1.
Nawab
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Nawab or nawaab is an honorific title ratified and bestowed by the reigning Mughal emperor to semi-autonomous Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. Nawab usually refers to males, the equivalent is begum or nawab begum. The primary duty of a nawab was to uphold the sovereignty of the Mughal emperor along with the administration of a certain province, in some cases, these titles were also accompanied by jagir grants, either in cash revenues and allowances or land-holdings. During the British Raj, some of the chiefs or Sardars of large or important tribes were given the title. The term nawab was originally used for the subahdar or viceroy of a subah or region of the Mughal empire. It is a Hindustani term, used in Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and many other North-Indian languages, borrowed via Persian from the Arabic, being the plural of naib. In some areas, especially Bengal, the term is pronounced nobab and this later variation has also entered English and other foreign languages. The term nawbab is often used to refer to any Muslim ruler in north or south India while the term nizam is preferred for a senior official—it literally means governor of region. The Nizam of Hyderabad had several nawabs under him, Nawabs of Cuddapah, Sira, Rajahmundry, Kurnool, Chicacole, Nizam was his personal title, awarded by the Mughal Government and based on the term Nazim as meaning senior officer. Nazim is still used for a collector in many parts of India. The term nawab is still technically imprecise, as the title was awarded to Hindus and Sikhs, as well. With the decline of empire, the title, and the powers that went with it. Other former rulers bearing the title, such as the nawabs of Bengal, some princes became Nawab by promotion, e. g. the ruler of Palanpur was diwan until 1910, then nawab sahib. Other nawabs were promoted are restyled to another style, or to and back. The style for a queen is begum. Most of the dynasties were male primogenitures, although several ruling Begums of Bhopal were a notable exception. Before the incorporation of the Subcontinent into the British Empire, nawabs ruled the kingdoms of Awadh, Bengal, Arcot and Bhopal. The title nawab was also awarded as a distinction by the paramount power, similarly to a British peerage, to persons
2.
Vizier
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A vizier is a high-ranking political advisor or minister. In modern usage, the term has been used for ministers in the Arab world, Iran, Turkey, East Africa Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It is also used in the only absolute Asian monarchy. It is given to the current King Hassanal Bolkiahs second brother, in Brunei, an ordinary vizier is known as Pengiran Temenggong. The word entered into English in 1562 from the Turkish vezir, Wazir itself has two possible etymologies, The most accepted etymology is that it is derived from the Arabic wazara, from the Semitic root W-Z-R. The word is mentioned in the Quran, where Aaron is described as the wazir of Moses, on the other hand, the presence of a Middle Persian word vizīr or vicīr, cognate to the Avestan vīcira, meaning decreer or arbitrator, could possibly indicate an Indo-European origin. In modern Turkey, there is no usage of vezir for any ministry as suggested in the description above, the Muslim office of vizier, which spread from the Persians, Turks, Arabs and Mongols and neighboring peoples, arose under the first Abbasid caliphs. The vizier stood between sovereign and subjects, representing the former in all matters touching the latter, if one such vizier is the prime minister, he may hold the title of Grand Vizier or another title. In Al-Andalus appointed by the Caliph of Cordoba, similarly in many of the emirates and sultanates of the taifas which the caliphate was broken up into. In Muslim Egypt, the most populous Arab country, Under the Fatimid Caliphs. Again since the end of Ottoman rule, remarkably since 1857 (i. e. before the last Wali, Ismail Pasha, was raised Khedive. During the days of the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Vizier was the—often de facto minister, second only to the Sultan and was the leader of the Divan. Vizier was also the title of some Ottoman provincial governors, use of the title indicating a greater degree of autonomy for the province involved. In the Sherifian kingdom of Morocco, a Sadr al-Azam was in office until 22 November 1955, Grand Vizier, Chief Minister or Prime Minister. Wazir al-Amala, Minister for the Interior, Wazir al-Bahr, Minister of the Sea, i. e. for the Navy/ Marine. Wazir al-Harb, Minister for the Army or Minister for War, Wazir al-Qalam, Minister of the Pen. In Oman the Hami/Sultans Chief minister was styled Wazir till 1966, Viziers to the Sultans of Zanzibar, since 1890 filled by British, also known as First ministers, the British Resident s, an extremely direct form of indirect rule. Grand Viziers to the Sultan of Sokoto – this is however disputed, the title Waziri is apparently a derivative of this word, and is a highly regarded chieftaincy title in most of northern Nigeria
3.
