Azam Jah

General Azam Jah, Walashan Nawab Mir Sir Himayat Ali Khan Bahadur, GCIE, GBE, MSM (21 February 1907-9 October 1970) was the eldest son of the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan Asif Jah VII; As Prince of Berar, he was a minor monarch in his own right.

His wife was Princess Durr-e-Shevar who was one of the daughters of Abdul Mejid II, the last Ottoman Caliph and cousin and heir of the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. It has been suggested that through this dynastic union of one of the richest ruling Muslim families(The Nizam was regarded by TIME magazine in 1937 with a fortune of $2 billion as then richest person in world,He is also regarded as fifth wealthiest man in history with a fortune of $210 biilion(inflation adjusted to 2008 terms) at its peak) with the impoverished and exiled House of Osman(The administrative House of the Caliphs), the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad hoped to acquire the Caliphate for his descendants. His oldest son, Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah is the current pretender to the throne of Hyderabad.

He lived at Bella Vista, Hyderabad, a 10 acre palace near Hussain Sagar.

Titles

*1907-1911: Second Wali Ahad Nawab Mir Himayat 'Ali Khan Bahadur
*1911-1936: Wali Ahad Nawab Mir Himayat 'Ali Khan Bahadur
*1936-1937: Major His Highness Azam Jah, Walashan Nawab Mir Himayat 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Prince of Berar, General of the Hyderabad State Forces.
*1937-1943: Major His Highness Azam Jah, Walashan Nawab Mir Himayat 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Prince of Berar, General of the Hyderabad State Forces.
*1943-1946: Major His Highness Azam Jah, Walashan Nawab Mir Himayat 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Prince of Berar, General of the Hyderabad State Forces, GBE
*1946-1970: Major His Highness Azam Jah, Walashan Nawab Mir Sir Himayat 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Prince of Berar, General of the Hyderabad State Forces, GCIE, GBE

Honours

*King George V Silver Jubilee Medal-1935
*King George VI Coronation Medal-1937
*Nizam Silver Jubilee Medal-1937
*Tunis Victory Medal-1942
*Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)-1943
*Defence Medal-1945
*British War Medal-1945
*Hyderabad War Medal-1945
*Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)-1945
*Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE)-1946

External links

* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,742647,00.html TIME magazine feature]
* [http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2004/02/25/stories/2004022500270300.htm The Hindu: "The prince and the palace"]
* [http://www.hindu.com/2006/02/10/stories/2006021011660400.htm When marriage brought continents closer]
* [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/hyder11.htm Biography]