Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi arrived in India on a pilgrimage route that led him from Samarkand to the Deccan. His grandfather Kilich Khan traveled this path in 1654 while seeking the Hajj. He joined Aurangzeb's army in the Deccan region during 1657. The young boy born on the 11th of August 1671 at Agra grew up watching his father Ghazi ud-Din Khan rise through Mughal ranks. By 1684, the six-year-old received a Mansab rank for his service. He accompanied his father into battles as a teenager and earned a rank of 400 zaat and 100 sowar. In 1688, he fought at the fort of Adoni and received an Arab steed with gold trappings. Aurangzeb gifted him a female elephant in 1690 when Mir Qamaruddin turned nineteen years old.
Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar appointed Mir Qamaruddin as Viceroy of the Deccan on the 12th of January 1713. This position gave him authority over six Mughal governorates in southern India. He organized administration and augmented finances across these territories. The Nizam abrogated Maratha collection of Chauth in regions under his control. He avoided direct confrontation with local communities while reducing Maratha influence. Sambhaji II of Kolhapur sought arbitration from the Nizam in 1726 AD. The Nizam armies captured Pune in 1727 and installed Sambhaji II as Chhatrapati. These actions started extended conflicts with Shahu who used guerrilla warfare techniques led by Peshwa Baji Rao I. The Battle of Palkhed occurred in 1728 when Shahu forces surrounded the Nizam.
Sayyid Hussain Ali Khan and Sayyid Hassan Ali Khan Barha became king makers after Aurangzeb's death in 1707. They created conflict in the Mughal court by eliminating emperors one after another. Muhammad Shah ascended the throne at age seventeen with the Sayyid brothers as regents. The Nizam received secret communication from the Mughal empress's mother to resist them. He refused to report to Delhi when ordered in 1719. His army clashed with Dilawar Khan near Burhanpur in June 1720. A Turcic soldier assassinated Sayyid Hussain on the 9th of October 1720. Abdullah Khan marched towards Delhi from Agra to avenge his brother's murder. Most of Abdullah Khan's army deserted him during the battle near Hasanpur. He was captured in November 1720 and eventually poisoned while in captivity. Asaf Jah eliminated both Sayyid brothers between 1720 and 1722.
Political intrigues compelled Asaf Jah to rebel against Emperor Muhammad Shah in 1723. He resigned as Grand Vizier and marched toward the Deccan by year end. Muhammad Shah issued a decree to Mubariz Khan to stop and kill the Nizam. The Battle of Shakar Kheda resulted in 1724 when Asaf Jah defeated Mubariz Khan. On the 11th of October 1724, the Nizam established autonomous rule over the Deccan region. He started what became known as the Asaf Jahi dynasty. Subsequent rulers retained the title Nizam ul-Mulk and were referred to as Asaf Jahi Nizams. The Nizam remained loyal to the Mughal Emperor without assuming imperial titles. All six Mughal viceregal governorates of Deccan became his feudatory territories. He acquired de facto control over these regions through military victory.
The Marathas clashed with the Nizam starting in August 1725. They refused to pay Chauth and Sardeshmukhi levies to the Maratha forces. The war ended in March 1728 at Shevgaon near Nashik. Nizam signed the Treaty of Mungi-Shevgaon with Bajirao I. This treaty restored Shahu as Chhatrapati of Marathas and gave them rights to collect levies in Carnatic region. In 1733 AD, the Nizam and Baji Rao made a compact to support each other against external attacks. The Marathas attacked and captured Bundelkhand and Malwa from Mughal control in 1734. The Mughal emperor granted them rights to collect levies from Deccan in exchange for these territories. The secret compact among both parties broke when the Nizam refused to allow this arrangement. A peace treaty was signed between both parties in January 1738 after the Battle of Bhopal. Both sides withdrew to their respective regions following negotiations.
Nader Shah advanced towards Delhi through Afghanistan and Punjab in 1739. Nizam ul-Mulk sent his troops to Karnal where Mughal Emperor Muhammed Shah's forces gathered. Muhammad Shah refused to give command of the army to the Nizam due to suspicions of the Hindustani party. Command went instead to Khan-i Dauran. The combined forces became cannon fodder for Persian cavalry during the battle. The Nizam remained inert with one-third of the army throughout the engagement. He watched the battle passively without participation while believing war against such a formidable foe was futile. He told a messenger that stupid fellows destroyed a force of 40,000 through their folly. When Nader Shah ordered a massacre in Delhi after soldiers were killed in a bazaar brawl, Asaf Jah risked his life by approaching the Persian ruler. Legend states he asked Nader Shah to bring dead people back to life before continuing bloodshed. These words had tremendous impact on Nader Shah who ended the massacre on condition.
During an extensive tour of his domain in May 1748, the Nizam arrived at Burhanpur. He caught a cold and flu that deteriorated his health rapidly. Realizing death approached him, the Nizam dictated his last testament spanning seventeen clauses. This document served as a blueprint for governance and personal conduct. It ranged from advice on keeping troops happy and well-fed to an apology for neglecting his wife. He reminded successors to remain subservient to the Mughal Emperor who granted them office and rank. He warned against declaring war unnecessarily but advised seeking help from elders if forced to fight. The Nizam insisted sons must not lend ears to tittle-tattle of backbiters and slanderers. He died on the 1st of June 1748 aged seventy-seven years at Burhanpur. His body was buried at mazaar of Shaikh Burhan ud-din Gharib Chisti in Khuldabad near Aurangabad.
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Common questions
When was Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I born and where?
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I was born on the 11th of August 1671 at Agra. He arrived in India via a pilgrimage route from Samarkand to the Deccan region.
What date did Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I establish autonomous rule over the Deccan?
The Nizam established autonomous rule over the Deccan region on the 11th of October 1724. This event marked the beginning of what became known as the Asaf Jahi dynasty.
How many years did Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I serve as ruler before his death?
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I ruled from 1724 until he died on the 1st of June 1748 aged seventy-seven years. His body was buried at the mazaar of Shaikh Burhan ud-din Gharib Chisti in Khuldabad near Aurangabad.
Which treaty ended the war between Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I and Baji Rao I in 1738?
A peace treaty was signed between both parties in January 1738 after the Battle of Bhopal. Both sides withdrew to their respective regions following negotiations.
Why did Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I refuse to participate in the Battle of Karnal in 1739?
The Nizam remained inert with one-third of the army throughout the engagement because he believed war against such a formidable foe was futile. He watched the battle passively without participation while Muhammad Shah refused to give him command of the army due to suspicions.