|
-
The origins of the Asif
Jahi dynasty can be traced to Chin Qalich Khan who was the grandfather
of the first Nizam and the commander of the Mughal army during
Aurangzeb’s reign. Chin Qalich Khan led the attack of the Mughal
army into the Deccan under his Emperor’s ambitious plans of
expanding the Mughal empire. During Aurangzeb’s last siege of
Golconda in 1687, Chin Qalich Khan was wounded. He died in Atapur
village near Himayath Sagar.
-
- Chin Qalich Khan’s
son, Nawab Ghaziuddin Khan, married the daughter of Sadullah Khan,
Prime Minister of Aurangzeb. A son was born, and the Emperor named him
Mir Qumaruddin. At the age of six, Mir Qumaruddin accompanied his
father to the Mughal court. Aurangzeb awarded him a mansab, and said
to his father, “The star of destiny shines on the forehead of your
son”. Mir Qumaruddin displayed considerable skill as a warrior and
at the age of nineteen, the Emperor bestowed on him the title “Chin
Fateh Khan”. At 26, he was appointed Commander in Chief and Viceroy,
first at Bijapur, then Malwa and later of the Deccan.
-
- Subsequently, the Mughal
empire declined. There was much confusion after the death of Aurangzeb,
and Mir Qumaruddin established his position as Viceroy Farukh Siar who
was the Mughal Emperor for a brief tenure conferred on Mir
Qumaruddin the title Nizam-ul-mulk Fateh Jung. He thus became
the first Nizam. A subsequent Emperor, Muhammad Shah bestowed on him
the title Asif Jah. The dynasty of the Nizam's of Hyderabad thus came
to be known as the Asif Jahi Dynasty.
-
- Unrest and claims to the
throne continued after the death of Aurangzeb, and amidst the general
confusion, Asif Jah had little difficulty in asserting his
independence from the weak occupants of the Delhi throne. At that
time, Asif Jah was the Sudedar of Malwa. However, his independence was
the cause of much jealousy, and the Delhi court secretly instructed
Mubrez Khan, the Subedar of the Deccan, to oppose him. A battle was
fought at Shakar-Khelda in the district of Berer in 1724, where Mubrez
Khan was defeated and killed. This battle established Asif Jah's
supremacy in the Deccan. After gaining independence, Asif Jah came to
be known as Nizam-ul-Mulk. He first set up his capital at Auragabad
but later moved to Hyderabad, which became the capital of the Asif
Jahi dynasty.
-
- Nizam-ul-Mulk's greatest
achievement was the foundation of the Hyderabad Dominion. He attained
his object by waging a struggle against the Marhattas and by the
policy of non-involvement in the rivalry for power between the British
and the French. His policy has been justified by later events as
Hyderabad state survived right through the period of British rule up
to the time of Indian independence.
-
- Asif Jah ruled wisely
and established an independent state in the Deccan. He was one of the
ablest statesmen. However, his death at Burhanpur on 21st May 1748 at
the age of 78, was followed by a struggle for the throne. By this
time, foreign powers were spreading their tentacles. Asif Jah's second
son Nasir Jung was supported by the British whereas Muzafar Jung,
grandson of Asif Jah, was supported by the French. Nasir Jung
succeeded; but after a brief rule he was slain in 1750 in an encounter
with the French troops at Arcot. Thereupon, Muzafar Jung ascended the
throne. In the following year he was murdered and his son Salabath
Jung was put on the throne. In 1762 Salabeth Jung was dethroned by his
brother Nizam Ali Khan, and confined at Bidar
where he died in 1793.
-
-
Hence, Nasir Jung,
Muzafar Jung and Salabath Jung, who were contestants for the
sovereignty of the Deccan in the short span of thirteen years between
the death of Asif Jah and accession of Nizam Ali Khan, have not been
historically recognised as reigning Nizams. If they had been, Nizam
Ali Khan would have been known as the fifth Nizam and not the second.
