Muslim Rule in Kashmir I.

There is no doubt that Muslim rule first started from Rinchin, but the name of the real founder of Muslim rule was Shah Mir.

Shah Mir Dynasty

·       The founder of the Shah Miri Dynasty was Shah Mir.

·       Shah Mir took the throne of his kingdom under the name Sultan Shams-ud-Din.

·       Shah Mir started the "Kashmir Sana" and the “Kashmiri Era” to convert the Rinchin to Islam.

·       The commander-in-chief of Shah Mir was Lankar Chak.

·       There were two capable and praiseworthy kings of the Shah Mir dynasty, one was Sultan Shihabud Din and Zain ul Abedin.

 

 

Shihab-ud-din

·       Shihab-ud-din was also known as "Lalitaditya of Medieval Kashmir."

·       He was a complete and capable general for his neighboring countries too.

·       In the beginning of his reign, he turned his army towards the Sindh and defeated the king. When he returned he defeated Afghans in Peshawar and captured Kabul, Ghazni, Kandahar, Swat, and Multan.

·       Shahab-ud-din was also an able and capable administrator, ruling his kingdom with firmness and justice. He was a tolerant ruler and treated all his subjects generously.

·       Kota Bhat and Adeshree were his two main and important ministers.

·       Shahab-ud-din founded a new city, which he called "Shahab-ud-din Pura", now known as "Shadipur". It is also said that he built many mosques and monasteries.

 

Qutub-ud-din

·       Sultan Qutub-ud-din was the next leader whose real name was Hindal.

·       The period of Sultan Qutbuddin was a very good and wonderful period for the Muslim world because Mir Syed Ali Hamdani had visited during this period.

·       Mir Syed Ali Hamdani came from Hamdan with 700 Syed's who started their centers and missionaries in various parts of the valley.

 

Sikander

·       After Sultan Qutub-ud-din, He was succeeded by his son Skinader.

·       Sultan Sikander was known as the “Aurangzeb of Kashmir”.

·       The first ruler in India who abolished the Sati system in Hindus.

·       During his reign, Khankahi Maula was built.

Zain-ul-abidin (Budshah)

·       Shahi Khan started assuming the throne with the name Sultan Zainul Abidin.

·       Zainul Abidin ruled Kashmir for almost half of the century 1420 A.D – 1470 A.D.

·       Zinul abidin was known as the "Akbar of Kashmir" and he was also called by the name of Budshah.

·       Zainul Abedin prepared a huge army due to which he regained Punjab, Western Tibet, Ladakh and Balti region, Kulu and Ohind (Hazra).

·       He maintained friendly and good relations with the other countries.

·       The Sheriff of Mecca and King of Jeelan and Egypt used to send gifts to Zainul Abedin.

·       Embassies were exchanges between the zainul abidin and the rulers of the Sindh, Tibet, Bengal, Gujarat, Malwa, and Delhi.

Administration and Justice

·       Zainul Abedin changed the entire administration, due to which everyone became happy.

·       Zainul Abedin hired very capable people to handle his administration. Didn't see caste and religion

·       He had a great sense of justice and there was no one who committed crime and was spared. Many grandees who were favorites of the king were severely punished when found guilty.

·       The Sultan made many laws and wrote them on copper plates and placed them in public places.

·       The best thing during his time was to behave very well with Hindus and treat them well.

·       Jaziya was abolished.

Agriculture

·       Zainul Abedin paid attention towards Agriculture.

·       Land revenue was settled at the time of Zainul Abidin and the state share of the produce was 1/4^th to 1/7^th.

·       The Sultan built many irrigation canals such as Mar Canal, Pohru Canal, Kakpur Canal, Avantipur Canal, Zainagar Canal, etc.

·       By doing all the hard work on irrigation works, which distributed irrigation all over the agriculture, Kashmir became self-sufficient and made food and commerce which brought a lot of profit.

Handicrafts

·       Zainul Abideen took great interest in the development of arts and crafts.

·      Zainul Abedin called trained craftsmen from various countries, especially from Central Asia so that they could train Zainul Abedin's people

·       He also introduced the art of making Pashmina shawls from Tibet;

·       He introduced wooden architecture and wood carving in Kashmir.

 

 

Art and Literature

         Zainul Abidin was a great patron of art and literature. During the reign of Zainul Abedin, Jonaraja wrote the second edition of Rajtarangani. There was a man namely Yudhbhatta who wrote the biography of Zainul Abidin the title was “Zain Prakasha”. There was also a translation department in the reign of Zainul Abidin. He had some translators who translated the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Rajtarangani from Sanskrit to Persian by the order of Zainul Abidin. He started various schools and colleges to spread knowledge. He also started various dispensaries and employed many hakims and vaids.

 

Architecture

·       Zainul Abidin was a great builder. He founded the new city called (Nowshehar) the part of city now.

·       He founded the towns of Zainapur, Zainakot, and Zainagir.

·       Zainakadal the ist wooden bridge was built by the Zainul abidin.

·       Zainul abidin also built an artificial island in Wular Lake know as “Zaine lank”.

·       Sultan zainul abidin died in 1470 and for a long time of his death was mourned by the people.

·       When he died it was very heart-wrenching for everyone.