Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah

Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah
Nawab of the Carnatic
Amir ul-Hind
Walla Jah
Umdat ul-Mulk
Asaf ud-Daula
Portrait of Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah by George Willison (1775).
Nawab of the Carnatic
Reign3 August 1749/12 June 1752 – 13 October 1795
PredecessorAnwaruddin Khan
Chanda Sahib(Disputed)
SuccessorUmdat ul-Umara
Full name
Amir ul Hind, Walla Jah, 'Umdat ul-Mulk, Asaf ud-Daula, Nawab Muhammad 'Ali Anwar ud-din Khan Bahadur, Zafar Jang, Sipah-Salar, Sahib us-Saif wal-qalam Mudabbir-i-Umur-i-'Alam Farzand-i-'Aziz-az Jan, Biradarbi Jan-barabar [Nawab Jannat Aramgah], Subadar of the Carnatic.
Born(1717-07-07)7 July 1717
Delhi, Mughal Empire (modern day India)
Died13 October 1795(1795-10-13) (aged 78)
Chepauk, Carnatic Sultanate (modern day Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)
BuriedOutside the gate of the Gunbad of Shah Chand Mastan, Tiruchirappalli
Noble familyRowther (Anwariyya Dynasty)
Spouse(s)Nawab Begum Sahiba
IssueMuhammad Ishaq Khan
Umdat ul-Umara
Amir ul-Umara
(eighteen sons and twenty-one daughters)
FatherAnwaruddin Khan
MotherFakhr un-nisa Begum Sahiba
Military career
Service / branch Carnatic Sultanate
RankSubedar
Battles / warsMughal-Maratha Wars, Seven Years' War, Carnatic Wars, Anglo-Mysore Wars, Siege of Arcot, Battle of Golden Rock

Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, or Muhammed Ali, Wallajah (7 July 1717 – 13 October 1795), was the Nawab of the Carnatic from 1749 until his death in 1795. He declared himself Nawab in 1749. This position was disputed between Wallajah and Chanda Sahib. In 1752, after several clashes, Chanda Sahib's forces and his French allies were expelled from Arcot, officially declaring Wallajah as Nawab on 26 August 1765. His reign was recognised by Mughal emperor Shah Alam II.

Wallajah an ally of the British East India Company supporting them in the Carnatic Wars against Chanda Sahib. During his rule, the Carnatic region saw stronger ties with the British and growing influence of the British East India Company. This also limited French Influence in the region.

Wallajah also constructed Chepauk Palace in 1768. This palace, commissioned by British financier Paul Benfield, incorporates Indo-Saracenic architecture and became the main residence of Wallajah. After the construction of this palace, Wallajah moved the capital from Arcot to Chepauk, which served as the capital of the Carnatic Sultanate until 1855.