An Indian ruler, a nobleman of India.
Decadent Moslem rulers who after the fall of the Mogul empire controlled a part of northern India. The first ruler was Burhan-ul-mulk who rained from 1724 until 1739, the last one was Wajid Ali Shah, who reigned from 1847 until 1856, the year in which the British annexed Avadh. That incorporation led in 1857 to the great Indian Mutiny with the sad climax the slaughtering in the Residency ( see travelogue - day 21 / Lucknow). In spite of the decadence the fine arts, especially dance and music, flourished well under the regime of the Nawabs.
a governor in India during the Mogual empire
used alone, refers to the ruler of the state of Hyderabad.
Nawab (Urdu: نواب, Hindi: नवाब) was originally the subedar (provincial governor) or viceroy of a subah (province) or region of the Mughal empire, but became a high title for Muslim nobles.
