Mahboob Ali Khan

Asaf Jah VI, also known as Sir Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi GCB GCSI (17 August 1866 – 29 August 1911), was the 9th Nizam of Hyderabad. He ruled Hyderabad State, one of the princely states of India, between 1869 and 1911.[1][2]

Mahbub Ali Khan Bahadur

Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCB, GCSI
Khan in 1903
The 9th Nizam of Hyderabad State
Reign26 February 1869 – 29 August 1911
PredecessorAfzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V
SuccessorMir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII
Born17 August 1866
Purani Haveli, Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British Indian Empire
(now in Telangana State, India)
Died29 August 1911 (aged 45)
Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British Indian Empire
(now in Telangana State, India)
Burial
Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British Indian Empire
(now in Telangana State, India)
SpouseAmat uz-Zehra Begum
HouseAsaf Jahi dynasty
FatherAfzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V
ReligionSunni Islam

Early life
Mahbub Ali Khan as a child
Installation of the Nizam of Hyderabad by the Governor-General of India

Mahboob Ali Khan was born on 17 August 1866 at Purani Haveli in Hyderabad, Hyderabad State (now in Telangana, India). He was the youngest son of the 5th Nizam, Afzal-ud-Daulah.[3] On 29 February, Mahboob Ali Khan, after Afzal-ud-Daulah had died a day earlier, ascended the throne under the regency of Dewan Salar Jung I and Shams-ul-Umra III. Mahboob Ali Khan was then aged two years and seven months.[4] While Salar Jung I served as regent, Shams-ul-Umra III served as co-regent.[5]

Mahboob Ali Khan was the first Nizam to have a Western education. A special school, under the guidance of Captain John Clarke, was started in the Chowmahalla Palace. The children of Salar Jung I, Shams-ul-Umra III and Kishen Pershad were his classmates. Besides English, he was also taught Persian, Arabic and Urdu. In 1874, Captain John Clarke, a former tutor to the Duke of Edinburgh, was appointed to teach him English.[5] Clarke imbibed in the "young Mahboob the customs and manners of high English society".[6] Clarje worked closely with an Indian tutor, Navab Agha Mirza Sarvar al-Mulk, who shared in supervising the Nizam's education and ultimately became a close confidant and advisor to him.[7]

The young Nizam with his two regents and other noblemen
The Nizam riding an elephant in a procession from Moula Ali, circa. 1895
Grave of 6th Nizam- Mir Mahboob Ali Khan adjacent to prayer hall of Makkah Masjid, Hyderabad

Reign

Investiture

At the age of sixteen, Salar Jung I began introducing Mahboob Ali Khan to the administrative processes of the state. The highest-ranking officials of various departments would meet him to teach how their respective departments worked.[8] The regency of Salar Jung I and Shams-ul-Umra III ended when Mahboob Ali Khan came out of age. His investiture ceremony took place on 5 February 1884. Lord Ripon, the Governor-General of India, was present and gave him a golden sword, which was studded with diamonds.[6] Mahboob Ali Khan took the title His Exalted Highness Asaf Jah, Muzaffar-ul-Mulk, Nawab Mahbub Ali Khan Bahadur, Fateh Jung.[9]

Development of railway network

Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway, a railway company fully owned by the Nizams, was established in 1879[10] Formed to connect Hyderabad State with the rest of British India, it had its headquartered at Secunderabad Railway Station. Its construction commenced in 1870, and four years later, the Secunderabad-Wadi line was completed. In 1879, Mahbub Ali Khan took over the railway line, which became managed by the Nizam's state-owned railway.[11]

After independence, it was integrated into Indian Railways. The introduction of railways also marked the beginning of the industry in Hyderabad, and four factories were built to the south and east of Hussain Sagar Lake.[12]

Education development

Mahboob Ali Khan established the Hyderabad Medical College, the first in India, and commissioned for chloroform the first time in world. In 1873, there were 14 schools in Hyderabad City and 141 in the rest of the districts. That reached 1000 at the time of his death.[13]

