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Shah Murad besides conquering Gilgit,
Hunza, Nagar and Ladakh had also conquered Chitral. European
Scholars like Cunningham admits it in the following words:-
“Shah Murad said to have had
possession of Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar and Chitral and to have conquered
Ladakh”. Cunningham says that the reign of Shah Murad extended for
about 1720 to 1750 A.D. Cunningham seems to have become confused
when he said that Shah Murad’s reign pertained to the period of 1720
to 1750 A.D. During that period his grandson Sultan Murad was the
ruler of Baltistan. Both Shah Murah and Sultan Murad invaded and
conquered Ladakh.
During the Ladakh campaign of Moghals,
Shah Muras was a faithful ally and rendered all possible help to the
Imperial Army. In recognition of services rendered to Aurangzeb
‘Khalat’ was conferred on Shah Murad. This is proved from the
following quotation:-
“Eighth year of the reign of Aurangzeb,
1075 A.H. (1656 A.D.) From the submission of Yousuf Khan, Governor,
Kashmir Province, it was revealed that in compliance with the
Imperial command the zamindars of Greater Tibet, ‘kutba’ was read
and coin struck in the name of the Emperor and a magnificent mosque
was constructed in his country. Since Saif Khan was responsible for
the conversion of the zamindar to Islam, the Emperor, the Defender
of Faith, enhanced the ‘mansab’ of the Khan. As Murad Khan, the
zamindar of little Tibet had remained loyal and obedient to the
Emperor, the latter bestowed on him ‘khala’t’ and thus enhanced his
position”.
Bernier referring to the 27th year of the reign of Aurangzeb, 1094 A.D. (1684 A.D.) Mustaid Khan
says “on 14th Shaban it was revealed from the submissions
of Ibrahim Khan, Governor of Kashmir, the town of Tibet has been
seized from Daldan by Fidai Khan. And annexed to the empire. The
Khan’s ‘manasab’ was enhanced by the addition of two thousand
horses”.
When Shah Murad put an end to the rebellion of Mirza Khan, reduced
the forts of Saling, he, as mentioned above marched on Kharboo with
a view to retaking the lost territory from the Laddakhis. The
crushing defeat that the inflicted on the Laddakhi Army enabled him
not only to regain his lost territory but also got his nephews,
Babar and Yaqub and their mother released from the Raja of Laddakh.
Balti legend goes so far as to say that Shah Murad conquered the
whole of Laddakh but he did not annex that kingdom; Kharboo was
again fixed as the last village
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