Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI

Mir Mahbub Ali Khan
Asaf Jah VI
Nizam of Hyderabad
Reign 26 February 1869 – 29 August 1911
Predecessor Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V
Successor Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII
Born 18 August 1866
Purani Haveli, Hyderabad, Hyderabad State, British Indian Empire
(now in Telangana State, India)
Died 29 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)
Spouse Amat uz-Zehra Begum
House Asaf Jahi dynasty
Father Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V

Asaf Jah VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi GCB GCSI (18 August 1866 – 29 August 1911) was the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad. He ruled Hyderabad state, one of the Princely states in India between 1869 and 1911.

Early life

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

Mir Mahbub Ali Khan was born on 18 August 1866 at Purani Haveli in Hyderabad State. He was the only surviving son of Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V.

Life

When his father died he was two years and seven months old, and thus became the 6th Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty in 1869. He was installed as Nizam by Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I, Nawab Rasheed-ud-din Khan Shams-ul-Umra III who functioned as the Regent. Shams-ul-Umra III died on 12 December 1881 and Salar Jung I became the sole regent. He was retained as administrator and regent until his death on 8 February 1883.[1] Special attention was paid to the education of Mahbub Ali Khan who was tutored by the English. With the concurrence of Salar Jung, Capt. John Clerk was appointed to tutor him and scholars well versed in Persian, Arabic and Urdu were also engaged as tutors. The personality and noble life of Sir Salar Jung had a great influence on Asaf Jah VI.

Asaf Jah VI was a respected ruler and was popularly known as Mahbub Ali Pasha. Dr. Abdul Husain, later given the title Arastu Yar Jung, was physician to Mahbub Ali Khan. As such, Asaf Jah VI often sought counsel for matters concerning the Bubonic plague epidemic that worried Hyderabad, and other matters as well. He died 29 August 1911, with a reputed annual income of US$10 million.[2]

Lifestyle

Asaf Jah VI 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 now owned by the Government of India.

He was also fluent in Urdu, Telugu and Parsi languages. He also wrote poems in Telugu and Urdu; some of which are inscribed alongside the walls of Tank Bund. He killed 33 tigers.[3]

Alleged mystic powers

It was supposed that he possessed a healing power against snake bites. It was his order that if anyone from the public had a snake bite, they could approach him. As a result he was awakened from his sleep a number of times. [4]

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 Mir Sir Mahbub 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI
  • 1902–1910: 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 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

Further reading

  1. ↑ "Nizam of Hyderabad Dead", New York Times, 30 August 1911
  2. ↑ "Nizam of Hyderabad Dead", New York Times, 30 August 1911
  3. ↑ http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-staying-at-falaknuma-is-like-holding-a-mirror-up-to-our-past-1741439
  4. ↑ Lallana Rāya. Tulasī kī sāhitya-sādhanā: The Legacy of the Nizams". H.E.H The Nizam's Urdu Trust Hyderabad.
  • Lynton, Harriet Ronken; Rajan, Mohini (1974). The Days of the Beloved. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-02442-7.
  • Edward Balfour (1885). The cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia. B. Quaritch.
Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI
Preceded by
Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V		 Nizam of Hyderabad
1869–1911		 Succeeded by
Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII
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