Nizam of Hyderabad

Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of ''Niẓām ul-Mulk'' (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I when he was appointed Viceroy of the Deccan by the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar. 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 an independent realm based in Hyderabad, but in practice, continued to recognise the nominal authority of emperor.

The Asaf Jahi dynasty was founded by Chin Qilich Khan (Asaf Jah I), who served as a ''Naib'' of the Deccan sultanates under the Mughal Empire from 1713 to 1721. He intermittently ruled the region after Emperor Aurangzeb's death in 1707. In 1724 Mughal control weakened, and Asaf Jah became virtually independent. Later the Nizam defeated the Marathas with the alliance of the British.

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 17 September 1948, when Hyderabad was integrated into the new Indian Union.

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 seventh and last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, fell from power when India annexed Hyderabad State in 1948 in Operation Polo. Today, the title is held by his great grandson and pretender, Azmet Jah. Provided by Wikipedia