The Princely State of Hyderabad was founded around 1724 when Mir Qamar-ud-Din, the Mughal Viceroy of the Deccan, assumed independence under the title of Asaf Jah and founded the dynasty of the Nizams of Hyderabad. In the post 1857 era, the State of Hyderabad was one of the largest Princely States in India and later came to be known as the 'Dominion of His Exalted Highness, the Nizam'. The State which covered territories presently included in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka was assimilated into the Indian Union in September 1948. In matters of currency and coinage, the coins of the Nizams were issued in the name of the Mughal Emperor till 1858 when a coin legend was introduced with the name of the founder of the state, Asaf Jha. Thereafter, they were struck independently and the new coins were termed the 'Hali Sicca', i.e., the current coins. In 1903-04 coins were machine struck for the first time. These coins featured the Charminar on the obverse with Persian inscription Nizam-ul-mulk Bahadur Asaf Jah around it. The reverse carried the value. These coins confirmed to the British coins in denominations and metals.
THE COINS AND CURRENCY NOTES OF THE NIZAM DOMINION.
When the English assumed the power of administration, there were more than three hundred native states minting their own independent coins. These native states found that the retention of the name of the Mughal Emperor on their coins are not justified and so they gradually removed the same. However, they retained the old practice of having Persian inscriptions on their coins.
The English administration, after sanctioning this, conceded the right of minting coins only to 34 states put in to 3 categories.
a) The fifteen states which imprinted the name of the English Queen on their coins.
b) Ratlam & Sailana states inscribed the name of state,date and denomination of the coins.
c) Hyderabad, Travancore, Gwalior, Indore and Baroda states ignored in placing the name of the king, but placed their name of the ruler.
First modern series of coins incorporating the historical Charminar were minted and remained till 1948.
Gold coins – it was not legal tender, but used for ceremonial and ornamental purposes and also as gift to the Nizam’s.
Design of the Gold coins are,
Ashrafi = 172.5 gms.
Half Ashrafi = 86.25 gms.
Quarter Ashrafi = 43.125 gms.
One-eighth Ashrafi = 21.562 gms.
In 1930, the value of gold Ashrafi’s in terms of O.S Rupees was full Ashrafi – Rs 29/-, half Ashrafi – Rs 15/-, quarter Ashrafi – Rs 8/-, and one-eighth Ashrafi – Rs 5/- .
Silver coins – Silver coins were in 4 denominations Rupee,8 Annas,4 Annas,and 2 Annas.
Copper coins – There were 3 copper coins, the half, one-sixth, and one-twelfth anna.
Currency Act – In 1911, the Currency Act was passed and in 1936, the Act was modified and nickel coins followed by several other modifications and amendments to the original Act.
Paper Currency – Paper currency was introduced in 1918
Hundred Rupee Note – 1918.Ten Rupee Note – 1918Five Rupee Note – 1919One Rupee Note – 1919One Thousand Rupee Note – 1926
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I (1720-1748)
Mir Ahmed Ali Khan Siddiqi, Nizam-ud-Dowlah Nasir Jang (1748-1750)
Nawab Hidayat Mohi-ud-din Sa'adu'llah Khan Bahadur, Muzaffar Jang (1750-1751)
Nawab Syed Mohammed Khan Siddiqi, Amir ul Mulk, Salabat Jang (1751-1762)
Nawab Mir Nizam Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Nizam ul Mulk, Asaf Jah II (1762-1803)
Nawab Mir Akbar Ali Khan Sikandar Jah Siddiqi, Asaf Jah III (1803-1829)
Nawab Mir Farkhonda Ali Khan Siddiqi Nasir-ud-Daulah, Asaf Jah IV (1829-1857)
Nawab Mir Tahniat Ali Khan Siddiqi Afzal ud Daulah, Asaf Jah V (1857-1869)
Fateh Jang Nawab Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi, Asaf Jah VI (1869-1911)
Fateh Jang Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi, Asaf Jah VII (1911-1967)
Nizam a shortened version of Nizam-ul-Mulkedw, meaning Administrator of the Realm, was the title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad State, India, since 1719, belonging to the Asaf Jah dynasty. The dynasty was founded by Mir Qamar-ud-Din Siddiqi, a viceroy of the Deccan under the Mughal emperors from 1713 to 1721 and who intermittently ruled under the title Asaf Jah in 1724, and After Aurangzeb's death in 1707, the Mughal Empire crumbled and the viceroy in Hyderabad, the young Asaf Jah, declared himself independent.
