Nawab | Indian Ruler, Subahdar & Governor | Britannica (original) (raw)

_verified_Cite

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Select Citation Style

Feedback

Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).

Feedback Type

Your Feedback

Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Also known as: nabob, sūbadār

Written and fact-checked by

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

nawab, deputy ruler, or viceroy, under the Mughal rule of India. The title was later adopted by the independent rulers of Bengal, Oudh (Ayodhya), and Arcot.

In England the name was applied to men who made fortunes working for the British East India Company and returned home to purchase seats in Parliament. Thus the word nabob came to mean someone of great wealth or unusual prominence.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Maren Goldberg.