Niloufer The most Beautiful Ottoman Princess: Married to Junior Prince Moazzam Jah of Hyderabad. Not A Fairytale End.

The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was once the world hegemon with many famous victories on all sides. This empire has produced many excellent and outstanding people, in which, it is impossible not to mention Niloufer, the most beautiful princess in the world.

Princess Niloufer’s life is like a sad song with many difficulties and hardships, but it is special and meaningful.

 

The Beguiling Princess Begum Niloufer Khanum Sultana Farhat (1916 –1989) was one of the last princesses of the Ottoman Empire. She was born in the Goztepe Palace in Istanbul in Turkey. Princess was married with Prince Moazzam Jaah, the second son of the Nizam of Hyderabad, His Exalted Highness Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan.

“Niloufer Farhat Begum Sahiba was one of the last princesses of the Ottoman Empire. She was born on January 4, 1916 at Goztepe Palace in Istanbul. At that time when her maternal family was ruling the Ottoman Empire and her father was a prominent member of the court. In December 1918, at the age of 2, Niloufer suddenly lost his dear father.

 

Her mother, Adile Sultan, was a daughter of Şehzade Mehmed Salahuddin, the eldest son of Sultan Murad V, and a sister of Sultan Abdülmecid II, the last caliph.

 

Niloufer, at the age of eight, moved with her parents into exile in Nice in France France to live a more peaceful life. At the end of World War I, the ruling dynasty was deposed and Turkey was declared a republic. Later, in 1924, the Ottomans were exiled from Turkey. They settled in France.

 

This resulted Sultan, Abdul Majid II, who also had the title of the Khalifa, to give up his palatial possessions. For the Muslims worldwide, this was a low point in their history when the Khalifa himself became a poor man.

 

At that time, rescue came from the Nizam of Hyderabad.  The Nizam promised Khalifa a pension of 300 British Pounds a month.  On this income, the Khalifa maintained his establishment.

 

In 1931, when Princess Niloufer was 15 years old, her family introduced her to Indian Prince Moazzam Jah – a man 9 years older than her to marry.

 

The deposition of the Khalifa was a significant political event. During this Khilafat movement, to restore the Khalifat, Maulana Shaukat Ali came to be on very friendly terms with the Khalifa.

 

Seeing that the Khalifa had no son, Shoukat Ali proposed that the Khalifa’s daughter, Durru Shehvar, be married to Azam Jaah the elder son of Nizam.

 

The negotiations for the terms of the marriage started, but soon broke down as the Nizam felt that the requirement for the Mehr was exorbitant.  Eventually, the Nizam was able to get two marriages within the specified amount.

 

On December 20, 1931, at her maternal uncle's Palace in Nice, Niloufer was married at age 16 to Moazzam Jaah, second son of the last ruling Nizam of Hyderabad.

 

The Nizam's elder son and heir was married to Niloufer's first cousin, Dürrü şehvar, daughter of Sultan Abdülmecid II. The Khalifa himself acted as the Qazi.

 

They were taught how to wear sarees, and the expected etiquette in the presence of the Nizam.  With great trepidation, they boarded the train to Hyderabad.

 

Princess Niloufer and Junior prince Mouazzam Jaah

Thus, one of the last princesses of the Ottoman Empire, Princess Niloufer brought grace and rebellion to conservative India upon marrying Moazzam Jaah. Pushing boundaries with her sense of style and challenging traditional norms for women, she encouraged others to follow their hearts too. 

At that time, Niloufer possessed such a beautiful, heart-fluttering beauty that Moazzam Jah fell in love with her at first sight. The Indian prince did not want to marry anyone else and insisted on marrying Niloufer. On November 12, 1931, Niloufer married Moazzam Jah at Villa Carabacel in Nice, France.

 

The couple’s lavish wedding became the focus of media and public attention at that time. The pictures of this cult wedding are likened by the press to the fairy tale “One Thousand and One Nights”.

 

After the religious ceremony, the couple went to the consulate to complete the marriage formalities and confirm their prenuptial agreement. Accordingly, in the event that the husband divorces or dies, Niloufer will receive $ 75,000 (VND 1.7 billion) in compensation.

 

After a lavish wedding in Nice, Princess Niloufer followed her husband back to his hometown of Hyderabad, India.

 

Along the way, Niloufer was taught how to dress according to the traditions of her husband’s family and the rituals reserved for members of the royal family.

 

Niloufer traveled to India with her mother and a French-born midwife, who was chosen to help Princess Niloufer during her future pregnancy.

 

A banquet was held at the Chowmahalla Palace on 4 January 1932.

 

They then settled down in their respective homes. Niloufer and Mouazzam Jah settled in the Hill Fort building on Naubhat Pahad. Moazzam Jah doted on Niloufer, getting her painted and photographed.

Kothi Hilltop on Naubhat Pahad-Hyderabad

While Niloufer's private life seemed empty due to lack of children, she compensated by making her public life very glittering.

 

She was part of the elite women's club at the time, Lady Hydari Club.

 

Unlike other ladies in her family (this is true of both her natal family in Turkey and her marital family in India) who felt that their dignity and honor lay in not making public spectacles of themselves.

