Army from, Dehly to Lahor, from Lahor
to Bember, and from thence to that small kingdom of Kachemere, or
Cassimere, called by the Mogols the Paradise of the Indies, concerning
which the author affirms that he hath a particular history of it,
in the Persian tongue."
"The weighty occasion and cause of this voyage of the Emperor's,
together with an account of the state and posture of his army,
and some curious particulars observable in voyages of the Indies,"
are thus given by M. Bernier: - "Since that Aureng-Zebe began to
find himself in better health, it hath been constantly reported
that he would make a voyage to Kachemere, to be out of the way of
the approaching summer heats, though the more intelligent sort of
men would hardly be persuaded, that as long as he kept his father,
Chah-Jean (Shah Jehan), prisoner in the Fort of Agra, he would think
it safe to be at such a distance. Yet, notwithstanding, we have found
that reason of State hath given place to that of health, or rather,
to the intrigues of Rauchenara Begum, who was wild to breathe a more
free air than that of the Seraglio, and to have her turn in showing
herself to a gallant and magnificent army, as her sister had formerly
done during the reign of Chah-Jean."
The Emperor appears to have made preparations on this occasion for
a voyage of a year and a half.
He had with him, not only thirty-five thousand horse, or thereabouts,
and ten thousand foot, but also "both his artilleries, the great or
heavy, and the small or lighter.
For the carriage of the Emperor's baggage and stores, no less than
30,000 coolies were required, although, for fear of starving that
little kingdom of Kachemere," he only carried with him the least
number of ladies and cavaliers he could manage, and as few elephants
and mules as would suffice for the convenience of the former.
Crossing the Peer Punjal, some of the ladies of the Seraglio
unfortunately paid the penalty of their too ardent desires to show
themselves off to "a gallant and magnificent army," for "one of the
elephants fell back upon him that was next, and he upon the next, and
so on to the fifteenth, so that they did all tumble to the bottom of
the precipice. It was the good fortune of those poor women, however,
that there were but three or four of them killed; but the fifteen
elephants remained upon the place." The historian rather ungallantly
adds, "When these bulky masses do once fall under THOSE VAST BURDENS
they never rise again, though the way be ever so fair."
On reaching the summit of the pass after this accident, the expedition
appears to have encountered more misfortunes, for "there blew a wind so
cold that all people shook and ran away, especially the silly Indians,
who never had seen ice or snow, or felt such cold."
Aurungzib appears to have remained three months in the valley on
this occasion.
After his death there is no mention of his successors having visited
Cashmere, and the local governors became in consequence, in common
with those of other provinces of the tottering Mogul throne, little
short of independent rulers. Under the tender mercies of most of these,
the unfortunate Cashmeeries appear to have fared but badly.
In 1745, however, a series of misfortunes from another source burst
forth upon the inhabitants of the happy valley. A dreadful famine
first broke out, during which it is said that slaves sold for four
pice (three half-pence) each. The famine produced its natural result,
a pestilence, which swept away many thousands of the people; an
eclipse also added to their terror, and storms of rain followed by
floods carried away all the bridges.
In the year 1752, the country passed from the possession of the Mogul
throne, and fell under the rule of the Duranees, and during many
years was convulsed by a series of wars and rebellions, and subject
to numerous different governors. In A.D. 1801, Runjeet Singh began to
come into notice, and, having consolidated the nation of the Sikhs,
had, in the year 1813 become one of the recognised princes of India. In
that year Futteh Shah entered into a treaty with him for a subsidiary
force for the invasion of Cashmere. The price of this accommodation
was fixed at 80,000L. yearly; but, before the expiration of the second
year, the Lion of the Punjab, on pretence of the non-fulfilment of
the treaty, invaded the valley on his own account at the head of a
considerable army. He was repulsed, however, and forced to retreat to
Lahore with the loss of his entire baggage. In A.D. 1819, encouraged
by recent successes against Moultan, Runjeet Singh collected an army
"as numerous as ants and locusts," and invaded the valley a second
time, and being successful, the country again fell under the sway of
a Hindoo Sovereign.
It, however, remained for some time afterwards in a disturbed state;
and for signal services against the rebellious frontier chiefs, who
were averse to Runjeet Singh's rule, Gulab Singh (the late Maharajah)
obtained possession of the territory of Jumoo, now included in the
kingdom of Cashmere.
Runjeet Singh, dying in 1839, was succeeded by his son and grandson,
successively, both of whom died shortly after their accession; and
the state of anarchy and confusion which ensued among the Sikh Sirdars
was terminated by Shere Singh being installed as Maharajah of Lahore.
Under his rule, in 1842, Gulab Singh further brought himself into
notice by reducing the kingdom of little Thibet with the army under
Zorawur Singh, and on the termination of the Sikh Campaign of the
Sutlej - Duleep Singh being established on the throne of Lahore -
he was admitted, "in consideration of his good conduct," to the
privileges of a separate treaty with the British Government.
