Fakhruddin
Khan was born in Hyderabad in 1776. He was only 10 years old when his father, Tegh
Jung Bahadur, died. When still a boy he had received the titles of Imam Jung Ill,
Khurshid-ud-Doula and Khurshid-ulM ulk from His Highness Nawab Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf
Jah II. Later the Nizam conferred on him the title of Shams-ul-Umara II and gave
him in marriage his daughter Bashir-un-Nisa Begum. In 1797 he was given Rs. 10,000
as mansab and made the Commander-in-Chief of 10,000 cavalry. The title of Amir-e-Kabir
was conferred on him by His Highness Nawab Nasir-ud-Doula Bahadur. Fakhruddin Khan
was a very learned man. The three Nizams in whose time he lived consulted him on
important matters and valued his suggestions greatly. He had several English and
Arabic books translated into Urdu and Persian. He had his own observatory which
was equipped with the latest instruments from Europe. The first school in Hyderabad,
Madrasa-aF akharia, was opened by him. Fakhruddin Khan died in 1862 aged 86.
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