Abdal Khan son of Ali Sher Khan (Ruler of Skardu, Baltistan or Little Tibet)

Abdal Khan (ruler of Skardu, Baltistan and Klein-Tibet)

Abdal Khan (also called Abdul Khan) was a son of Ali Sher Khan , probably the most important ruler of Skardu in Baltistan . As a member of the Makpon ruling family of Skardu he ruled only a few years in the first half of the 17th century and lost his throne in 1636 by an invasion arranged by the Indian Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1627-1658). This ended the independence of the ruling houses in Baltistan for the rest of the 17th century. Historically, the area directly dominated by the Abdal Khan in Baltistan is next to the core land Skardu also Shigar , Rondu and Kartakshoincluded. In the literary literature of Baltistan, he is still alive today as a sinister figure with the nickname "Mizos" "man-eater".

After the death of Ali Sher Khan in the twenties of the 17th century, his eldest son Ahmad Khan took over the rule in Skardu for a short time. After his death, his eldest son, Muhammad Murad, who was also called Murad Khan , did not enter the reign of Skardu. He was perhaps still a minor, but Abdal Khan, his father's brother, who now took over the government. But Abdal Khan was wise enough to involve his nephew Murad in his government. The latter functioned as his Vakil, and thus directed the administration of the kingdom as a sort of government.

The takeover of power by Abdal Khan was an argument with his apparently older brother Adam Khanwho then secretly appealed to the governor of Kashmir, asking him to support his claim to power (Bernier, p. 163). Abdal Khan was unpopular with his subjects (Láhorí, p. 62) because of his hard exercise of power, and so it is not surprising that the Governor of Kashmir was even supported by relatives of Abdal Khans in his invasion of Baltistan in 1636. Mention is made in particular of a person named Hasan (Khan), a nephew of Abdal Khan, who, accompanied by his supporters with the invasion troops, was seized to Baltistan (Láhorí, p. 63) and apparently the 19th ruler of the Amacha- Ruling family of Shigar. But his brother Adam Khan was also on the side of the invaders.

The disputes within Baltistan, however, were not yet an occasion for the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to follow the plans of his predecessors, the Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) and Jahangir (1605-1627), to the conquest of Baltistan. It is reported in Abdel Khan for the year 1633 that he sent gifts to the court of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, had coins minted in the name of this Indian emperor, and mentioned his name in the holiday speech, that he thus showed benevolence against the Indian magnificence (Behrouz, p. 76, referring to the source Shah Jahan-Nama of Muhammad Iahir Ashna (1657)).

Figure 1: The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan

The real reason for an invasion of Baltistan was after Muhammad Iahir Ashna, a son of Zafar Khan, the then governor of Kashmir, unrest in Kashmir. Habib Chak and Ahmad Chak were falsely supported by Abdal Khan, who even gave them shelter in Skardu, which made an attack by imperial troops against Baltistan inevitable (Behrouz, p. 75f). Zafar Khan therefore asked the Emperor Shah Jahan to carry out an invasion of Baltistan. After the approval of Shah Jahan, Governor Zafar Khan, at the head of an army of about 2,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantrymen, supported by his own troops as governor and by other armed men from Kashmir to Baltistan (Behrouz, p. 76f, Láhorí , P. 63). Among these troops, as already mentioned, also relatives of the ruling house of Abdal Khan, as its brother Adam Khan, its nephew Hasan Khan, and other Baltis. After breaking the defensive wall erected on the Satpara lake, the imperial army reached the Skardu on the Indus on August 28, 1636, after a month's advance.

Abdal Khan had entrenched himself in the Kharphocho fortress , while his leading minister, Muhammad Murad, had retired to the Kahchana fortress. His family had previously brought Abdal Khan to safety with the Shigar's fortress, with all his possessions of gold, silver, and other precious things under the leadership of his fifteen-year-old son Daulat. The latter also confirms that Abdal Khan had taken over the rule over Shigar in its entirety.

The window of time of the invaders for the completion of their project in Baltistan was very small and lasted for a maximum of two months, since the absence of such a large army in Baltistan was impossible in the winter, and the passports that made a return possible were only passable until the end of October , In the ensuing siege of the two castles in Skardu, the governor of Kashmir was also supported by Adam Khan, the brother of the ruler of Skardu, who, with his followers, contributed to the supply of the two fortresses Kharphocho and Kahchana with provisions.

