Nawab of Banganapalle
Encyclopedia
The Nawab of Banganapalle was the leader of Banganapalle
, a fief of the Mughal empire
which later became a princely state
of British India, before being incorporated into Kurnool district
of the Madras Presidency
.
Sultan Ismail Adil Shah
of Bijapur conquered Banganapalle
from Raja Nanda Chakravathy ca. 1601. He conferred the command of the fort and surrounding districts on his victorious general, Siddhu Sumbal, who held them until 1665. Muhammad Beg Khan-e Rosebahani
succeeded him as commander of the fort and perpetual fiefholder of the surrounding jagir. He died without natural male heirs, leaving his possessions to his grandson or adopted son and namesake, Muhammad Beg Khan Najm-i-Sani, entitled Faiz Ali Khan Bahadur. The latter secured confirmation of his rights following the Mughal conquest of Bijapur, through the intervention of his maternal uncle Nawab Khwaja Muhammad Mubariz Khan Bahadur, who served as Aurangzeb
's Subedar
of the Deccan. Faiz Ali Khan Bahadur was son of Nawab Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur
.
The family of Faiz Ali Khan Bahadur, along with those of the Nawabs of Cambay and of Masulipatam
, descend from Amir Yawar Ahmad Khan Najm-i-Sani, sometime vicegerent under Shah Ismail Safawi of Persia. They migrated to India
during the reign of Emperor Akbar, married into the Indian Mughal aristocracy and rose to high military commands. Faiz Ali and his elder brother Fazl Ali were military officers under the Bijapur Sultans and transferred their allegiance to the Mughals after their conquest of the Deccan. Fazl Ali received Chenchelimala in fief, at about the same time as his brother had received Banganapalle
. On his death, Fazl Ali left his jagir to his younger brother.
The ruling family of Banganapalle
trace their descent from Sayyid Muhammad Khan Rizvi, sometime Grand Vizier to Shah Abbas II of Persia. Tahir Ali, his younger son is said to have been forced to leave Persia due to the jealousy of his elder brother. He entered Bijapur as a faqir where he was taken into the service of a Minister to Adil Shah
. He married one of the Kings daughters and rose in prominence. Tahir was murdered by his brothers-in-law, forcing his widow to flee into the Carnatic
with her two orphaned sons. The younger son, Sayyid Muhammad Khan Naqdi, became a mansabdar
under Sadu'llah Khan. He married the granddaughter of Faiz Ali Khan, by whom he left two sons. The elder of the two, Husain Ali
, inherited Banganapalle on the death of his childless maternal uncle, Nawab Fazl Ali Khan III Bahadur
. The younger brother, Asad Ali, inherited Chenchelimala in jagir.
Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur
reigned during the ascendancy of Hyder Ali
, and was forced into an uneasy compromise by which he became a senior military officer in his service. At his death in 1783, his minor eldest son, Ghulam Muhammad Ali, succeeded under the guardianship of his uncle. Within a year both fell foul of Tipu Sultan
, and fled with the rest of their family to Hyderabad. Uncle and nephews returned in 1789, defeated Tipu's forces and resumed control. Shortly afterwards, Asad Ali Khan gave his daughter in marriage to his nephew and bestowed his as dowry. Thereafter, Chenchelimala has formed part of the Banganapalle state.
Ghulam Muhammad Ali, enjoyed a long reign, but becoming wary of governing his small state, abdicated his rights in favour of his eldest son, Husain Ali II
in 1822. The latter, however, proved to be a poor financial manager and began accumulating large debts. Several attempts by the government to introduce reforms proved fruitless, until exasperation resulted in his deposition in 1832. The government annexed Banganapalle to the Madras Presidency
and the Nawab retired to Hyderabad on a pension.
