In 1748, Nizam-ul-Mulk died, aged 104 years. His second son, Nasir Jang, assumed the govern ment; but Muzafar Jang, a grandson of Nizam-ul Mulk, took the lead, declared himself subandar of the Dekhan, and joined Chanda Sahib and Dup leix, and in 1749 fought and won the battle of Ambur. Various intrigues occurred, in which Nasir Jang formed friendships with the three Pathan chiefs of Cuddapah, Kurnool, and Sava nore ; but he was attacked by the French before Ginjie, where one of the Pathan chiefs shot him. On this Muzafar Jang was released from prison and declared Nizam. He joined Chanda Sahib and the French under Dupleix, but he was assassi nated by the Nawab of Kurnool on his way to Hyderabad, in 1751, when 3f. Bussy declared Salabat Jang, the youngest uncle of the deceased, to be the Nawab of Arcot.
Salabat Jang alternately combined with and opposed M. Bussy, was deposed in July 1761, and was shortly after assassinated by his brother, Nizam Ali.
In 1763, Nizam All met the army of 3fadhava Rao, Peshwa, under Raghoba, on the banks of the Godavery, and was completely routed. From that time till the beginning of the 19th century the French and British influence alternated, until, under a treaty of date the 1st September 1798, the British surrounded and disbanded the French battalions. Since the treaty of the 1st September 1798, tinder renewed treaties, the Hyderabad Government has subsidized a brigade of the British Indian army. It has consisted of all arms, and has varied in strength from abave'4000 to over 16,000: In 1798 they numbered 6801 ; in 1820, 15,489 ; in 1867, 4494 ; and in 1882, 5683. To provide for their pay by the treaty of the 12th October 1800, the Nizam ceded all the territories he had acquired by the Mysore treaties of 1792 and 1799, yielding about 17,58,000 pagodas. These Ceded Territories comprise the collectorates of Bellary, Cuddapab, and Kurnool ; and from 1800-1 to 1880-81, the receipts have been Rs. 47,47,53,951, and charges IN. 16,24,66,997, net Rs. 31,22,87,954 in the 81 years, or annually Rs. 38,55,406. In addition to the subsidiary force, the Hyderabad Government has, since 1811, kept up another armed force, known as the Hyderabad Contingent. It had its origin in the inefficiency of the Nizam's troops, and has been commanded by European officers, some of whom were lent from the Indian army; but, after the treaty of 21st May 1853, the officers became entirely of the latter class, and until that change it was styled the Nizam's army. In 1811, the strength of its cavalry was 9000, and of the infantry and artillery 8000, with 25 guns and 20 European officers. From 1815, there has been a Oadual reduction of the Contingent. In 1853-54, when the change to the present system was made, the strength was 9799, with 37 guns and 881 camp followers ; and in 1880-81 the artillery and infantry numbered 5432, cavalry 2200, with 69 European officers, 20 warrant and non-commissioned officers, 16 guns, and 1040 camp followers. The total mili tary force of the Nizam has been returned as consisting of 71 field and 654 other guns, 551 artillerymen, 1400 cavalry, and 12,775 infantry, besides a large body of irregulars. The state is
entirely enclosed within British territory, and, with its good police, a very small armed force is needed. After the third decade of the 19th century, from the want partly of financial skill on the part of Chandoo I.al, Peshkar-i-Dewan, and partly from his general extravagance and retention of large bodies of foreign mercenaries, the pay of the Nizam's Contingent fell into arrears, and the Nizam assigned the Raichore Doab and Berar valley to provide funds for the pay. Raichore was early restored, but during all the minority of Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, the Dewan Regent, Sir Salar Jung, Bahadur, strove to recover Berar. This province was administrated by Commissioners, i under the Resident of Hyderabad. In 1871, it had 17,334 square miles, with a population of 2,231,565. In 1881, the population of Berar was 2,672,673 persons, and the population of the remainder of Hyderabad territory is estimated in the same table at 9,000,000.
Berar is, in the main, a broad valley running east and west, lying between the Satpura range on the north and the Ajunta range on the south. The area of Berar may be reckoned at a little more than 17,711 square miles. The principal rivers are the Tapti, the Puma, the Wardha, and the Pain-Ganga or Pranhita.
Of the Berar towns, Ellichpur is the largest, Oomrawati, Akola, and Akote (in the Akola district) follow.
The principal divisions of the people of Berar as to creed and caste were : Christians, . . . 1,335 Mahar, . . . 307,994 Brahman; . . . 65,754 OtherHindu eastes,871,457 Rajput, . . . . 44,133 Aborigines, . 163,519 Kunbi, . . . . 834,174 JaMs, . . . . 20,020 Wani , 67,071 Mahomedans, . . 187,555 Mali, 195,981 The chief numbers of the other Hindu castes in 1881 were as follows : Tell, 75 552 Gopal, . . . . 4,904 Dhangar, . . . 74,559 Khatik, . . . . 4,487 Banjara, . . 60,511 Dhor, . . . . 4,477 Mang, . . . . 46,366 Jakinkar, . . . 4,347 Mahali (Hajam), . 33,517 Manbhao, . . . 4,111 Koli, . . . . . 30,398 Kaikari, . . . . 3,103 Gaol!, . . . . 30,159 Bhat, . . . . 2,520 Wanjari, . . . 27,495 Lodhi, . . . . 1,773 Chumar, . . . 26,885 Bhamti, . . . . 1,693 Bari, 23,690 Madhaga, . . . 1,595 Bhoi, 22,961 Bedar, . . . . 1,273 Gosawi . . 13,013 Burud, . . . . 1,201 Rangari, . . 12,471 Berad, . . , . 330 Vidur, . . . . 11,747 Gujar, . . . 967 Beldar, . . . . 11,494 Galak, . . . . 356 Gurao, . . . . 9,234 Kau, . . . . 340 Nath, . . . . 9,113 Pas!, 256 Hatkar, . . . 8,605 Kahar, . . . . 247 Waddar, . . . 7,596 Mang-garodi, . . 218 Pardhi, . . . . 5,834 Ramusi, . . . 118 The Aborigines are detailed as under Andh, . . . . 37,010 Koilabhute, . . . 43 Arakh, . . . . 371 Korku, . . . . 28,450 Balai, . . . . 803 Lajar, . . . • 1,825 Bhil, 4,183 Moghe, . . . . 344 Gond, . . . 64,817 Nihal, . . . 2,483 Kolam, . . , 12,163 Pardhan, • . . 11,023 The Hindu religious mendicants are,-Byragi, Bharadi, Dangat, Gondhali, Gosain, Manbhao, Nath, Sanyasi, and Vasudi. The Mahomedan fakirs are of the tribes Kadari, Banawa, Madari, Chisti, Nakshbandi.