**Mir Mahbub Ali Khan**
The man you're referring to is Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad (r. 1869–1911), one of India's wealthiest and most extravagant rulers. Known for his opulent lifestyle and deep fascination with French fashion, he imported hundreds of pairs of custom silk socks directly from Paris—often from luxury houses like Hermès precursors—insisting on wearing each pair only once before discarding them as "soiled." This quirky habit stemmed from his broader obsession with European elegance; he dressed in bespoke Savile Row suits, collected Fabergé eggs, and even had a wardrobe rivaling European royalty, blending Mughal grandeur with French flair.
His personal valet, Abid Ali (or simply "Abid" in palace lore), capitalized on this extravagance. Abid secretly collected the discarded socks, repackaged them in their original French boxes, and resold them to affluent admirers across India and abroad as "Nizam-worn relics." What started as a side hustle ballooned into a fortune—rumored to be millions in today's terms—turning the humble servant into a millionaire. Abid's enterprise even extended to other discards like handkerchiefs and ties, but the socks were the star, fetching premium prices due to their royal provenance and the Nizam's aura of untouchable luxury.
This tale, blending excess and ingenuity, highlights the Nizam's era of princely India, where one man's vanity could launch another's empire. It's a staple in Hyderabad's royal anecdotes, often cited in books like *The Nizam's Daughters* and local histories. If you're into more Nizam quirks (like using a ₹50 million diamond as a paperweight), let me know!
We have all heard interesting stories about people who ruled parts of India some fascinating, others downright amusing. This story is about a Nizam who was known as 'Tees Maar Khan.' Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad, earned this nickname due to his love for hunting, having reportedly killed 30 dangerous animals. Over time, 'Tees Maar Khan' became a widely used phrase in Indian slang. Khan was deeply influenced by Western culture and had received his education in a Western style.
A Fan of French Fashion
It is to be noted that Khan was particularly fond of French fashion, which was world-famous during that time. He has a habit of importing socks from France and has a weird habit of discarding them after wearing them just once.
The Servant Who Became a Millionaire
According to the book Days of the Beloved', by Harriet Ronken Lynton and Mohini Rajan, Nizam's servant noticed his luxurious habit and started collecting the discarded socks.
Eventually, when he had gathered a substantial number of pairs, he attempted to sell them. However, the socks didn't sell in the market due to their small size.
To solve this, the servant dry-cleaned the socks and relabelled them as new. Interestingly, the servant then sold the socks back to the Nizam.
This clever move made the servant a millionaire, all thanks to the Nizam's fondness for French fashion.
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