Hill state relation with Mughal :

The small hill kingdoms enjoyed independence until Muslim invasions in northern India. Provinces of the foothills were highly devastated by the Muslim invaders from timebeing. During the 10th century Mahmud Ghaznavi conquered Kangra. Timur and Sikander Lodi also captured several forts and fought many battles. Later, due to internal conflicts within the Mughal dynasty the rulers of the hill provinces took complete advantage. Kangra regained its independence under Maharaja Sansar Chand who ruled for nearly 50 years. He was one of the most powerful administrators of the region.

Medieval history of Himachal Pradesh can be classified into 4 phases :

1. Mahmud Ghaznavi
2. Tughlaqs
3. Invasion of Taimur – I – Lung
4. Mughal reign

1. Mahmud Ghaznavi : Mahmud Ghaznavi has invaded India 17 times. After defeatinf Anadpal local ruler in 1009 A.D. he invaded Nagarkot and looted immense treasury. Nagarkot was ruled by Turks till 1043 A.D. and after that Tomar raja Mahipal of Delhi ended the rule of Turks from Nagarkot. Mahmud Ghaznavi could not rule many parts of Kangra excluding Nagarkot till 1023 A.D. After the death of Raja Trilochan Pal and Bhim Pal, Kangra again came under the rule of Turks in 1026 A.D.

2. Tughlaqs : Mahmud Gauri, Slave dynasty and Khilji dynasty did not pay special attention to hill states. In 12th century many Rajputs from plain ( Chauhan Chandel, Sen, Tomar and Pawar ) established many states in the mighty hills of Himachal.

( I ) Muhammad – Bin – Tuglaq : In the year of 1337 A.D., Muhammad bin Tuglaq ( 1325 – 1331 ) led an army to defeat king Prithvi Chand of Nagarkot.

(2 ) Firoz Shah Tuglaq : Feroz Shah Tughlak invaded Nagar Kot in 1365. In order to teach a lesson to Raja Rup Chand of Kangra, Firoz Shah Tuglaq invaded Nagarkot and encircled the fort with his army in 1361. References of this invasion were found in Tarikh Firoz Shahi witten by Izzud – in- Khalid- Khani. Raja Rup Chand and Firoz Shah reached an agreement in which Rup Chand accepted the suzernity of the Firoz Shah. After the agreement in 1365, Firoz Shah visited Jwalamukhi and took 1300 book from the library of Jwalamukhi and translated them into Persian language by an eminent writer Izzud- in Khalid- Khani and named one of them Dalil – I – Firoz- Shahi. After the death of Raja Rup Chand in 1365 A.D. his son Sangra Chand ceded the throne.

3. Invasion of Taimur : In 1398 A.D. mangold invaded Kangra in leadership of Taimur –I – lung. During this invasion Raja of Kangra was Megh Chand. Taimur invaded Shivalik region while retreating from the Kangra in 1399 AD. During the invasion of Taimur, ruler of Hindur was Alam Chand, who helped Taimur and as a result Taimur moved ahead without harming Hindur ( at present Nalagarh ). Taimur also invaded Nurpur and Sirmaur which was opposed by Ratan Chand.

4. Mughal reign :

(1 ) Babur : In 1525 A.D. Babur established his outpost ( Chowki ) at Malaut near Kangra.

( 2 ) Akbar : The real onset of a concrete relation between the Mughals and this hill state started with the rule of Akbar. Akbar sent his army to hill state to capture Sikandar Shah ( nephew of Sher Shah Suri ). Sikandar shah also had friendship with Bakht Mal of Nurpur. At the mean time Akbar got sucpicious about Kangra Raja jai Chand and kept him as hostage. So Bidhi Chand son of Jai Chand rebelled againt Mughal so Akbar sent Birbal with Quli Khan to suppress the rebellion. Bidhi Chand got defeated but chand had to leave his son Triok chand as hostage to mughal court. Akbar appointed his revenue minister Todar mal to establish royal estate in the hil state.

(3) Jahangir : In 1615 Jahangir sent his allies Raja Surajmal of Nurpur and Sheikh Farid Murtaza Khan to capture Kangra bur some controversy broke down. Again in year 1617 A.D. Jahangir sent his ally Raja suraj Mal of Dhameri ( present day Nurpur ) but could not capture due the rebellion by Suraj Mal with mughal. Suraj Mal fled to Chamba and there Pratap Singh Varman asked him to surrender but before anything could happen he died. Finally Raja Jagat Singh, brother of Raja Suraj Mal helped Mughals to capture Kangra Fort in 1620 A.D. Jahangir visited Dhameri in 1622 A.D. and renamed Dhameri as Nurpur before the name of his wife Nur Jahan.

(4 ) Shah Jahan : The first Mughal Kiledar of Kangra fort was Nawab Ali Khan. During the reign of Shah Jahan Nawab Assad Ullah Khan and Quli Khan succeeded to the possession of fort.

( 5 ) Auragzeb : During the reign of Auragzeb Kangra fort was successfully held by Mughal Kiledars Sayyid Husain Khan, Hasan Abdullah Khan Pathan and Nawab Sayyid Khalil Ullah Khan. Last kiledar of Kangra fort was Nawab Saif Ali khan was appointed in 1740 during the closing reign of Mughal empire. Raja Chattar Singh of Chamba refused to demolish temple when order by Aurangjeb. Meanwhile Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded Punjab and in his invasions destroyed Mughal authority in Punjab.

            The advent of summer made further advances impossible and he returned to his country laden with treasure from his Indain invasions. Hill Raja Ghamand Chand took advantage of this confusion like several other hill chiefs recovered all the territory that had been lost by his ancestors to the Mughals with the exception of Kangra fort.