Moazzam Jah
General His Highness Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Sir Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Portrait photograph of Prince Moazzam Jah, 19 November 1931 (National Portrait Gallery, London) | |||||
| Born | 21 December 1907 Eden Garden, Hyderabad | ||||
| Died | 15 September 1987 (aged 79) Fern Villa, Red Hills, Hyderabad | ||||
| Burial place | Daira Mir Momin, Sultan Shahi, Hyderabad | ||||
| Spouse |
Razia Begum Sahiba Sahibzadi Anwari Begum Sahiba | ||||
| Issue | Shahamat Jah Fatima Fouzia Begum Amina Marzia Begum Begum Sahiba Aliya Kulsum Sakina Begum | ||||
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| House | House of Asaf Jah | ||||
| Father | Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII | ||||
| Mother | Dulhan Pasha Begum[citation needed] | ||||
Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Sir 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 and his first wife Dulhan Pasha Begum.
He first married Princess Niloufer (4 January 1916 – 12 June 1989), one of the last princesses of the Ottoman empire. He later had two other wives, Anwari Begum Saheba and Razia Begum Saheba. In 1947, he was granted the personal style of Highness by the King-Emperor George VI.
He was a poetry enthusiast who had close ties with the poet Najm Afandi after the latter moved from Agra to Hyderabad State. The Prince also wrote poetry under the pen name Shahji.[1]
Jah stayed at the Hill Fort Palace, Hyderabad.
The popular Moazzam Jahi Market of Hyderabad is named after him.
Early life[edit]
Jah was born as Mir Shujaat Ali Khan on 2 January 1908. His father was Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad State of British India. Jah's mother Dulhan Pasha Begum was the first wife of Osman Ali Khan. Jah had an elder brother Azam Jah.[2][3]
During his youth, Jah was popularly known as Junior Prince. He received an annual grant from his father, the Nizam.[4]
Poet[edit]
Jah composed Urdu poems and ghazals 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 and Delhi. 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 (Islamic call to prayer) of the Fajr prayer.[4]
Personal life[edit]
On 12 November 1931, Jah married Niloufer, aged 15, a princess of the Ottoman Empire at Nice in France. On the same day, Jah's elder brother Azam Jah 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.[5][6]
In 1948, Jah married for a second time to Razia Begum, after separation from Princess Niloufer.[6] Prince Moazzam Jah has a grandson Himayat Ali Mirza who was also involved in handing over of Nizam's jewels to the Government of India in 1990s.[7]
Titles[edit]
- 1907-1929: Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur
- 1929-1945: Colonel Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur
- 1945-1946: General Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur
- 1946-1947: General Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Sir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur, KCIE
- 1947-1987: General His Highness Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Mir Sir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur, KCIE
Honours[edit]
(ribbon bar, as it would look today; incomplete)
- King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935
- King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
- Nizam Silver Jubilee Medal (mil.)-1937
- Tunis Victory Medal-1942
- Hyderabad War Medal-1945
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE)-1946
References[edit]
- ^ Seshan, K. S. S. (25 December 2017). "Prince Moazzam Jah and his nocturnal court". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Zubaida Yazdani (1985). The Seventh Nizam: The Fallen Empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 306. ISBN 9780951081907.
- ^ Elizabeth Hamilton (2016). The Feringhees: Sir Robert and Sir William—Two Europeans in India Volume 1: The Proud Empire; Volume 2: The Straight Race. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199093618.
- ^ a b KSS Seshan (25 December 2017). "Prince Moazzam Jah and his nocturnal court". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Niloufer, the beguiling princess of Hyderabad". Telangana Today. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ a b "Love, loss and longing: The journey of a Princess". The Times of India. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ Syed Akbar (13 June 2021). "Keep jewels in Hyderabad, Nizam's kin Himayat Ali Mirza writes to PM Modi | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
External links[edit]
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