Daud Khan of the Carnatic

Daud Khan Panni was a Mughal commander and later Nawab of the Carnatic.

In 1703, Daud Khan was appointed as the Nawab of the Carnatic. Before he was made Nawab, the Emperor Aurangazeb appointed him as a leading commander of the Mughal Army in 1701, while Zulfikhar Ali Khan was the Nawab.

Daud Khan made his headquarters at Arcot. During his tenure, he made frequent visits to Santhome and tried to develop it. But due to the efforts of Thomas Pitt, the then Governor of the British East India Company, Daud Khan had to defer his plans.

Like Zulfikhar Ali Khan, Daud Khan also enjoyed the confidence of the Emperor Aurangazeb and had control over all the territories south of the River Krishna. In one of his visits to Fort St. George, the streets were lined with soldiers. The line of soldiers was from the St. Thome Gate up to the Fort and the certain of the inner Fort was manned by train bands. The Governor, Thomas Pitt, conducted him into the Fort, carried him up to his lodgings. Such was the respect he commanded with the East India Company.

Under the orders from Aurangazeb, Daud Khan blockaded Madras for three months. After some negotiations between Daud Khan and the East India Company, the blockade was lifted.

On 5 October 1708, Daud Khan gave a firman grating the English East India Company the five villages of Tiruvottiyur, Nungambakkam, Vysarpady, Kathiwakam and Sattangadu west of Tiruvottiyur.

In 1710, Daud Khan was recalled to Delhi to discharge more responsible work as Commander-in-Chief of the Mughal Army.

Titles held

• Commander-in-Chief of Mughal Army under Aurangazeb.

Preceded by Zulfikhar Ali Khan

Nawab of Carnatic 1703 –1710

Succeeded by Muhammed Saadatullah Khan I

See also

• Nawabs of Arcot