List of monarchs of Kashmir


This is a list of the monarchs of Kashmir from the establishment of the Gonanda dynasty around 1400 BCE until the cession of parts of Kashmir State by the Dogra dynasty to Indian Union in 1947 and then officially merging into the Republic of India in 1952.

Gonanda dynasty

Gonanda dynasty (I)

The total reign of the following kings is mentioned as 1266 years.
RulerNotes
Gonanda IContemporary of Yudhishthira, a relative of Magadha's ruler Jarasandha . He was killed by Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna.
Damodara IKilled in a battle by Krishna.
Wife of Damodara. She was pregnant at the time of her husband's death, and Krishna helped her ascend the throne.
Gonanda IISon of Yashovati and Damodara. Ruled as a minor over Kashmir, during the Kurukshetra War. Killed by Parikshit.
35 kings
A manuscript titled Ratnakar Purana supposedly contained these names, and was translated into Persian by the orders of the later Muslim ruler Zain-ul-Abidin. The purported original manuscript as well as its translation are now lost. A Muslim historian named Hassan is said to have obtained a copy of the translation, and the later Muslim historians provided a fabricated list of 35 names ending in -Khan.Some sources claim that after Gonanda II was killed, Parikshit handed over Kashmir to his second son Harnadeva. This gave rise to the Pandava Dynasty of Kashmir. Harnadeva lost a succession war against Janamejaya, and so he remained the King of Kashmir. The last ruler was Bhagavanta, who was defeated by Lava in 1752 BCE.
LavaA descendant of Gonanda I, who belonged to the Naga Dynasty and defeated King Bhagavanta of the Pandava Dynasty of Kashmir in 1752 BCE. He laid the foundation of Kashmira Naga Dynasty, a sub-division of the Gonanda Dynasty. He established a city named Lolora in Kashmir. According to the Rajatarangini, there were 84 lakh stone-walled houses in it.
KusheshayaSon of Lava
KhagendraSon of Kushyendra
SurendraSon of Khagendra. Surendra was the first Buddhist king of Kashmir who established the Buddhist culture of Saman culture in Kashmir.
GodharaBelonged to a different family from Lava's dynasty
SuvarnaKnown for constructing a canal named Suvarnamani
JanakaUnsuccessfully invaded Persia
ShachinaraDied childless
AshokaGreat-grandson of Shakuni and son of Shachinara's first cousin. Built a great city called Srinagara. In his days, the mlechchhas overran the country, and he took sannyasa. According to Kalhana's account, this Ashoka would have ruled in the 2nd millennium BCE, and was a member of the dynasty founded by Godhara. Kalhana also states that this king had adopted the doctrine of Jina, constructed stupas and Shiva temples, and appeased Bhutesha to obtain his son Jalauka. Despite the discrepancies, multiple scholars identify Kalhana's Ashoka with the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, who adopted Buddhism. Although "Jina" is a term generally associated with Jainism, some ancient sources use it to refer to the Buddha.
Jalauka A staunch Shaivite, who constructed several Shiva temples. He rid the country from the mlechchhas.
Damodara IIDevout Shaivite. Built a new city called Damodarasuda, and a dam called Guddasetu.
Hushka, Jushka, and KanishkaBuddhist kings of Turashka origin. The third king is identified with Kanishka of the Kushan Empire.
Abhimanyu IA Shaivite during whose reigns Buddhists also flourished. Because of the rising Buddhist influence, people stopped following the Shaivite Nāga rites prescribed in the holy text Nilamata Purana. This angered the Nāgas, who heavily persecuted the Buddhists. To avoid this disorder, the king retired. A Brahmin named Chandradeva restored Shaivite rites by worshipping Shiva.

Gonanditya dynasty (I)