Financial and administrative reforms having restored the state to solvency, the Governor of Madras-in-Council decided to return Banganapalle
to the former Nawab in 1848. He died without male heirs, before the government issued orders for the transfer. Consequently, the act of restoration was effected in favour of his elder son-in-law and nephew, Ghulam Muhammad Ali. The latter also died without male heirs in 1868, succeeded in turn by his son-in-law and nephew.
Sayyid Fath-i-Ali Khan proved to be a model ruler during the early years of his reign, receiving many honours during his lifetime. Alas, financial mismanagement during his latter years reduced the state once more to the brink of insolvency. Therefore, the government imposed an administrator only a few months before his death in 1905.
Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan III succeeded his father as a minor in 1905, but was invested with full ruling powers three years later, after the finances and administration had been reformed. His reign saw momentous changes and was, by most accounts, stable and effective. He died in 1922 leaving his little state to his eldest son, Mir Fazl Ali Khan III.
Within a few years of Mir Fazl Ali Khan III succession, the state was back in pecuniary embarrassment. Several attempts at persuading the Nawab to curb his expenditure failed. Drought and the world economic depression worsened the financial crisis, eventually prompting the government to establish yet another period of administration. This too failed to achieve its effects as the Nawab continued to exercise considerable power within the state and to hamper the efforts of the administrator. The government eventually ordered him to reside outside the state in 1939. These orders being rescinded and the Nawab permitted to resume charge shortly before independence, so that he could exercise his sovereignty in making an empty choice to join India
or Pakistan
in 1947. Within a year, the old Nawab was succeeded by his only son, Nawab Mir Ghulam 'Ali Khan. The latter appeared on the national stage very briefly in 1970 to challenge the government of Indira Gandhi
when she first attempted to de-recognise the princes. He won his battle when the Supreme Court
decided that the Prime Minister's action as void in law. However, she introduced new legislation following her subsequent election victory which nullified the courts decision a year later.
Crest: cap below a star and crescent, all or.
Supporters: Cheval rampant, gules and or.
Motto
: "Magna est veritas et praevalebit" or on a riband vert.
Lambrequins: Or.
Banganapalle
Banganapalle is a town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies in Kurnool district, 70 km south of the town of Kurnool. Banganapalle is famous for its mangoes, commonly called 'Banginpalli variety' and even has a cultivar, Banganapalli, named after it...
, a fief of the Mughal empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
which later became a princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of British India, before being incorporated into Kurnool district
Kurnool district
Kurnool District is a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, located in the west-central part of the state on the southern banks of the Tungabhadra and Handri rivers. The town of Kurnool is currently the headquarters of the district...
of the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
.
Princely history
Ismail Adil Shah
Isamail Adil Shah was the king of Bijapur who spent most of his time extending his territory. His short lived reign helped the dynasty establish a strong hold in the deccan.-Early years:...
of Bijapur conquered Banganapalle
Banganapalle
Banganapalle is a town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies in Kurnool district, 70 km south of the town of Kurnool. Banganapalle is famous for its mangoes, commonly called 'Banginpalli variety' and even has a cultivar, Banganapalli, named after it...
from Raja Nanda Chakravathy ca. 1601. He conferred the command of the fort and surrounding districts on his victorious general, Siddhu Sumbal, who held them until 1665. Muhammad Beg Khan-e Rosebahani
Muhammad Beg Khan-e Rosebahani
Muhammad Beg Khan-e Rosebahani was Qiladar and Jagirdar of Banganapalle. A supposed uncle of Imad ul-Mulk, Nawab Khwaja Muhammad Mubariz Khan Bahadur, Hizbar Jang, sometime Subadar of the Deccan and Wazir. Appointed as Qiladar of Banganapalle Fort and granted the surrounding districts in jagir by...
