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Moazzam Jah

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General His Highness Moazzam Jah, Walashan Shahzada Nawab Sir
Mir Shuja’at ‘Ali Khan Bahadur
KCIE
Portrait photograph of Prince Moazzam Jah, 19 November 1931 (National Portrait Gallery, London)
Born(1907-12-21)21 December 1907
Eden Garden, Hyderabad
Died15 September 1987(1987-09-15) (aged 79)
Fern Villa, Red Hills, Hyderabad
Burial placeDaira Mir Momin, Sultan Shahi, Hyderabad
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1931; div. 1952)​

Razia Begum
​
(m. 1948)​

Anwari Begum
​
(m. 1952)​
Issue4
Names
Sahebzadeh Mir Shuja'at Ali Khan Siddiqui Beyfendi Moazzam Jah
HouseHouse of Asaf Jah
FatherMir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII

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 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. 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 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

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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 Azamunnisa Begum (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

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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

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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]

On 19 October 1948, Jah married for a second time to Razia Begum, after separation from Princess Niloufer.[6][7] With her he had three daughters, Fatima Fouzia Begum, Amina Merzia Begum and Oolia Kulsum Begum.[8] He married his third wife Anwari Begum in December 1952.[7] With her he had a son, Shahamat Jah.[9]

Fatima Fouzia married Nader Ali Mirza, Nawab of Machilipatnam,[10] and had a son Himayat Ali Mirza[11] and two daughters, Shafiya Sakina and Naqiya Zainab.[12] Her son Himayat Ali was involved in handing over of Nizam's jewels to the Government of India in 1990s.[13]

Titles

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  • 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

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(ribbon bar, as it would look today; incomplete)

References

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  1. ^ Seshan, K. S. S. (25 December 2017). "Prince Moazzam Jah and his nocturnal court". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  2. ^ Zubaida Yazdani (1985). The Seventh Nizam: The Fallen Empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 306. ISBN 9780951081907.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b KSS Seshan (25 December 2017). "Prince Moazzam Jah and his nocturnal court". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Niloufer, the beguiling princess of Hyderabad". Telangana Today. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Love, loss and longing: The journey of a Princess". The Times of India. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  7. ^ a b "RAZIA BEGUM Vs. SAHEBZADI ANWAR BEGUM". Juris The-Laws. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Nizam's Family Tree". Internet Archive. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Prince Shahamat Jah, the grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad passes away". Business Insider India. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  10. ^ Menon, Amrnath (28 January 2015). "Government asked to look into Nizam's palaces in Hyderabad for antiques, art treasure". India Today. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  11. ^ Akbar, Syed (30 July 2020). "Nizam's case: Great-grandson claims Rs 121 crore". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  12. ^ "£35 million Nizam Fund share not for 2 grandsons alone: Ex-princess". The Times of India. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  13. ^ 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.
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