The Gonanda dynasty ruled Kashmir for 1002 years.
RulerReignAscension yearNotes
Gonanda III35 years1182 BCEGonanda III founded a new dynasty. He belonged to Rama's lineage, and restored the Nāga rites
Vibhishana I53 years, 6 months1147 BCE
Indrajit35 years1094 BCE
Ravana30 years, 6 monthsA Shivalinga attributed to Ravana could still be seen at the time of Kalhana.
Vibhishana II35 years, 6 months1058 BCE
Nara I 40 years, 9 months1023 BCEHis queen eloped with a Buddhist monk, so he destroyed the Buddhist monasteries and gave their land to the Brahmins. He tried to abduct a Nāga woman, who was the wife of a Brahmin. Because of this, the Nāga chief burnt down the king's city, and the king died in the fire.
Siddha60 years983 BCESiddha, the son of Nara, was saved from Nāga's fury, because he was away from the capital at the time. He was a religious king, and followed a near-ascetic lifestyle.
Utpalaksha30 years, 6 months923 BCESon of Siddha
Hiranyaksha37 years, 7 months893 BCESon of Utpalaksha
Hiranyakula60 years855 BCESon of Hiranyaksha
Vasukula 60 years795 BCESon of Hiranyakula. During his reign, the Mlechchhas overran Kashmir.
Mihirakula70 years735 BCEAccording to historical evidence, Mihirakula's predecessor was Toramana. Kalhana mentions a king called Toramana, but places him much later, in Book 3. According to Kalhana, Mihirakula was a cruel ruler who ordered killings of a large number of people, including children, women and elders. He invaded the Sinhala Kingdom, and replaced their king with a cruel man. As he passed through Chola, Karnata and other kingdoms on his way back to Kashmir, the rulers of these kingdoms fled their capitals and returned only after he had gone away. On his return to Kashmir, he ordered killings of 100 elephants, who had been startled by the cries of a fallen elephant. Once, Mihirakula dreamt that a particular stone could be moved only by a chaste woman. He put this to test: the women who were unable to move the stone were killed, along with their husbands, sons and brothers. He was supported by some immoral Brahmins. In his old age, the king committed self-immolation.
Vaka 63 years, 18 days665 BCEA virtuous king, he was seduced and killed by a woman named Vatta, along with several of his sons and grandsons.
Kshitinanda30 years602 BCEThe only surviving child of Vaka
Vasunanda52 years, 2 months572 BCE"Originator of the science of love"
Nara II60 years520 BCESon of Vasunanda
Aksha60 years460 BCESon of Nara II
Gopaditya60 years, 6 days400 BCESon of Aksha. Gave lands to Brahmins. Expelled several irreligious Brahmins who used to eat garlic ; in their place, he brought others from foreign countries.
Gokarna57 years, 11 months340 BCESon of Gopaditya
Narendraditya I 36 years, 3 months, 10 days282 BCESon of Gokarna
Yudhisthira I34 years, 5 months, 1 day246 BCECalled "the blind" because of his small eyes. In later years of his reign, he started patronizing unwise persons, and the wise courtiers deserted him. He was deposed by rebellious ministers, and granted asylum by a neighboring king. His descendant Meghavahana later restored the dynasty's rule.

Other rulers

No kings mentioned in this book have been traced in any other historical source. These kings ruled Kashmir for 192 years.
RulerReignAscension yearNotes
Pratapaditya I32 years167 BCEPratapaditya was a relative of a distant king named Vikrmaditya. This Vikramaditya is not same as the Vikramaditya of Ujjain, who is mentioned later as a patron of Matrigupta.
Jalauka32 years135 BCESon of Pratapaditya
Tungjina I36 years103 BCEShared the administration with his queen. The couple sheltered their citizens in the royal palace during a severe famine resulting from heavy frost. After his death, the queen committed sati. The couple died childless.
Vijaya8 years67 BCEFrom a different dynasty than Tungjina.
Jayendra37 years59 BCESon of Vijaya: his "long arms reached to his knees". His flatters instigated him against his minister Sandhimati. The minister was persecuted, and ultimately imprisoned because of rumors that he would succeed the king. Sandhimati remained in prison for 10 years. In his old age, the childless king ordered killing of Sandhimati to prevent any chance of him becoming a king. He died after hearing about the false news of Sandhimati's death.
Sandhimati alias Aryaraja47 years22 BCESandhimati was selected by the citizens as the new ruler. He ascended the throne reluctantly, at the request of his guru Ishana. He was a devout Shaivite, and his reign was marked by peace. He filled his court with rishis, and spent his time in forest retreats. Therefore, his ministers replaced him with Meghavahana, a descendant of Yudhishthira I. He willingly gave up the throne.

Restored Gonandiya dynasty/Gonanda dynasty (II)

RulerReignAscension yearNotes
Meghavahana34 years25 CE Meghavahana was the son of Yudhisthira I's great-grandson, who had been granted asylum by Gopaditya, the king of Gandhara. Meghavahana had been selected the husband of a Vaishnavite princess at a Swayamvara in another kingdom. The ministers of Kashmir brought him to Kashmir after Sandhimati proved to be an unwilling king. Meghavahana banned animal slaughter and compensated those who earned their living through hunting. He patrnozed Brahmins, and set up a monastery. His queens built Buddhist viharas and monasteries. He subdued kings in regions as far as Sinhala Kingdom, forcing them to abandon animal slaughter.
Shreshtasena 30 years59 CESon of Meghavahana
Hiranya
and co-regent
Toramana
30 years, 2 months89 CE

