired by the Indian Civil Service, the Nizams established their own local

Hyderabad Civil Service The Hyderabad Civil Service (HCS), was a modern civil service system in the State of Hyderabad. In 1882 Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I, Sir Salar Jung I dismantled the old Mughal administration practices and traditions and created the Hyderabad ...

Infrastructure

The Nizams commissioned engineering projects such as large reservoirs like Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. Survey work on the

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is a masonry dam across the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar which straddles the border between Nalgonda district in Telangana and Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh. The dam provides irrigation water to the Nalgonda, Sur ...

was also initiated during this time, although the actual work was actually completed under the aegis of the

Government of India The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...

in 1969. They also gave Hyderabad its own Railway Network -the

Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway (NGSR) was a railway company operating in India from 1879 to 1950. It was owned by the Nizams of Hyderabad State, and its full name was ''His Exalted Highness, The Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway''. The company ...

which helped in setting up various industries. Other landmarks include the

Telangana High Court The Telangana High Court is the High Court for the Indian state of Telangana. Founded by the 7th Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, initially, it was set up as High Court of Hyderabad for the then Princely State of Hyderabad Deccan and later renam ...

, City College,

Public Gardens A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...

, (formerly ''Bagh-e-Aaam'')

Jubilee Hall A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...

, Asafia Library, The Assembly building,

Niloufer Hospital Niloufer Hospital is housed in a building in the heart of historic Hyderabad and has an interesting past. This reputed institution was founded in 1949 by the Princess Niloufer. Princess Niloufer was the daughter of king of Ottoman Empire (Turkey) ...

, the Osmania Arts College and the

Osmania Medical College Osmania Medical College, formerly known as ''The Hyderabad Medical School'', is a medical college in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was founded in 1846 by the 5th Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar, Afzal ud Dowla, Asaf Jah 5. The college was orig ...

Donation for compilation of Mahabharata

In 1932, there was a need for money for the publication of

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

in the

Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) is located in Pune, Maharashtra, India. It was founded on 6 July 1917 and named after Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar (1837–1925), long regarded as the founder of Indology (Orientalism) in Ind ...

located in Pune. A formal request was made to the 7th Nizam - ( Mir Osman Ali Khan) who granted Rs. 1000 per year for a period of 11 years. He also gave Rs 50,000 for construction of the guest house which stands today as ''"Nizams guest house"''

Donation to Hindu Temples

The Nizams donated Rs. 82,825 to the Yadagirigutta temple at Bhongir, Rs. 29,999 to

Sita Ramachandraswamy temple, Bhadrachalam The Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Rama, a prominent avatar of the god Vishnu. It is located on the banks of the Godavari River in the town of Bhadrachalam in east Telangana, India. Often simply referred to as B ...

The 7th Nizam also donated Rs. 8,000 to Tirupati Balaji Temple as yearly grants. A donation of Rs. 50,000 towards the re-construction of Sitarambagh temple located in the old city of Hyderabad was also made.

Palaces

The Asaf Jahis were prolific builders. Their palaces are listed below: *

Chowmahalla Palace Chowmahalla Palace or Chowmahallat (from ''chār mahallāt'', in Dakhini Urdu) is the palace of the Nizams of Hyderabad State in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Niza ...

- Official residence of early Nizams *

Purani Haveli Purani Haveli also known as Masarrat Mahal palace is a palace located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It was the official residence of the Nizam. It was also known as ''Haveli Khadeem'', which means old mansion, was constructed for Sikander Ja ...

Mahboob Mansion Mahbub Mansion, also spelt Mahboob Mansion is a palace, named after Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, the sixth Nizam, who loved visiting here occasionally, though his permanent residence was the Purani Haveli. It is located in the area Malakpe ...

Falaknuma Palace Falaknuma is a palace in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It originally belonged to the Paigah family, and was later owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. It is on a hillock and covers a area in Falaknuma, from Charminar. It was built by Nawab Sir ...

