What was the Geo-Political Condition of Kashmirduring the time of Mughals?

What was the Geo-Political Condition of Kashmirduring the time of Mughals?

Kashmir enjoyed immunity for long from Muslim conquest. It continued to be under its Hindus rulers up to 1339.

It was in the year 1315 that Shah Mirza, a Muslim adventurer from Swat, entered the service of the Hindu ruler of Kashmir. Shah Mirza captured the throne of Kashmir in the year 1339 and top up the title of Shams-ud-Din Shah. He was a wise and generous king. He died in 1349. His four sons ruled Kashmir for about 46 years.

Sikandar ascended the throne in 1394 after the death of his father Qutb-ud-Din. He ruled from 1394 to 1416. It was during his reign that Timur invaded India but fortunately Kashmir was saved.

Envoys were exchanged between Timur and Sikandar but they never met each other. Sikandar was generous towards the Muslim and he welcomed Muslim scholars from Persia, Arabia and Mesopotamia.

He was responsible for the persecution of the Hindus. They were either converted to Islam or turned out from Kashmir, It is stated that only 11 families of the Brahmans were left in Kashmir. He destroyed many temples and the most important of them was the Martand temple at Mattan.

This giant work of art in its present half-burnt and ruined condition proves the religious zeal of Sikandar. He got the title of Sikandar, the But-Shikan or idol breaker.

Sikandar was succeeded by his son Ali Shah who ruled for a few years when he was deposed by his brother Shah Khan who took up the title of Zain-ud-Abidin (1420-70). He was the greatest ruler of Kashmir. He enforced the system of responsibility of the village communities for local crimes. The result was that the number of thefts and highway robberies fell considerably.

He regulated the prices of commodities. He lightened the burden of taxation on the people. He stabilized the currency which had been debased during the reigns of his predecessors. He was responsible for a large number of public works. He was a man of liberal ideas. He showed toleration towards the followers of other faiths. He called back the Brahmans who had left Kashmir during the reign of his father. He abolished Jizya and guaranteed perfect religious freedom to all.

He had a good knowledge of Persian, Hindi and Tibetan. He patronised literature, painting and music. The Mahabharat and the Rajatarangini were translated from Sankrit into Persian. Several Arabic and Persian books were too translated into Hindi. For all these reasons, Zain-ul-Abidin has been described “The Akbar of Kashmir”. He died in November or December 1470 and was succeeded by his son Haidar Shah.

It is pointed out that Zain Shah won the throne with the help of the Ghakhars. He had lived with them, fought with them and he knew them to be a brave, trustworthy and warlike community.

No wonder, Zain Shah maintained very intimate relations with the Ghakhars. He took many of them in his administration. The Ghakhars also helped Zain Shah in carrying out his policy of peace within and placidity without.

It is stated that after the death of Zain-ul-Abidin, anarchy “ensued under the rule of nominal kings who were replaced on the throne as a mark for the machinations of the different parties who were seeking pre-eminence for purposes of the self-aggrandizement and plunder.”

In 1540, Mirza Haider, a relative of Humayun, conquered Kashmir and although he governed theoretically on behalf of Humayun, he was practically an independent ruler. He was however, overthrown by the Kashmir nobles. Ultimately, Kashmir was conquered and annexed to the empire of Akbar in 1586.