Mir Qamaruddin Chin Qilij Khan
Asaf Jah I - Nizam I

1724 - 1748

Mir Qamaruddin Chin Qilij Khan traced his descent on his father’s side to Abu Bakr, the first Caliph of Islam. On his mother’s side, he is believed to have descended from the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself. Possessing such an illustrious lineage and ancestry, he also was one of the strongest personalities who emerged during the chaotic times following Aurangzeb’s death.

A fearless soldier, diplomat and shrewd statesman, Mir Qamaruddin rose in favour with the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb; while young, he was made the Subedar (Viceroy) of the Deccan. In 1713, the Mughal Emperor Farukh Siyar bestowed the title Nizam-ul-Mulk Fateh Jung or “Regular of the Realm” upon him.

Mir Qamaruddin, foresaw the unstable situation in the imperial capital of Delhi that followed Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, in particular, the weakening hold of the Mughals in the Deccan and the dissensions amongst Aurangzeb’s successors. Assessing the state of affairs, he set his eyes on ruling the Deccan and asserting his independence he soon established his rule there.

But this assertive independence became the cause of jealousy; the imperial court secretly directed Mubrez Khan, the official Subedar of the Deccan to challenge and oppose him. A battle ensued at Shaker Kheda between the two in 1724 and the Nizam emerged victorious, thereby signaling his supremacy in the Deccan. It was in this manner that Mir Qamaruddin Chin Qilij Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty which ruled the Deccan for the next 224 years. Though Asaf Jah merited the hereditary vice royalty, he never ceased to acknowledge the supremacy of the Mughal throne in Delhi and continued to pay a nominal allegiance to the Mughal emperor.

Asaf Jah I single-handedly instituted the title of the Nizam, which became the dynastic title of all the successive rulers of the State of Hyderabad ever since. He ruled his new dominions for the next twenty four years. A wise and able ruler, his efforts safeguarded his kingdom from the hostile Marathas and even kept the English, Portuguese and the French at bay.

As a wise administration in the Mughal tradition, along with his personal attention to the welfare of the peasantry and the public alike, Asif Jah I established an efficient and stable government.