|
40
himself in Kharmang Fort. Siege of the
fort lasted for four months. Finally Mirza Khan surrendered on
condition that his life would be spared. The condition was granted
and Mirza Khan was allowed to go to Ladakh with his family etc. the
administration of Kartaksha (Kharmang) was entrusted to Sher Khan (Sher
Shah).
Hasssan Khan ruler of Khaplu and
Chorbat, and Rahim Khan ruler of Saling, were brothers. After the
death of Hassan Khan, his brother Rahim Khan, had forcibly evicted
his nephews Babar and Yaqub from their father’s patrimony with help
of Raja of Laddakh who was a relative of Rahim Khan. Both Babar,
Yaqub and their mother were carried away to Laddakh as prisoners of
war by the Laddakhi Raja. As a reward for the help rendered by the
Raja of Ladakh, Raja Rahim Khan ceded the valley of Chorbat to the
Ladakhi Raja while Raja Rahim Khan annexed the principality of Babar
and Yaqub with his own. There is another version that after the
death of Rahim Khan his son Hatam Khan taking advantage of the
turmoil in Skardu invited the Raja of Laddakh to invade Khaplu who
after investment of that kingdom carried Babar and Yaqub and their
mother Haya Khatoon to Laddakh and imprisoned them. The Raja of
Ladakh annexed Chorbat district to Laddakh. The invasion of Khaplu
by the Raja of Laddakh at the instance of Raja Haider Khan of Khaplu
as recorded in the Ladakhi chronicles claims that after invadingo
Khaplu, a dependency of Skardu, by Parak Namgyal with a large Army,
Rajas Hatim Khan, Sultan Khan and Ali Khan submitted to Parak
Namgyal but the chief of Balti (Shah Murad) after obtaining aid from
the government of Kashmir, was defeated at Sairu and the Kashmiris
lost many of their officers as well as their colors and drums, as
consequence of which the chiefs of Karchu and Balti (Shah Murad)
tendered his submission and became tributary to Ladakh. The Ladakhi
chronicle exaggerates their victory when it says that the ruler of
Balti (Skardu) tendered his submission. No record is forthcoming as
to the invasion of the Moghals in aid of Skardu as referred to in
the Ladakhi chronicle. There is only one event unspecified in the
Moghal History which shows that the Moghal once failed to conquer
Ladakh. A reference to it has been made while dealing with the reign
of Ahmad Khan, father of Shah Murad.
Ali Khan fled from imprisonment and Rahim Kha, Raja of Khaplu, gave
him refuge. Mirza Khan instead of going to Laddakh had also taken
refuge there. The combined army of Skardu and Shigar marched upon
Khaplu and stormed the forts of Kharku and Haldi. The Kharku Fort at
Khaplu proper fell after a siege of three months. Rahim Khan had
surrendered on the condition that he will not be harmed. Without
caring for his word of honor, Shah Murad imprisoned Mirza
|
|