HYDERABAD, an extensive province of Hindustan, in the Deccan, which is situated principally between the 16th and 19th degrees of north latitude. The name is now applied generally to all the territories of the nizam, so that it is exceedingly difficult to ascertain its exact limits. This territory composed a considerable portion of the ancient Selingana. The country is hilly, but not mountainous, being for the most part an elevated table-land, in consequence of which the climate is colder than might be expected from the latitude. During three months of the year the thermometer at the city of Hyderabad, and in the country to the north, is often as low as 45°, 40°, and even 35° of Fahrenheit. The country is fertile, and, under proper management, would yield abundantly. But the whole territory is principally rented to powerful zemindars, or is granted in jaghires to the officers of government. This distribution of the landed property, which, with the exception of some portions set aside for charitable purposes, and the estates of the nizam and the different branches of his family, is in the hands of a few individuals, is supposed to be injurious to agriculture, and of course to the interests of the revenue. The cultivators are wretchedly poor, and are much oppressed by their superiors the holders, who are subject to little or no restraint from their nominal sovereign. Where they are properly cultivated, the fields yield excellent crops of wheat, which is transported by the inland carriers to the sea-coast, whence
salt is brought in return. The districts acquired by the nizam are particularly rich and fertile. But as agriculture is discouraged by the oppression of the cultivators, commerce is obstructed by heavy and injudicious internal taxes. In 1801 the custom-duties on importation amounted to 15 per cent., which formed the principal revenue of the state; and when the British remonstrated against the impolicy of these internal duties, the nizam evinced the most decided aversion to reduce them, and still more to abolish them, which was the counsel of the British government. It was at length agreed that the tax should be reduced to two and a half per cent. But even the levying of this duty was attended with such oppressions and vexation, that it greatly impeded commerce. At present, the principal trade carried on between the nizam's dominions and those under the British government, consists in the exportation of cotton to Berar and to the Northern Circars, and also to the markets at Vellore, Arnee, and the vicinity. They bring back salt and salted fish, cloths manufactured in the Northern Circars, Arnee muslins, and European manufactures; the latter principally for the supply of the British forces subsidised by the nizam, and for clothing his army. The chief towns of this kingdom are Hyderabad, Golconda, Warangole, Aurungabad, Beder, and Ellichipore. The majority of the people are Hindus; but having been long the seat of a Mahomedan government, a considerable portion of the inhabitants are of that religion.
This country was formerly subject to the rajahs of Telingana and Bijanagur; but being afterwards conquered by the Mahomedans, was formed into a separate kingdom in the year 1512, under the name of Golconda, by Mahomed Kooly, originally a Turkish adventurer. In 1657, it was brought under the dominion of Aurungzeb, and was converted into one of the provinces of the Mogul empire, and, with the other five southern provinces, was formed into a viceroyalty, under an officer appointed by the court of Delhi, called the soobahdar of the Deccan. In 1719, a Mogul officer, Cheen Khilij Khan, being appointed to this government, with the title of Nizam al Moolk, or superintendent of the kingdom, collected a large army, and got possession of all the strongholds of the Deccan; and setting up for independence, he overawed the emperor Mahomed Shah and his ministers. After the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739, he left to the Mogul nothing but the name of sovereign; and having made Aurungabad his capital, he died at Boorhanpore in the year 1748, aged 104 years. He was succeeded by his second son, who was assassinated in 1750, and succeeded by his nephew Muzaffer Jung, who was assassinated the following year, and succeeded by his cousin Salabut Jung. He had been confined for ten years by his brother Nizam Ali, who for nearly twenty years was engaged in wars with Hyderabad, the British, and the Mahrattas, during which his territories were greatly contracted. On the 12th of October 1800, he concluded a treaty offensive and defensive, by which he became a dependent and ally of the British. He agreed to receive into his territories a British force of 8000 infantry and 1000 cavalry; to relinquish to the British the management of all his foreign relations; and, for the regular payment of the troops stationed in his country, to cede certain portions of territory to the British. By a commercial treaty concluded in 1802 with the British, it was agreed, in lieu of all local duties, that a duty of five per cent. should be levied on all articles respectively imported into the territories of each. In 1804, after the conclusion of the war with Scindia and the rajah of Nagpoor, the nizam acquired a large accession of territory. At present the nizam's dominions comprehend the greater part of Berar, the whole of Hyderabad, Nandore, and Beeder, and part of Aurungabad and Bejapoor.
Towards the Nagpoor territories their limits are marked by the course of the Wurda river, and on the one side of the British by the Krishna and Toombuddra. This territory may be estimated in length at 420 by 220 miles, and contains 8,000,000 of inhabitants.