Shah Mir
Encyclopedia
Shams-ud-Din Shah Mir was a ruler of Kashmir and the founder of the Shah Miri dynasty named after him. Jonaraja
, in his Dvitīyā Rājataraṅginī mentioned him as Sahamera. He came from Swat (Tribal) territory on the borders of Afghanistan
. However, Jonaraja a credible historian informs us that Shahmira was not from Swat. It is confirmed that he was not from Swat but was a Kshatriya descended from Arjuna whose ancestors had taken up Islam.
Rinchana from Ladakh
, and Lankar Chak from Dard territory near Gilgit came to Kashmir, and played a notable role in the subsequent political history of the valley. All the three men were granted Jagirs by the King Rinchan for three years became the ruler of Kashmir
, Shah Mir was the first rular of Swati
dynasty, which had established in 1339.
religious leaders of the time refused to admit into their fold. Finally, he embraced Islam
before he was killed. He had a son, Haidar by his queen Kota Rani. After the death of Rinchana, who was assassinated, Kota Rani married Udayana Deva, the brother of Sehadava.
The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was Udyana Deva. It was his chief Queen Kota Rani, who practically governed the state. She was a very brave lady, shrewd and an able ruler. Though she tried her best to save her Kingdom, odds were too heavy for her. The valley was again invaded by a Mongol and Turk
invader Achalla, and Udayana Deva fled to Tibet. But the Queen defeated (killed) Achalla and drove away all the foreign troops.
Finally another rising was led by Shah Mir, who defeated the queen at Jayapur (modern Sumbal). The defeat upset her and seeing the indifference of the Hindu grandees and general public, she stabbed herself to death, because Shah Mir wanted to marry her. Her death in 1339 paved the way for the establishment of Shah miri dynasty rule in Kashmir.
The descent of Shahmiri dynasty is well documented from Hindu (Jonaraja) Kshatriyas. After the fall of their empire the descendants disseminated to various areas in the valley like the saffron town in Pampore (Numlabal) while others settled in Srinagar. Shahmiris are still looked at as royal elites and generally live in palatial houses in Srinagar that were built in Victorian style architecture back in the 19th century.
The first sufi saint who reached Kashmir, during the time of King Sehdev, was Sayed Sharafuddin Bulbul Shah from Turkey. That very time a rebel prince from Tibet, Rinchan, and a Persian Muslim religious preacher, Shahmir, arrived in Kashmir.
Jonaraja
Jonaraja was a Kashmiri historian and Sanskrit poet. His is a continuation of Kalhana's and brings the chronicle of the kings of Kashmir down to the time of the author's patron Zain-ul-Abidin . Jonaraja, however, could not complete the history of the patron as he died in the 35th regnal year...
, in his Dvitīyā Rājataraṅginī mentioned him as Sahamera. He came from Swat (Tribal) territory on the borders of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. However, Jonaraja a credible historian informs us that Shahmira was not from Swat. It is confirmed that he was not from Swat but was a Kshatriya descended from Arjuna whose ancestors had taken up Islam.
Rinchana from Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
, and Lankar Chak from Dard territory near Gilgit came to Kashmir, and played a notable role in the subsequent political history of the valley. All the three men were granted Jagirs by the King Rinchan for three years became the ruler of Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, Shah Mir was the first rular of Swati
Swati (tribe)
The Swatis are a Pashtun tribe based around the Swat valley, in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. They are the largest tribal group of land owners in the Mansehra and Battagram districts....
dynasty, which had established in 1339.
Early life
During the reign of Sehadeva (1301-?), a Tatar chief Dulucha invaded Kashmir and ravaged it. King Sehadeva fled the country and his general Ramachandra occupied the throne. In the confusion Rinchana (reigned 1320-23), the Ladhaki prince,organised an internal rising and seized the throne. He married Kota Rani, the daughter of Ramachandra. The HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religious leaders of the time refused to admit into their fold. Finally, he embraced Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
before he was killed. He had a son, Haidar by his queen Kota Rani. After the death of Rinchana, who was assassinated, Kota Rani married Udayana Deva, the brother of Sehadava.
The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was Udyana Deva. It was his chief Queen Kota Rani, who practically governed the state. She was a very brave lady, shrewd and an able ruler. Though she tried her best to save her Kingdom, odds were too heavy for her. The valley was again invaded by a Mongol and Turk
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
invader Achalla, and Udayana Deva fled to Tibet. But the Queen defeated (killed) Achalla and drove away all the foreign troops.
Finally another rising was led by Shah Mir, who defeated the queen at Jayapur (modern Sumbal). The defeat upset her and seeing the indifference of the Hindu grandees and general public, she stabbed herself to death, because Shah Mir wanted to marry her. Her death in 1339 paved the way for the establishment of Shah miri dynasty rule in Kashmir.
Reign and succession
Shah Mir was succeeded by his eldest son Jamshid, but was deposed by his brother Ali Sher probably within few months. Ali Sher assumed the name of Alauddin.The Shah Mir dynasty consisted of 20 kings and came to an end in 1561.| Precedence | Name | AD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shamsu'd-Din (i) | 1339 |
| 2 | Jamshed | 1342 |
| 3 | Ala'u'din | 1343 |
| 4 | Shihu'd-Din | 1354 |
| 5 | Qutub'd-Din | 1373 |
| 6 | Sikander Sikandar Butshikan Sikandar Butshikan also known as "Alexander the Iconoclast" in Indian History was the second Sultan of the Gabari Tajik Dynasty of Kashmir 1389-1413 CE... |
1389 |
| 7 | Ali Shah | 1413 |
| 8 | Zainu'l'Abadin Zain-ul-Abidin Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din Zain-ul-Abidin was a sultan of Kashmir in the present day Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Mohibbul Hasan has said that "Of all the Sultans who sat on the throne of Kashmir, Zain-ul-Abidin was undoubtedly the greatest ..... |
1420 |
| 9 | Hasan Shah | 1472 |
| 10 | Mohmuddad Shah (i) | 1484 |
| 11 | Fateh Shah (i) | 1486 |
| 12 | Mohmuddad Shah (ii) | 1493 |
| 13 | Fateh Shah (ii) | 1505 |
| 14 | Mohmuddad Shah (iii) | 1514 |
| 15 | Fateh Shah (ii1) | 1515 |
| 16 | Mohmuddad Shah (iv) | 1517 |
| 17 | Ibrahim Shah (i) | 1528 |
| 18 | Nazuk Shah (i) | 1529 |
| 19 | Mohmuddad Shah (v) | 1530 |
| 20 | Shamsu'd-Din (ii) | 1537 |
| 21 | Ismail Shah (i) | 1540 |
| 17 | Nazuk Shah (ii) (i) | 1540 |
| 18 | Ibrahim Shah (i) | 1552 |
| 19 | Ismail Shah (ii) (v) | 1555 |
| 20 | Habib Shah | 1557-1561 |
The descent of Shahmiri dynasty is well documented from Hindu (Jonaraja) Kshatriyas. After the fall of their empire the descendants disseminated to various areas in the valley like the saffron town in Pampore (Numlabal) while others settled in Srinagar. Shahmiris are still looked at as royal elites and generally live in palatial houses in Srinagar that were built in Victorian style architecture back in the 19th century.
The first sufi saint who reached Kashmir, during the time of King Sehdev, was Sayed Sharafuddin Bulbul Shah from Turkey. That very time a rebel prince from Tibet, Rinchan, and a Persian Muslim religious preacher, Shahmir, arrived in Kashmir.