Berar Province

Berar Province वर्‍हाड
Province of British India under the nominal sovereignty of Hyderabad State
← 1724–1903 →
Flag
Hyderabad and Berar Province in 1903
History
•	The Nizam of Hyderabad becomes the de jure sovereign of Berar	1724
•	Establishment of the Berar Division	1903
Area
•	1881	29,340 km2(11,328 sq mi)
Population
•	1881	2,672,673
	Density	91.1 /km2  (235.9 /sq mi)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

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Berar Province (Marathi: वर्‍हाड Varhāḍ), known also as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, was a province of British India. The province, formerly ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad, was administered by the British after 1853, although the Nizam retained formal sovereignty over the province. After 1 October 1903 the administration of the province was placed under the commissioner-general for the Central Provinces as the Berar Division. In 1936 with the establishment of the legislative assembly of the 'Central Provinces and Berar' the territory was renamed the Central Provinces and Berar.

Berar had a population of 2,672,673 in 1881, of mostly Marathi language speakers. The total area of the territory was 113,281 square miles (293,400 km²). It is now part of Maharashtra state, and where it is forms part of Vidarbha region. The boundaries of Berar have changed historically, but the British province corresponds to Maharashtra's Amravati Division.

Before the Mughal occupation, Berar was part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate of Ahmadnagar. It was ceded to the emperor Akbar by Chand Bibi in 1596, unable to stand against the imperial forces led by prince Mirza Murad. After this initial victory Prince Mirza Murad settled in Berar with Balapur as his headquarters. Near Balapur he founded a new city named Shahpur and constructed a beautiful palace for himself. As his relationship was deteriorating with Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, the commander of the army, Akbar recalled Khan-i-Khanan and sent his trusted friend Abul Fazl to help him. Mirza Murad died in 1598. After his death, Prince Daniel was given the charge as governor of Berar, Ahmadnagar and Khandesh, Khan-i- Khanan was sent along with Mirza Daniel. Akbar died in 1605.

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