The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c13.287

v1.c13.287

taking with him almost all the able-bodied men of the Valley as his slaves. “When the Rākṣasa Duluca went away, ‘“the son found not his father, nor father his son, nor did brothers meet their brothers. Kashmir became almost like a region before the creation, a vast field with few men, without food and full of grass.” In the confusion the king Sūhadeva appears to have lost his life, after a reign of 19 years, 3 months and 25 days (*c.* 1320 A. D.). According to Jonarāja, one Rāmacandra, who was probably a relative and officer of the last king had for a time offered effective resistance to Riñcana. But the latter had him treacherously killed in the fort of Lahara, and seized the royal power in the valley. He married Koṭādevī, the daughter of the deceased and after taking under his service Śāhamera, established his rule over the whole Valley.¹ Under the able and vigorous administration of Riñcana Kashmir for a time again enjoyed a short period of peace. Jonarāja describes two episodes illustrating the king’s power of judgment and sense of fairness. He kept the *Lavanyas* in check by creating division amongst them by ‘secret devices.’ Abu’l-Faẕl tells us that he was famous for his munificence, and ‘eventually adopted the religion of Śāhamera through intimacy of association with him. Jonarāja notices that Devasvāmī refused to initiate him in Śaivism, as he was a *Bhoṭṭa*, and as such unworthy of such favour. The career of this king unfortunately was brought to a close by a conspiracy through which the king was wounded in the head and died from its effects in *c.* 1323 A. D.² During Riñcana’s administration Śāhamera had gradually risen in power; and when Riñcana died, he left his queen Koṭādevī and son Haidara in his charge. As Haidara was still a minor, Śāhamera raised Udayanadeva, a relative of Riñcana to the throne. He married the widowed queen Koṭādevī, and conferred important offices on Jyaṁśara Ālleśara, the two sons of the king-maker. The queen continued to wield great power while the king ‘spent his time in bathing, in penance and in prayer.’ Taking advantage of the weakness of the king, the *Lavanyas* again began to molest the kingdom, and Sāhamera ‘frightened the king day and night by holding up Haidara before him even as one frightens a bird by holding up his hawk.’ Sāhamera strengthened his position by matrimonial alliances with the ‘lord of the gate’ and other nobles, and soon confined the king’s power to the limits of the palace. After an inglorious reign of five years the king ‘left the world polluted by the touch of Sāhamera’ in 1338 A. D. Koṭādevī, from fear of Sāhamera, kept his death a secret for four days and then assumed the control of the kingdom with the assistance of the *Lavanyas*. Sāhamera at first seemed to acquiesce in the arrangement, but soon after, when the queen had gone to Jayāpīḍapura (same as Jayapura), near the present village of Andarkoṭh, he seized the capital, and after defeating the loyal *Lavanyas*, besieged the queen. Jayāpīḍapura was a strong place, being surrounded on all sides by water, but the queen was won over ‘by the specious flattery and intrigue’ of the adventurer and agreed to share her bed and throne with Sāhamera. After a day’s married life she was treacherously imprisoned, and Sāhamera declared himself king of Kashmir, under the title of Śrī-Śaṁsadīna (Shams ud-Dīn) in 1339 A. D.¹ The dynasty of Shamsud-Dīn was succeeded by the Chakk dynasty in 1561. In the reign of Ya‘qub Shāh, the fifth of this line, Kashmir was annexed by Akbar (1586 A. D.).²