Oudh
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The Oudh State or Kingdom of Oudh was a princely state in the Awadh region during the British Raj until 1856. Oudh, the now obsolete but once official English-language name of the state, also written in British historical texts as Oude, the capital of Oudh State was in Faizabad, but the British Agents, officially known as residents, had their seat in Lucknow. The Nawab of Oudh, one of the richest princes, paid for, Oudh joined other Indian states in an upheaval against British rule in 1858 during one of the last series of actions in the Indian rebellion of 1857. In the course of this uprising a few detachments of the British Indian Army from the Bombay Presidency overcame the disunited collection of Indian states in a rapid campaign. Even so, determined rebels continued to wage sporadic guerrilla clashes until the spring of 1859 and this ill-fated rebellion is also historically known as the Oudh campaign. After the British annexation of Oudh, the North Western Provinces became the North Western Provinces, in 1732, under Mughal sovereignty, a senior official of the Mughal Empire established a hereditary polity in Oudh. As the power of the Mughals waned, with the rise of the Maratha Empire, since the state was located in a prosperous region, the British East India Company soon took notice of the affluence in which the Nawabs of Oudh lived. The result would be direct British interference in the state matters of Oudh. Three years later, in 1819, the ruler of Oudh took the style of Padshah, after Oudhs territory was merged with the North Western Provinces, it formed the larger province of North Western Provinces and Oudh. Between 5 July 1857 and 3 March 1858 there was an upheaval by the son of the deposed king joining the Indian Rebellion of 1857. But the dynasty also belonged from the line to the Kara Koyunlu through Qara Yusuf. They were renowned for their secularism and broad outlook, all rulers used the title of Nawab. Scott 1799 –1804 John Ulrich Collins 1804 –1807 John Baillie 1807 –1815 Richard Charles Strachey 1815 –1817 J. R
4.
Safdar Jang
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For the districts in Delhi, see Safdarjung. Abul Mansur Mirza Muhammad Muqim Ali Khan better known as Safdar Jung, was the Subadar Nawab of Oudh from 19 March 1739 to 5 October 1754 and he was a descendant of Qara Yusuf from the Kara Koyunlu. In 1739 he succeeded his father-in-law and maternal uncle, the Burhan ul Mulk Saadat Ali Khan I to the throne of Oudh, the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave him the title of Safdarjung. He was not only effective in keeping control of Oudh, and he was soon given governorship of Kashmir as well, and became a central figure at the Delhi court. During the later years of Muhammad Shah, he gained control of administration in the Mughal Empire. When Ahmad Shah Bahadur ascended the throne at Delhi in 1748 and he was also made the governor of Ajmer and became the Faujdar of Narnaul. However, court politics eventually overtook him and he was dismissed in 1753 and he returned to Oudh in December 1753, and made Faizabad military headquarter. He died in October 1755 at the age of 46 years in Sultanpur near Faizabad, safdarjungs Tomb was built in 1754 and is situated on a road now known as Safdarjung Road, in New Delhi. Several other modern structures near the tomb also carry his name today, abul-Hasan ibn Mirza Ghiyas Beg Media related to Safdarjung at Wikimedia Commons The complete genealogy of Safdarjung can be found here. Indiacoins has an article on Safdarjung here
5.
Asaf-ud-Daula
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Asaf-ud-Daula was the nawab wazir of Oudh ratified by Shah Alam II, from 26 January 1775 to 21 September 1797, and the son of Shuja-ud-Dowlah. His mother and grandmother were the begums of Oudh, asaf-ud-Daula became nawab at the age of 26, on the death of his father, Shujauddaula, on 28 January 1775. When Shuja-ud-Daulah died he left two million pounds sterling buried in the vaults of the zenana, the widow and mother of the deceased prince claimed the whole of this treasure under the terms of a will which was never produced. In 1775 he moved the capital of Awadh from Faizabad to Lucknow and built monuments in and around Lucknow. Nawab Asaf-ud-Dowlah is considered the general of Lucknow. With the ambition to outshine the splendour of Mughal architecture, he built a number of monuments, the Asafi Imambara is a famed vaulted structure surrounded by beautiful gardens, which the Nawab started as a charitable project to generate employment during the famine of 1784. In that famine even the nobles were reduced to penury and it is said that Nawab Asaf employed over 20,000 people for the project, which was neither a masjid nor a mausoleum. The Nawabs sensitivity towards preserving the reputation of the class is demonstrated in the story of the construction of Imambara. During daytime, common citizens employed on the project would construct the building, on the night of every fourth day, the noble and upper-class people were employed in secret to demolish the structure built, an effort for which they received payment. The Nawab became so famous for his generosity that it is still a well-known saying in Lucknow that he who does not receive from the Lord, will receive it from Asaf-ud-Dowlah. The Rumi Darwaza, which stands sixty feet tall, was modeled after the Sublime Porte in Istanbul, is one of the important examples of the exchange between the two cultures. He died on 21 September 1797 in Lucknow and is buried at Bara Imambara, claude Martin Mir Taqi Mir Antoine Polier NIC Website Refer to mapsofindia
6.
