India: Nasir-ud-dawlah, Asaf Jah IV, Nizam of Hyderabad (r. 1829-1857)

The Nizam of Hyderabad, was a former monarchy of Hyderabad State, now divided into the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra on a linguistic basis.

From 1724, Nizam, shortened from Nizam-ul-Mulk, meaning Administrator of the Realm, was the title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad State who belonged 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. He intermittently ruled after Aurangzeb's death in 1707 and under the title Asaf Jah in 1724, the Mughal Empire crumbled and the viceroy in Hyderabad, the young Asaf Jah, declared himself independent. From 1798 Hyderabad was one of the princely states of India, but it retained control of its internal affairs.

Seven Nizams ruled Hyderabad for two centuries until Indian independence in 1947. The Asaf Jahi rulers were great patrons of literature, art, architecture, culture, jewellery collection and rich food. The Nizams ruled until 17 September 1948 and surrendered to Indian forces in what became known as a 'Police Action' after the Indian Army's 'Operation Polo'. The Nizam's delegation to the United Nations in New York and the UK Government in London was too late to prevent the annexation of the independent Hyderabad state by India into Indian territory. Initially it was integrated into the Indian Union, and in 1956 divided on linguistic lines and merged into neighbouring Indian states.

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