History
The Asaf Jahi Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty that ruled the erstwhile Indian Princely State of Hyderabad (now the state of Telangana, the Marath-wadha region of Maharashtra and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka) in India. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Persian culture, language, and literature, and the family found ready patronage.
The family has a noble hereditary lineage through Abū Bakr ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbī Quhafa [R.A] who was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha R.A, a father-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad Peace & Blessings upon him, as well as the first Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate. He is known with the honorific title al-Siddiq by Muslims.
The Asaf Jahi dynasty was founded by Mir Qamar-ud-Din Ali Khan Siddiqi (Asaf Jah I), who served as a Viceroy (Naib) of the Deccan sultanates under the Mughal Empire from 1713 to 1721. He intermittently ruled the region after Emperor Aurangzeb’s demise in 1707. The Mughal Empire crumbled and the Viceroy of the Deccan, Asaf Jah I, declared himself independent, whose domain extended from the Narmada river in the North to Trichinopoly in the South and Masulipatnam in the east to Bijapur in the west. In 1724 Mughal control weakened, and Asaf Jah became virtually independent, but the state would eventually become a tributary of the Maratha Confederacy after a series of military losses in the late 18th century.
Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State. Nizam is a shortened form of Niẓām ul-Mulk, which means Administrator of the Realm, and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I when he was appointed Viceroy of the Deccan by the Mughal Emperor Farrukhshiar. In addition to being the Mughal Viceroy (Naib) of the Deccan, Asaf Jah I was also the premier courtier of the Mughal Empire until 1724, when he established the independent monarchy of Hyderabad and adopted the title “Nizam of Hyderabad”.
When the English East India Company achieved paramountcy over the Indian subcontinent, they allowed the Nizams to continue to rule their princely states as client kings. The Nizams retained internal power over Hyderabad State until 17th September 1948, when Hyderabad was integrated into the new Indian union.
Asaf Jahi Flag
Hyderabad State (Dk. Green) & Berar (Lt. Green)
Not part of Hyderabad but in Nizam’s Dominion
( 1853 to 1903 )
Mir Qamaruddin Khan
Asaf Jah 1
Mirza Nizam Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 2
Mir Akbar Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 3
Mir Farqunda Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 4
Mir Tahniyat Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 5
Mir Mahboob Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 6
Mir Osman Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 7
Mir Barkat Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 8
The Asaf Jahi dynasty had only seven recognized rulers, but there was a period of 13 unstable years after the rule of the first Nizam when two of his sons, Nasir Jung and Salabath Jung, and grandson Muzafur Jung ruled. They were never officially recognised as rulers. The Asaf Jah VII, H.E.H The Nizam, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, fell from power when India annexed Hyderabad State in 1948 in Operation Polo.
The Dynasty represented by it’s then ruling representative and administrator, H.E.H The Nizam VII Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur surrendered all it’s Private Estate Properties to the Indian Union in early February 1949.
On 25th of January 1950, The Government of India entered into an Agreement with H.E.H The Nizam, NAWAB MIR OSMAN ALI KHAN Bahadur, as it had entered into Agreements with other Rulers of the Princely States under Article 291, 362 and 366 (22) of the constitution, and assured the Ruler of privileges scheduled under four different articles, a) Privy Purse under Article I, for maintenance of family members, servants, employees and Palaces, b) Full right to ownership, use and enjoyment of the movable and immovable properties of Dynastic Value subject to third party rights under Article II, c) entitled to all the titles, dignities and personal privileges under Article III and d) the Succession according to law and custom of the Gaddi under Article IV.
The Emblem of Asaf Jah VII
After the demise of H.E.H The Nizam, Asaf Jah VII, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur Siddiqui Bayafandi, on 24th February 1967, the Government of India, as per the terms of the Agreement under Article 366(22) of the constitution, recognized Asaf Jah VIII, Nawab Mir Barkath Ali Khan Bahadur, walashan Mukarram Jah Bahadur as titular H.E.H The Nizam of Hyderabad untill the 26th Amendment of the constitution in 1971, who was the head of the House of Asaf Jah until his demise in 2023. Presently Mir Muhammad Azmet Ali Khan, Asaf Jah IX, Walashan Azmet Jah, born 23 July 1960, is the current head of the House of Asaf Jah since 20 January 2023.
Mir Muhammad Azmet Ali Khan
Asaf Jah 9
Contact Us
Location
opp. water tank, mogalpura, charminar,
Hyderabad, 500092, Telangana
Phone
+91 8927639866
info@asafjahidynasty.com