Delhi
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Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory of Delhi or NCT, is a city and a union territory of India. It is bordered by Haryana on three sides and by Uttar Pradesh to the east, the NCT covers an area of 1,484 square kilometres. According to 2011 census, Delhis city population was about 11 million, Delhis urban area is now considered to extend beyond the NCT boundary to include an estimated population of over 26 million people making it the worlds second largest urban area. As of 2016 recent estimates of the economy of its urban area have ranked Delhi either the top or second most productive metro area of India. Delhi is the second wealthiest city after Mumbai in India, with a wealth of $450 billion. Delhi has been inhabited since the 6th century BC. Through most of its history, Delhi has served as a capital of various kingdoms and it has been captured, ransacked and rebuilt several times, particularly during the medieval period, and modern Delhi is a cluster of a number of cities spread across the metropolitan region. New Delhi is jointly administered by the government of India and the local government of Delhi. Delhi is also the centre of the National Capital Region, which is a unique interstate regional planning area created by the National Capital Region Planning Board Act of 1985, Delhi ranks among the cities with the worst air pollution in the world. There are a number of myths and legends associated with the origin of the name Delhi, one of them is derived from Dhillu or Dilu, a king who built a city at this location in 50 BC and named it after himself. The coins in circulation in the region under the Tomaras were called dehliwal, according to the Bhavishya Purana, King Prithiviraja of Indraprastha built a new fort in the modern-day Purana Qila area for the convenience of all four castes in his kingdom. He ordered the construction of a gateway to the fort and later named the fort dehali, another theory suggests that the citys original name was Dhillika. The people of Delhi are referred to as Delhiites or Dilliwalas, the city is referenced in various idioms of the Northern Indo-Aryan languages. Dilli dilwalon ka shehr or Dilli Dilwalon ki meaning Delhi belongs to the large-hearted/daring, aas-paas barse, Dilli pani tarse, literally meaning it pours all around, while Delhi lies parched. An allusion to the sometimes semi-arid climate of Delhi, it refers to situations of deprivation when one is surrounded by plenty. The area around Delhi was probably inhabited before the second millennium BC, the city is believed to be the site of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata. According to Mahabharata, this land was initially a huge mass of forests called Khandavaprastha which was burnt down to build the city of Indraprastha, the earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya period, in 1966, an inscription of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka was discovered near Srinivaspuri. Remains of eight cities have been discovered in Delhi
7.
Faizabad
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Faizabad, the old capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and Faizabad division as well. It is a corporation with Ayodhya in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It was the first capital of the Nawabs of Awadh and has built by the Nawabs, like the Tomb of Bahu Begum. The Legend of Awadh, Umrao Jaan Ada, was born in Faizabad, another legend and Hindi writer Radhika Prasad Tripathi was from this city. Akhtaribai Faizabadi, also known as Begum Akhtar, was born in Faizabad and she was a classical singer who performed Urdu ghazals, dadras, thumris, etc. Among other notable people from Faizabad are Mir Babar Ali Anis, Chakbast is credited to have translated the Ramayana into Urdu for the first time. However, more accurately, the reference is found in Medieval and Modern history, Nawab Saadat Khan made the first settlements along the banks of Ghaghra with a cantonment consisting of a fortress and mud barracks. Due to these temporary dwellings, Faizabad was first known as Bangla, due to his management policy states income rose from Rs.7 to 20 million. Faizabad was developed later on by Saadat Ali Khans second successor, Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula into a capital city, with gardens, palaces, markets, roads. Shuja-ud-Daula also built a fortress on the banks of Saryu after he lost the battle of Buxar in 1764, however, this fort now is nothing more than a hummock, just an edict remains which is pictured here. Faizabad was also a centre of one of battles of the Mutiny of 1857. A detailed history of Faizabad can be read in Tareekh-e-Farahbaksh, written by Munshi Mohd, faiz Baksh, a courtier in the Shuja-ud-Daulas court. This book has been translated into English by Hamid Afaq Qureshi as Memoirs of Faizabad, Faizabad also finds a prominent and detailed mention in Guzishta Lakhnau written by Maulvi Abdul Halim Sharar. The third nawab of Awadh, Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula, shifted the Capital of Avadh to Lucknow in 1775 after his terms with his mother became sour, Saadat Khan, the first Nawab of Awadh, laid the foundation of Faizabad at the outskirt of ancient city of Ayodhya. Suja-ud-daula, the third Nawab of Awadh, settled at Faizabad after 1764 and built a fort known as Chhota Calcutta, now in ruins. In 1765 he built the Chowk and Tirpaulia and subsequently laid out the Anguribagh and Motibagh to the south of it, during the reign of Shuja-Ud-Daula, Faizabad attained such a prosperity which it never saw again. The Nawabs graced Faziabad with several buildings, notable among them being the Gulab Bari, Moti Mahal. Gulab Bari is a building of fine properties, standing in a garden surrounded by a wall
8.
