Rebellion of Azad Khan
The Rebellion of Azad Khan was an armed uprising in Kashmir led by Azad Khan, youngest son of Hajji Karimdad Khan, against the authority of Timur Shah Durrani. It escalated from a fiscal and administrative dispute into a full-scale regional war that forced Timur Shah to intervene personally. The revolt saw repeated reversals Azad Khan first smashed two Durrani armies, but was eventually cornered in Poonch and died by suicide shortly before capture.
Background
Hajji Karimdad Khan, a senior arz-begī and a trusted governor of Kashmir under Ahmad Shah Durrani, died in 1783. His youngest son, Azad Khan, was confirmed by Kabul as his successor. Once in office, Azad Khan consolidated his authority aggressively. He expelled his elder brothers, Murtaza Khan and Zaman Khan, diverted state revenues into his own coffers, distributed cash, cloth, and robes of honor to retain the army's loyalty, and enrolled roughly 3,000 Sikhs and other adventurers as nawkars. Azad Khan then stopped remitting revenue to Kabul altogether. His conduct alarmed Timur Shah, who initially hoped to resolve the matter without war.Prelude
Timur Shah dispatched Mir Muhammad Ali Khan to counsel and restrain Azad Khan. Mir Muhammad Ali Khan confronted him directly in Srinagar, warned him of the consequences, and seized roughly three lakhs of rupees in cash and kind to cover arrears. Outwardly preparing to return to Kabul, he secretly informed the court that Azad Khan showed clear signs of rebellion.Timur Shah responded by sending a 30,000-man force under the expelled brothers Murtaza and Zaman, accompanied by chiefs including Faiz Talab Khan Muhammadzai, Nawaz Jang Bangash Kohati, Zardar Khan, and Burhan Khan Popalzai. They advanced to the fort of Pakhli, while Azad Khan camped at nearby Muzaffarabad.
The Rebellion
First phase: Muzaffarabad and Baramulla
A sharp engagement on the Kishanganga ended in disaster for Azad Khan, his commander Mulla A‘zam Khan was killed and around 2,000 of his men drowned or were cut down. Azad attempted to flee by boat but was stopped by his cousin Pahlawan Khan, who forced him to rally the troops. Pahlawan reorganized the army, counterattacked, captured Burhan Khan Popalzai, and drove the Durrani force back.Azad Khan pressed the advantage. When the Durrani troops regrouped at Pakhli, he marched out again and defeated them a second time near Baramulla, capturing Nawaz Jang Bangash, his son, and several officers. During these clashes, a notable Yusufzai fighter, Sayyid ‘Ulul Shah, resisted fiercely before being taken alive at Azad Khan’s insistence. Impressed by his bravery, Azad placed him on a stipend and had his wounds treated. Azad also attempted to recruit captured Yusufzai prisoners, failed, and after giving them leave to depart secretly ordered boatmen to drown them in the Muzaffarabad River.
Second phase: Timur Shah’s personal intervention
News of the defeats pushed Timur Shah to act in person. Timur Shah left Kabul in December, 1785, and encamped at Peshawar, on 18 December. Prince Humayun, the son of Timur Shah, crossed the Indus at Attock at the head of 20,000 men and was joined by Faiz Talab Khan and Karim Beg, the principal chiefs, near Attock with 10,000 men. He sent a larger army under Madad Khan Durrani and Payandah Khan. These commanders induced defections among Azad Khan’s supporters by mixing bribes with threats, weakening the Kashmiri position.Azad attempted a night attack through his officer Shadi Khan, but Madad Khan learned of the plan and beat it off. Repeated encounters produced no decisive breakthrough for Azad, and morale eroded as rumours of collusion spread within his ranks. When evidence of negotiations between his commanders and the Durranis reached him, Azad abandoned the field and withdrew into the mountains of Bunish, seeking refuge with his father-in-law, Raja Rustam Khan.