NizamulMulk

Nizam‑ul‑Mulk (1692 – 1748), also known by his regnal title Asaf Jah I, was a Mughal noble and the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty that ruled the princely state of Hyderabad in southern India until 1948. Born Muhammad Quli Khan in Aurangabad, he entered the Mughal service as a young man, quickly gaining a reputation for administrative skill and loyalty. By the early 1720s he had risen to the rank of Subahdar (provincial governor) of the Deccan, and in 1724 he was appointed Grand Vizier (Wazir‑e‑Azam) by the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. In this capacity he sought to restore central authority after a period of weak rule, implementing fiscal reforms and attempting to curb the autonomy of regional chieftains.

The political fragmentation of the empire and persistent invasions, notably by Nader Shah in 1739, limited his effectiveness, leading to his dismissal in 1743. The following year he withdrew to the Deccan, where he consolidated power among local nobles and the Maratha Confederacy. Declaring independence, he established his capital at Hyderabad and assumed the title Nizam, meaning “Administrator”. His administration emphasized revenue collection, patronage of architecture, and maintenance of law and order, laying the foundations for a stable state that survived for more than two centuries.

Nizam‑ul‑Mulk’s legacy is reflected in the enduring cultural and political influence of Hyderabad, as well as in the historic monuments he commissioned, such as the Charminar’s surrounding developments. He died in 1748, succeeded by his son, Qamar‑ud‑Din Khan, who continued the Asaf Jahi lineage.