To get hold of the family of Abdal Khan, Zafar Khan first sent the generals Mir Fahr ad-Din and Bahram Beg with 4000 cavalry and infantrymen to Shigar. The small army crossed the Indus with provisional wooden ferries and advanced against Shigar, where they were attacked by Daulat, the fifteen-year-old son of Abdal Khan. The superior Imperial troops defeated this attack, and Daulat took flight to Kashgar, taking part of the family treasure. The imperial troops stormed the fortress of Shigar and plundered them, while the defenseless women and children of Abdal Khan were arrested by Fahr ad-Din.

Zafar Khan now opened negotiations with the Abdal Khan, who was encircled by the encamped Kharphocho fortress. At the same time, Adam Khan, the brother of the ruler of Skardu, succeeded in persuading Muhammad Murad, who had been laid siege to Kahchana fortress. Confronted with this fact, Abdal Khan had no choice but to surrender to the assailants.

Zafar Khan used Muhammad Murad as successor to Abdal Khan, and immediately returned to Kashmir with Abdal Khan as his prisoner in the face of an imminent winter. Nothing is known about the further fate of this unruly ruler, Abdal Khans, in Baltistan.

The decision of the Governor of Kashmir to employ Muhammad Murad alias Murad Khan as successor to Abdal Khan was later revised by Emperor Shah Jahan. This transferred the administration of Baltistan's Adam Khan, the brother of the ruler who had been dragged to Kashmir.

literature

Banat Gul Afridi: Baltistan in History. Peshawar 1988
Koshrow Behrouz: Shigar-Nāma. A Persian Verschronik on the history of Baltistan. Critical text output, commentary and translation. Unpublished manuscript from the nineties of the 20th century
Francis Bernier: Travels in the Mogul Empire. Translated from the French by Irving Brook. Vol. II, London, 1826
Hashmatullah Khan: History of Baltistan. Lok Virsa Translation, Islamabad 1987. The original in Urdu was published in
1939'Bdu-l Hamíd Láhorí: Bádsháh-náma. In: The History of India as Told by its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period. The Posthumous Papers of the Late Sir HH Elliot. Edited and Continued by Professor John Dowson. Vol. VII. First Indian Edition. Allahabad 1964, p. 3-72
Luciano Petech: The Kingdom of Ladakh. C. 950-1842 AD Roma 1977

Author: Dieter Schuh, 2010

Abdal Khan (Ruler of Skardu, Baltistan or Little Tibet)

Abdal Khan (Abdul Khan) was a son of  Ali Sher Khan , the most prominent ruler of Skardu in  Baltistan . As a member of the ruling family of Makpon-   Skardu he reigned only a few years in the first half of the 17th Century and lost his throne in 1636 by the invasion arranged by the Indian Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1627-1658). As a result, the independence of the ruling houses in Baltistan ended for the rest of the 17th Century. Historically Certain is, dass die Abdal Khan in addition to the heartland Skardu controlled Directly Further areas of Baltistan like  Shigar ,  Rondu and  Kartaksho   , In the popular literature of Baltistan he is still alive as dark figure by the nickname "Mizos" "man-eater".

After the death of Ali Sher Khan in the twenties of the 17th century his eldest son Ahmad Khan ruled in Skardu for a short time. After his death his eldest son, Muhammad Murad, so called Murad Khan , should have inherited the throne in Skardu. But instead of him, Abdal Khan, the brother of his father, took over the government. Abdal Khan what smart enough to include his nephew Murad in his government. Murad Khan acted as his father and his wife.

The seizure of power by Abdal Khan resulted in a fight with his older brother Adam Khan , who secretly Addressed the Governor of cashmere with the request to support his claim for power (Bernier, P. 163). (Lahori, p. 62). This is the reason for the fact that the author is not the only one who has the right to do so. So it is not surprising that the Governor of Cashmere was even surprised by the relative of Abdal Khan during his invasion of Baltistan in 1636. In particular, Hasan (Khan), a nephew of Abdal Khan followers, supported the invading forces (Lahori, p 63). Hasan was apparently the 19th ruler of the Amacha family of Shigar. Abdal's brother Adam Khan.

The Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) and Jahangir (1605-1627), to conquer Baltistan. In honor of Abdal Khan, we find in fact a report of the year 1633, that he sent to the court of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, minted in the name of this Indian Emperor and the Emporer's name in the holiday sermons. (Behrouz, p.76, citing the source of Muhammad Shah, Jahan-Nama, Iahir Ashna, 1657).

The real reason for the invasion is according to Muhammad Iahir Ashna, a son of Zafar Khan, the then governor of Kashmir, unrest in Kashmir. The rioters Habib Ahmad Chak Chak were foolishly supported by Abdal Khan. He even granted them refugees in Skardu, which made an attack on Imperial troops towards Baltistan inevitable (Behrouz, pp. 75f). Zafar Khan therefore requested the Emperor Shah Jahan to carry out an invasion of Baltistan. Following the approval by Shah Jahan, the governor, Zafar Khan, started his attack on Baltistan at the head of an army of about 2000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry, supported by his own troops and accompanied by further armed men from Cashmere (Behrouz, pp. 76f, Lahori, p 63). He is also a member of the Abdul Khan family, his brother, Adam Khan, his nephew Hasan Khan, and other Baltis. After they had the defensive walls on Satpara Lake, the Imperial Army, after a one-month advance Skardu on the 28 August 1636.

Abdal Khan entrenched in the  fortress  Kharphocho while his leading ministers Muhammad Murad retired into the fortress Kahchana. Under the leadership of his fifteen year old son Daulat, Abdal's family had left Skardu with all his possessions in gold, silver and other valuables. They fled to the fortress of Shigar . This event proves, that Abdal Khan had seized full control of Shigar at that time.

The time window of the invaders for the completion of their project in Baltistan was very small and not much more than two months ago. The passes between Skardu and Cashmere, which made a return possible were only possible until the end of October. In the following victory of two castles in Skardu, the governor of Cashmere. He advised his followers to stop the supplies of the two fortresses Kharphocho and Kahchana.

In order to get hold of the family of Abdal Khan, Zafar Khan sent his first commanders. The army used wooden ferries to cross the Indians and advanced on Shigar, where they were attacked by Daulat, the fifteen-year-old son of Abdal Khan. The imperial troops repulsed the attack and Daulat. The imperial troops stormed the fortress of Shigar and looted it, while the unprotected women and children of Abdal Khan were arrested by Fahr ad-Din.

With this pledge in the back Zafar Khan now opened negotiations with the trapped Abdal Khan, who was staying in the besieged fortress Kharphocho. Meanwhile Adam Khan, the brother of the ruler of Skardu, was able to persuade Muhammad Murad, besieged in the fort Kahchana, to surrender. Faced with this circumstances Abdal Khan had no choice but to surrender to the attackers.

Zafar Khan appointed Muhammad Murad as a successor of Abdal Khan and returned to his father. The fate of this unpopular ruler in Baltistan is not known.

The decision of the Governor of Cashmire to appointed Murad Khan as the successor of Abdal Khan, which was revised later on by Emperor Shah Jahan. He transferred the power over Baltistan to Adam Khan, the brother of the captured ruler of Baltistan.

Literature

Banat Gul Afridi: Baltistan in History. Peshawar 1988
Koshrow Behrouz: Shigar-Nāma. A Persian Verschronik on the history of Baltistan. Critical text output, commentary and translation. Unpublished manuscript from the nineties of the 20th century
Francis Bernier: Travels in the Mogul Empire. Translated from the French by Irving Brook. Vol. II, London, 1826
Hashmatullah Khan: History of Baltistan. Lok Virsa Translation, Islamabad 1987. The original text was written in Urdu and was published
1939'Abdu-l Hamíd Láhorí: Bádsháh-náma. In: The History of India as Told by its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period. The Posthumous Papers of the Late Sir HH Elliot. Edited and Continued by Professor John Dowson. Vol. VII. First Indian Edition. Allahabad 1964, p. 3-72
Luciano Petech: The Kingdom of Ladakh. C. 950-1842 AD Roma 1977

Author: Dieter Schuh, 2010

Reference:

Copied from: http://www.tibet-encyclopaedia.de/abdal-khan.html