Famine

The Great Famine of 1876-1878 occurred during his reign. The entire Deccan, including Hyderabad Deccan, was devastated by food shortages, which were enormously exacerbated by British policies. The Nizam distributed aid to famine victims, which caused tens of thousands of people to flee to Hyderabad from Sholapur and other affected areas.[14]

Durbar

The Nizam attended the 1903 Delhi Durbar celebrations to mark the succession of Edward VII as Emperor of India, where he played an important part as one of the senior ruling princes present. During the event he was personally invested with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) by the Duke of Connaught, who represented his brother at the ceremonies.[15]

Flood of 1908
Main article: Great Musi Flood of 1908

The Great Musi Flood of 1908 ravaged the city of Hyderabad,[16] affected at least 200,000 people and killed an estimated 15,000. The Nizam opened his palace to accommodate the flood victims until "normal conditions were restored".[17][18][19] Upon the guidance of the holy priest of the Katta Maisamma Temple, he also took part in a yagna, and it is believed that the waters then started receding within hours of the yagna.[20]

Prohibition of Sati

The practice of Sati was Hindu tradition of a widowed woman jumping into her husband's burning pyre. That concerned the Nizam, who took serious note of it continuing in some parts of his kingdom despite its banning, and so he issued a royal firman[21] on 12 November 1876:[22]

It is now notified that if anybody takes any action in this direction in the future, they will have to face serious consequences. If Taluqdars, Naibs, Jagirdars, Zamindars and others are found careless and negligent in the matter, serious action will be taken against them by the government.

Personal life
Nizam Mahboob Ali Khan with his son Mir Osman Ali Khan

According to the Viceroy of India, Lord Lytton, the Nizam was the object of the Diwan, Salar Jung I, a man who wanted to reduce Mir Mahboob Ali Khan to a cipher to hold the power of the state and remain concentrated in his own hands.[23] The sixth Nizam had seven sons and seven daughters.

Marriage

He was married to Amat Uz Zahra Begum, daughter of Salar Jung I with whom he fell in love while he was studying at the age of 18.[24][25]

Lifestyle

The Nizam was well known for his extravagant lifestyle and collection of clothes and cars. His collection of clothes was one of the most extensive in the world at the time. He devoted a whole wing of his palace to his wardrobe and would never wear the same outfit twice. He bought the Jacob Diamond, which stands out among the Jewels of The Nizams that are now owned by the Government of India.

The Nizam was also fluent in Urdu, Telugu and Persian. He also wrote poems in Telugu and Urdu, some of which are inscribed along the walls of Tank Bund. A keen hunter,[26] he killed at least 30 tigers.[27]

Death

The Nizam died on 29 August 1911 at the age of 45. He was buried alongside his ancestors at Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad. His second son, Mir Osman Ali Khan, succeeded him.[28]

Mystical powers

He claimed to possess a healing power against snakebites. It was his order that if anyone from the public had a snake bite, they could approach him. As a result, he was repeatedly awakened from his sleep[29][30] to cure people of snakebites.[31]

Other names

Mahboob Ali Pasha

He was better known as "Mahboob Ali Pasha" by the people, "Mahboob" meaning "dear one".

Tees Maar Khan

He was known as a skilled hunter. People from nearby villages many times called for his help to kill tigers that were lurking in the nearby fields and threatening the lives of poor farmers. Hence, he ended up killing at least 33 tigers during his lifetime. He was popularly known as Tees Maar Khan, meaning the Khan who killed tees (thirty) tigers.[32]

Despite his reputation as a tiger-hunter, Khan was known for his compassion and love for all living things. He would never kill a tiger unless it was a matter of necessity, and he always treated the animals he hunted with respect. He understood that the tiger was not just a threat but a magnificent creature, which deserved to live unless it posed a threat to humans.[26]

