Shah Mir - Early Life

Early Life

During the reign of Sehadeva (1301-?), a Tatar chief Dulucha invaded Kashmir and ravaged it. King Sehadeva fled the country and his general Ramachandra occupied the throne. In the confusion Rinchan (reigned 1320–23), the Ladhaki prince,organised an internal rising and seized the throne. He married Kota Rani, the daughter of Ramachandra. The Hindu religious leaders of the time refused to admit into their fold. Rinchan embraced Islam and took Muslim name of Sultan Sadruddin. was attacked by rebels and was badly wounded and died in 1323 A.D. Just before his death Sultan Sadruddin (Rinchan) summoned his trusted minister, Shah Mir, and entrusted his son, Hyder, and wife, Kotarani, to his care. He had a son, Haidar by his queen Kota Rani. After the death of Rinchan, who was assassinated, Kotarani married Udayana Deva, the brother of Sehadava.

The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was Udyana Deva. It was his chief Queen Kotarani, who practically governed the state. She was a very brave lady, shrewd and an able ruler. Though she tried her best to save her Kingdom, odds were too heavy for her. The valley was again invaded by a Mongol and Turk invader Achalla, and Udayana Deva fled to Tibet. But the Queen defeated (killed) Achalla and drove away all the foreign troops.

Finally another rising was led by Shah Mir, who defeated the queen at Jayapur (modern Sumbal). The defeat upset her and seeing the indifference of the Hindu grandees and general public, she stabbed herself to death, because Shah Mir wanted to marry her. Her death in 1339 paved the way for the establishment of Shah miri dynasty rule in Kashmir.

The descent of Shahmiri dynasty is well documented from Hindu (Jonaraja) Kshatriyas. After the fall of their empire the descendants disseminated to various areas in the valley like the saffron town in Pampore (Numlabal) while others settled in Srinagar. Shahmiris are still looked at as royal elites and generally live in palatial houses in Srinagar that were built in Victorian style architecture back in the 19th century.

The first sufi saint who reached Kashmir, during the time of King Sehdev, was Sayed Sharafuddin Bulbul Shah from Turkey. That very time a rebel prince from Tibet, Rinchan, and a muslim Swati afghan Warlord, Shah Mir, arrived in Kashmir.