Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII

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Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII bigraphy, stories - Last ruler of the of the Princely State of Hyderabad

Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII : biography

6 April 1886 – 24 February 1967

Sir Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi GCSI, GBE Asaf Jah VII (), born Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur ( 6 April 1886 – 24 February 1967), was the last Nizam (or ruler) of the Princely State of Hyderabad and of Berar. He ruled Hyderabad between 1911 and 1948, until it was merged into India. He was styled His Exalted Highness The Nizam of Hyderabad.

During his days as Nizam, he was reputed to be the richest man in the world, having a fortune estimated at US$2 billion in the early 1940s ($ in today dollars) or 2 per cent of the US economy then. At that time the treasury of the newly independent Union government of India reported annual revenue of US$1 billion only. He was featured on the cover of TIME magazine, portrayed as such. The Nizam is widely believed to have remained as the richest man in South Asia until his death in 1967, though his fortunes fell to US$1 billion by then and became a subject of multiple legal disputes between bitterly fighting rival descendants. His wealth include a vast private treasury. Its coffers were said to contain £100m in gold and silver bullion, and a further £400m of jewels. Among them was the fabulously rare Jacob diamond, valued at some £100m (2008), and used by the Nizam as a paperweight. There were pearls, too – enough to pave Piccadilly – hundreds of race horses, thousands of uniforms, tonnes of royal regalia and Rolls-Royces by the dozen. Calculating his modern day worth by accounting for inflation, the Nizam was worth $236 billion, making him one of the wealthiest people to have ever lived.

He built the Hyderabad House in Delhi, now used for diplomatic meetings by the Government of India.

Marriages and children

On 14 April 1906, Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur married Azmathunnisa Begum (Dulhan Pasha Begum) (1889–1955), daughter of Nawab Jahangir Jung, at Eden Bagh now known as Eden Garden at king kothi, hyderabad at the age 21. She was the first of his seven wives and 42 concubines, and the mother of two eldest of his sons Azam Jah and Moazzam Jah. His second wife was Iqbal Begum daughter of Nawab Nazir Jung Bahadur (Mirza Nazir Beg)

The first brother-in-law of Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur was Nawab Khudrath Nawaz Jung son of Nawab Jahangir Jung,Sahebzada Mir Jahangir Ali Khan and younger brother of Dulhan Pasha Begum first wife of Osman Ali Khan

Their eldest son, Azam Jah, was married to Durru Shehvar, daughter of Abdul Mejid II (the last Ottoman Caliph and cousin and heir of the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire). Moazzam Jah married Princess Niloufer, a princess of the Ottoman empire.

It has been suggested that through these dynastic marriages, Osman Ali hoped to acquire the Caliphate for his descendants.

Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur sired at least 149 children, including:

  • Sahebzadi Yawar un-nisa Begum Sahiba (d. in childhood)
  • Sahebzadi Hidayat un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1901–1925)
  • Nizam uddin bahadur (1903–1987)
  • Azam Jah Sahebzada Mir Himayath ali khan (1907–1970)
  • Muazzam Jah Sahebzada Mir Shujayath Ali Khan (1907–1987)
  • Sahebzada Mir Osman ‘Ali Khan Bahadur (29 February-30 June 1908)
  • Sahebzada Mir Kazim Ali Khan, Kazim Jah (1912–1952)
  • Sahebzada Mir Abid Ali Khan, Abid Jah (1913–1983)
  • Sahebzada Mir Hashmat Ali Khan, Hashmat Jah (1913–1988)
  • Sahebzada Mir Hashim Ali Khan, Hashim Jah (1913–1991)
  • Sahebzada Mir Taqi Ali KHan, Taqi Jah (1913–1985)
  • Sahebzadi Hurmat un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1913–)
  • Sahebzadi Karim Osman Murat un-nisa Begum (1913–)
  • Sahebzadi Jamal un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1913–1973)
  • Sahebzadi Behbood un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1914–)
  • Sahebzadi Mahmood un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1914–1984)
  • Sahebzada Mir Basharat Ali Kha, Basharat Jah (1915–1991)
  • Sahebzadi Mehar un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1915–1964)
  • Sahebzadi Ghaffoor un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1915–)
  • Sahebzadi Aleem un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1915–)
  • Sahebzadi Nazeer un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1916–1975)
  • Sahebzada Mir Rajjab Ali Khan, Rajjab Jah (1917–1968)
  • Sahebzada Mir Saadat Ali Khan, Sa’adat Jah (1917–1988)
  • Sahebzadi Faruq un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1918–)
  • Sahebzadi Kabir un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1920–)
  • Sahebzadi Masud un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1923–1980)
  • Sahebzadi Asmat un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1924–1979)
  • Sahebzaid Bashir un-nisa Begum Sahiba (1927–)
  • Sahebzadi Ramzani Begum Sahiba (1931–1974)
  • Sahebzada Mir Jawad Ali Khan, Jawad Jah (d. 1936)
  • stillborn son (1938)
  • Sahebzadi Mashadi Begum Sahiba (1939–)
  • Sahebzada Mir Zulfiqar Ali Khan, Zulfiqar Jah (1943–)
  • Sahebzada Mir Imdad Ali Khan, Imdad Jah (1944–March 4th 2013)
  • Sahebzada Mir Nawazish Ali Khan, Nawazish Jah (1944–2010)
  • Sahebzada Mir Fazal Ali Khan, Fazal Jah (1946–)
  • Sahebzada Mir Bhojat Ali Khan, Bhojat Jah (1947–1982)
  • Sahebzada Mir Shabbir Ali Khan, Shabbir Jah (1948–1985)
  • Sahebzadi Sayida Begum Sahiba Malta (1949–)
  • Sahebzada Wahid Ali Khan (1951–1999)
  • Sahebzada Mohammed Ali Khan
  • Sahebzada Sardar ali Khan
  • Sahebzada Wajid ali Khan