Langah Sultanate

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Langah Sultanate
1445–1530
Indie 1525.png
Multan in 1525
Status Sultanate
Capital Multan
Religion
Islam
Government Hereditary monarchy
Sultan  
• 1445–1469
Qutbu'd-Din Mahmud I Langah
• 1527–1530
Lashkar Khan Langah
Historical era Late medieval period
• Established
1445
• Disestablished
1530
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Blank.png Delhi Sultanate
Multan Subah Blank.png
Today part of

The Langah Sultanate was a late medieval sultanate based in the Punjab region in the western Indian subcontinent between the 15th and 16th centuries. It was the dominant power of the lower Doab tract with Multan at its centre. The Langah Sultanate was annexed in 1527 but had autonomous authority until its merger with the Mughal Empire in 1530.

Contents

Origins

There is much uncertainty about the ethnic origins and even the chronology of Langah rulers as primary accounts differ among them widely. [1]

According to the 16th-century writer and author of the Tārīkh-i ḥaqqī, Abd al-Haqq, the founder of the dynasty was one "Buddhan Khan", chief of the Langaw tribe of the Baloch. [2] [3] The historian, Suhail Zaheer Lari, who specialises in the history of Sindh and southern Pakistan, also calls the tribe as Baloch. [4] André Wink describes the Langahs as being one of a number of Baloch tribes which moved eastwards into the region of Multan. [5] The 17th century Deccan-based historian Firishta on the other hand gives the name of the founder as "Rai Sahra" and further calls him an Afghan. [6] [1] Dr. Mahmudal Hasan Siddiqi, however, discredits this account for Langahs since their mention is absent in the Afghan genealogies. [7] He also notes that the local traditions of Multan ascribe a Rajput origins to Langahs. In addition to Firishta, Nizamuddin, Mir Ma'sum, Abbas Sarwani and Sujan Rai also call the dynasty's founder as Rai Sahra (or Sehra), however, provide no further information regarding his ethnic origins. [1] [8] According to the historian Dr. Hameed-ud-Din the title Rai prefixed to Sahra's name suggests a Rajput origin. [1] Other contemporary sources have also assigned the rulers as Rajputs. [9] [10] Some accounts also describe the Langah rulers as Jats. [11]

The place of origins for Langah sultans is similarly disputed, with Siwi (modern Sibi in Balochistan) and Rapar in Mailsi near Multan being usually suggested. [1] According to Siddiqi, it seems more than probable that Langahs were initially settled near Rapar, and their association with Siwi is probably a transcription error as they have never been noticed near it. [7]

History

After the invasion of Emir Timur in 1398, the Delhi Sultanate greatly weakened and the city of Multan became independent of the Sultanate of Delhi. The inhabitants chose Shaikh Yousaf Qureshi, a descendant of the famous Sufi Baha-ud-din Zakariya, as ruler in 1438. He was a mild and inexperienced ruler. In 1445, Rai Sahra, chief of the Langah, attacked the city at night with the help of his tribesmen, arrested Sheikh Yousaf and proclaimed himself sultan. In this way Multan passed to the Langah clan, [2] thus establishing the Langah Sultanate. [2] The reign of Sultan Husayn I, who ruled from 1469 to 1498, is considered to be the most illustrious of the Langah sultans. [2] Multan experienced prosperity during this time, and a large number of Baloch settlers arrived in the city at the invitation of Shah Husayn. [2] Shah Husayn successfully repulsed attempted invasion by the Delhi sultans led by Tatar Khan and Barbak Shah. [2] He fought off attempts to reinstall Shiekh Yousaf, who had taken refuge under Delhi sultans. Eventually, he signed a peace treaty with Sikandar Lodi and abdicated in the favour of his son. His successor, Budhan Khan, who assumed the title Sultan Mahmud Shah I, inherited the sultanate stretched encompassing the neighbouring regions, including the cities of Chiniot and Shorkot. [2] During the rule of the Langah, a large number of Baloch tribes were allowed to settle in the Derajaat Border in turn for military service. [12] [2]