Gulab Bari
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Gulab Bari the Tomb of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula is in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. This place has a collection of roses of various varieties set by the sides of water fountains. Gulab Bari is the maqbara of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, the third Nawab of Oudh in the campus, further under Sub-section 20 and 20 of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Monuments and Remains Act,2010. Gulab Bari is surrounded by a wall, built of Lakhauri bricks lime plastered and decorated with plaster mouldings. The enclosure contains the tomb of Shuja-ud-daula along with mosque Imambara, Shahi Hammam, Baradari, the tomb of Shuja-ud-daula was constructed by himself during his lifetime which is approached through an imposing gateway. The central chamber contains the cenotaph which houses the graves of Nawab Shuja-ud-daula, the tomb proper stands in the centre of a Charbagh Garden accompanied by fountains and shallow water channels. The square double-storeyed structure of the mausoleum has a verandah on each side. The dome of the chamber is crowned by inverted louts. Gulab Bari is not only a spot that needs to be visited, it is a place of worship, the locals treat it as a holy place. It is said that the monument is connected to a boali in Lucknow, the fragrance of roses in the Gulab Udyaan brought relief to the busy mind of the nawab and allowed him to work and take decisions. It might have served as soldiers cabin and a house for the servants, today Gulab Bari is though in a poor condition, it still is very important for the locals. It remained very important, remains important and will remain important only if its tourism is boosted, the Nawabs graced Faizabad with several beautiful buildings, notable among them are the Gulab Bari, Moti Mahal and the tomb of Bahu Begum. Gulab Bari is a building of fine architecture, standing in a garden surrounded by a wall. Shuja-ud-Daulas wife was the well known Bahu Begum, who married the Nawab in 1743 and continued to reside in Faizabad, close by at Jawaharbagh lies her Maqbara, where she was buried after her death in 1816. It is considered to be one of the finest buildings of its kind in Avadh, a fine view of the city is obtainable from top of the begums tomb. Bahu Begum was a woman of great distinction and rank, bearing dignity, most of the Muslim buildings of Faizabad are attributed to her. From the date of Bahu Begums death in 1815 till the annexation of Avadh, the glory of Faizabad finally eclipsed with the shifting of capital from Faizabad to Lucknow by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula. Shuja-ud-daula, the Nawab of Awadh, made Faizabad the capital of Awadh, during his reign Faizabad attained prosperity, which it never saw again
9.
