Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Encyclopedia
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi (20 August 1671 – 1 June 1748) was a Mughal
nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state
, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748. He is also known by his titles Chin Qilich Khan (awarded by Aurangzeb
in 1690-91), Nizam-ul-Mulk (awarded by Farrukhsiyar
in 1713) and Asaf Jah (awarded by Muhammad Shah
in 1725).
, 20 August 1671 as Mir Qamar ud-din Khan Siddiqi. The name was given to him by the Mughal
Emperor Aurangazeb. His paternal and maternal grandparents were both important Mughal Generals and courtiers namely; Kilich Khan II
(Paternal) and Jumlat-ul-Mulk Allami Sa'adullah Khan (Maternal), the Prime Minister of Emperor Shah Jahan
. He was a Turk. He issued five sons and a daughter. 1.Sahebzada Mir Ghaziuddin Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Firuz Jung 2.Sahebzada Mir Ahmed Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Nasir Jung 3.Sahebzada Sayyid Mohammed Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Salabath Jung 4.Sahebzada Mir Nizam Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Fateh Jung and 5.Sahebzada Mir Mohammed Sharif Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Basalath Jung.
At the age of six, Mir Qumaruddin Siddiqi accompanied his father to the Mughal court in 1677. Aurangazeb awarded him a Mansab
. Mir Qumaruddin Siddiqi displayed considerable skill as a warrior and before he reached his teens began acompanying his father into battle. In 1688 aged 17 he joined his father in the successful assault on the fort of Adoni
and was promoted to the rank of 2000 zat and 500 horse and presented with the finest Arab
steed with gold trappings and a pastille perfumed with ambergris from the mughal court.
At the age of nineteen, the Emperor bestowed on him the title "Chin Fateh Khan". He was also gifted a female elephant and now aged 20 he was bestowed with the title of "Chin Qilich Khan" (boy swordsman) for surviving an attack that blew off three of his horse's legs during the siege of Wakinhera Fort. For fighting on and capturing the fort he was raised to rank of 5000 horse and awarded 15 million dams, a jewelled sabre and a third elephant.
At 26, he was appointed Commander in Chief and Viceroy, first at Bijapur
, then Malwa and later of the Deccan.
He inherited his grandfather's piety and his fathers military prowess. Henry George Briggs (a historian) wrote "If Moosulman were accustomed to perpetuate the memory of their heroes by posthumous ovations, india might have seen a hundred statues of her greatest mohammedan hero of the eighteenth century".
's death he was appointed Governor of Oudh, but after Bahadur Shahs death he opted for a private life in Delhi. His sabbatical was cut short when in 1712 the sixth of Aurangzeb
's successors, Farrukhsiyar
convinced him to take up the post of Viceroy of the Deccan with the title of Nizam ul-Mulk (Regulator of the Realm) Fateh Jung.
, while continuing to give obeisance to the throne and even remitting money to the centre. He was then called upon by Farrukhsiyar
to help fight off the Saiyid brothers. Farrukhsiyar was found and killed but Nizam ul-Mulk was rewarded for defeating the Saiyids with the post of Diwan (Prime minister) in the court of Muhammad Shah, Farrukhsiyar's 18 year old successor.
But all did not work as well as planned. Nizam ul-Mulk's attempts to reform the corrupt Mughal
administration with its cliques of concubines and eunuchs created many enemies. According to his biographer, Yusuf Husain, he grew to hate the "harlots and jesters" who were the Emperor's constant companions and greeted all great nobles of the realm with lewd gestures and offensive epithets. Nizam ul-Mulk's desire to restore the etiquette of the Court and the discipline of the State to the standard of Shah Jahan
's time earned him few friends.
By envious malicious insinuations, the courtiers, poisoned the mind of the Emperor against him.
throne making only token payments and dividing plum administrative posts among his sons, his uncle and his favourite slave eunuchs.
Unimpressed by the up-start occupying what he considered to be his rightfull place, Nizam ul-Mulk gathered his forces at Shakarkhelda in Berar
for a showdown with Mubariz Khan's army. The encounter was short but decisive. Wrapped in his bloodsoaked shawl, Mubariz Khan drove his war elephant into battle until he died from his wounds.
His severed head was then sent to Delhi
as proof of Nizam ul-Mulk's determination to annihilate anyone who stood in his way.
