Coinage of Golconda ; striking copper

Coinage of Golconda : striking copper

     The Qutub Shahi dynasty dominated entire Andhra-desa or Telugu country from the beginning of the 16th century to the end of the 17th century. The founder was Sultan Quli who had migrated to India from Hamadan,Persia and had finally came to the Bahmani court during the reign of Mohammad Shah III. During his reign many foreigners came as he welcomed them generously. He impressed the Sultan with his various talents and was appointed governor of Telangana in 1496.This included the areas of Warangal and Golconda.He decalred independence in 1518, but remained loyal to the Bahmani Sultan. He did not strike any coins in his name. He issued coins in the name of the Bahmani Sultan from the Golconda mint.

         The throne was taken over by his son Yar Jamsheed Quli after his assasination in 1593 which he himself got done. He ruled for seven years. During this time he issued coins in his own name. They were made of copper and bear the name of Mohammadnagar. The  round coins weighed differently and the size too varied. The coins had both the titles Sultan and Shah at the end.

Qutub Shahi coin, image 

Picture credit :https://indiancoinmart.com/product/abdullah-qutb-shah-copper-1-falus-golkonda-sultanate-shahr-i-haidarabad-mint-1626-1672-ad/

   The rule of Sultan Jamsheed Quli in 1550 gave way to the rule by an young boy Subhan Quli who was Jamsheed Quli's son,with the help of a regent. However this arrangement did not work and Ibrahim Quli ascended the throne who was the sixth son of Sultan Quli, ending his exile at the Vijyanagara kindom. However there were coins issued in his name during the time of Subhan Quli's short reign of six months.

   Sultan Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah ruled for thirty years 1550 to 1580 A.D. He is remembered as a great Qutub Shahi Sultan as there were many developments during his reign. He issued coins in his own name from the Golconda mint.

    The next king was Sultan Mohammad Quli Qutub Shah whose reign was from 1580 to 1612 A.D. He was a poet and a keen builder. He founded the city of Hyderabad. He built the Charminar,Jama Masjid, Darushifa and Badshahi Ashurkhana. the coins issued during his reign are both round and square issued from the Golconda mint. The weight is variable. There were coins issued from the mint at Hyderabad with the legend Abul Muzaffar Quli Qutub Shah on the obverse with date 1012 A.H on the reverse, ie. in 1603 A.D.

    His nephew and son-in-law Mohammad Qutub Shah succeeded Sultan Mohammad Quli and ruled from 1612 to 1626 A.D. He started building the Mecca Masjid at Hyderabad. His was apeaceful reign. Coins were struck in his name in copper with the legend Abul Muzaffar Sultan Mohammad Qutub Shah on the obverse and date and name of the place of the mint ie. Hyderabad on the reverse (Darussultanat Hyderabad), For eg. : 1025 A.H. 

     The next ruler was Sultan Abdullah Qutub Shah who ruled between 1626 and 1672 A.D. The kingdom was attacked by Aurangzeb during his tenure and he had to enter a treaty with the Mughals and give his daughter in marriage to Aurangzeb's son and name him his heir. The copper coins of his time bear the legend Sultan Abdullah Badshah Ghazi or Sultan Abdullah Badshah or Abdullah Qutub Shah on the obverse and  the place of mint, Hyderabad on the reverse. They resemble Mughal coins. Another variety was issued without the name of the Sultan with the legend Qutama Bilkhar-e-vassadath but the date is of his reign. The coins of all rulers show ornamentation like the half moon symbol, small circle, elongated 'v' among  others.

  The last ruler was Sultan Abul Hasan between 1672 and 1686/7 A.D.He was the son-in-law of Sultan Abdullah. His was a steady rule and was ended by the siege of Golconda by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. Coins were issued during his time had the same legend as in Sultan Abdullah's time  with a difference only in the date. Coins were also minted at Pulicat by the Dutch. Many coins are available at the State Museum at Hyderabad, Telangana.



Dutch Golconda map,1706.

