18 H. S, Jarrefct — Note on an Inscription foimd in Kashmir. [No. 1, 



of a royal stock, named Shahmir who, settling in Kashmir in the reign o£ 

 Sahdeo as a merchant, had fast risen to place and power, now thought him-, 

 self strong enough to marry the twice-widowed queen and to usurp the 

 crown. She refused his overtures, but he made himself master of her per- 

 son, and she was forced to yield a reluctant consent to the espousals. She, 

 however, slew herself during the marriage festival and Shahmir now be- 

 came undisputed master of the crown (A. H, 743 A. D. 1342-3) and 

 assumed the title of Sultan Shams-u'd-din. He died in 747 A. H. (A. D. 

 1346-7) leaving two sons, Jamshid and Ali Sher. 



The reign of JaiTishid was short. He was defeated and slain in battle 

 by his brother who succeeded him in 748 under the title of Ala-u'd-din. 



Ala-ud-din's rule of ten years is marked by no important event. He 

 died in A. H. 748 (A. D. 1356-8) and was buried at Ala-u'd-din]3ura. 



His son Shahab-u'd-din succeeded to the crown on the death of his 

 father. He employed his energies in clearing the country of rebels and 

 marauders, and annexed Pakli, Dantaur and the tract, called the Sawad 

 Kabir, to the crown. He wrested Tibet from the ruler of Kashghar and 

 ventured to march towards India, then ruled by Firiiz Shah. After a 

 campaign in which the victory was with neither party, peace was concluded 

 on these conditions that the country from Sirhind to Kashmir should ap- 

 pertain to Shahab-'ud-din, while all to the eastward should acknowledge the 

 sovereignty of Firuz Shah. Muhammad Aazam* notes with surprise that 

 this fact, which he says is mentioned by many historians, is left unnoticed 

 by the author of the Tarikh-i-Pii'uz Shahi. I may add that it is equally 

 omitted by Elphinstone. (A. H 758, A, D. 1356-7.) 



On his return to Kashmir, he built the capital of Shahab-u'd-dinpiira 

 of which now not a trace but the ruins of a mosque remain, and he destroyed 

 the large idol temple at Bijarah.f In the year A. H. 778 (A. D. 1376-7) 

 he died. 



Kutb-ud-din his brother succeeded him in A. H. 780 (A. D. 1378-9). 

 He ruled with justice and moderation and was celebrated as a scholar 

 and a poet. Kutb-ud-dinpura commemorated his name and the metropo- 

 lis of his kingdom. He died in A. H. 796 after a reign of sixteen years. 

 During his time occurred the advent to the court of Sayyid Ali Hamadani, 

 the sixteenth in direct descent from Ali-b-Abi-Talib, the son-in-law of 

 Muhammad. He was revered for his sanctity and eminent virtues, and his 

 influence guided the counsels of the monarch. The Sayyid bestowed on him 

 his own cap which Kutb-ud-din wore in the royal crown. It is feigned that 



* His son Muhammad Aslam, who is the author of the History of Kashmir entitled 

 the Gohar-i Aalam and has made considerable additions to his father's work, goes so 

 far as to say that the conquests of Shahab-ud-din were carried northwards beyond the 

 Oxus and southwards beyond Lahore. 



t Called also Biharah or Bij Biharah. 



