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

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Soma Ghosh

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