Shia Islam
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Shia is a branch of Islam which holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor. Shia Islam primarily contrasts with Sunni Islam, whose adherents believe that Muhammad did not appoint a successor, instead they consider Abu Bakr to be the correct Caliph. Adherents of Shia Islam are called Shias of Ali, Shias or the Shia as a collective or Shii individually, Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam, in 2009, Shia Muslims constituted 10–13% of the worlds Muslim population. Twelver Shia is the largest branch of Shia Islam, in 2012 it was estimated that perhaps 85 percent of Shias were Twelvers. Shia Islam is based on the Quran and the message of Muhammad attested in hadith, Shia consider Ali to have been divinely appointed as the successor to Muhammad, and as the first Imam. The word Shia means follower and is the form of the historic phrase shīʻatu ʻAlī, meaning followers of Ali, faction of Ali. Shia and Shiism are forms used in English, while Shiite or Shiite, as well as Shia, the term for the first time was used at the time of Muhammad. At present, the word refers to the Muslims who believe that the leadership of the community after Muhammad belongs to Ali, nawbakhti states that the term Shia refers to a group of Muslims that at the time of Muhammad and after him regarded Ali as the Imam and Caliph. Al-Shahrastani expresses that the term Shia refers to those who believe that Ali is designated as the Heir, Imam and caliph by Muhammad, for the Shia, this conviction is implicit in the Quran and history of Islam. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing, Shia search for the true meaning of the revelation to get the purpose of the life blood and the human destiny. Shia Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by God alone and they believe God chose Ali to be Muhammads successor, infallible, the first caliph of Islam. The Shias believe that Muhammad designated Ali as his successor by Gods command, Ali was Muhammads first cousin and closest living male relative as well as his son-in-law, having married Muhammads daughter Fatimah. Ali would eventually become the fourth Muslim caliph, after the Farewell Pilgrimage, Muhammad ordered the gathering of Muslims at the pond of Khumm and it was there that Shia Muslims believe Muhammad nominated Ali to be his successor. The hadith of the pond of Khumm was narrated on 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah of 10 AH in the Islamic calendar at a place called Ghadir Khumm, located near the city of al-Juhfah, Saudi Arabia. Muhammad there stated, Shia Muslims believe this to be Muhammads appointment of Ali as his successor, when Muhammad died in 632 CE, Ali and Muhammads closest relatives made the funeral arrangements. While they were preparing his body, Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali and his family accepted the appointment for the sake of unity in the early Muslim community. Alis rule over the early Muslim community was often contested, as a result, he had to struggle to maintain his power against the groups who betrayed him after giving allegiance to his succession, or those who wished to take his position. This dispute eventually led to the First Fitna, which was the first major civil war within the Islamic Caliphate, the Fitna began as a series of revolts fought against Ali ibn Abi Talib, caused by the assassination of his political predecessor, Uthman ibn Affan
10.
Mughal Empire
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The dynasty, though ethnically Turco-Mongol, was Persianate in terms of culture. The Mughal empire extended over parts of the Indian subcontinent. The beginning of the empire is conventionally dated to the victory by its founder Babur over Ibrahim Lodi, the Mughal emperors were Central Asian Turco-Mongols belonging to the Timurid dynasty, who claimed direct descent from both Genghis Khan and Timur. During the reign of Humayun, the successor of Babur, the empire was briefly interrupted by the Sur Empire, the classic period of the Mughal Empire started in 1556 with the ascension of Akbar the Great to the throne. Under the rule of Akbar and his son Jahangir, the region enjoyed economic progress as well as harmony. Akbar was a warrior who also forged alliances with several Hindu Rajput kingdoms. Some Rajput kingdoms continued to pose a significant threat to the Mughal dominance of northwestern India, the reign of Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor, between 1628 and 1658 was the golden age of Mughal architecture. He erected several monuments, the best known of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra, as well as the Moti Masjid, Agra, the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Delhi. By the mid-18th century, the Marathas had routed Mughal armies, during the following century Mughal power had become severely limited, and the last emperor, Bahadur Shah II, had authority over only the city of Shahjahanabad. He issued a firman supporting the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and following the defeat was therefore tried by the British East India Company for treason, imprisoned and exiled to Rangoon. Contemporaries referred to the empire founded by Babur as the Timurid empire, which reflected the heritage of his dynasty, another name was Hindustan, which was documented in the Ain-i-Akbari, and which has been described as the closest to an official name for the empire. In the west, the term Mughal was used for the emperor, and by extension, the use of Mughal derived from the Arabic and Persian corruption of Mongol, and it emphasised the Mongol origins of the Timurid dynasty. The term gained currency during the 19th century, but remains disputed by Indologists, similar terms had been used to refer to the empire, including Mogul and Moghul. Nevertheless, Baburs ancestors were sharply distinguished from the classical Mongols insofar as they were oriented towards Persian rather than Turco-Mongol culture, ousted from his ancestral domains in Central Asia, Babur turned to India to satisfy his ambitions. He established himself in Kabul and then pushed steadily southward into India from Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass, Baburs forces occupied much of northern India after his victory at Panipat in 1526. The preoccupation with wars and military campaigns, however, did not allow the new emperor to consolidate the gains he had made in India, the instability of the empire became evident under his son, Humayun, who was driven out of India and into Persia by rebels. Humayuns exile in Persia established diplomatic ties between the Safavid and Mughal Courts, and led to increasing Persian cultural influence in the Mughal Empire, the restoration of Mughal rule began after Humayuns triumphant return from Persia in 1555, but he died from a fatal accident shortly afterwards. Humayuns son, Akbar, succeeded to the throne under a regent, Bairam Khan, through warfare and diplomacy, Akbar was able to extend the empire in all directions and controlled almost the entire Indian subcontinent north of the Godavari River
Mughal Empire
