[1] The family maintained their own court, individual palaces, and a standing army of about fourteen thousand infantry and cavalry troops.

The word Paigah, which means pomp and rank in Persian, was a title given by the second Nizam of Hyderabad to Nawab Abu'l Fateh Khan Tegh Jung Bahadur in appreciation of the royal services rendered by him (According to many scholars, the first half term "Pai" refers to "Foot" and the remaining half term which is "Gah" refers to "the place to rest on."

Nawab Abu'l Fateh Khan Tegh Jung Bahadur was also conferred with the titles of Shams-ul-Umra ("The Sun among Nobles"), Shams-ul-Mulk, and Shams-ud-Daula.

His statesmanship was noticed by Nizam-ul-Mulk (the then Prime Minister of Mughal, and later founder of Asaf Jahi dynasty and known as Nizam I) and was appointed as Deputy Governor of Malwa and Khandesh.

During Nizam I's campaign to Delhi in the process to negotiate and stop Nadir Shah, Khan safeguarded his Nizamat in Deccan and overthrow rebellion by his son Salabat Jung.

During his career under Nizam I, he was appointed as Qila Dar of Dhar (1724), Faujdar of Nabinagar, Mandu (1724), and later elevated up to Naib Subadar-Deputy Governor Khandesh and Aurangabad.

His second son Abul Fateh Khan joined the services of Nizam II and was regarded as the head of Paigah.

to 9,000 sowars and a Paigah contingent of 12,000 troops in 1781.Received the Naubat, Naqara, and Mahi Maratib (ensigns of royalty).

Abul Fatah Khan died at Pongel while on his way to face Tipu Sultan during the 2nd Mysore War on 1 January 1791.

He also married the daughter of Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II Sahebzadi Bashirunissa Begum in 1797.

[5] Nawab Mohammed Iqbaluddin Khan son of Moin-Ud-Daula Bahadur was married to Sahebzadi Ahmed Unisa Begum maternal granddaughter of H.H Mahboob Ali Khan and parental granddaughter of Sultan ul-Mulk, Viqar-ul-Umrahi Iqtidar ud-Daula, he had 2 sons and 2 daughters, one of them is Sahebzade Nawab Muhammed Hyder Uddin Khan [Hyder Nawab] he was given this name by his uncle Mir Osman Ali Khan hyder nawab is also the owner of Chiraan Fort Palace, other half of Paigah Palace

When Rafiuddin Khan died in 1877, his Paigah estate was inherited by his two adopted sons Sabaqat Jung (1839–1880) and Sir Asman Jah(1840–1898).

Preference was given to individuals whose mothers were daughters of the Nizam, provided that they were fit for the post, regardless of other seniority factors such as age.

According to the census of 1901, the three Paigah Estates in the Hyderabad State comprised 23 taluks dispersed over the districts of Bidar, Nander, Osmanabad, Gulbarga, Medak, Atraf-i-Balda, and Nizamabad, and a few scattered villages in Aurangabad, Warangal, Mahbubnagar, and Nalgonda, encompassing 1,273 villages, covering 4,134 square miles, over a population of 774,411 (The Imperial Gazetteer of India, vol.

Zaheerabad in Telangana is named after Nawab Zahir Yar Jung, Amir e Paigah Asman Jah.

[11] Bashir Bagh Palace belonged to Sir Asman Jah, a Paigah Amir and Prime Minister of Hyderabad (1887–1893).

Sir Vicar-ul-Umra, the Paigah Amir and the then prime minister of Hyderabad state 1894–1901 (also officiated as prime minister in 1893) presented Falaknuma palace in 1897, easily one of the most opulent palaces in the country, to the sixth Nizam, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan.