Early History of Kashmir before Mughals

08 Nov 2022 Early History of Kashmir before Mughals

Significance for Prelims: Early rulers of Kashmir like the Karkota dynasty, Utpala dynasty, Lohara dynasty and Kashmir before the Mughals. 

Significance for Mains: Not Much relevance

Famous rulers in the early history of Kashmir: 

Karkota dynasty;

Durlabhavardhana: 

• According to Chinese annals, Durlabhavardhana was the first King of Kashmir to issue coins and his territories extended beyond Kashmir.  
• During his tenure,  Chinese pilgrim, Hsuan Tsang spent three years from A.D 631 to 633 in  Kashmir. 
• He provided a thorough description of Ashokan stupas housing Buddha relics, Buddhist monasteries, and the inhabitants of Kashmir.

Lalitaditya: 

• Lalitaditya is well known for military exploits and active patronage of arts and letters. His capital was Parihaspura. 
• He defeated Yasovarma of Kanauj and annexed his kingdom.
• He contributed to the foundations of many towns and settlements and the building of temples and mathas. 
• Architectural wonder built by Lalitaditya in Parihasapura: 1) Four Vaishnava shrines with gold and silver images. 2) Buddhist temple enshrining a brass image 3) monastery.
• Lalitaditya ‘s most important religious foundation was the Sun temple at Martanda.
• Karkota kings extended liberal patronage to Buddhism, even though they were followers of the Brahmanical religion.

Utpala dynasty;

Avantivarma: 

• He and Sura(his loyal minister)  brought peace, prosperity and stability to Kashmir.
• Avantivarma founded Avantipura and built Avantisvami and Avantisvara temples there. 
• Poets and Authors adorning his courts: Bhatta Kallata, Muktakana, Sivasvami, Ratnakara and Anandavardhana.
• Suyya (A great medieval hydraulic engineer of Kashmir) was also contemporary to Avantivarma
• Suyya’s contribution:  He improved the irrigation facilities by devising a technique to control the waters of the Jhelum river and increasing the amount of cultivable land. 

Sankaravarma: 

• Sankaravarma is well known for his expeditions, but these expeditions drained Sankaravarma’s treasury and hence he was forced to impose heavy taxes. 
• He extorted heavily on temple endowments and priestly corporations. Cultivators were further oppressed by forced labour.
• Sankaraputrapattana adorned by three large shiva temples was founded by him.

Didda: 

• She was the wife of the ruler Kshemagupta 
• Politics of Kashmir revolved around her for nearly half a century as a queen-consort, regent and finally a sovereign.

I Lohara dynasty;

Harsa: 

• Harasa is a talented scholar and musician but lacked the military and administrative skills.  
• In order to replenish his exchequer he robbed temple treasures and melted down ancient images. 

II Lohara dynasty;

Jayasimha: 

• Jayasimha was a judicious combination of strength and cunningness. He combined these two qualities to rule Kashmir.
• He was Kalhana’s patron ( Author of Rajatarangini). 
• Jayasimha’s death was followed by a succession of weak Hindu princes until A.D 1337.
• Hindu rule in Kashmir was terminated by Sultan Shamsuddin.

Kashmir before the Mughals: Kings of the Kashmir Sultanate

Shah Mir was the first Muslim ruler of Kashmir;

• There were varying accounts of his rise to power. Shah Mir led the revolt of Muslim employee against  Anandadeva which led to Anandadeva’s death in 1326.  Shah Mir founded his own dynasty in 1339. He handed over his kingdom to his two sons, Jamshed and Sher Ali  in 1349.  

Jamshed and Shahbuddin;

• Jamshed emerged victorious in the power struggle between the two brothers.
• He adopted the title Alauddin. 
• Sher Ali assumed the throne and ruled under the title Shahabuddin after his death in 1363.
• Shahbuddin led campaigns to the south and emerges victorious over the Samma dynasty king of Sindh after that brought Kangra ruler under his suzerainty.
• Upon his death in 1386, Sher Ali was succeeded by Qutubuddin, who in turn was succeeded in 1396 by his son, the  Sikandar.

Sikandar;

• He is known by the epithet  ‘Butshikan’, meaning the destroyer of idols. 
• During his reign, several Hindu temples were destroyed and forceful conversion of Hindus took place.
• Sikander accepted the overlordship of the Central Asian invader Taimur who invaded India in 1398.
• Sikandar was succeeded by his son Amir Khan in 1416. He was soon deposed by his brother Shadi Khan in 1422.

Zain-ul-Abidin;

• Shadi Khan took the title Zain-ul-Abidin
• He reversed Sikandar’s conservative policies and restored many temples.
• Hindus and Buddhists were allowed to practice their religion.  He was also a patron of art, literature, and poetry.
• Many lakes and canals were constructed by Zain-ul-Abidin. 

Muhammad and Fateh Khan;

• Zain-ul-Abidin was succeeded by his successor Haji Khan alias Haidar who ruled for a year. 
• His son Haji Khan ruled for a tumultuous 13 years and was succeeded by son Hasan who left his minor son Muhammad in charge. Then Muhammad was deposed by Fateh Khan. Fateh Khan formed an alliance with Delhi Sultanate ruler Sikandar Lodi to resist Muhammad. Muhammad regained the throne when Fateh Khan died South voyage,  and ruled until 1535.
• The death of Muhammad led to uncertainty in Kashmir for the next fifty-year period and part of which was ruled by the Chak dynasty. 
• Kashmir became a part of the Mughal Empire under Akbar after the end of this period. 

Source: The Indian Express

Article Link: 

https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/upsc-essentials-historical-tidbits-early-history-of-kashmir-and-martand-temple-8136655/

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