Berar Province, also known as the Hyderabad Assigned Districts, was a province in British India, ruled by the Nizam of Hyderabad. After 1853, it was administered by the British, although the Nizam retained formal sovereignty over the province. Azam Jah, the eldest son of the 7th Nizam, held the title of Mirza-Baig ("Prince") of Berar. In 1881, the population of Berar was 2,672,673. The total area of the territory was . 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, the territory was renamed as the Central Provinces and Berar, and its legislative assembly was established. The successor to Berar, with changed boundaries, is Amravati Division in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. History Background Before the Mughal occupation, Berar was a part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate of Ahmadnagar. It was ceded to Emperor Akbar by Chand Bibi in 1596, who was 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, Mirza Daniyal was given the charge as governor of Berar, Ahmadnagar, and Khandesh, and Khan-i- Khanan was sent along with Mirza Daniyal. Akbar died in 1605. In 1611, the southern provinces of Ahmadnagar, Berar, and Khandesh defied Mughal sovereignty under Malik Ambar. Jahangir sent Man Singh and others to crush the revolt. Man Singh died a natural death on 6 July 1614 at Ellichpur. During Jahangir's rule, Malik Ambar, till his death in 1626, recovered a substantial part of the Deccan from the Mughals including Berar. In 1628, the first year of the reign of Shah Jahan (Mirza Khurram), Berar again came under the Mughal sway. In 1636, the Mughal possessions in Dakhin (Deccan) were divided into 4 Subahs. Berar Subah was one of them, with Ellichpur as its capital, and Gavilgad as its main fort. Aurangzeb was appointed Viceroy of the four Deccan Subahs for the first time, and he occupied the post for eight years (till 1644). He was again appointed viceroy for