Now there came from the Emperor
an elephant, jewels and the title of Asaf Jah, with directions to settle the country, repress the turbulent, punish the rebels and cherish the people.
Asaf Jah or the equal to Asaf, the Grand Vazir in the court of the biblical ruler King Solomon
, was the highest title that could be awarded to a subject of the Mughal Empire
.
There were no lavish ceremonies to mark the establishment of the Asaf Jahi dynasty in 1724. The inauguration of the first Nizam took place behind closed doors in a private ceremony attended by the new ruler's closest advisors.
Nizam ul-Mulk never formally declared his independence and insisted that his rule was entirely based on the trust reposed in him by the Mughal Emperor.
The Nizams has no throne, no crown and no symbol of sovereignty. Coins were still minted with the Emperor's name until 1858. It was in the name of the Mughal ruler and not the Nizam that prayers were read out in the Friday Sermon
. Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi was essentially the servant of the Mughal Emperor.
As the Viceroy
of the Deccan, the Nizam was the head of the executive and judicial departments and the source of all civil and military
authority of the Mughal empire in the Deccan. All officials were appointed by him directly or in his name. Assisted by a Diwan the Nizam drafted his own laws, raised his own armies, flew his own flag and formed his own government.
Acknowledging Muhammad Shah's farman, Nizam ul-mulk had good reason to be grateful. Alongside his own personal wealth came the spoils of war and status, he was also entitled to the lion's share of gold unearthed in his dominions, the finest diamonds and gems from Golconda
mines and the income from his vast personal estates.
He then divided his newly acquired kingdom into three parts. One third became his own private estate known as the Sarf-i-Khas, one third was allotted for the expenses of the government and was known as the Diwans territory, and the remainder was distributed to Muslim nobles (Jagirdar, Zamindars, Deshmukh), who in return paid nazars (gifts) to the Nizam for the privilege of collecting revenue from the villages under their suzerainty.
The most important of these were the Paigah
estates. The Paigah's doubled up as generals, making it easy to raise an army should the Nizams Dominions come under attack. They were the equivalent to the Barmakids
for the Abbasid
Caliphate
. Only second to the Nizams family, they were very important in the running of the government and even today their legacy lingers on with ruined palaces and tombs doted around the once very feudal city of Hyderabad.
On the sanads (scrolls) granting them their lands, inscribed in Persian
were the words "as long as the Sun and the Moon are in rotation".
The owners of the estates were mostly absentee landlords who cared little for the condition of the lands under their control. Jagirs were usually split into numerous pieces in order to prevent the most powerful of the nobles from entertaining any thought of carving out an empire for themselves. The system, which continued relatively unchanged until 1950, ensured a steady source of income for the state treasury and the Nizam himself.
s. The war began in August 1727 and ended in March 1728. The Nizam was given a crushing defeat at Palkhed near Daulatabad. By the treaty of Munji Shivagaon, the Nizam was forced to abide by the following terms:
, Nadir Shah started advancing towards Delhi
through Afghanistan
and the Punjab
.
Nizam ul-Mulk sent his troops to Karnal
, where Mughal
Emperor Muhammed Shah's forces had gathered to turn back the Persian army. But the combined forces were cannon fodder for the Persian cavalry and its superior weapon
ry and tactics. Nadir Shah defeated the combined armies of Muhammed Shah and the Nizam.
Nadir Shah entered Delhi
and ordered it to be looted and ransacked along with a general genocide of its citizens. Muhammad Shah and the Nizam were unable to prevent Delhi from being destroyed.
In March 1742, the British who were based in Fort St George in Madras sent a modest hamper to Nizam ul-mulk in recognition of his leadership of the most important of the Mughal successor states. Its contents included a gold throne, gold and silver threaded silk from Europe
, two pairs of large painted looking glasses, and equipage for coffee cups, 163.75 yards of green and 73.5 yards of crimson velvet, brocades, Persian carpets, a gold ceremonial cloth, two Arab horses, half a dozen ornate rose-water bottles and 39.75 chests of rose water - enough to keep the Nizam and his entire darbar fragrant for the rest of his reign. In return, the Nizam sent one horse, a piece of jewellery and a note warning the British that they had no right to mint their own currency, to which they complied.
It was after Nizam ul-mulks death that his son and grandson sought help from the British and French in order to win the throne. Just days before he died in 1748, Asaf Jah dictated his last will and testament.