Full titles
  • 1866–1869: Sahibzada Mir Mahbub Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur
  • 1869–1877: His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VI, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Mahbub 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad
  • 1877–1884: His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VI, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Mahbub 'Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad
  • 1884–1902: His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VI, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Mir Mahbub 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI
  • 1903–1910: His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VI, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Sir Mir Mahboob 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCB, GCSI
  • 1910–1911: Lieutenant-General His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VI, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Mahbub 'Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCB, GCSI

Honours

(ribbon bar, as it would look today)

British honours

Foreign honours

See also

References
  1. Law, John (1914), Modern Hyderabad (Deccan), Thacker, Spink & Company, pp. 27–28
  2. Balfour, Edward (1885). The cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia. B. Quaritch. p. 897.
  3. Luther, Narendra (2003), Raja Deen Dayal: Prince of Photographers, Hyderabadi, p. 41, ISBN 9788190175203
  4. "A brief history of the Nizams of Hyderabad". Outlook. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  5. Luther 2003, p. 45.
  6. Seshan, K.S.S. (2 February 2017). "Mahboob Ali Pasha: Legend with a lavish lifestyle". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  7. Server ul-Mulk, Nawab (1931). My Life. London: Stockwell. pp. ix.
  8. Lynton, Harriet Ronken; Rajan, Mohini (1974). The Days of the Beloved. University of California Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-520-02442-7.
  9. M. Hassan (2002). HISTORY OF ISLAM (2 Vols. Set). Adam Publishers. p. 674. ISBN 9788174350190.
  10. Law 1914, pp. 26–28.
  11. Lynton & Rajan 1974, pp. 56–57.
  12. "Staying at Falaknuma is like holding a mirror up to our past". 16 September 2012.
  13. Bhangya, Bhukya (2013). "Between Tradition and Modernity: Nizams, Colonialism and Modernity in Hyderabad State". Economic and Political Weekly. 48 (48): 120–125. JSTOR 23528939.
  14. Davis, Mike. "Late Victorian Holocausts: El Niño Famines and the Making of the Third World". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  15. "Latest intelligence - The Delhi Durbar". The Times. No. 36976. London. 13 January 1903. p. 3.
  16. Lynton & Rajan 1974, pp. 13–20.
  17. "Seven Loaves - Seven Asaf Jahs".
  18. Law 1914, pp. 84–86.
  19. "Hyderabad to observe 104th anniversary of Musi flood | The Siasat Daily". archive.siasat.com. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  20. Siddique, Mohammed (29 September 2008). "Hyderabad observes 100th anniversary of Musi flood". Rediff. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  21. "Letters leave a rich legacy of rulers".
  22. "Proclamation on the abolition of Sati issued by the Nizam VI, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan".
  23. Keen, Caroline (2003). "The power behind the throne: Relations between the British and the Indian states 1870-1909" (PDF). SOAS University of London: 82. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. "Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society, Volume 46, Issues 3-4". Pakistan Historical Society. 1998. Retrieved 28 July 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  25. Zubaida Yazdani; Mary Chrystal (1985). The Seventh Nizam: The Fallen Empire. ISBN 9780951081907. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  26. "Hyderabad remembers 6th Nizam Mahbub Ali Pasha".
  27. "Staying at Falaknuma is like holding a mirror up to our past". 16 September 2012.
  28. Law 1914, p. 28.
  29. Lallana Rāya. Tulasī kī sāhitya-sādhanā: The Legacy of the Nizams. H.E.H The Nizam's Urdu Trust Hyderabad.
  30. "Picturing the 'Beloved'".
  31. Varma, Dr Raj. "Man of many talents". Telangana Today.
  32. "Hyderabad remembers Mahbub Ali Pasha". gulfnews. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  33. "The Durbar Honours". The Times. No. 36966. London. 1 January 1903. p. 8.
  34. "No. 27511". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1903. p. 4.
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