Kashmiri Sultanate: Map & History
The Kashmir Sultanate, historically Latinised as the Sultanate of Cashmere, was a medieval kingdom primarily based in the Kashmir Valley, in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, between the early 14th and late 16th centuries.
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The Kashmir Sultanate, historically Latinised as the Sultanate of Cashmere, was a medieval kingdom primarily based in the Kashmir Valley, in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, between the early 14th and late 16th centuries. It was established by Rinchan Shah, a Ladakhi noble who had converted from Buddhism to Islam. After a brief interregnum by the Loharas, Shah Mir, a councillor of Rinchan, overthrew the Lohara dynasty and founded his own dynasty. The Shah Miris ruled from 1339 until they were deposed by the Chak warlords and nobles in 1561. The Chaks continued to rule the sultanate until the Mughal conquest in 1586 and their surrender in 1589.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kashmiri Sultanate
At its mapped extent, Kashmiri Sultanate covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kashmiri Sultanate's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kashmiri Sultanate in Depth
History
A number of attempts had been made to conquer Kashmir, first by the Arabs in the 7th and 8th century, and then by the Turks in the 11th century, but it was not until the reigns of Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad of Ghor that Kashmir faced serious threat. It was at this time that Tajik traders entered Kashmir and were permitted to serve in the Lohara army. With the Hindu dynasty weakened, Kashmir became a subject to the Mongol invasions in the 13th century. Unable to fend off the invasions this time, Kashmir became a Mongol dependency some time after 1235. In 1320, a Mongol commander, Zulju, with an army of Qara'unas, entered Kashmir and, after perpetrating all types of atrocities and violence, left the valley with the loot.
Government
Majority of the crowning rituals of the Sultanate were adopted from the previous Lohara and Utpala kings. The crown was made an exclusive privilege of the Sultan to execute orders and bestow robes of honour on nobles, officials and tributaries.
While Kashmiri monarchy was uniformly laid throughout the Valley, Srinagar served as the most important station with the residence of the Sultan and the office of the Central Record Department. Royal forts at Sopar and Islamabad also became significant in later years of the Sultanate.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kashmir Sultanate (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kashmiri Sultanate: Key Facts
| Capitals | Srinagar, Baramulla, Nowhatta, Nowshera |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1320 |
| Dissolved | 1589 |
Facts from Wikidata Q123027565 (CC0).
Kashmiri Sultanate Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kashmiri Sultanate appears, with the other states of the time.
Kashmiri Sultanate Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 201,742 km² in 1348 CE.
Kashmiri Sultanate: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kashmiri Sultanate exist?
The Kashmiri Sultanate is dated to 1344 CE – 1587 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kashmiri Sultanate?
The capital of the Kashmiri Sultanate was Srinagar (1320–1323; 1339–1343; 1354–1470; 1472–1529; 1530–1586), Sikandarpur (1470–1472), Naushahra (1529–1530), Chandrakot (1586–1587), Varmul (1587–1588), Suyyapur (1586–1588), no centralised capital (1588–1589).
How large was the Kashmiri Sultanate at its peak?
At its peak in 1348 AD the Kashmiri Sultanate covered about 201,742 km².
How did the map of the Kashmiri Sultanate change over time?
The Kashmiri Sultanate appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1400 CE to 1500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi