Nizam VI : Mir Mahboob Ali Khan

Nizam VI : Mir Mahboob Ali Khan,people's beloved

        Born in 1866 at Purani Haveli,Hyderabad, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan was the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad State. He ruled between 1869 to 1911. Hw was the son of Afzal-ud-dowlah, Nizam V. His father died when he was only 2 years and seven months old. He was installed on the throne but with two regents Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I and Nawab Rasheeduddin Khan. However Nawab Rasheeduddin Khan died in December 1881 and Salar Jung I became the sole regent.

Young Mahboob Ali Khan with others,photograph,1870s.

By Nawab Mohammed Azeezuddin Khan (son of Nawab Lateefudin Khan) (Scan of the original photograph) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

   Under the guidance of Salar Jung I, Capt. John Clark was appointed to tutor him. Teachers of Persian,Arabic and Urdu also tutored him. He grew up to be a respected leader and was called Mahboob Ali Pasha.  His doctor was Dr.Abdul Hussain who was later called Arastu Yar Jung. Nizam VI was a ruler believed to have mystic powers who could cure snake bites. He knew Urdu,Persian and Telugu and composed poetry. 

   Mahboob Ali Pasha led a flamboyant lifestyle and had lots of clothes and cars. He owned sherwanis, coats,shirts footwear,walking-sticks and perfumes. He purchased a diamond which became famous as the Jacob diamond. He was very helpful to the people during the floods of 1908 at Hyderabad and opened the palace gates for the affected. He died in August 1911.

    During his lifetime he had acquired many titles : as a young prince he was Sahibzada Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqui Bahadur. He was llater on Rustam-i-dauran,Asaf Jah Vi,Nizam-ul-mulk,Sipah-salar, Lieutenant General,Fateh Jung GCSI,GCB,Nizam of Hyderabad among others.

Nizam VI, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan.

See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Published in 1889.(Illustrated London News)

 

Coat of arms, 1893.

By Sir Roper Lethbridge (Golden Book of India, 1893) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Archduke Franz Ferdinand with Nizam VI during visit, January 1893, Hyderabad.

By Lala Deen Dayal, State Photographer (Dorotheum) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

References :

• Hyderabad : a city  in history/Khan, Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Services,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author

Asaf Jah V : the fifth Nizam of Hyderabad

Asaf Jah V : the fifth Nizam of Hyderabad

    Mir Tahniyat Ali Khan, Afzal-ud-dowlah born in 1827, Asaf Jah V was the fifth Nizam after the death of Nizam IV, Kir Farkhnunda Ali Khan. He ascended the throne after the  Indian revolt of 1857. In 1861 he was appointed Commander Great Knight of the Order of the Star of India by the Queen.

    He had Salar Jung I as his prime minister who transformed the administration whose finances were under control. The state introduced modern accounting and began functioning in a scientific and modern way.

During his reign, the 1857 mutiny broke out, The insurgent Rohillas attacked the Residency, the Resident was Cuthbert Davidson, however the Nizam administration thwarted the efforts of the mutineers with the help of Salar Jung I. The Nizam became the 'Faithful ally of the British Government'. The building of the Chowmahalla Palace was completed in his rule.He ruled for 12 years. A bridge over the river Musi  and a mosque at Afzalgunj (named after him) was built during his reign.  He died in 1869 and was buried at the Mecca Masjid complex at Hyderabad. He left behind an infant son who was only three years old, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan.

Nizam V,Afzal-ud-dowlah.

Av Ukjent - http://www.royalark.net/India/hyder9.htm, Offentlig eiendom, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29052000

Nizam V visiting the Residency,1830, drawing.

By Robert Montgomery Martin [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons




Window with intricate stucco work, Chowmahalla Palace,Hyderabad.

By Rohit Sarma - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27575021



Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad.

By Lala Deen Dayal (1844-1905) - British Library, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3711831

Mir Mahboob Ali Khan.

By Illustrated London News [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

References :

• Hyderabad : a city  in history/Khan, Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Services,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author

Asaf Jah IV : the fourth Nizam of Hyderabad

Asaf Jah IV : the fourth Nizam of Hyderabad

      Nasir-ud-dawlah Mir Farkhunda Ali Khan Siddiqui Bayafandi born in 1794, succeeded the third Nizam, Sikandar Jah who died in May 1829 at age 62, to become the IVth Asaf Jahi ruler of the Hyderabad state.  He ruled the state between 1829 and 1857. He had an able prime minister first in Siraj-ul-Mulk during 1829 to a part of 1853 and then in Nawab Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I  from later 1853. Salar Jung I brought the state out of the financial mess and introduced many reforms for better administration. The Nizam IV had to cede Berar and some border districts to the British. However the administration had more transperency  and was revamped during his rule; the state was divide into 16 districts  each headed by a taluqdar. The state infrastructure improved during his rule. Education got an impetus and new schools were opened. 

     The portrait below depicts the fourth Nizam wearing a head ornament and pearl-strings with precious stones depicting his high status as ruler.

Asaf Jah IV, Nasir-ud-dowla, painting, 19th century.

By Unknown - Christie's, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12143877




Nawab Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I, Prime minister,photograph,19th century.

By undated photo - http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/1700_1799/hyderabad/asifjah6/asifjah6.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19107368

References :

• Hyderabad : a city  in history/Khan, Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Services,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author

Asaf Jah III : the third Nizam

 Sikandar Jah: the third Nizam of Hyderabad

    Sikandar Jah ascended the throne after the death of Nizam Ali Khan in August 1803 at the age of 72. Born in November 1768 to Nizam Ali Khan and Tahniyatunnissa Begum at the Chowmahalla palace in Hyderabad, he was Nawab Mir Akbar Ali Khan Siddiqui Bafayandi Bahadur Sikander Jah Asaf Jah III . The war with the Marathas was over when he became ruler, He appointed Mir Alam as his prime minister. Mir Alam maintained good relations with the British. However he died in 1808 and his son Munir-ul-Mulk took aver as prime minister. A reservoir built by him,south of the Musi river is named Mir Alam Tank in Hyderabad. It was a source for drinking water at the time.

 The finances of Hyderabad were in a poor shape due to heavy borrowing and overspending, during the reign of Nizam III. Sikandar Jah ruled for 26 years and died in May 1829. He established a Cantonment near Hyderabad which was called Secunderabad after him. Today it is a bustling twin of Hyderabad and together are called twin-cities with the Hussain Sagar separating them, connected by the Tank Bund Road.

Sikandar Jah,Asaf Jah III.

See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons




Nizam Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikandar Jah,  sitting on a carpet in a garden in front of a terrace, miniature paintings(two portraits),Hyderabad, 1808-16. 

By Hyderabad, [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons



Mir Alam Bahadur and Raja Chandulal,painting, 1800.

By English: thesandiegomuseumofartcollection (Flickr) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons



 Munir al-Mulk Bahadur, painting,19th century.

By Unknown - Online Collection of Brooklyn Museum; Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 59.206.1_IMLS_PS3.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10965745

References :

• Hyderabad : a city  in history/Khan, Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Services,1990.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author