* Bella Vista * Hill Fort Palace * Chiran Palace * Saifabad Palace *

Hyderabad House Hyderabad House is an official residence in New Delhi, India. It is the State Guest House of the Prime Minister of India. It is used by the Government of India for banquets, and as a venue for meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries. It wa ...

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...

Nizam Palace Nizam Palace is a tier A heritage building on AJC Bose Road in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It was constructed in 1933. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, acquired it as his K ...

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

List of Nizams of Hyderabad (1724–1948)

Descendants of the last Nizam

The last Nizam had 34 children, including 16 sons and 18 daughters The

followed the Order of Precedence of

male primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...

regardless of the mother's marital status or rank. His eldest son was

Azam Jah Azam Jah, Damat Walashan Sahebzada Nawab Sir Mir Himayat Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur Bayaffendi ( ur, اعظم جاہ داماد والاشان صاحب زادہ نواب سر میر حمایت علی خان بہادر بے آفندی) (21/22 Feb ...

(21 February 1907 – 9 October 1970),was the Prince of Berar. Whereas, his second son

Moazzam Jah Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Sir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Siddiqui Bahadur, KCIE (21 December 1907 – 15 September 1987), was the son of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII and his first wife Dulhan Pasha Begum. ...

, married Princess Niloufer, a princess of the

Ottoman empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

Family tree

I. Asaf Jah I, Yamin us-Sultanat, Rukn us-Sultanat, Jumlat ul-Mulk, Madar ul-Maham, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Khan-i-Dauran, Nawab Mir Ghazi ud-din Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Fath Jang, Sipah Salar, Nawab

Subedar Subedar is a rank of junior commissioned officer in the Indian Army; a senior non-commissioned officer in the Pakistan Army, and formerly a Viceroy's commissioned officer in the British Indian Army. History ''Subedar'' or ''subadar'' was the ...

of the Deccan, 1st

Nizam The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...

of Hyderabad (cr. 1720) (20 August 1671 – 1 June 1748). A senior governor and counsellor in the Imperial government. Defeated the Imperial forces on 19 June 1720 at Hasanpur and formed an independent state of his own. Confirmed in his possessions by Imperial ''

firman A firman ( fa, , translit=farmân; ), at the constitutional level, was a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in an Islamic state. During various periods they were collected and applied as traditional bodies of law. The word firman com ...

'' and crowned on 31 July. Named Vice-Regent of the Mughal Empire by Emperor Muhammad Shah on 8 February 1722, secured the province of Berar on 11 October 1724 and formally made

Hyderabad City Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. ...

his new capital on 7 December 1724. ** Simple silver crown

''II. Humayun Jah, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Ahmad 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Nasir Jang, Nawab Subedar of the Deccan, 2nd Nizam of Hyderabad'' (26 February 1712 – k. by the Nawab of Kadapa 16 December 1750; r. 1 June 1748 – 16 December 1750). **Sahibzadi Khair un-nisa Begum. Married Nawab Talib Muhi ud-din Mutasawwil Khan Bahadur, Muzaffar Jang: *** Simple silver crown

''III. Nawab Hidayat Muhi ud-din Sa'adu'llah Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Muzaffar Jang, Nawab Subedar of the Deccan, 3rd Nizam of Hyderabad'' (k. by the Nawab of Kurnool 13 February 1751; r. 16 December 1750 – 13 February 1751). ** Simple silver crown

''IV. Amir ul-Mamalik, Asaf ud-Daula, Nawab Said Muhammad Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Zaffar Jang, Nawab Subadar of the Deccan, 4th Nizam of Hyderabad'' (November 1718 – 16 September 1763; r. 13 February 1751 – 8 July 1762). Deposed by his younger brother on 8 July 1762 and killed in prison the following year, aged 44. ** Simple silver crown

Asaf Jah II Mir Nizam Ali Khan Siddiqi, Asaf Jah II (7 March 1734 – 6 August 1803) was the 2nd Nizam of Hyderabad State in South India between 1762 and 1803. He was born on 7 March 1734 as fourth son to Asaf Jah I and Umda Begum. His official name is ''A ...

, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Nizam 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Fath Jang, Sipah Salar, Nawab Subadar of the Deccan, 5th Nizam of Hyderabad (7 March 1734 – 6 August 1803; r. 8 July 1762 – 6 August 1803) *** Simple silver crown

VI. Asaf Jah III, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Akbar 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Fulad Jang, 6th Nizam of Hyderabad (11 November 1768 – 21 May 1829; r. 6 August 1803 – 21 May 1829). The first of the dynasty to be officially granted the title of ''Nizam''. **** Simple silver crown

VII. Rustam-i-Dauran, Aristu-i-Zaman, Asaf Jah IV, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Farkhanda 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur ufran Manzil Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Ayn Waffadar Fidvi-i-Senliena, Iqtidar-i-Kishwarsitan Muhammad Akbar Shah Padshah-i-Ghazi, 7th Nizam of Hyderabad (25 April 1794 – 16 May 1857; r. 21 May 1829 – 16 May 1857). ***** Simple silver crown

VIII.

Asaf Jah V Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V Mir Tahniyath Ali Khan Siddiqi (11 October 1827 – 26 February 1869) was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad state, Hyderabad, India, from 1857 to 1869. Realm Asaf Jah V's realm was divided into five Subah (province), sub ...

, Nizam ul-Mulk, Afzal ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Tahniyat 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, 8th Nizam of Hyderabad,

GCSI The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes: # Knight Grand Commander (:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India, GCSI) # ...

(11 October 1827 – 26 February 1869; r. 16 May 1857 – 26 February 1869). The first of the dynasty to come under British rule. ****** Simple silver crown

IX. Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk,

Asaf Jah VI Asaf Jah VI, also known as, Sir Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (17 August 1866 – 29 August 1911) was the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad. He ruled Hyderabad state, one of the Princely states in India between 1869 and 1911. Early life Mahboo ...

, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Mahbub 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, 9th Nizam of Hyderabad GCB,

(17 August 1866 – 31 August 1911; r. 26 February 1869 – 31 August 1911). Succeeded his father on 26 February 1869, ruled under a regency until 5 February 1884, when he was invested with full ruling powers by the Viceroy of India. ******* Simple silver crown

X. Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk,

Asaf Jah VII Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII (5 or 6 April 1886 — 24 February 1967), was the last Nizam (ruler) of the Princely State of Hyderabad, the largest princely state in British India. He ascended the throne on 29 August 1911, at the age of ...

, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Osman 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Faithful Ally of the British Government, 10th Nizam of Hyderabad and of Berar

, GBE,

Royal Victorian Chain The Royal Victorian Chain is a decoration instituted in 1902 by King Edward VII as a personal award of the monarch (i.e. not an award made on the advice of any Commonwealth realm government). It ranks above the Royal Victorian Order, with which it ...

, MP (6 April 1886 – 24 January 1967; r. 31 August 1911 – 26 January 1950). Granted the style of ''His Exalted Highness'' (1 January 1918), the title of ''Faithful Ally of the British Government'' (24 January 1918) and ''Nizam of Hyderabad and of Berar'' (13 November 1936). The last of the ruling Nizams; ruled absolutely from his accession until 19 September 1948, when the state was formally annexed to the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

. Maintained semi-ruling and semi-autonomous status from then until 23 November 1949, when he accepted the paramountcy of the new Indian government and Constitution and acceded to the Union. Formally lost his sovereignty, ending 230 years of Asaf Jahi rule, upon the formal promulgation of the Constitution on 26 January 1950. Served as '' Rajpramukh'' of the new Hyderabad State from 26 January 1950 until 31 October 1956, when the post was abolished. Served as a titular monarch from 26 January 1950 until his death. ********

, Prince of Berar

GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No app ...