By Leiden, Van der Aa [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

   There were other coins which were current in Golconda which included the Mughal coins of gold and silver,dinar,mohammadi of Gujarat,Larin of Persia, abbasis,tanknama,tanka, tretels of Siam, ducts of Hungary, sequins of Venice etc.The local name for the gold coin pagoda was hun.

References :

• Qutub Shahi coins in the Andhra Pradesh Government Museum/Khan,Md. Abdul Wali, Hyderabad-Deccan : The Government of Andhra Pradesh,1961.
• M.A.Nayeem/The heritage of the Qutub Shahis of Golconda and Hyderabad,Hyderabad: Hyderabad Publishers,2006.

Posted by :

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒauthor

     

Nizam VII : visionary of a new Hyderabad State

Nizam VII : visionary of a new Hyderabad State

  The seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan was one of the richest men in the world during his life time. He came to rule the princely state of Hyderabad in pre-independence India, when his father the VIth Nizam, Mahboob Ali Khan died in 1911. He was addressed as His Exalted Highness , the Nizam of Hyderabad. He ruled as Nizam for 37 years up to 1948. Later he was Rajpramukh from 26th January 1950 up to  October 1956.

     The Nizam had many other titles which included Nawab Bahadur Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqui, His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran,Asaf Jah VII, Nizam of Hyderbad, Sipah Salar, Fateh Jung,GCSI.

Farhan Nizam, Persian dictionary, first edition, 1926.

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

    He was a builder and visionary. He built many buildings to house institutions like a college,hospital,university for the benefit of the public. He also made the Hyderabad House at New Delhi. It is used by the Indian Government to hold diplomatic events. He built  a splendid building to house the court. He established a railway system called Nizam's State Railway and public transport by introducing buses. He also built the Asafiya Library now called State Central Library, the Hyderabad Museum and the Jubilee Hall.  He built the Nizamsagar dam in 1923-31 and Osman-sagar reservoir. He started a thermal electricity plant near Hussain Sagar in 1920, India's first, which supplied power to the state. He got many reports made by professionals which suggest an excellent documentation system. He started new departments like Archaeology, in 1914. He started the Nizamia General Hospital (Unani medicine) at Hyderabad in 1926. He established the City College in 1921.

      All his life he lived in a palace called King Kothi bought from a nobleman at Hyderabad.  He contributed to the World War I efforts of the British and came to be called Faithfully Ally of the British.

  Nizam VII of Hyderabad




















Nizam VII of Hyderabad.

Image courtesy : Syed Ahmed



 Nizam VII of Hyderabad with his grandson Mukarram Jah,1934.

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




Gate,King Kothi Palace, Hyderabad.

By Kingkoti_palace_dwaramu.JPG: Bhaskaranaiduderivative work: Sarvagyana guru - This file was derived fromKingkoti palace dwaramu.JPG:, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22336570




Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru is greeted by the Nizam 
during his visit to Hyderabad State,photograph,late 1940s.

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

    He started the Deccan Nizam Airways at Hyderabad with an airport at Begumpet area at Hyderabad. He established a bank Hyderabad State Bank which later became State Bank of Hyderabad, now merged with State Bank of India. He started his own currency. He was responsible for educational reforms and made primary education compulsory. He started agricultural research in his state in the Marathwada region.  The Nizam did not want the Hyderabad state  to join India after Independence, hence Operation Polo had to be carried out under Major General J.N Choudhuri in 1948.

     The Nizam had a fabulous collection of jewels which was acquired by the Indian Government.The seventh Nizam contributed to India's Defence Fund for  India's war effort with China in 1965 by way of 5000 kg of gold.

High Court of Judicature, Hyderabad, 1930s image.

Image courtesy : Sultanuddin Ahmed

High Court of Judicature, Hyderabad,2017.

By Sudeeksha10 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons




Osmania General Hospital,Hyderabad,image, 2012.

By Bhargavinf - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21586970




Arts College, Osmania University, Hyderabad,image 2016.

By Akhil.challa - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51475337





Hyderabad House, New Delhi, image 2016.