Son of Shreshtasena, assisted by his brother and co-regent Toramana. The king imprisoned Toramana, when the latter stuck royal coins in his own name. Toramana's son Pravarasena, who had been brought up in secrecy by his mother Anjana, freed him. Hiranya died childless. Several coins of a king named Toramana have been found in the Kashmir region. This king is identified by some with Huna ruler Toramana, although his successor Mihirakula is placed much earlier by Kalhana.
Matrigupta4 years, 9 months, 1 day120 CEAccording to Kalhana, the emperor Vikramditya of Ujjayini defeated the Shakas, and made his friend and poet Matrigupta the ruler of Kashmir. After Vikramaditya's death, Matrigupta abdicated the throne in favour of Pravarasena. According to D. C. Sircar, Kalhana has confused the legendary Vikramaditya of Ujjain with the Vardhana Emperor Harsha. The latter is identified with Shiladitya mentioned in Xuanzang's account. However, according to M. A. Stein, Kalhana's Vikramaditya is another Shiladitya mentioned in Xuanzang's account: a king of Malwa around 580 CE.
Pravarasena II60 years125 CE
Historical evidence suggests that a king named Pravarasena ruled Kashmir in the 6th century CE. According to Kalhana, Pravarasena subdued many other kings, in lands as far as Saurashtra. He restored the rule of Vikramaditya's son Pratapshila, who had been expelled from Ujjain by his enemies. Pratapshila agreed to be a vassal of Pravarasena after initial resistance. He founded a city called Pravarapura, which is identified by later historians as the modern city of Srinagar on the basis topographical details.
Yudhishthira II39 years, 8 months185 CESon of Pravarasena
Narendraditya I 13 years206 CESon of Yudhishthira II and Padmavati
Ranaditya I -219 CE
Younger brother of Narendraditya. His queen Ranarambha was an incarnation of Bhramaravasini. The Chola king Ratisena had found her among the waves, during an ocean worship ritual.
Vikramaditya42 years519 CESon of Ranaditya
Baladitya36 years, 8 months561 CEYounger brother of Vikramaditya. He subdued several enemies. An astrologer prophesied that his son-in-law would succeed him as the king. To avoid this outcome, the king married his daughter Anangalekha to Durlabhavardhana, a handsome but non-royal man from Ashvaghama Kayastha caste.

Early Medieval Period

Karkota dynasty (c. 625–855 CE)

;List of rulers–
RulerReignAscension year
Durlabhavardhana 38 years598 CE
Durlabhaka (Pratapaditya II)60 years634 CE
Chandrapida (Vajraditya I)8 years, 8 months694 CE
Tarapida 4 years, 24 days703 CE
Muktapida 36 years, 7 months, 11 days703 CE
Kuvalayapida1 year, 15 days739 CE
Vajraditya II 7 years746 CE
Prithivyapida I4 years, 1 month750 CE
Sangramapida I7 days750 CE
Jayapida ; Jajja31 years; 3 years781 CE
Lalitapida12 years793 CE
Sangramapida II 7 years805 CE
Chippatajayapida 12 years812 CE
Ajitapida37 years830 CE
Anangapida3 years867 CE
Utpalapida2 years870 CE

Utpala dynasty (c. 855–1012 CE)

;List of rulers–
RulerReign
Avantivarman853/855 – 11 June 883
Shankaravarman883–902
Gopalavarman902 – 10 February 904
Sankata904
Sugandha904–906
Partha906–921
Nirjitavarman921–922
Chakravarman922–933
Shuravarman I933–934
Partha 934–935
Chakravarman 935
Shankaravardhana 935–936
Chakravarman 936–937
Unmattavanti 937–939
Shuravarman II939
Yashaskara-deva939
Varnata948
Sangramadeva 948
Parvagupta948 – 30 June 950
Kshemagupta30 June 950 – 22 December 958
Abhimanyu II22 December 958 – 13 October 972
Nandigupta13 October 972 – 10 November 973
Tribhuvanagupta10 November 973 – 11 November 975
Bhimagupta11 November 975 – 980
Didda980 – 8 August 1003

Lohara dynasty (c. 1003–1339)

;List of rulers–
RulerAscension year
Sangramaraja 1003 CE
Hariraja1028 CE
Ananta-deva1028 CE
Kalasha 1063 CE
Utkarsha1089 CE
Harshadied in 1101 CE
Uchchala1101 CE
Sussalaunknown
Jayasimha1111 CE
Paramanuka1123 CE
Vantidevauntil 1165 CE
Vuppadeva1172 CE
Jassaka1181 CE
Jagadeva1199 CE
Rājadeva1213 CE
Samgrāmadeva1235 CE
Laksmandadeva1273 CE
Simhadeva1286 CE
Sūhadeva1301 CE
Rinchan13 November 1320 - December 1320, December 1320 - 25 November 1323
Udayanadeva1323 CE
Kota Rani1338–1339 CE