, GBE (21 February 1907 – 9 October 1970). Granted the title of ''His Highness the Prince of Berar'' (13 November 1936). Passed over in the line of succession in 1967 in favour of his elder son. ********* Simple silver crown

XI. Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VIII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Barakat 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, 11th Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar (b. 6 October 1933; 11th Nizam: 24 January 1967 – 28 December 1971; dynastic head and pretender since then). ********** Azmat Jah, Nawab Mir Muhammad Azmat 'Ali Siddiqi, Khan Bahadur (b. 23 June 1960; appointed Prince of Berar and heir apparent: 2002) The Nizams' daughters had been married traditionally to young men of the

Paigah family Paigah is a noble family in the senior aristocracy of Hyderabad State, who were associated with the ruling Nizam since its inception and each maintained his own court, individual palaces, and a standing army of about fourteen thousand troops, ...

. This family belonged to the Sunni sect. ''italics'' – Considered pretenders by most historians; refrained from exercising traditional authority during their reigns.

Places, things named after and established by the Nizams

Places and things named after the Nizam include Nizamabad, a city and district in the state of Telangana;

Jamia Nizamia Jamia Nizamia more properly, Jami'ah Nizamiyyah, is one of the oldest Islamic seminaries of higher learning for Muslims located in Hyderabad, India. It is named after its founder- the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad. History It was founded by Shaykh ...

, a university; the

Nizam College The Nizam College is a constituent college of Osmania University established in 1887 during the reign of Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, in Basheerbagh, Hyderabad, Telangana. History The Nizampur University College was originally the "Mirsa ...

; the

Nizam's Museum Nizam's Museum or H.E.H Nizam's Museum is a museum located in Hyderabad at Purani Haveli, a palace of the erstwhile Nizams. This museum showcases the gifts that the last Nizam of Hyderabad State, Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII received on his silve ...

; the

Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) is a public hospital located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India and is named after its founder – the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad– and was inaugurated by Princess Durreshehvar It is an Institute under St ...

; the Jewels of the Nizams; the

Nizam Diamond The Nizam Diamond, also known as the "little Koh-i-noor", was a famous diamond in the 1800s. Its whereabouts today are unknown. It was named after its original owner Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad. The diamond is said to have bee ...

; the

Nizam Sagar Nizam Sagar Dam is an Indian dam named after the Nizam of Hyderabad. It is a reservoir constructed across the Manjira River, a tributary of the Godavari River, between Achampet and BanjePally villages of the Kamareddy district in Telangana, I ...

, HMAS Nizam, Nizamia observatory; the

Nizam Club The Nizam Club is located in Saifabad, Hyderabad, India. the club location is considered as heart of the Hyderabad city, which is exactly opposite to Telangana Legislative Assembly Hall. Surrounded in 4 acres land. History The club was establis ...

; the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace; the

Nizam's Contingent The Nizam's Contingent, later Hyderabad Contingent, was the army funded by the Nizam of Hyderabad, the ruler of a Princely state of India.http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp12PLM8C.aspx?MnId=l7m6i4kBQ6GVWWXGRMx4Yg&ParentID=RSk ...

; the Nizam Gate; the

;

Government Nizamia General Hospital Government Nizamia General Hospital popularly known as Government Unani Hospital is a public hospital located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is a hospital for general medicine and Unani medicine. It was established during the reign of Nizams ...

; and H.E.H. the Nizam's Charitable Trust.

References

Secondary sources

* * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Detailed genealogy of the Nizams of HyderabadRare colour footage of accession ceremony of the 8th Nizam of Hyderabad in 1967 (YouTube)The Secret History of Hyderabad State of the Nizam (South India; 1724 – 1948)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nizam Of Hyderabad People from Hyderabad State * Titles in India Titles of national or ethnic leadership History of Marathwada History of Maharashtra History of Telangana History of Hyderabad, India

Hyderabad

History

Etymology

Descent

Reign

End of the dynasty

State wealth

Institutions

Infrastructure

Donation for compilation of Mahabharata

Donation to Hindu Temples

Palaces

List of Nizams of Hyderabad (1724–1948)

Descendants of the last Nizam

Family tree

Places, things named after and established by the Nizams

See also

References

Secondary sources

External links