Decline

Sultan Husayn I being unable to hold his trans-Indus possessions, assigned the region around Dera Ismail Khan to Sardar Malik Sohrab Dodai in 1469 or 1471 and appointed him as "Jagirdar". [2] During the reign of Mahmud Langah, his Vizier rebelled and declared himself independent ruler of Sorkot. The city was invaded during the reign of Sultan Husseyn II by ruler Shah Husayn of the Arghun dynasty, probably at Babur's insistence. [2] Multan fell in 1528 after an extended siege and Shah Husayn appointed his son Mirza Askari as governor of the city, assisted by Langar Khan, one of the powerful Amirs of Sultan Mahmud Langah I. Shortly after Shah Husayn departed Multan for Thatta, however, the governor was thrown out of the city. The rebels under Sultan Mahmud II administered Multan for a time independently [14] but in 1541, Sher Shah Suri captured Multan, and the sultanate ended. [15]

Culture

The position of Multan as trans-regional mercantile centre for trade with the Islamic world remained dominant during the sultanate era. During their reign, Multan became the principle caravan route between Qandahar and Delhi. The extent of Multan's influence is also reflected in the construction of the Multani Caravanserai in Baku, Azerbaijan — which was built in the 15th century to house Multani merchants visiting the city. [16] Legal records from the Uzbek city of Bukhara note that Multani merchants settled and owned land in the city in the late 1550s. [17]

Tomb of Ghazi Khan, the Baloch Governor of Derajat, appointed by Langah rulers. Ghazi khan tomb DG khan.jpg
Tomb of Ghazi Khan, the Baloch Governor of Derajat, appointed by Langah rulers.

Another important feature of this era was migration of Baloch tribes and their settling in South Punjab. [2] They soon became core of the military [2] and held political positions in regions like Derajat.

Langahs are not known to have issued any coins, and no building built by the Langahs has survived. [18] However, several mausolea belonging to the Langah period are still extant, including those of Bibi Jawindi (built c. 1494, Uch), Tahir Khan Nahar (built late 15th century, Sitpur) and Ghazi Khan Mirani (built c. 1495, Dera Ghazi Khan), among others. [18]

Ministers

Following is the list of known ministers of Langah Sultanate:

  • Imadul Mulk (1469–1499), he was Vizier of Husseyn Langah I. He rebelled against him and was imprisoned.
  • Jam Bayzid (1499–1503), he was Vizier of Mahmud Langah I. Due to his strained relations with the Sultan, he rebelled and declared himself independent ruler of Sorkot. [8]
  • Shuja Bukhari (1503–1518), He was Vizier of Mahmud Langah.
  • Langar Khan (1518–1526), He was last Vizier of Sultanate. He assisted Shah Hussain Arghun to conquer Multan.

Rulers

Titular Name(s)Personal NameReign
Sultan Qutbu'd-Din Mahmud I
سلطان قطب الدین محمود اول		 Rai Sahra Langah
رائے ساحرہ لنگاہ		1445 – 1469
Sultan Husseyn I
سلطان حسین اول		 Husseyn Shah Langah
حسین لنگاہ		1469 – 1498
Sultan Feroz
سلطان فیروز		Feroz Khan Langah
فیروز خان لنگاہ		1498 – 1499
Sultan Husseyn I
سلطان حسین اول		 Husseyn Shah Langah
حسین لنگاہ		1499 – 29 August 1502
Sultan Mahmud II
سلطان محمود دوم		Budha Khan Langah
بدھا خان لنگاہ		30 August 1502 – 1525
Sultan Husseyn II
سلطان حسین دوم		Husseyn Langah
حسین لنگاہ		1525 – 1527
Sultan Lashkar
سلطان لشکر		Lashkar Khan Langah
لشکر خان لنگاہ		1527 – 1530

