Asaf Jahi dynasty
The Asaf Jahi was a Muslim dynasty that ruled the Hyderabad State. The family came to India in the late 17th century and became employees of the Mughal Empire. They were great patrons of Persian culture, language, and literature, and the family found ready patronage.
| Asaf Jahi Dynasty Nizams of Hyderabad | |
|---|---|
Coat of Arms of the Nizam of Hyderabad | |
Azmet Jah, current head of Asaf Jahi family and IX titular Nizam of Hyderabad | |
| Founded | 31 July 1724 |
| Founder | Asaf Jah I |
| Final ruler | Osman Ali Khan |
| Titles | Nizam-ul-Mulk Nawab |
| Style(s) | His Exalted Highness |
| Estate(s) | Chowmahalla Palace |
| Deposition | 17 September 1948 |
The dynasty was founded by Mir Qamar-ud-Din Siddiqi, a Viceroy of the Deccan—(administrator of six Mughal governorates) under the Mughal emperors from 1713 to 1721. He intermittently ruled after Aurangzeb's death in 1707 and under the title Asaf Jah in 1724. The Mughal Empire crumbled and the Viceroy of the Deccan, Asaf Jah I, declared himself independent, whose domain extended from the Narmada river in the North to Trichinopoly in the South and Masulipatnam in the east to Bijapur in the west.