Shah Mir Dynasty Under Zain-ul-abideen (1420–1470 Ce)
Introduction
Ghiyas-ud-Din Kashmir's eighth sultan, Zain-ul-Abidin (1420–1470 CE), ruled the region. He was known as Bod Shah (Great King) by his subjects. In the Rajatarangini Dvitiya, Jonaraja recounts the first 35 years of his rule; in the Rajatarangini Tritiya, Srivara recounts the remaining years.
Background of Zain-Ul-Abideen
• When Ali Shah, his older brother, left the empire to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, Shahi Khan, Sultan Sikander's son, was given the duty of managing the kingdom.
• At this time, Ali Shah gave Shahi Khan the title of Zain-ul-Abidin. Although he was a devout man, Ali Shah was weak-willed, and when he learned about the challenging trek that lay ahead, his ambition to reach Mecca diminished.
• He gave up his trip when he reached the palace of his father-in-law, the king of Jammu, and assembled an army of Rajauri and Jammu troops to retake his throne.
• There is disagreement in the ancient writings as to why Zain-ul-Abidin renounced his newly attained status without a struggle, but there is little doubt that this is what actually occurred.
• In Sialkot, Zain-ul-Abidin retired and asked Jasrat Khokhar for support.
• When Ali Shah received this support, he was furious and immediately sent his army to Khokhar's aid. When the two armies converged at Thanna, Khokhar vanquished the opponent who had disregarded his father-in-law's advice to hold off until the Jammu army could join him.
• Then, Zain-ul-Abideen was free to travel back to Srinagar, the nation's capital, where his subjects greeted him.
• It is unknown what happened to Ali Shah; he might have perished in captivity or been killed by Khokhar.
Zain-Ul-Abideen's Rule
• Zain-ul-Abidin was inherently a gentle person, but he was fiercely protective of his domain.
• His grandfather, Shihabu'd-Din, had conquered Ladakh and Baltistan, which had grown unstable following his death until Sikander reasserted power. He organized and oversaw an army to calm them down.
• Zain-ul-Abidin recognised the regions' economic and strategic importance, indicating that they could not be allowed to secede, as they started to assert their independence once more with Ali Shah's ascension to the king.
• The lord of Ohind, whose army had been routed by Sikander but who had declared independence under Ali Shah, was also brought back under his control.
• He enjoyed cordial relations with the leaders of countries that he had never previously ruled.
• He exchanged presents and ambassadors with the kings of Egypt, Gwalior, Mecca, Bengal, Sindh, Gujarat, and other countries, according to historical documents.
• Many of the gifts revealed Zain-ul-Abidin's refined nature, they included musical works, manuscripts, and scholars; the latter were sent to him in response to his remark that a gift of learned nature would have interested him more than an original gift of precious stones.
Administration - Zain-Ul-Abideen
• A system of village community accountability for local offences was implemented by Zain-ul-Abidin. He managed the cost of the commodities.
• The currency had been debased under his predecessors' rule, and he restored it. He was in charge of many different public works initiatives.
• He founded a number of new cities, built a number of bridges, and dug a number of irrigation canals.
• He also prevented regional governors from imposing illegitimate taxes and gave peasants much-needed tax relief.
Religious Policy of Zain-Ul-Abideen
• He was a supporter of Sanskrit literature and language.
• In order to convert them gently, he called the Hindus who had fled Kashmir under his father's rule.
• He started giving educated Brahmans who converted to Islam stipends.
Conclusion
His three sons, Adam Khan, Haji Khan, and Bahram Khan, rebelled against him in the waning days of his rule, but he ruthlessly put them down. He was succeeded by his son Haji Khan, who adopted the name Haidar Khan.