Lohara dynasty :

The Lohara dynasty were Hindu rulers of Kashmir from Khasa tribe, in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, between 1003 and approximately 1320 CE. The early history of the dynasty was described in the Rajatarangini (Chronicle of Kings), a work written by Kalhana in the mid-12th century and upon which many and perhaps all studies of the first 150 years of the dynasty depend. Subsequent accounts, which provide information up to and beyond the end of the dynasty come from Jonaraja and Srivara. The later rulers of the dynasty were weak: internecine fighting and corruption was endemic during this period, with only brief years of respite, and this gave rise to the growth of Islamic onslaughts in the region.

Origin :

According to 12th century text Rajatarangini translated by Sir Marc Aurel Stein, the family of the chiefs of Lohara were from Khasa tribe. The seat of the Lohara dynasty was a hill-fortress called Loharakotta, the precise location of which has been the subject of academic debate over a prolonged period. Stein, a translator of Kalhana, has discussed some of these theories and concludes that it lay in the Pir Panjal range of mountains, on a trade route between western Punjab and Kashmir. As such, it was not itself in Kashmir but in the kingdom of Lohara, centred around a group of large villages collectively known as Lohrin, which itself was a name shared by the valley in which they were situated and a river that ran through it. The Lohara kingdom probably extended into neighbouring valleys

Didda, a daughter of the king of Lohara called Simharaja, had married the king of Kashmir, Ksemgupta, thus uniting the two areas. Compared to other societies of the period, women in Kashmir were held in high regard and when Ksemgupta died in 958, Didda assumed power as Regent for her young son, Abhimanyu II. Upon the death of Abhimanyu in 972 she performed the same office for his sons, Nandigupta, Tribhuvanagupta, and Bhimagupta, respectively. She killed each of these grandchildren in turn. As Regent she effectively had sole power over the kingdom, and with the killing by torture of Bhimagupta in 980 she became ruler in her own right.

Didda subsequently adopted a nephew, Samgramaraja, to be her heir in Kashmir but left the rule of Lohara to Vigraharaja, who was either another nephew or perhaps one of her brothers. From this decision arose the Lohara dynasty of Kashmir, although Vigraharaja even during her lifetime made attempts to assert his right to that area as well as Lohara. What was to follow was around three centuries of "endless rebellions and other internal troubles".

First Lohara dynasty :

Samgramaraja : Samgramaraja is considered as the founder of the Lohara dynasty.Samgramaraja was able to repulse several attacks of Mahmud of Ghazni against Kashmir, and he also supported ruler Trilochanapala against Muslim attacks. He had wielded much power in working with Didda to assert her dominance over the kingdom and he continued to use that power after her death.

Hariraja and Ananta :  Samgramaraja's son, Hariraja, succeeded him but reigned for only 22 days before dying and being succeeded in turn by another son, Ananta. It is possible that Hariraja was killed by his mother, Shrilakha, who may have been desirous of holding power herself but was ultimately thwarted in that scheme by those protecting her children. It was around this time that Vigraharaja attempted once more to take control of Kashmir, taking an army to do battle near to the capital at Srinagar and being killed in defeat. The period of rule by Ananta was characterised by royal profligacy; he accumulated debts so large that it necessitated the pawning of the royal diadem, although when his queen, Suryamati, intervened the situation was improved. 

Kalasa, Utkarsa and Harsa : Kalasa was king until 1089. Another weak-willed man, who involved himself in an incestuous relationship with his daughter, Kalasa was dominated by those surrounding him at court and spent little time on matters of government until his later years.Harsa plotted to kill Kalasa, was found out and eventually imprisoned. His position as heir to the throne was given instead to his younger brother, Utkarsa, who was already ruler of Lohara.

Second Lohara dynasty :

Uccala : Uchchala, who was from a side-branch of the Lohara royal line, succeeded to the throne and reigned for a decade. He and his younger brother, Sussala, had been spotted by Harsa as pretenders to his crown during the unrest and in 1100 had been forced to flee. The move did them no harm as it increased their status among the damaras: if Harsa wanted the brothers dead then that was all the more reason to rally around them. It was as a consequence of this that Uccala was able to mount armed attacks on Harsa, as in 1101, which although initially unsuccessful did eventually achieve their aim as those closest to Harsa deserted him.

Radda, Salhana and Sussala : The downfall of Uccala came in December 1111 as a result a conspiracy, and after a prior attempt by Sussala to overthrow him. Sussala was not in the vicinity at the time that Uccala was murdered but within days had attempted a hazardous winter crossing over the mountains to Srinagar. In 1123, during a period of intense pressure from besieging damaras and while mourning the death of one of his wives, Sussala abdicated in favour of his son, Jayasimha, He soon changed his mind and although Jayasimha was formally crowned as king it was Sussala who continued to govern.

Jayasimha : Jayasimha succeeded his father in 1128 during a period when there was open rebellion. A plot intended to assert authority had backfired on Sussala and caused his death. Jayasimha was not a forceful character but he did nonetheless manage to bring about both peace and a degree of economic well-being during his reign, which lasted until 1155. Bhiksacara mounted further attempts to regain the throne during the first two years and no sooner had he been killed than another challenger, Lothana, a brother of Salhana, succeeded in taking control of Lohara.

The last of the dynasty was Suhadeva, the brother of Simhadeva. He was a strong ruler but also an unpopular one. He taxed heavily and exempted not even the Brahmins from his exactions. Although he managed to unite the kingdom under his control there is a sense in which the majority of it was united against him.

The widow of Suhadeva, queen Kota took his place but was usurped by Shah Mir, a Muslim who had moved into the area from the south. The kingdom had been subjected to Muslim influence even prior to his arrival and some people had already converted to the religion from Hinduism. By the end of the 14th century the vast majority of the kashmir had become Muslim, although the Brahmins still maintained their traditional roles as the learned administrators until the accession of Sikandar Butshikan.