The 17 clause document was a blueprint for governance and personal conduct that ranged from advice on how to keep the troops happy and well fed to an apology for neglecting his wife.
He then reminded his successors to remain subservient to the Mughal Emperor who had granted them their office and rank. He warned against declaring war unnecessarily, but if forced to do so to seek the help of elders and saints and follow the sayings and practices of the Prophet. Finally, he insisted to his sons that "you must not lend your ears to tittle-tattle of the backbiters and slanderers, nor suffer the riff-raff to approach your presence.
Nizam-ul-Mulk is remembered as laying the foundation for what would become one of the most important Muslim
states outside the Middle East
by the first half of the twentieth century. Hyderabad state survived right through the period of British rule up to the time of Indian independence 1947, and was indeed the largest - the state covered an extensive 95,337 sq. miles, An area larger than Mysore
or Gwalior and the size of Nepal and Kashmir put together (although it was the size of France when the first Nizam held reign) - and one of the most prosperous, among the princely states of the British Raj
.
, 1 June 1748 and was buried at mazaar
of Shaikh Burhan ud-din Gharib Chisti, Khuldabad
, near Aurangabad. Where Aurangazeb is also buried.
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748. He is also known by his titles Chin Qilich Khan (awarded by Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
in 1690-91), Nizam-ul-Mulk (awarded by Farrukhsiyar
Farrukhsiyar
Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently...
in 1713) and Asaf Jah (awarded by Muhammad Shah
Muhammad Shah
Muhammad Shah also known as Roshan Akhtar, was a Mughal emperor of India between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin...
in 1725).
Birth
He was born to Parents, Ghazi ud-Din Khan Siddiqi Feroze Jung I and his first wife Wazir un-nisa Begum at AgraAgra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, 20 August 1671 as Mir Qamar ud-din Khan Siddiqi. The name was given to him by the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Aurangazeb. His paternal and maternal grandparents were both important Mughal Generals and courtiers namely; Kilich Khan II
Kilich Khan II
Hajji Nawab Khwaja Abid Siddiqi, Khwaja Abid Khan, Kilich Khan Bahadur, Ghazi Kilich Khan son of Shaikh Mir Ismail Siddiqi better known as Kilich Khan I a title given by Emperor Shah Jahan later he became a Nawab under Emperor Aurangzeb.He was a loyal general of the Mughal Empire...
(Paternal) and Jumlat-ul-Mulk Allami Sa'adullah Khan (Maternal), the Prime Minister of Emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
. He was a Turk. He issued five sons and a daughter. 1.Sahebzada Mir Ghaziuddin Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Firuz Jung 2.Sahebzada Mir Ahmed Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Nasir Jung 3.Sahebzada Sayyid Mohammed Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Salabath Jung 4.Sahebzada Mir Nizam Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Fateh Jung and 5.Sahebzada Mir Mohammed Sharif Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Basalath Jung.
Early life
He was educated privately.At the age of six, Mir Qumaruddin Siddiqi accompanied his father to the Mughal court in 1677. Aurangazeb awarded him a Mansab
Mansabdar
Mansabdar was the generic term for the military -type grading of all imperial officials of the Mughal Empire. The mansabdars governed the empire and commanded its armies in the emperor's name...
. Mir Qumaruddin Siddiqi displayed considerable skill as a warrior and before he reached his teens began acompanying his father into battle. In 1688 aged 17 he joined his father in the successful assault on the fort of Adoni
Adoni
Adoni , is a municipality, mandal headquarters and commercial town in Kurnool district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is 180 miles from Hyderabad and 307 miles from Chennai by rail. It has a population of about 2,43,247 people . Adoni is 245th biggest city in terms of population in India...
and was promoted to the rank of 2000 zat and 500 horse and presented with the finest Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
steed with gold trappings and a pastille perfumed with ambergris from the mughal court.
At the age of nineteen, the Emperor bestowed on him the title "Chin Fateh Khan". He was also gifted a female elephant and now aged 20 he was bestowed with the title of "Chin Qilich Khan" (boy swordsman) for surviving an attack that blew off three of his horse's legs during the siege of Wakinhera Fort. For fighting on and capturing the fort he was raised to rank of 5000 horse and awarded 15 million dams, a jewelled sabre and a third elephant.
At 26, he was appointed Commander in Chief and Viceroy, first at Bijapur
Adil Shahi
The Adil Shahi or Adilshahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate , before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518...
