Asaf ud-Daula (r. 1775 – 9) was one of the wealthiest Indian rulers of the late eighteenth century. An avid collector of paintings and manuscripts, he bought many important books that had been sold or looted from the imperial Mughal libraries. These included the Padshahnama, Gulistan of Sadi and Khamsa of Navai manuscripts featured in this exhibition. His successor sent these and other volumes as gifts to George III in 1797.