succeeded him as commander of the fort and perpetual fiefholder of the surrounding jagir. He died without natural male heirs, leaving his possessions to his grandson or adopted son and namesake, Muhammad Beg Khan Najm-i-Sani, entitled Faiz Ali Khan Bahadur. The latter secured confirmation of his rights following the Mughal conquest of Bijapur, through the intervention of his maternal uncle Nawab Khwaja Muhammad Mubariz Khan Bahadur, who served as Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's Subedar
Subedar
Subedar is a historical rank in the Indian Army, ranking below British commissioned officers and above non-commissioned officers. The rank was otherwise equivalent to a British lieutenant and was introduced in the East India Company's presidency armies, to make it easier for British officers to...
of the Deccan. Faiz Ali Khan Bahadur was son of Nawab Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur
Nawab Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur
Nawab Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur was Nawab of Masulipatam.He was the only son of Yusuf Khan Bahadur . His second son Nawab Hasan Ali Khan Bahadur succeeded him.-Genealogy:...
.
The family of Faiz Ali Khan Bahadur, along with those of the Nawabs of Cambay and of Masulipatam
Nawab of Masulipatam
The Nawabs of Masulipatam ruled under the Nizam in eastern India. The best known of them was Nawab Haji Hassan Khan.Their title later became Nawab of Banganapalle as they shifted from Masulipatam to Banganapalle...
, descend from Amir Yawar Ahmad Khan Najm-i-Sani, sometime vicegerent under Shah Ismail Safawi of Persia. They migrated to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
during the reign of Emperor Akbar, married into the Indian Mughal aristocracy and rose to high military commands. Faiz Ali and his elder brother Fazl Ali were military officers under the Bijapur Sultans and transferred their allegiance to the Mughals after their conquest of the Deccan. Fazl Ali received Chenchelimala in fief, at about the same time as his brother had received Banganapalle
Banganapalle
Banganapalle is a town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies in Kurnool district, 70 km south of the town of Kurnool. Banganapalle is famous for its mangoes, commonly called 'Banginpalli variety' and even has a cultivar, Banganapalli, named after it...
. On his death, Fazl Ali left his jagir to his younger brother.
The ruling family of Banganapalle
Banganapalle
Banganapalle is a town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies in Kurnool district, 70 km south of the town of Kurnool. Banganapalle is famous for its mangoes, commonly called 'Banginpalli variety' and even has a cultivar, Banganapalli, named after it...
trace their descent from Sayyid Muhammad Khan Rizvi, sometime Grand Vizier to Shah Abbas II of Persia. Tahir Ali, his younger son is said to have been forced to leave Persia due to the jealousy of his elder brother. He entered Bijapur as a faqir where he was taken into the service of a Minister to Adil Shah
Adil Shah
Adil or Adel Shah Afshar or Ali Qoli was Shah of Persia from 1747 until 1748.Subsequent to the assassination of Nader Shah in Fathabad , his nephew Ali Qoli declared himself Adil Shah , and shah of Persia...
. He married one of the Kings daughters and rose in prominence. Tahir was murdered by his brothers-in-law, forcing his widow to flee into the Carnatic
Carnatic region
The Carnatic coast is the region of South India lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Coromandel Coast, in the modern Indian states of Tamil Nadu, south eastern Karnataka and southern Andhra Pradesh....
with her two orphaned sons. The younger son, Sayyid Muhammad Khan Naqdi, became a mansabdar
Mansabdar
Mansabdar was the generic term for the military -type grading of all imperial officials of the Mughal Empire. The mansabdars governed the empire and commanded its armies in the emperor's name...
under Sadu'llah Khan. He married the granddaughter of Faiz Ali Khan, by whom he left two sons. The elder of the two, Husain Ali
Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur
Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur was Nawab of Banganapalle between 1769 and 1783. He belonged to the Naqdi Dynasty.-Birth:Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur was the elder son of Sayyid Muhammad Khan Naqdi, by his wife, Amat ul-Batul Khanum, daughter of Fazl Ali Khan II Bahadur.-Life:He entered the...
, inherited Banganapalle on the death of his childless maternal uncle, Nawab Fazl Ali Khan III Bahadur
Nawab Fazl Ali Khan III Bahadur
Nawab Fazl Ali Khan III Bahadur was Nawab of Banganapalle between 1758 and 1769. But his possessions was confirmed only in 1765.-Birth:Nawab Fazl Ali Khan III Bahadur was born in 1749 at Banganapalle...
. The younger brother, Asad Ali, inherited Chenchelimala in jagir.
Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur
Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur
Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur was Nawab of Banganapalle between 1769 and 1783. He belonged to the Naqdi Dynasty.-Birth:Sayyid Husain Ali Khan Bahadur was the elder son of Sayyid Muhammad Khan Naqdi, by his wife, Amat ul-Batul Khanum, daughter of Fazl Ali Khan II Bahadur.-Life:He entered the...
reigned during the ascendancy of Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
, and was forced into an uneasy compromise by which he became a senior military officer in his service. At his death in 1783, his minor eldest son, Ghulam Muhammad Ali, succeeded under the guardianship of his uncle. Within a year both fell foul of Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
, and fled with the rest of their family to Hyderabad. Uncle and nephews returned in 1789, defeated Tipu's forces and resumed control. Shortly afterwards, Asad Ali Khan gave his daughter in marriage to his nephew and bestowed his as dowry. Thereafter, Chenchelimala has formed part of the Banganapalle state.
Ghulam Muhammad Ali, enjoyed a long reign, but becoming wary of governing his small state, abdicated his rights in favour of his eldest son, Husain Ali II
Nawab Sayyid Husain Ali II Khan Bahadur
Nawab Sayyid Husain Ali II Khan Bahadur abducted his father and succeeded him as Nawab of Banganapalle in 1822, a position he held for ten years until 1832....
in 1822. The latter, however, proved to be a poor financial manager and began accumulating large debts. Several attempts by the government to introduce reforms proved fruitless, until exasperation resulted in his deposition in 1832. The government annexed Banganapalle to the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
and the Nawab retired to Hyderabad on a pension.
Financial and administrative reforms having restored the state to solvency, the Governor of Madras-in-Council decided to return Banganapalle
Banganapalle
Banganapalle is a town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies in Kurnool district, 70 km south of the town of Kurnool. Banganapalle is famous for its mangoes, commonly called 'Banginpalli variety' and even has a cultivar, Banganapalli, named after it...
to the former Nawab in 1848. He died without male heirs, before the government issued orders for the transfer. Consequently, the act of restoration was effected in favour of his elder son-in-law and nephew, Ghulam Muhammad Ali. The latter also died without male heirs in 1868, succeeded in turn by his son-in-law and nephew.
Sayyid Fath-i-Ali Khan proved to be a model ruler during the early years of his reign, receiving many honours during his lifetime. Alas, financial mismanagement during his latter years reduced the state once more to the brink of insolvency. Therefore, the government imposed an administrator only a few months before his death in 1905.
Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan III succeeded his father as a minor in 1905, but was invested with full ruling powers three years later, after the finances and administration had been reformed. His reign saw momentous changes and was, by most accounts, stable and effective. He died in 1922 leaving his little state to his eldest son, Mir Fazl Ali Khan III.
Within a few years of Mir Fazl Ali Khan III succession, the state was back in pecuniary embarrassment. Several attempts at persuading the Nawab to curb his expenditure failed. Drought and the world economic depression worsened the financial crisis, eventually prompting the government to establish yet another period of administration. This too failed to achieve its effects as the Nawab continued to exercise considerable power within the state and to hamper the efforts of the administrator. The government eventually ordered him to reside outside the state in 1939. These orders being rescinded and the Nawab permitted to resume charge shortly before independence, so that he could exercise his sovereignty in making an empty choice to join India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
or Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1947. Within a year, the old Nawab was succeeded by his only son, Nawab Mir Ghulam 'Ali Khan. The latter appeared on the national stage very briefly in 1970 to challenge the government of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
when she first attempted to de-recognise the princes. He won his battle when the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
decided that the Prime Minister's action as void in law. However, she introduced new legislation following her subsequent election victory which nullified the courts decision a year later.