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Din, Dr. Hameed-ud (1967) [1960]. "Appendix to Chapter X: The Origin of the Lankahs". In Majumdar, R. C. (ed.). The Delhi Sultanate. The History and Culture of the Indian People. Vol. VI (2nd ed.). Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. pp. 246–247. OCLC   664485.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Baloch, N. A. (1998). "The Rulers of Sind, Baluchistan and Multan (750–1500)". The Regions of Sind, Baluchistan, Multan and Kashmir: The Historical, Social and Economic Setting (PDF). History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Vol. IV. UNESCO. p. 305. ISBN   978-92-3-103467-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Baloch, Nabi Bakhsh Khan (1995). "Independent Sultanates of Uch, Multan and Sindh". Lands of Pakistan: Perspectives, Historical and Cultural. Islamabad: el-Mashriqi Foundation. p. 110. OCLC   34962301. According to the scholar historian Abdul Haqq, the author of Tarikh-i-Haqqi (composed in 1005/1592-93), with the decline of the power of Sultans of Delhi, Budhan Khan of Sindh, the chief of the Baloch tribe of the Langah, assembled his force at Uch and invaded Multan.
  4. ↑ Lari, Suhail Zaheer (1994). "Shah Hasan". A History of Sindh. Oxford University Press. p. 108. ISBN   978-0-19-577501-3. Langahs, a Baloch tribe that had manoeuvred to become the overlords of Multan.
  5. ↑ Wink, Andre (2025). Al-Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World Volume IV: The Age of the Great Mughals, 16th-17th Centuries. Part Two: The Rise of Islam from the Indus to the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago. BRILL. p. 78. ISBN   9789004729216. Towards the close of the fifteenth century, the Baluchis were once again on the move in Sind and one of their tribes, the Langahs, became the rulers of Multan
  6. ↑ Jackson, Peter (2003). The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History. Cambridge University Press. p. 323. ISBN   978-0-52154329-3. ...subsequently supplanted by the Afghan dynasty of the Langāhs.
  7. 1 2 Siddiqi, Dr. Mahmudul Hasan (2014) [1972]. "Appendix H: The Langāhs of Multan". History of the Arghuns and Tarkhans of Sindh (1507 –1593) (2nd ed.). Karachi: Endowment Fund Trust For Preservation Of The Heritage Of Sindh. pp. 220–225. ISBN   978-969-9860-06-5. Originally a doctoral dissertation presented at the University of Manchester in 1958, first published by the University of Sindh in 1972 (see Preface, pp. ix–xiii)
  8. 1 2 Islam, Arshad (1990). "Sind Under the Delhi Sultanate". History of Sind During Pre-Mughal Period (Thesis). Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 122–129. OCLC   957003202.
  9. ↑ Kumar, Raj (2008). Encyclopaedia of Untouchables Ancient, Medieval and Modern. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN   978-81-7835-664-8. Meanwhile the Langah Rajputs had established themselves on the throne of Multan.
  10. ↑ Qanungo, Kalika Ranjan; Kānūnago, Kālikā Rañjana (1965). Sher Shah and His Times. Orient Longmans. p. 286. Under the shadow of Rajput Langah dynasty of Multan...
  11. ↑ Wagha, A. (1990). The Siraiki Language: Its Growth and Development. Dderawar Publications. p. 107. In the first quarter of the 16th century A.D. the Langah Jat rulers of Multan encouraged the Balochs to be settled in Derajat by granting Jageers in return for which they were to render as military service.
  12. ↑ Hussain, J (1997). A History of the Peoples of Pakistan: Towards Independence. Oxford University Press. p. 167. ISBN   9780195778199.
  13. ↑ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 39, 147. ISBN   0226742210. Archived from the original on 2022-02-06. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  14. ↑ Davies, pp. 627-8
  15. ↑ Chandra, Chandra (2005). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part – II. Har-Anand Publications. ISBN   9788124110669.
  16. ↑ Amity, Volumes 1-3. Indo-Soviet Cultural Society. 1963. p. 135. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  17. ↑ Levi, Scott (2016). "Caravans: Punjabi Khatri Merchants on the Silk Road". Penguin UK. Penguin UK. ISBN   9789351189169 . Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  18. 1 2 K̲h̲ān, ʻUmar Kamāl (1995). Multān, Langah daur men̲: Tārīk̲h̲-i Multān ke sāl 1437 se 1543 tak ke tārīk̲h̲ī vāqiʻāt (in Urdu). Multān: Bazm-i S̲aqāfat. pp. 140–141. OCLC   604063289.
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