By the middle of 18th century, the scions, known as The Nizams, had quickly surpassed the Mughals ruling a vast dominion of about 125,000,000 acres (510,000 km2) in south India. They were among the wealthiest people in the world. Seven Nizams ruled Hyderabad for two centuries until Indian independence in 1947.
The Asaf Jahi rulers were great patrons of literature, art, architecture,culture, jewelry collection and rich food. The Nizams ruled the state until its integration into the Indian Union in September 1948 after independence from the British. Nizams were Shia muslims.
Family OriginsThe Asaf Jahi dynasty originated in the region around Samarkand, but the family came to India from Baghdad in the late 17th century. Shaikh Mir Ismail (Alam Shaikh Siddiqi) Alam ul-Ulema,son of Ayub younus Salim, son of Abdul Rehman Shaikh Azizan Siddiqi, fourteenth in direct decent from Sheikh Shihab-ud-din Siddiqi Suhrawardy, of Suharwada in Kurdistan, a celebrated [Sufi] mystic, or dervish, maternal (first), a lady of the family of Mir Hamadan (a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed), a distinguished Sayyid of Samarkand.
Origin of the Nizam TitleNizām-ul-mulk was a title first used in Urdu around 1600 to mean Governor of the realm or Deputy for the Whole Empire. The word is derived from the Arabic word, nizām (نظام), meaning order, arrangement. The Nizam was referred to as Ala Hadrat /Ala Hazrat or Nizam Sarkar, meaning His Exalted Highness (The last Nizam was awarded this title. It is a heredity title).
Rise of the NizamsThe first Nizams ruled on behalf of the Mughal emperors. But, after the death of Aurangazeb, the Nizams split away from the Mughals to form their kingdom. When the British achieved paramountcy over India, the Nizams were allowed to continue to rule their princely states. The Nizams retained power over Hyderabad State until September 1948 when it was integrated into the Indian Union.
The Asaf Jah dynasty had only seven rulers; however there was a period of 13 years after the rule of the first Nizam when three of his sons (Nasir Jung, Muzafar Jung and Salabath Jung) ruled. They were not officially recognized as the rulers.
A legend about the first Nizam states that, on one of his hunting trips he was offered some kulchas (an Indian bread) by a holy man and was asked to eat as many as he could. The Nizam could eat seven kulchas and the holy man then prophesied that seven generations of his family would rule the state.
The Nizams, by an honoured Hyderabad tradition that no Nizam has ever left India no matter how good a reason might exist for doing so, they believed, "the Sovereign is too precious to his people ever to leave India.".
Ever since Hyderabad stood aloof from the great first war of Indian Independence of 1857 while betraying many Indians and also at time acting against those who opposed the British such as Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan, its Royal Family had been accorded by British Royalty special honours and the Nizam was given the official status of Faithful Ally.
HYDERABAD FEUDATORIES
ELICHPUR
C# 10a PAISA
11.5000 g., Copper Obv: Tiger left Note: Size varies 18-20mm.
WANPARTI
C# 80 RUPEE
Silver Obv: “J” Obv. Inscription: Muhammad Akbar (II)
Rev: “A” in Nagari Note: Weight varies 10.70-11.60 grams.
SHORAPUR
AURANGABAD
C# 30 TOKA CASH
Copper Note: C#28 and #30 were named after Toka Raj who
operated the Aurangabad Mint under a state license from about 1830.
C# 40 RUPEE
Silver Obv. Inscription: Shah Alam (II) Note: Weight varies
10.7 - 11.6 grams.
KALAYANI
