Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada

Nawab Nawab is a royal title indicating a ruler, often of a South Asian state, in many ways comparable to the Western title of Prince. The relationship of a Nawab to the Emperor of India has been compared to that of the Kingdom of Saxony, Kings of ...

Mir ''Mir'' (, ; ) was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, first by the Soviet Union and later by the Russia, Russian Federation. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to ...

Sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as part ...

Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Siddiqui Bahadur, KCIE (21 December 1907 – 15 September 1987), was the son of the last Nizam of Hyderabad,

Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII (5 or 6 April 1886 – 24 February 1967) was the last Nizam (ruler) of Hyderabad State, the largest state in the erstwhile Indian Empire. He ascended the throne on 29 August 1911, at the age of 25 and ruled ...

and his first wife Azamunnisa Begum (Dulhan Pasha Begum). He first married Princess Niloufer (4 January 1916 – 12 June 1989), one of the last princesses of the

Ottoman empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. He later had two other wives, Razia Begum Saheba and Anwari Begum Saheba. In 1947, he was granted the personal style of ''Highness'' by the

King-Emperor A king-emperor or queen-empress is a sovereign ruler who is simultaneously a king or Queen regnant, queen of one territory and emperor or empress of another. This title usually results from a merger of a royal and imperial crown, but recognises ...

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

. He was a poetry enthusiast who had close ties with the poet

Najm Afandi Najm Afandi (1893–1975) نجم آفندی was an Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. I ...

after the latter moved from

Agra Agra ( ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the ...

Hyderabad State Hyderabad State () was a princely state in the Deccan region of south-central India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and the ...

. The Prince also wrote poetry under the pen name ''Shahji''. Jah stayed at the Hill Fort Palace, Hyderabad. The popular

Moazzam Jahi Market Moazzam Jahi Market is a historic market in Hyderabad, Telangana, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the ...

Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...

is named after him.

Early life

Jah was born as Mir Shujaat Ali Khan on 2 January 1908. His father was

Mir Osman Ali Khan Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII (5 or 6 April 1886 – 24 February 1967) was the last Nizam (ruler) of Hyderabad State, the largest state in the erstwhile Indian Empire. He ascended the throne on 29 August 1911, at the age of 25 and rule ...

, the last

Nizam Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I ...

of British India. Jah's mother Azamunnisa Begum (Dulhan Pasha Begum) was the first wife of Osman Ali Khan. Jah had an elder brother

Azam Jah Azam may refer to: Given name * Azam of Kalat, Khan of Kalat, Balochistan 1931–1933 * Azam Ali (born 1970), Iranian singer and musician * Azam Ali (scientist) (active from 1988), Bangladeshi researcher into biomaterials * Azam Azih (born 1995 ...

. During his youth, Jah was popularly known as Junior Prince. He received an annual grant from his father, the Nizam.

Poet

Jah composed Urdu poems and ''

ghazal ''Ghazal'' is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry that often deals with topics of spiritual and romantic love. It may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss, or separation from the beloved, and t ...

''s under the pseudonym "Shaji". He set up his own court of poetry in the Hill Fort Palace in which around 30 Urdu poets from as far as

Lucknow Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...

and

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

. The poets used to arrive at his court during the evening. A dinner was held at midnight. Jah used to recite the poems composed by himself at the court. After him, the other poets used to recite their own. It continued until the ''

adhan The (, ) is the Islamic call to prayer, usually recited by a muezzin, traditionally from the minaret of a mosque, shortly before each of the five obligatory daily prayers. The adhan is also the first phrase said in the ear of a newborn baby, ...

'' (Islamic call to prayer) of the

Fajr prayer The fajr prayer, alternatively transliterated as fadjr prayer, and also known as the subh prayer, is a salah (ritual prayer) offered in the early morning. Consisting of two rak'a ("bows"), it is performed between the break of dawn and sunrise. ...

Personal life

On 12 November 1931, Jah married Niloufer, aged 15, a princess of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one million Azam Jah Azam may refer to: Given name * Azam of Kalat, Khan of Kalat, Balochistan 1931–1933 * Azam Ali (born 1970), Iranian singer and musician * Azam Ali (scientist) (active from 1988), Bangladeshi researcher into biomaterials * Azam Azih (born 1995 ...

married Niloufer's cousin Durru Shehvar. These weddings were held as "union of two great dynasties" by contemporary records. Niloufer's inability to bear any child strained their marriage. In 1952, after 21 years of marriage, they officially divorced. On 19 October 1948, Jah married for a second time to Razia Begum, after separation from Princess Niloufer. With her he had three daughters, Fatima Fouzia Begum, Amina Merzia Begum and Oolia Kulsum Begum. He married his third wife Anwari Begum in December 1952. With her he had a son, Shahamat Jah. Fatima Fouzia married Nader Ali Mirza, Nawab of Machilipatnam, and had a son Himayat Ali Mirza and two daughters, Shafiya Sakina and Naqiya Zainab. Her son Himayat Ali was involved in handing over of Nizam's jewels to the Government of India in 1990s.

Titles

*1907-1929: Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada

Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur *1929-1945:

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur *1945-1946:

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur *1946-1947: General Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir

Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur, KCIE *1947-1987: General

His Highness Highness (abbreviation HH, oral address Your Highness) is a formal style (manner of address), style used to address (in grammatical person, second person) or refer to (in grammatical person, third person) certain members of a reigning or formerly ...

Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Sir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur, KCIE

Honours

(ribbon bar, as it would look today; incomplete) Order of the Indian Empire Ribbon

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...

: 1935 *

King George VI Coronation Medal The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir of King George VI's coronation. It was awarded to th ...

: 1937 *Nizam Silver Jubilee Medal (mil.): 1937 *Tunis Victory Medal: 1942 *Hyderabad War Medal: 1945 *

Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) Appoint ...

(KCIE): 1946

References

External links

TIME magazine feature
(archived) {{Authority control People from Hyderabad State Indian knights 20th-century Indian royalty 1907 births 1987 deaths Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Asaf Jahi dynasty