Shah Meer, a Mahomedan of the Hunefy persuasion, becomes minister to Raja Sena Dew of Kashmeer — he usurps the government. — The Raja dies. — The minister marries his widow, and proclaims himself King under the title of Shums-ood-Deen — revises the laws — fixes the assessment on land at seventeen per cent. on the gross produce — resists the attacks of the Tartars of Kashghar — abdicates the throne.
IN the compilation of this history of Kashmeer, I pass over the series of years during which the infidels reigned over that country, the details of which are neither interesting nor authentic. * I shall, therefore, proceed to the period of the first establishment of the Mahomedan faith, which only took place within the last two or three centuries. The original inhabitants of Kashmeer appear to
A. H. 715.
A. D. 1315.
have been followers of Bramha, until the year 715, during the reign of Raja Sena Dew, when a person called Shah Meer, coming to Kashmeer, was admitted into the service of that prince. This man traced his pedigree thus: Shah Meer, the son of Tahir, the son of All, the son of Koorshasp, the son of Neekodur, a descendant from Arjoon an infidel; an account of whom is to be found in the Mahabharut, a work translated by order of Akbur Padshah.*
Shah Meer remained some time in the service
of the Raja, and so entirely gained his confidence,
that upon the death of Sena Dew he was appointed
prime minister to his son and successor,
Raja Runjun, and also succeeded to the high and
responsible situation of governor to the next heir,
Chundur Sein. Shortly afterwards, on the death
of Raja Runjun, one Raja Anund Dew came from
Kashghar†,
*
and asserted his claim to the throne,
as the nearest relation who had attained the age
of manhood. Anund Dew also made Shah Meer
his minister, and provided handsomely for his two
eldest sons, Jumsheed and Ally Sheer. Shah Meer
had also two other sons, called Siamook and Hin-
This exclusion drove Shah Meer and his sons into rebellion, when having occupied the valley of Kashmeer with their troops, most of the officers of the Raja's government also joined them. This insurrection soon brought the Raja to the
A. H. 727.
A. D. 1326.
grave, who died of a broken heart, in
the year 727. His wife, Rany Kowla
Devy, who wished to take the reins of
government out of the hands of the stranger, wrote
to Shah Meer, entreating him to place Chundur
Sein, the son of Raja Runjun, on the throne; and
Shah Meer not assenting, the Rany collected an
army, and marched to oppose him; but she was defeated,
and taken prisoner. It appears, however,
that she afterwards consented, though reluctantly,
to become the wife of Shah Meer, and to embrace
the Mahomedan faith; an event which secured to
him the country which he had before nearly
usurped. The second day after his marriage Shah
Meer imprisoned his wife, and proclaimed himself
King, under the title of Shums-ood-Deen,
causing coin to be struck, and public prayers to
be read, in his name, and he established the Hunefy
doctrines of the Mahomedan religion throughout
Kashmeer. On his accession, he took off the heavy
imposts under which the people laboured, protected
them from the annual exactions of Diljoo, chief
of Kashghar, and fixed the assessment on land at
seventeen per cent. on the gross produce.
*
The
inroads and predatory incursions of the surrounding
nations, especially those of Diljoo, which during
the reign of Sena Dew had laid waste the whole
valley, were now checked by the valour of Shums-
During the reign of Shums-ood-Deen, he divided the inhabitants of Kashmeer into two classes, the one called Chuk, the other Makry, and would not entertain any man as a soldier who was not of one or other of these tribes. After having established certain other rules and regulations, he abdicated his throne in favour of his two elder sons, Jum-
A. H. 750.
A. D. 1349.
sheed and Ally Sheer, and in the same year died, after a reign of twenty-three years, A. H. 750.