 

Niloufer preferred to move about the city quite freely, leaving the zenana of the palace frequently to attend public engagements, cocktail parties and late-night revels.

 

She attended many functions and also inaugurated several events. As no other lady of the Hyderabad royal family had ever moved about unveiled or attended cocktail parties or even official public events.

 

Niloufer came to be regarded as a torch-bearer for women's advancement. Her beauty and active public life received mention in the press, and she was featured on the cover pages of magazines. She was judged as one of the 10 most beautiful women in the world.

 

Niloufer and Dürrüşehvar brought much modernity to the Nizam's household. Well educated, sophisticated and westernised, they encouraged women in Hyderabad to come out of veils.

 

The proud Nizam used to accompany them to public events. Niloufer was the only person who addressed the Nizam as 'Papa', while his own daughters also addressed him only as 'Sarkar'.

 

In 1954, Niloufer received a call from Dürrüşehvar requesting help for the burial of her father.

 

She had made several efforts to have her father’s body buried in Istanbul, but could not obtain the permission of the Turkish government.

 

He had wanted to be buried in either Turkey or Hyderabad. Niloufer called one of her friends, Malik Ghulam Muhammad, a former official in the Nizam’s Government, and who was at that time the Governor-General of Pakistan.

 

He called Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the then King of Saudi Arabia to relay the request. The King agreed to grant the request, and he was finally buried in Saudi Arabia in the Al-Baqi'.

 

Behind the beauty is the pain of “can’t have children”

When the Princess arrived in Hyderabad, they were greeted by the royal family with a lavish banquet. After that, the couple Princess Niloufer and Prince Mouazzam Jah lived in the Hill Fort building at Naubhat Pahad, Telangana, India.

 

Behind the beauty is the pain of “can’t have children”

As the years passed, there would be a happy marriage, but the reality was so harsh, Princess Niloufer never got pregnant.

 

Prince Mouzzam Jah’s passionate love for his beautiful wife gradually subsided. Outwardly, Princess Niloufer maintained a calm demeanor and continued her glamorous marriage, but inside she was very tormented and longing to have a child.

 

The princess consulted with many doctors, but to no avail.Although she could not bear children, Princess Niloufer’s flawless beauty was still praised by the people and in the 30s – 50s, she became a true fashion icon.

 

Niloufer was invited to many events and even received a number of Hollywood movie offers. However, she politely declined all such invitations.

 

Niloufer’s marriage to the Prince of India cooled down because she was unable to conceive.

 

Besides, Princess Niloufer is also often invited to take pictures for some prestigious fashion magazines and was voted the most beautiful person in the world. At that time, Niloufer made a strong impression with top fashion sense.

 

When in India, Niloufer always wears traditional clothes and when traveling, she wears trendy European-style clothes.

 

Photographers and the press all love the elegant and graceful beauty of Princess Niloufer. The special traditional Indian costumes that princess Niloufer used to wear are still being studied and researched by fashion students around the globe.

 

While trying to conceive, Princess Niloufer witnessed a case that made her decide to change history. It was one of her maids who died after giving birth due to lack of medical facilities in 1949.

 

This tragic case made Princess Niloufer very heartbroken, she begged and tried to convince her father-in-law to set up a specialized hospital for women and children.

 

This hospital is named after her Niloufer. In a society that still favors men and despises women, having a hospital exclusively for women is a dramatic change.

 

Living in an increasingly cold marriage with the fear of not being able to have children, Princess Niloufer managed to forget it by enthusiastically participating in social and charitable activities.

 

She often leaves the Palace to attend public exchanges and participate in cultural and entertainment events. Ms. Niloufer is considered a pioneer for the advancement of women in India. Her beauty and active life make Niloufer the idol of many women around the world.

 

However, Niloufer’s lavish lifestyle and glamorous image are only a front to help her hide her desire to have children and her unhappy married life. In 1948, Prince Moazzam Jah married his second wife, who soon bore him three daughters.

The marriage between Moazzam Jah and Niloufer became increasingly stale, the two no longer had feelings for each other and they finally divorced in 1952.

 

After divorcing her husband, Niloufer returned to France to live with her mother. At the age of 36, she still has a gorgeous beauty, continues to attract the attention of the press.

 

On February 21, 1963, at the age of 47, Niloufer remarried to Edward Julius Pope Jr. in Paris, France.

 

Her second husband is 3 years younger than her. He is a diplomat, businessman, screenwriter and film producer.

 

Mr. Edward had planned to make a movie about his wife’s life. Princess Niloufer lived a peaceful life with her second husband and the couple did not have children.

 

She died in Paris, France on June 12, 1989, at the age of 73. She was buried at Bobigny cemetery in France.

 

Niloufer’s legacy is still handed down to this day.

After the princess died, Mr. Edward left France to return to America. There he married his childhood schoolmate Evelyn Maddox Pope in 1990 and Edward died five years later.

 

After Edward’s death, Princess Niloufer’s legacy was honored by her husband’s second wife Evelyn, which continues to be preserved through donations and exhibitions to this day.

 

Princess Niloufer Farhat Begum of Hyderabad was the ‘Kohinoor of Hyderabad’ and one of the most beautiful women in the world. “Princess Niloufer’s extraordinary beauty made her an object of admiration by the public.

The End

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