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White Mughals is a book by William Dalrymple that tells the true story of a love
affair between a British officer and an Indian princess in the early 19th century. Here
is a detailed summary of the book:

The book begins with an introduction that explains the historical background of the
British presence in India and the cultural interactions between the two peoples.
Dalrymple argues that there was a period of mutual admiration and curiosity between
the British and the Indians, especially in the 18th century, when many British men
married Indian women and adopted Indian customs and religions. He also introduces
the main characters of the book: James Achilles Kirkpatrick, the British Resident in
Hyderabad, and Khair-un-Nissa, the great-niece of the Prime Minister of Hyderabad.

The first chapter describes Kirkpatrick’s arrival in Hyderabad in 1798, when he was
24 years old. He was impressed by the city’s wealth and sophistication, and by the
court of the Nizam, the ruler of Hyderabad. He also met Khair-un-Nissa, who was 14
years old and already married to a nobleman. Kirkpatrick was immediately attracted
to her beauty and intelligence, and began to pursue her secretly.

The second chapter recounts the history of Hyderabad, which was founded by the
Qutb Shahi dynasty in the 16th century. The Qutb Shahis were Shia Muslims who
patronized arts and sciences, and built the famous Charminar monument. They were
later conquered by the Mughals, who appointed the Nizams as their governors. The
Nizams gradually became independent rulers, and established a powerful and
prosperous state that resisted the British expansion in India.

The third chapter narrates the political and military events that shaped Kirkpatrick’s
career and relationship with Khair-un-Nissa. He was involved in the negotiations
between the Nizam and the British, who wanted him to join their alliance against Tipu
Sultan, the ruler of Mysore. Kirkpatrick also faced the opposition of his rival, Henry
Russell, who was the British Resident in Poona and disliked Kirkpatrick’s sympathy
for the Indians. Kirkpatrick also had to deal with the intrigues of the Hyderabadi
court, where Khair-un-Nissa’s uncle, Mir Alam, was the Prime Minister and a
supporter of the French.

The fourth chapter reveals the details of Kirkpatrick and Khair-un-Nissa’s affair,
which was discovered by Khair-un-Nissa’s family and the British authorities.
Kirkpatrick managed to convince Khair-un-Nissa’s grandfather, Nawab Azim-ud-
Daula, to allow him to marry her, after he converted to Islam and adopted the name
Muhammad Reza Khan. He also obtained the permission of the Nizam and the British
Governor-General, Lord Wellesley. However, he faced the hostility of his own
brother, William Kirkpatrick, who was the British Resident in Delhi and disapproved
of his brother’s actions.

The fifth chapter describes the domestic life of Kirkpatrick and Khair-un-Nissa, who
lived in a mansion called the British Residency. They had two children, a son named
Saadat Ali and a daughter named Noor-un-Nissa. They also had a large household of
servants, relatives, and friends, who formed a cosmopolitan and tolerant community.
Kirkpatrick continued his diplomatic duties, and tried to balance his loyalty to the
British and his respect for the Hyderabadi culture.

The sixth chapter chronicles the decline and death of Kirkpatrick, who suffered from
ill health and stress. He contracted a fever in 1805, and had to undergo a surgery to
amputate his arm. He died shortly after, at the age of 40. He left behind a will that
entrusted his children to his brother William, and his wife to his friend Henry Russell.
He also left a large fortune that he had accumulated from his salary and gifts from the
Nizam.

The seventh chapter follows the fate of Kirkpatrick’s widow and children, who faced
many difficulties and dangers. Khair-un-Nissa was accused of having an affair with
Henry Russell, and was harassed by her relatives and the British. She died in 1813, at
the age of 27. Saadat Ali and Noor-un-Nissa were taken to England by William
Kirkpatrick, who raised them as Christians and changed their names to James and
Kitty. They grew up in a different culture, and lost contact with their Indian family
and heritage.

The eighth chapter traces the lives of Kirkpatrick’s descendants, who had various
careers and experiences in Britain and India. Some of them became famous, such as
Kitty, who was a friend of the writer Thomas Carlyle, and her son Alexander Duff,
who was a missionary and educator in India. Some of them returned to India, such as
James, who joined the East India Company and married an Indian woman, and his son
William, who was a judge and a scholar of Indian languages. Some of them remained
in Britain, such as James’s daughter Sophia, who was a painter and a feminist.
The ninth chapter concludes the book with a reflection on the legacy and significance
of Kirkpatrick and Khair-un-Nissa’s story. Dalrymple argues that their love affair was
an example of the cultural and emotional connections that existed between the British
and the Indians, before the rise of racism and nationalism in the 19th century. He also
suggests that their story can inspire a more tolerant and respectful attitude towards the
diversity and complexity of human history.