, then Malwa and later of the Deccan.
He inherited his grandfather's piety and his fathers military prowess. Henry George Briggs (a historian) wrote "If Moosulman were accustomed to perpetuate the memory of their heroes by posthumous ovations, india might have seen a hundred statues of her greatest mohammedan hero of the eighteenth century".
Second Only to The Emperor
After AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's death he was appointed Governor of Oudh, but after Bahadur Shahs death he opted for a private life in Delhi. His sabbatical was cut short when in 1712 the sixth of Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's successors, Farrukhsiyar
Farrukhsiyar
Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently...
convinced him to take up the post of Viceroy of the Deccan with the title of Nizam ul-Mulk (Regulator of the Realm) Fateh Jung.
Diwan
Nizam ul-Mulk began building up his own power-base independently of the Mughals in DelhiDelhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, while continuing to give obeisance to the throne and even remitting money to the centre. He was then called upon by Farrukhsiyar
Farrukhsiyar
Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently...
to help fight off the Saiyid brothers. Farrukhsiyar was found and killed but Nizam ul-Mulk was rewarded for defeating the Saiyids with the post of Diwan (Prime minister) in the court of Muhammad Shah, Farrukhsiyar's 18 year old successor.
But all did not work as well as planned. Nizam ul-Mulk's attempts to reform the corrupt Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
administration with its cliques of concubines and eunuchs created many enemies. According to his biographer, Yusuf Husain, he grew to hate the "harlots and jesters" who were the Emperor's constant companions and greeted all great nobles of the realm with lewd gestures and offensive epithets. Nizam ul-Mulk's desire to restore the etiquette of the Court and the discipline of the State to the standard of Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
's time earned him few friends.
By envious malicious insinuations, the courtiers, poisoned the mind of the Emperor against him.
Viceroy of the Deccan
In 1724 Nizam ul-Mulk resigned his post in disgust and set off for the Deccan to resume the Vice-royalty, only to find Mubariz Khan, who had been appointed governor by Emperor Farrukhsiyar nine years earlier, refusing to vacate the post. Mubariz khan had successfully restored law and order in the Deccan but he was also paying lip service to the MughalMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
throne making only token payments and dividing plum administrative posts among his sons, his uncle and his favourite slave eunuchs.
Unimpressed by the up-start occupying what he considered to be his rightfull place, Nizam ul-Mulk gathered his forces at Shakarkhelda in Berar
Berar Subah
-Origin of name:According to the Ain-i-Akbari, the original name of Berar was Waradatat .-History:Before the Mughal occupation, Berar was part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate of Ahmadnagar. It was ceded to the emperor Akbar by Chand Bibi in 1596, unable to stand against the imperial forces led by...
for a showdown with Mubariz Khan's army. The encounter was short but decisive. Wrapped in his bloodsoaked shawl, Mubariz Khan drove his war elephant into battle until he died from his wounds.
His severed head was then sent to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
as proof of Nizam ul-Mulk's determination to annihilate anyone who stood in his way.
Now there came from the Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
an elephant, jewels and the title of Asaf Jah, with directions to settle the country, repress the turbulent, punish the rebels and cherish the people.
Asaf Jah or the equal to Asaf, the Grand Vazir in the court of the biblical ruler King Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
, was the highest title that could be awarded to a subject of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
.
There were no lavish ceremonies to mark the establishment of the Asaf Jahi dynasty in 1724. The inauguration of the first Nizam took place behind closed doors in a private ceremony attended by the new ruler's closest advisors.
Nizam ul-Mulk never formally declared his independence and insisted that his rule was entirely based on the trust reposed in him by the Mughal Emperor.
The Nizams has no throne, no crown and no symbol of sovereignty. Coins were still minted with the Emperor's name until 1858. It was in the name of the Mughal ruler and not the Nizam that prayers were read out in the Friday Sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
. Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi was essentially the servant of the Mughal Emperor.
As the Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
of the Deccan, the Nizam was the head of the executive and judicial departments and the source of all civil and military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
authority of the Mughal empire in the Deccan. All officials were appointed by him directly or in his name. Assisted by a Diwan the Nizam drafted his own laws, raised his own armies, flew his own flag and formed his own government.
Acknowledging Muhammad Shah's farman, Nizam ul-mulk had good reason to be grateful. Alongside his own personal wealth came the spoils of war and status, he was also entitled to the lion's share of gold unearthed in his dominions, the finest diamonds and gems from Golconda
Golconda
Golconda may be:Places:* Golkonda, ruined city and fortress in India* Golconda, Illinois, town in the United States* Golconda, Nevada, former town in the United StatesOther:* Golconda...
mines and the income from his vast personal estates.
He then divided his newly acquired kingdom into three parts. One third became his own private estate known as the Sarf-i-Khas, one third was allotted for the expenses of the government and was known as the Diwans territory, and the remainder was distributed to Muslim nobles (Jagirdar, Zamindars, Deshmukh), who in return paid nazars (gifts) to the Nizam for the privilege of collecting revenue from the villages under their suzerainty.
The most important of these were the Paigah
Paigah
Paigah or the Shums ul Umra family was the Premier nobility of the Hyderabad State. They were richer and had larger estates than the average Indian Maharajah, they maintained their own court, their own extraordinary palaces, and their own twelve-thousand-strong private army...
estates. The Paigah's doubled up as generals, making it easy to raise an army should the Nizams Dominions come under attack. They were the equivalent to the Barmakids
Barmakids
The Barmakids were a noble Persian family from Balkh that came to great political power under the Abbasid caliphs. Khalid, the son of Barmak became the Prime Minister or Wazir of Al Saffah, the first Caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. His son Yahya aided Harun Al-Rashid in capturing the throne and...
for the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
Caliphate
Caliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
. Only second to the Nizams family, they were very important in the running of the government and even today their legacy lingers on with ruined palaces and tombs doted around the once very feudal city of Hyderabad.
On the sanads (scrolls) granting them their lands, inscribed in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
were the words "as long as the Sun and the Moon are in rotation".
The owners of the estates were mostly absentee landlords who cared little for the condition of the lands under their control. Jagirs were usually split into numerous pieces in order to prevent the most powerful of the nobles from entertaining any thought of carving out an empire for themselves. The system, which continued relatively unchanged until 1950, ensured a steady source of income for the state treasury and the Nizam himself.
Clash with the Marathas
In 1725, the Marathas clashed with the Nizam, who refused to pay Chauth and Sardeshmukhi to the MarathaMaratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s. The war began in August 1727 and ended in March 1728. The Nizam was given a crushing defeat at Palkhed near Daulatabad. By the treaty of Munji Shivagaon, the Nizam was forced to abide by the following terms:
- Chhatrapati Shahu was recognised as the only Maratha ruler.
- Marathas were given the right to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi of Deccan.
- Those revenue collectors driven out would be reappointed.
- The balance revenue was to be paid to Chhatrapati Shahu.
Nadir Shah
In 1738, from beyond the Hindu kushHindu Kush
The Hindu Kush is an mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.It is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram Range, and is a...
, Nadir Shah started advancing towards Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
through Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
.
Nizam ul-Mulk sent his troops to Karnal
Karnal
Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana.Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero and a key figure in the epic tale...
, where Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Muhammed Shah's forces had gathered to turn back the Persian army. But the combined forces were cannon fodder for the Persian cavalry and its superior weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
ry and tactics. Nadir Shah defeated the combined armies of Muhammed Shah and the Nizam.
Nadir Shah entered Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and ordered it to be looted and ransacked along with a general genocide of its citizens. Muhammad Shah and the Nizam were unable to prevent Delhi from being destroyed.
Later life
The Nizam was not so well suited to ruling his own territory. The Feudal Lords had the power of life and death and exercised a kind of "imperium-in-imperio". His territory was almost depopulated in some areas and chaos reigned almost everywhere.In March 1742, the British who were based in Fort St George in Madras sent a modest hamper to Nizam ul-mulk in recognition of his leadership of the most important of the Mughal successor states. Its contents included a gold throne, gold and silver threaded silk from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, two pairs of large painted looking glasses, and equipage for coffee cups, 163.75 yards of green and 73.5 yards of crimson velvet, brocades, Persian carpets, a gold ceremonial cloth, two Arab horses, half a dozen ornate rose-water bottles and 39.75 chests of rose water - enough to keep the Nizam and his entire darbar fragrant for the rest of his reign. In return, the Nizam sent one horse, a piece of jewellery and a note warning the British that they had no right to mint their own currency, to which they complied.
It was after Nizam ul-mulks death that his son and grandson sought help from the British and French in order to win the throne. Just days before he died in 1748, Asaf Jah dictated his last will and testament.
The 17 clause document was a blueprint for governance and personal conduct that ranged from advice on how to keep the troops happy and well fed to an apology for neglecting his wife.
He then reminded his successors to remain subservient to the Mughal Emperor who had granted them their office and rank. He warned against declaring war unnecessarily, but if forced to do so to seek the help of elders and saints and follow the sayings and practices of the Prophet. Finally, he insisted to his sons that "you must not lend your ears to tittle-tattle of the backbiters and slanderers, nor suffer the riff-raff to approach your presence.
Legacy
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
states outside the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
by the first half of the twentieth century. Hyderabad state survived right through the period of British rule up to the time of Indian independence 1947, and was indeed the largest - the state covered an extensive 95,337 sq. miles, An area larger than Mysore
Mysore State
The Kingdom of Mysore was one of the three largest princely states within the erstwhile British Empire of India. Upon India gaining its independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Mysore merged his realm with the Union of India...
or Gwalior and the size of Nepal and Kashmir put together (although it was the size of France when the first Nizam held reign) - and one of the most prosperous, among the princely states of the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
Death
Nizam ul-mulk died aged 76. He died at BurhanpurBurhanpur
Burhanpur is an important city in Madhya Pradesh state, India. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River, southwest of Bhopal and northeast of Mumbai...
, 1 June 1748 and was buried at mazaar
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
of Shaikh Burhan ud-din Gharib Chisti, Khuldabad
Khuldabad
Khuldabad Urdu: خلد آباد is a city and a Taluka of Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Initially it was known as Rauza meaning garden of paradise...
, near Aurangabad. Where Aurangazeb is also buried.
Titles
- 1685 : Khan
- 1691 : Khan Bahadur
- 1697 : Chin Qilich Khan (by Emperor Aurangazeb)
- 9 December 1707 : Khan-i-Dauran Bahadur
- 1712 : Ghazi ud-din Khan Bahadur and Firuz Jang
- 12 January 1713 : Khan-i-Khanan, Nizam ul-Mulk and Fateh Jang (by Emperor Farukh Siar)
- 12 July 1737 : Asaf Jah (by Emperor Muhammad ShahMuhammad ShahMuhammad Shah also known as Roshan Akhtar, was a Mughal emperor of India between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin...
) - 26 February 1739 : Amir ul-Umara and Bakshi ul-Mamaluk (Paymaster-General)
Positions
- 1701-1705 : FaujdarFaujdarFaujdar/Fouzder/Fouzdar/Foujdar was a title awarded by Muslim rulers to people who had responsibility of protecting some territory.In pre-Mughal times, the term referred to a military officer but did not refer to a specific rank. With the administrative reforms performed by Mughal emperor Akbar,...
of the Carnatic and TalikotaTalikotaTalikota is a town in Bijapur district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Talikota is a small town in northern Karnataka, about 80 kilometres to the southeast of Bijapur. It lies on the River called Doni. It is famous for the Battle of Talikota in 1565.... - 1705-1706 : Faujdar of the BijapurAdil ShahiThe Adil Shahi or Adilshahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate , before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518...
, Azamnagar and BelgaumBelgaumBelgaum is a city and a municipal corporation in Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the fourth largest city of the state of Karnataka, the first three being Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad.... - 1706-1707 : Faujdar of RaichurRaichurRaichur , is a city municipal council in Raichur district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Raichur, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, is the headquarters of Raichur district. It was in the princely state of Mysore during the rule of Tipu Sultan...
, Talikota, Sakkhar and Badkal - 1707 : Faujdar of Firoznagar and Balkona
- 9 December 1707-6 February 1711 : SubedarSubedarSubedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
of Oudh and Faujdar of GorakhpurGorakhpurGorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed... - 12 January 1713-April 1715 : Subedar of the Deccan and Faujdar of the Carnatic
- April 1717-7 January 1719 : Faujdar of MoradabadMoradabadMoradabad is a city and a municipal corporation in Moradabad district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It was established in 1600 by prince Murad, the son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan; as a result the city came to be known as Moradabad. It is the administrative headquarters of...
- 7 February-15 March 1719: Subedar of PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
- 15 March 1719-1724 : Subedar of Malwa
- 1722-1724 : Subedar of Gujarat