By Narendra Modi - With Prime Minister Theresa May at Hyderabad House., CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52921652



City College, Hyderabad, image, 2013.

By Bhaskaranaidu - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28557819



Hyderabad Railway Station, image, 1892,Hyderabad.

Lala Deen Dayal [Public domain, Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons



Secunderabad Railway Station,image,1948.

By Jack Birns (Jack Birns Photos) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons




A view of NSR bus on Tank Bund Road, Hyderabad,image,1932.

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



Nizam Sagar Dam, Nizamabad.





Nizamia General Hospital, Hyderabad.

By Pranav Yaddanapudi from Hyderabad, India - [1], CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11746973 References :

• Hyderabad : a city in history/Khan,Raza Ali, Hyderabad : Zenith Press,1990.
• Pictorial Hyderabad/Mudiraj,Krishnaswamy, Hyderabad : Chandrakanth Press,1934.
• wikipedia.org

Posted by :


Soma Ghosh


Ⓒauthor

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

Asaf Jah II : the second Nizam of Hyderabad

Asaf Jah II : the second Nizam of Hyderabad

     Asaf Jah I ruled the state of Deccan as an able statesman. He died at Burhanpur in 1748 at the age of 78. After he died there was a struggle for the throne. The following thirteen years saw different rulers for short spans of time. During this time foreign powers had started gaining some control of Indian affairs. The second son of Asaf Jah I, Nasir Jung was supported by the British. The grandson Muzaffar Jung, his grandson was supported by the French. Nasir Jung succeeded in occupying the throne for some time, but but was killed at Arcot in 1750 in an encounter with the French. Muzaffar Jung occupied the throne but was murdered the following year. Then his son Salabat Jung occupied the throne. He was dethroned by his brother Nizam ali Khan in 1762. He died in confinement at Bidar in 1763.

     Nizam Ali Khan born in 1734, was Nawab Mir Nizam Ali Khan Siddiqui Bayafandi Bahadur Asaf Jah II, became ruler in 1762 and ruled for forty years. Initially he was the faujdar of the Deccan in 1759. He had earned a good reputation by fighting the Marathas. However, he faced some defeat at the Battle of Udgir after the assasination of Alamgir II. Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II made him subahdar of the Deccan after Nizam Ali Khan siezed the Bidar Fort and confined Salabat Jung.In 1763 the Nizam was defeated by Madhavrao II at the Battle of Rakshabhuvan  and entered in to an agreement with the Marathas. His military guide was Monsieur Raymond, a French General in his army. He was the founder of the Gunfoundry in Hyderabad. Son of a merchant,he had come to India along with his brother from France in 1775. He became a soldier under General Bussy at Pondicherry.  However later in 1786 he met the Nizam and joined as a soldier. Again in 1795 at the Battle of Kharda the Nizam  lost  to the Marathas and had to cede Daulatabad,Aurangabad and Sholapur. Monsieur Raymond became Amar-e-jinsi or Comptroller of Ordinance in 1796.  Monsieur Raymond died mysteriously  in 1798 when he was a commander of 14,000 men. He was fondly called Mussa Ram or Mussa Rahim (Monsieur Raymond ) and the area where his tomb is located is called Moosarambagh at Hyderabad.

Nizam Ali Khan, painting, late 18th century,Hyderabad.

Av Ukjent - The San Diego Museum of Art, Offentlig eiendom, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28942229



Asaf Jah II,portrait.

By Unknown - hyder5, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27106739

   Later the Nizam Ali Khan entered in to an alliance with the British East India Company and Hyderabad became a large princely state within the British Raj. Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II died in 1803 at Chowmahalla Palace at Hyderabad.

Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad.

By Arshad Majeed (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Top ka sancha or Gunfoundry at Hyderabad.

By MIT Libraries - http://dome.mit.edu/handle/1721.3/20032, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25279442

Monsieur Raymond's tomb,Hyderabad.

By Bhaskaranaidu - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21465339

References :

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

Posted by

Soma Ghosh

Ⓒ author