KASHMIR VALLEYS 235 



a vast collection of wise laws and sapient observations 

 for the guidance of his successors. 



King Avantivarma, of the ninth century, also left a 

 great reputation for sagacity. Though no soldier, he did 

 much towards encouraging useful works in the valley. 

 His son, Shan Karavarman, collected a vast army. 

 We are not told whether his subjects were men of greater 

 mettle than their present representatives, or whether 

 his soldiers were mercenaries, and how his cavalry was 

 mounted. He memorialised himself more thoroughly 

 by the temples he built at Patan. Apparently the army 

 thus assembled, deprived under later kings of legitimate 

 employment, turned its energies to civil wars, and the 

 history of this period is chaotic ; rather that word should 

 be applied to the state of the brain after attempting to 

 grapple with its chronicles. 



The one distinct figure of the time is that of 

 the Queen Didda, a lady of decided views and unde- 

 cided principles. Fettered, as others in the like position 

 have been since her time, she set herself to work to rid 

 herself of her entourage. Having had much influence 

 during her husband's life, she proceeded after his death 

 to remove her minor son, whose guardian she was 

 supposed to be, also three grandsons; and finally 

 reigned alone and well, so that the kingdom was safe- 

 guarded for a time from the internal strife which was 

 the ruin of the dynasty. 



The country became more and more disintegrated. 

 Central power was at an end, and at the beginning of the 

 fourteenth century each party, in turns, appears to have 

 put forth a candidate for the governorship, the badge of 

 office being the possession of Kuta Rani, daughter of 

 Earn Chand, commander-in-chief of the last Hindu king. 



