Ucchala, 1101-1111 A.C.
Ucchala, Harsha’s eldest nephew, succeeded him. He broke down the power of the Damaras or feudal lords by turning one against the other, and finally crushed them one by one. There was again a conspiracy against the King, and he was killed in 1111.
Two centuries of Misrule.
The history of two succeeding century is a sordid record of short reigns, murders, suicides, plots, conspiracies, rebellions, oppressions and fiscal exactions. To quote Sir Francis Younghusband, “We may accept, then, as authentic that the normal state of Kashmir for many centuries, except in the intervals when a strong, firm ruler came to the front, was a state of perpetual intrigue and assassination, of struggles with brothers, cousins, uncles, before a chief even came to the throne ; of fights for power with ministers, with the military, with the ‘nobles’ when he was on it ; of constant fear of poisoning and assassination ; of wearying, petty internecine ‘wars’, of general discomfort, uncertainty and unrest.” Ucchala’s successor reigned only for a night, and his half-brother for four months.
Sussala, 1112-20 A.C. Restoration, 1121-28 A.C.
The rule of his brother, Sussala (1112-20), was a succession of internal troubles caused by rebellious feudal lords, the Damaras. In 1120, he had to flee to Punch in the face of rebellion. He was, however, restored to the throne and power by pretenders and nobles in 1121, and reigned till he was murdered in 1128. The king tried hard to break the Power of the Damaras by cunning diplomacy but without much effect.
Jayasimha, 1128-1155 A.C.
Jayasimha, his eldest son, succeeded Sussala. Jayasimha reigned from 1128 to 1155. In this reign we read of Sanjapala, the Senapati (Commander-in-chief), “going into camp with Yavanas (Muslims) ” [Stein, vol. 2, p.175]who have already been referred to in Harsha’s reign as “captains of hundreds.”
Jayasimha’s Successors.
The six reigns following Jayasimha cover a period of about a century and a half. It was a period of decay, and the power of Kashmir Steadily declined owing to political confusion, internecine strife, civil war and the depredations of robber bands. The century and a half which passed from the accession of the Lohara dynasty to the date of Kalhana’s Chronicle (Book VII, 1003-1150 A.C.), says Stein, represents a period filled for the greatest part by a succession of rebellions and internal disturbances of all kinds.
Jonaraja’s record shows that, for nearly two centuries after Kalhana’s time, Hindu rule maintained itself in Kashmir. The princes were weak and helpless. Rajadeva (1213-1236 A.C.), he says, insulted the Brahmans, plundered them and made them cry : ‘I am not a Brahman,’ ‘I am not a Brahman.’ The material prosperity of the valley was fading.
Sahadeva, 1300-1 to 1319-20 A.C.
The last of the dynasty was Suhadeva, the brother of Simhadeva. He was a strong ruler but also an unpopular one. He taxed heavily and exempted not even the Brahmins from his exactions. Although he managed to unite the kingdom under his control there is a sense in which the majority of it was united against him. Furthermore, “Socially and morally the people of Kashmir had sunk to the lowest depths, for old and young alike had taken to falsehood, intrigue, dishonesty and discord.
The widow of Suhadeva, queen Kota took his place but was usurped by Shah Mir, a Muslim who had moved into the area from the south. The kingdom had been subjected to Muslim influence even prior to his arrival and some people had already converted to the religion from Hinduism. By the end of the 14th century the vast majority of the country had become Muslim, although the Brahmins still maintained their traditional roles as the learned administrators until the accession of Sikandar Butshikan.
Reference:
Sufi,G.M.D (1996). Kashmir Under The Mughals. Kashir: Being A History Of Kashmir(pp. 62-67) Delhi:Capital Publishing House.
