| Dogra invasion of Baltistan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Dogra conquests | |||||||||
 King Ahmad Shah of Skardu surrenders to Zorawar Singh, from a 1850 painting scroll | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Dogra dynasty | Maqpon dynasty | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Zorawar Singh Mehta Basti Ram Mian Nidhan Singh † Wazir Lakhpat Rai |
Raja Ahmed Shah  Prince Muhammad Ali (POW) Wazir Ghulam Hussain † Wazir Sultan Beg † | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| Fateh Shibji Battalion | Unknown | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 15,000 | 20,000 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 4700 dead | 7000 dead | ||||||||
The Dogra invasion of Baltistan was a military campaign led by Dogra Rajput general Zorawar Singh Kalhuria against Maqpon dynasty under Raja Ahmed Shah, resulting in surrender of Ahmed Shah.
Background
In early 1835, Raja Ahmad Shah of Skardu, disinherited his elder son Prince Muhammed Shah and declared this younger son Muhammed Ali as the next Raja of Skardu after his death. Dissatisfied with his father's decision Muhammad Shah arrived at the Dogra camp at Suru, during Zorwar Singh's Ladakh campaign and sought help from him against his father. Muhammed Shah was provided refuge and was placed under the protection of Maharaja.
Invasion
In the year 1840, Zorawar Singh gathered an army of 15,000 for his Baltistan campaign. Ahmed Shah was joined by Baltis and discontented Ladakhis, and destroyed the bridge over Indus river that connected Baltistan to the Dogra territory. Zorawar Singh moved downwards the riverbank for 25 days capturing Khatakchau and Khapolor. Mian Nidhan Singh was dispatched into Baltistan with 5,000 men to collect resources by raiding towns. Nidhan Singh and his men were surrounded by thousands of Baltis and Ladakhis when they advanced 15 miles into the Balti territory. Mian Nidhan Singh was killed and only 400 soldiers returned back to the camp.
Zorawar Singh fell into delusion whether to retreat back or continue his invasion and remained at the bank of Indus ahe couldn't cross indus with such a large army. One night Mehta Basti Ram along with some men cut down trees and built a temporary bridge over icy Indus. While the Dogras were crossing Indus, a group of Baltis under Ghulam Hussian and Wazir Sultan Beg attacked them at Wanko pass. After a fierce battle Ghulam Hussain was killed and Wazir Sultan beg retreated with casualties of 2000 men dead and 1000 wounded, while dogras lost 250 men and 150 wounded. Zorawar Singh awarded Mehta Basti Ram with 500 Rupees uand a air of gold bangles. He awarded the soldiers ranging from 40 to 100 rupees based on their contribution.
Zorawar Singh chased the retreating Baltis for 9 miles and slaughtered them along with Sultan Beg at Thano Kun. He encamped at Marwan to reorganize his troops and plan his next move. Zorawar Singh advanced to Skardu and laid a siege on the fort of Skardu. Zorawar Singh built a fort next to Skardu fort and named it 'Dogra fort' to get shelter in nights. After fifteen days of firing Ahmed Shah surrender the fort to Zorawar Singh.
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Next Zorawar Singh sent Wazir Lakhapat Rai to conquer Dardistan, where he laid a siege on the fort of Astore and prisoned the Dard Raja.
Aftermath
Ahmed Shah and his son Muhammad Ali were taken prisoners and Muhammed Shah was coronated as the Raja of Skardu under Dogra suizerty. Muhammad Shah promised to pay 7,000 rupees as annual tribute to Dogras.
See also
References
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- ^ Afridi, Banat Gul (1988). Baltistan in History. Emjay Books International.
- ^ Datta, Chaman Lal (1984). General Zorawar Singh, His Life and Achievements in Ladakh, Baltistan, and Tibet. Deep & Deep Publications.
- Cunningham, Alexander (1854). Ladák, Physical, Statistical, and Historical: With Notices of the Surrounding Countries. Allen. pp. 346–350.
- Jettmar, Karl (1980). Bolor & Dardistan. National Institute of Folk Heritage.
- Cunningham, Alexander (1854). Ladák, Physical, Statistical, and Historical: With Notices of the Surrounding Countries. Allen.
- ^ Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1983). General Zorawar Singh. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
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- Datta, Chaman Lal (1973). Ladakh and Western Himalayan Politics, 1819-1848: The Dogra Conquest of Ladakh, Baltistan, and West Tibet, and Reactions of the Other Powers. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. ISBN 978-0-88386-204-9.
- ^ Panikkar, Kavalam Madhava (1989). Gulab Singh, 1792-1858: Founder of Kashmir. Gulshan Publishers.
- Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1997). Historiography on Jammu. Jay Kay Book House.
- ^ Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1980). Jammu Kingdom. Light & Life Publishers.
- Francke, August Hermann (1977). A History of Ladakh. Sterling Publishers.