Mongol invasion
In 1398, Timur-i-Lange (Tamur the Lame) led Mongol armies into various parts of India. He attacked cities like Delhi, Meerut and Haridwar before moving into the Shivalik Hills, where he targeted the Kiarda Doon valley in Sirmaur state. On his journey westward along the foothills of Sirmaur, Timur reached the Hindur region, where Alam Chand was the chief.
In 1398, Timur aimed to capture Nagarkot (now known as Kangra), but he faced strong resistance from Megh Chand, the ruler of Kangra, and failed to capture the region. Despite this, Timur managed to capture eight forts in the region, including Pathankot and Nurpur.
Shershah Suri’s campaign
Sher Shah Suri’s army captured Kangra Fort through its commander Khan Jahan in 1540. In 1556, his forces led by Khawas Khan and Sikandar Shah Suri again invaded the hills of Himachal.
Victory of the Mughal Dynasty
Akbar: In 1562, Akbar made an alliance with Raja Dharam Chandra and granted him the title of Maharaja. Their alliance ended after a decade. In 1573, Akbar entrusted his finance minister, Raja Todar Mal, with the task of capturing the Kangra Fort and surrounding areas, including villages in Kangra and other areas. As a result, Jai Chand, the ruler of Kangra, was captured. Akbar also visited the Jwalamukhi Temple and donated a gold roof to it.
Jahangir: When Jahangir ascended the throne in 1605, he focused on conquering the Nagarkot (Kangra) fort. In 1615, he assigned Murtaza Khan and Suraj Mal to capture the fort, but Suraj Mal protested and rebelled. The rebellion in Chamba continued for a year before Surajmal’s death and the Mughals took over his property. Jahangir finally secured the Kangra Fort in 1620 and built a mosque there in 1621.
Shahjahan: Shahjahan ascended the throne in 1627 and maintained control over Kangra. The Katoch royal family, by giving away a small estate, attempted to reclaim the Kangra fort. Raja Hari Chand resorted to guerrilla warfare but was eventually captured and executed in the fort in 1627.
Aurangzeb: Aurangzeb ascended the throne in 1658. In 1678 he issued an order to destroy the temples of Chamba, to which Raja Chatar Singh protested and covered them with gold. Raja Chander Bhan built a fort near Dharamshala to oppose the Mughal rule. Aurangzeb put the Mughal Nawabs in charge of Kangra Fort.
Decline of the Mughals and rebellion of local rulers
The Mughal Empire began to decline after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. Nadir Shah of Persia took advantage of the chaos and invaded India in 1738–39 and captured Delhi and Punjab. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Abdali and his successors began incursions into India, further weakening Mughal power.
In 1758–59, Ahmad Shah Abdali appointed Raja Ghumand Chand as the governor of Jalandhar and the area between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers. Mughal influence continued in Himachal as Kangra Fort was still under the control of Saif Ali Khan.
When Sansar Chand, grandson of Raja Ghumand Chand, assumed the throne of Kangra in 1775, his aim was to regain control of the Kangra Fort. He formed an alliance with the Sikh leader Jai Singh Kanheya and their combined forces captured the fort in 1781–82. By 1783, the Sikhs took control of the fort, ending Muslim rule in the hill states.
BRIEF SUMMARY
Mongol invasion
• In 1398, Taimur-i-Lang led the Mongol invasion of India and attacked Delhi, Meerut and Haridwar.
• Timur invaded the Shivalik Hills and targeted the Kiarda Doon valley in Sirmaur state.
• On his return journey, he reached Hindur where Alam Chand was the chief.
• Taimur’s aim was to capture Nagarkot (Kangra) but he failed due to the resistance of the ruler Megh Chand.
• He managed to capture eight forts in the region including Pathankot and Nurpur.
• Shershah Suri’s campaign
• Sher Shah Suri’s army captured Kangra Fort through its commander Khan Jahan in 1540.
• His army again invaded the Himachal hills in 1556.
• Victory of the Mughal Dynasty
• Akbar: Made an alliance with Raja Dharam Chandra in 1562 and granted him the title of Maharaja.
• The alliance ended after a decade, and Akbar entrusted Raja Todar Mal with the capture of Kangra Fort in 1573.
• Akbar visited the Jwalamukhi temple and donated a gold roof to it.
• Jahangir: Became emperor in 1605 and focused on capturing the Nagarkot (Kangra) fort.
• He sent Murtaza Khan and Suraj Mal to capture the fort in 1615, but Suraj Mal resisted and rebelled.
• After Surajmal’s death, Jahangir secured the fort in 1620 and built a mosque there.
• Shah Jahan: ascended the throne in 1627 and maintained control over Kangra.
• The Katoch royal family tried to reclaim the Kangra fort, but Raja Hari Chand was captured and killed.
• Aurangzeb: Became emperor in 1658 and ordered the destruction of the temples of Chamba in 1678.
• Raja Chatar Singh protested against this by plating the temples with gold.
• Raja Chander Bhan built a fort near Dharamshala to oppose the Mughal rule.
Decline of the Mughals and rebellion of local rulers
• The Mughal Empire began to decline after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707.
• Nadir Shah of Persia invaded India in 1738–39 and captured Delhi and Punjab.
• Ahmad Shah Abdali and his successors continued their incursions into India from 1747 onwards.
• Raja Ghumand Chand was appointed the governor of Jalandhar in 1758–59.
• Sansar Chand, grandson of Raja Ghumand Chand, aimed to recapture the Kangra Fort in 1775.
• He formed an alliance with the Sikh leader Jai Singh Kanheya and they captured the fort in 1781–82.
• In 1783, the Sikhs took control of the fort, ending Muslim rule in the hill states.