Late Medieval Period

Kashmir Sultanate (c. 1320/1339–1589)

Bhoti dynasty (c. 1320–1323)

No.Titular NamePersonal NameReign
1Sadr'ud-Din ShahRinchan13 November 1320 – 31 December 1323

Shah Mir dynasty (c. 1339–1561 CE)

No.Titular NamePersonal NameReign
2Shamsu'd-Dīn ShāhShāh Mīr4 July 1339 – 6 July 1342
3Jamshīd ShāhJamshīd6 July 1342 – 6 May 1343
4Alāu'd-Dīn ShāhAlī Shēr6 May 1343 – 19 April 1354
5Shihābu'd-Dīn ShāhShīrashāmak19 April 1354 – 6 June 1373
6Qutbu'd-Dīn ShāhHindāl6 June 1373 – 24 August 1389
7Sikandar ShāhShingara24 August 1389 – 31 May 1413
8Alī ShāhMīr Khān31 May 1413 – 20 February 1418
9Ghiyasu'd-Din ShahShāhī Khān20 February 1418 – December 1419
Alī ShāhMīr KhānDecember 1419 – 7 July 1420
Ghiyasu'd-Din ShahShāhī Khān7 July 1420 – 5 April 1470
10Haider ShāhHāji Khān5 April 1470 – 13 April 1472
11Hasan ShāhHasan Khān13 April 1472 – 19 April 1484
12Muhammad ShāhMuhammad Khān19 April 1484 – 14 October 1486
13Fatēh ShāhFatēh Khān14 October 1486 – July 1493
Muhammad ShāhMuhammad KhānJuly 1493 – 1505
Fatēh ShāhFatēh Khān1505 – 1514
Muhammad ShāhMuhammad Khān1514 – September 1515
Fatēh ShāhFatēh KhānSeptember 1515 – August 1517
Muhammad ShāhMuhammad KhānAugust 1517 – January 1528
14Ibrahīm ShāhIbrahīm KhānJanuary 1528 – April 1528
15Nāzuk ShāhNādir ShāhApril 1528 – June 1530
Muhammad ShāhMuhammad KhānJune 1530 – July 1537
16Shamsu'd-Dīn Shāh IIShamsu'd-DīnJuly 1537 – 1540
17Ismaīl ShāhIsmaīl Khān1540 – December 1540
Nāzuk ShāhNādir ShāhDecember 1540 – December 1552
Ibrahīm ShāhIbrahīm KhānDecember 1552 – 1555
Ismaīl ShāhIsmaīl Khān1555 – 1557
18Habīb ShāhHabīb Khān1557 – 1561

  • '' NOTE : Muhammad Shah had five separate reigns from 1484 to 1537.''

Chak dynasty (c. 1561–1579 CE)

No.Titular NamePersonal NameReign
19Muḥammad HumāyūnGhazi Shah1561 – 1563
20Nasiru'd-DinHusain Shah1563 – 1570
21Zahīru'd-Din Muhammad AlīAli Shah1570 – December 1578
22Nasiru'd-Din GhaziYousuf ShahDecember 1578 – February 1579

Baihaqi dynasty (c. 1579 CE)

No.Titular NamePersonal NameReign
23Mubarak GhaziMubarak BaihaqiFebruary 1579 – November 1579

Restored Chak dynasty (c. 1579–1589 CE)

  • '' NOTE : Yakub Shah was dethroned on 14 October 1586 by the Mughals but continued to use the title of the [|Sultan of Kashmir] till 1589.''

Early Modern Period

Mughal Kashmir (c. 1586–1752)

Raja of Kashmir (c. 1754–1762 CE)

Titular NamePersonal NameReign
Raja JiwanSukh Jiwan Mal Sahni1754–1762

Modern Period

Sikh Empire (c. 1819–1846 CE)

The nominal and acting governors of Kashmir during Sikh-rule and their tenures are as follows:

State of Jammu and Kashmir (c. 1846–1952 CE)

RulerPortraitReign
Maharaja Gulab Singh16 March 1846 – 20 February 1856
Maharaja Ranbir Singh20 February 1856 – 12 September 1885
Maharaja Pratap Singh12 September 1885 – 23 September 1925
Maharaja Hari Singh12 September 1925 – 17 November 1952

Works cited

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