-
- Nizam Ali Khan ascended
the throne in 1763 and he ruled Hyderabad for almost forty years. This
was one of the eventful periods in the history of India. Foremost
among competitors for supremacy in the Deccan were the Marhattas and
it was during this period that the famous French adventurer Monsieur
Raymond was employed by Nizam Ali Khan.
-
- Nizam Ali Khan died in
August 1803 at the age of 72 years after a long and strenuous reign.
-
- The succession of Sikandar
Jah as Nizam was undisputed and he appointed Mir Alam as his Prime
Minister. With the accession to the throne by Sikander Jah and end of
war with the Marhattas, there commenced an entirely new era for
Hyderabad. Unfortunately in 1808 the able Minister Mir Alam died and
it was he who was responsible for maintaining good relations wit the
British. In 1809, Mir Alam’s son Munir-ul-Mulk was appointed as
Minister.
-
- Sikander Jah died in May
1829 at the age of 62 after reigning for almost 26 years. Secunderbad
was named after him. Sikander Jah was succeeded by his eldest son Nasir-ud-Dowla.
It was during his reign that Salar Jung was appointed as the Minister
in 1853. Salar Jung guided the affairs of the Deccan with great wisdom
and introduced several reforms to improve the finances of the
Dominion.
-
- On 17 May 1857
Nasir-ud-Daula died and his son Afzal-ud-Daula became the fifth Nizam.
This was the first time the first war of Indian Independence was
fought in the North and there was general disorder in the Deccan.
-
- After a reign of twelve
years, Afzal-ud-Daula expired on 26 February 1869 at the young age of
forty three years, leaving behind the infant prince Mir Mahboob Ali
Khan who was hardly three years old.
- Mir Mahboob Ali Khan,
who was born on 18 August 1866, was the only son of Afzal-ud-Dowla.
He was installed on the masnad by the British Resident and Sir Salar
Jung, who also acted as the co-regent. Salar Jung died in 1883 and a
provisional council, consisting of five members, with Mahboob
Ali Khan as president and Mir Laiq Ali Khan, son of Salar Jung, as
secretary was appointed for administrative purposes.
-
- Special attention was
paid to the education of Mahboob Ali Khan. With the concurrence of
Salar Jung, Capt. John Clerk was appointed as his tutor. However, the
personality of Salar Jung had a great influence on his life. Brought
up under the guidance of this great statesman, Mahboob Ali Khan grew
in his later years to be one of the greatest rulers of his time. He
was a respected and dignified personality and was popularly know as
‘Mahboob Ali Pasha’. He died on Tuesday 31 August 1911.
-
- Mir
Osman Ali Khan, the seventh and the last Nizam of Hyderabad ruled
for 37 years (1911 - 1948). His Dominion was lager than England and
Scotland put together, with an area of 86,000 Sq. miles.
-
- The seventh Nizam led a
very simple life, yet he was one of the richest men in the world. He
donated generously to every cause in India as well as abroad
irrespective of caste and religion. If it was the Muslim theological
school at Deoband which received financial help, it was also the
privilege of the Benaras Hindu University. His list of donations
included Rabindranth Tagore’s Shantiniketan and several other
institutions including hospitals, schools, for famine relief, etc. The
golden temple in Amritsar also enjoyed an annual donation.
-
- The Nizam’s rule saw
the growth of Hyderabad economically and culturally. Electricity,
railways, roads and airways developed. Huge reservoirs and irrigation
projects such as the Tungabhadra, and Nizamsagar were completed. The
early work on Nagarjunasagar was undertaken. The Osmania University,
Colleges and Schools were founded throughout the state. Nearly all the
public buildings currently in such as the Osmania General Hospital,
High Court, Central State Library, Assembly Hall, Jubilee Hall and
other buildings in the Public Garden were built during Osman Ali
Khan’s reign.
-
-
Soon after India gained
independence in 1947, all princely states were invited to join the
Republic. Nizam VII was reluctant to do so; but in 1948, after the
Police Action, his state was merged into the Indian Union. Mir Osman
Ali Khan, the last Nizam, died on Friday 24 February 1967. It was the
end of the princely era.
|
|