2021-08-31 Tue

The Hyderabad state was founded by Mir Qamarud din Khan, the governor of Deccan under the Mughals from 1713 to 1721. He held the grand titles of AsafJah, NizamulMulk, and Nizam of Hyderabad. When the Mughal rule was ending he established his own Asaf Jahi dynasty. Asaf was a descendant of the first Khalifa of Islam. They originally belonged to Baghdad but came to India in the 17th century.

The Nizam was coerced to sign the agreement which made Hyderabad fall under the protection of the British. In the Second and Third Maratha Wars, Hyderabad was a British ally. Even during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the state maintained solidarity with the British government.

Mir Usman Ali Khan issued a gold Half Ashrafi coin from Haidarabad (FarkhandaBunyad) mint in 1337 AH. The obverse of the coin depicts, “Charminar with full Ain inside the archway, with inscribed legends, AsafJahNizam-Ul-Mulk on right and Bahadur on the left with AH 1337 below, Ornamental border around the circle”. And the reverse of the coin depicts, “Persian legends, Mint name with regnal year, Ornamental border around the circle”.

Image Courtesy: Mintage World