A
nawab or
nawaab is an
honorific title ratified and bestowed by the reigning
Mughal emperor to semi-autonomous
Muslim rulers of
princely states in South Asia. "Nawab" usually refers to males; the female equivalent is "
begum" or "nawab begum". The primary duty of a nawab was to uphold the sovereignty of the Mughal emperor along with the administration of a certain province.