Arms
Fort over two crossed lancers all or, with vert swallow tailed flags attached to the lances, on which are or swords points towards the lance, tassels from the top of each lance. Below, a stylised scroll above the motto.Crest: cap below a star and crescent, all or.
Supporters: Cheval rampant, gules and or.
Motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: "Magna est veritas et praevalebit" or on a riband vert.
Lambrequins: Or.
Flag
6'3"x9' rectangular horizontal bicolour of crimson over brown, in the centre, the state arms in colour.List of Nawabs
- The Najm-i-Sani dynastyNajm-i-Sani dynastyThe Najm-i-Sani dynasty is a Pashtun dynasty of rulers in India. It consisted of:* The Nawabs who ruled Masulipatam,* The first dynasty of Nawabs of Banganapalle,* The Nawabs who ruled Cambay,...
- Nawab Ali Quli Khan BahadurNawab Ali Quli Khan BahadurNawab Ali Quli Khan Bahadur was the ancestor of Nawabs of Banganapalle and Masulipatam. He belongs to The Najm-i-Sani Dynasty.-Genealogy:He was elder son of Faiz Beg Najm-i-Sani, and grandson of Nawab Mirza Muhammad Bakir Khan Najm-i-Sani, sometime Subadar of Multan, Oudh, Orissa, Gujarat and...
(Ancestor of Nawabs of BanganapalleBanganapalleBanganapalle is a town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It lies in Kurnool district, 70 km south of the town of Kurnool. Banganapalle is famous for its mangoes, commonly called 'Banginpalli variety' and even has a cultivar, Banganapalli, named after it...
& Masulipatam) - Muhammad Beg Khan-e RosebahaniMuhammad Beg Khan-e RosebahaniMuhammad Beg Khan-e Rosebahani was Qiladar and Jagirdar of Banganapalle. A supposed uncle of Imad ul-Mulk, Nawab Khwaja Muhammad Mubariz Khan Bahadur, Hizbar Jang, sometime Subadar of the Deccan and Wazir. Appointed as Qiladar of Banganapalle Fort and granted the surrounding districts in jagir by...
(1665-1686) (He does not belong to Najm-i-Sani dynasty) - Nawab Fazl Ali Khan I Bahadur (1686-1759)
- Nawab Fazl Ali Khan II Bahadur (1758-1769)
- Nawab Ali Quli Khan Bahadur
- The Naqdi dynastyNaqdi dynastyThe Naqdi dynasty, of Persian origin, were Nawabs who ruled Banganapalle and Chenchelimala from 1769 to 1948: see Second Dynasty of Banganapalle Nawabs. They trace their descent from one Sayyid Muhammad Khan Rizvi, who served as Vizier to Shah Safi of Persia in the 17th century....
- Sayyid Husain Ali Khan I Bahadur (1769-1783)
- Nawab Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan I BahadurNawab Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan I BahadurNawab Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan I Bahadur was twice Nawab of Banganapalle in India.The first time was between 1783 and 1784, as Jagirdar. His second reign was from 1789 to 1822...
(1783-1784) & (1789-1822) - Nawab Sayyid Husain Ali II Khan BahadurNawab Sayyid Husain Ali II Khan BahadurNawab Sayyid Husain Ali II Khan Bahadur abducted his father and succeeded him as Nawab of Banganapalle in 1822, a position he held for ten years until 1832....
(1822-1832) & (1848) - Nawab Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan II Bahadur (1848-1868)
- Nawab Sayyid Fath Ali Khan Bahadur (1868-1905)
- Nawab Sayyid Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan III Bahadur (1905-1922)
- Nawab Mir Fazl Ali Khan III Bahadur (1922-1948)
- Nawab Mir Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan IV Bahadur (1948-1983) (Just for namesake)
- Nawab Sayyid Fazl Ali Khan IV Bahadur (1983) (Just for namesake)