Hasan Raza Khan
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Mirza Hasan Raza Khan Sarfarazuddaula Intizamulmulk (died 1801) was the Prime Minister of Awadh from September 1776 to June 1796 in the regime of Asaf-ud-daula.[1]
Personal
Little is known of Hasan Raza Khan's antecedents except that he was the son of Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, who had perhaps held the post of "superintendent of the kitchen" under Shujauddaula.[nt 1] Ibrahim Khan's father, Jansipar Khan, seems to have been a man of some consequence in Aurangzeb's time. Hasan Raza married the daughter of Ghulam Ali Khan, a courtier of Shujauddaula, and became a close friend of Muhammad Bashir Khan, an influential nobleman. By him he was introduced to the nawab who appointed him "superintendent of the kitchen" (darogha-i-bawarchikhana).[nt 2] He was known in those days by the name of Mirza Hasnu. Gradually he became a favourite of Shujauddaula, and after the death of Mian Basant was appointed "superintendent of the audience chamber" (darogha-i-diwankhana).[nt 3] After the nawab's death he fell into the background until the time he was appointed chief minister with the title of Sarfarazuddaula Intizamulmulk.[1]
Rise to power
After the death of Mukhtaruddaula and Ilich Khan in quick succession, Asafuddaula chose Hasan Raza Khan for the post of his chief minister. He commanded respect from all. The Residents, Ives and Cherry, write well of him as does Shore.[nt 4] His defects were his pride and illiteracy for which it was found necessary to appoint an assistant. Haidar Beg Khan was chosen for that office which he occupied till his death in 1792. It was he who in fact wielded all the authority leaving the patronage to his chief. Haidar Beg is, therefore, referred to in all the English correspondence of the period as the Acting Minister. After Haidar Beg's death Raja Tikait Rai was appointed at post of acting minister. Like Haidar Beg he also exercised uncontrolled authority.[1]
As chief minister Hasan Raza had little to do except accompany the nawab on his tours and hunting expeditions, but he received a handsome salary and nazars from the people on Id and other festivals. He was respected as a brother by Asafuddaula who called him bhaia.[nt 5] He can be said to have improved the 'tone' of the Court. He was deeply religious and did much for the instruction of the people in the principles and rites of the Shia sect.[nt 6][1]
He continued to be the chief minister till almost the end of Asafuddaula's days. During the residency of Cherry (April 1794- July 1796) he and his assistant, Raja Tikait Rai, joined the Resident in trying to reduce the influence of the nawab's favourites, Raja Jhao Lai, etc. This displeased the nawab who dismissed the ministers and got Cherry recalled in June 1796. Hasan Raza was reinstated by Shore after the deposition of Wazir Ali,[nt 7] but Sa'adat AH who had no patience with inefficiency asked him to retire with a pension of Rs. 25,000 a month. He refused the pension out of pride and lived for some time in great distress, practically on the charity of John Lumsden (Resident) and Almas. Later on, however, he applied through the Resident for the pension, but the nawab now offered to pay only Rs. 8,000 a month and the Resident refused to plead for him any more. Hasan Raza indignantly refused and retired completely from public life. He died in great poverty in 1801.[nt 8][1]
Famine of 1784-85
Nawab Asif-ud-daula along with his prime minister Mirza Hasan Raza Khan and deewan Raja Tikait Rai, established a charitable institution (Rifah-e-Aam) which provided relief to thousands.[2]