Zulfikhar Ali Khan

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Zulfikhar Ali Khan was the son of Nawab Azad Khan, Wazir (minister) of the Mughal Empire. He and his forefathers exercised powerful influence in the Court of the Mughal Empire.

The Emperor Aurungazeb had sent a large army to the South to fight with the Marathas, and Zulfikhar Ali Khan was its Commander-in-Chief. With him came Kam Baksh, the youngest son of the Emperor to the South.

In 1689, Zulfikhar Ali Khan laid siege to Gingee. But he was defeated in 1690 by the Marathas. However, in the same year he was created "Nawab of the Carnatic" by the Emperor, Aurungazeb, being made subject to the Subahdar (Viceroy) of the Deccan, the Nizam of Hyderabad.

Though he was defeated in 1690 by the Marathas, Zulfikhar Ali Khan was not to leave the Marathas to go on. He made all efforts to gather men, ammunition and money for a successful war with them. In 1697, he rose against the Marathas with a strong reinforcement and defeated them near Tanjore. In 1698, he recaptured Gingee also. In the critical efforts of Zulfikhar Ali Khan, to strengthen his army, Fort St. George's Governor Elihu Yale, the founder of Yale college, later to grow into Yale University in the U.S.A., helped in all possible ways. When a rebellion broke out in the Mughal army in latter years, Governor Yale rushed to Zulfikhar's rescue and the rebellion was suppressed by Zulfikhar Ali Khan.

Zulfikhar Ali Khan had a friendly relationship with the English East India Company and with Governor Yale in particular. To improve their relationship with the Nawab, the East India Company used to send him presents now and then and assist him at the time of his need. In return for the assistance extended by the East India Company, during the war against the Marathas and the rebellion, Zulfikhar Ali Khan obtained "firmans" confirming the existing grants for the factories of Madras, Masulipatnam, Madapallam, Vizagapatam, Fort St. David, Cuddalore and Porto Novo and making new grants of Egmore, Purasawalkam and Tondiarpet.

Zulfikhar Ali Khan, being the son of a responsible Officer of the Empire, enjoyed great influence with the Emperor, apart from being the Commander of the Mughal Army. He was the Governor of all the territories of the Emperor, South of the River Krishna. As the events went, it was the strong will and tireless efforts of Zulfikhar Ali Khan that made possible the recapture of the lost territories of the Mughals from the Marathas. It can therefore be said that he had earned the title of the Nawab by dint of his tireless efforts rather than bestowed with it.