https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Siege_of_Kangra_FortSiege of Kangra Fort - Revision history2026-10-26T01:19:08ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siege_of_Kangra_Fort&diff=535743&oldid=prevBasavaraj at 12:18, 9 November 20252025-11-09T12:18:39Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Military expedition between 1361 and 1370}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox military conflict<br />
| conflict = Siege of Kangra fort<br />
| width = 270px<br />
| caption = Kangra fort in 1847, by Charles Hardinge<br />
| date = Between 1361 and 1370<br />
| place = [[Kangra Fort]]<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|32.08687|N|76.25446|E|display=inline,title}}<br />
| map_type = <br />
| map_relief = <br />
| map_size = <br />
| map_marksize = <br />
| map_caption = <br />
| map_label = <br />
| territory = Nagarkot is annexed by the Delhi Sultanate<br />
| result = [[Delhi Sultanate]] victory<br />
| combatants_header = <br />
| combatant1 = [[File:Delhi Sultanate Flag.svg|25px]] [[Delhi sultanate]]<br />
| combatant2 = [[Kangra Fort|Nagarkot]]<br />
| commander1 = [[Firuz Shah Tughlaq]]<br />
| commander2 = Raja Rup Chand{{Efn| The name Rupachandra is given by a later writer Manik Chand in a poem composed in 1562 CE to Raja Rup Chand<ref name=":02"/>}}<br />
| strength1 = <br />
| strength2 = <br />
| casualties1 = <br />
| casualties2 = <br />
| notes = <br />
| campaignbox = <br />
| image = Jullunder Doab Kote Kangra..jpg<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The '''siege of Kangra Fort''' was a military expedition conducted by the forces of [[Delhi Sultanate]] led by [[Firuz Shah Tughlaq]] against the [[Raja]] Rup Chand, the ruler of Nagarkot ([[Kangra Fort]]). After a six-month siege, which occurred sometime between 1361 and 1370, the garrison surrendered and Raja Rup Chand submitted to the rule of the [[Delhi Sultanate]].<ref name=":02">{{Harvb|Agrawal|2016|p=6}}</ref><br />
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== Background ==<br />
Kangra fort was previously captured by [[Muhammad bin Tughluq]] in an expedition against [[Nagarkot]] rulers in 1337. The fort fell again to the Hindu rulers after the death of [[Muhammad bin Tughluq]] in 1351 and remained in their possession until it was re-captured by [[Firuz Shah Tughlaq]].<ref name=":02"/> The campaign by Firuz Shah was launched as a result of an incursion by the Raja of Nagarkot into the Delhi Sultanate domain, who also intended to eliminate Muslim rulers in the region.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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According to [[Firishta]], the Raja of Nagarkot met [[Shihabu'd-Din Shah]] at the banks of [[Sutlej]]. Ud-Din Shah was a powerful ruler of [[Shah Mir dynasty]] in [[Kashmir]]. The Raja was on his way home after pillaging areas inside the Delhi sultanate. He presented the spoils gathered from his incursion to the ruler, Shihabu'd-Din Shah, to demonstrate his loyalty.<ref name=":1">{{Harvb|Cunningham|1875|p=157}}</ref><br />
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== Siege ==<br />
{{Location map+|India|float=right|width=280|caption=Kangra fort on the map|nodiv=1|mini=1|places={{location map~ |India |lat=32.08687|N |long=76.25446|E |label=Kangra fort |position=top }}}}After a successful expedition in Jamnagar in [[Bengal]] by the Delhi Sultanate, Firuz Shah moved his army towards [[Daulatabad Fort|Daulatabad]], but then returned towards [[Delhi]]. Later Firuz Shah and the army changed their route and marched towards Nagarkot.<ref>{{Harvb|Nasr|1933|p=402}}</ref> On the way to Nagarkot, Firuz Shah instructed his men to order many [[Manjaniq]]s and many Arradas{{Efn|The Arradas and Manjaniqs were machines or cannons used by Dehlin sultanate which threw projectiles}} to assemble, after he assessed the fort to be well built and not easily run over. The siege lasted six months before it was captured.<ref name=":02"/> Firuz Shah saw Raja Rup Chand, who stood on top of the citadel when Firuz Shah was inspecting the fort. The Raja pretended to be meek and bowed towards Firuz Shah in submission.<ref name=":1" /><br />
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Firuz Shah in return took a handkerchief and waved it at the Raja who in return came from his fort to Firuz Shah. He apologized and lowered himself to Firoz Shah's feet. The Raja was gifted an umbrella and robes of honor were presented before he was sent back to his fort. One source claimed that Firuz Shah placed his hand on Raja's back and stated his name, which was not supplied by many other historians.<ref>{{Harvb|Elliot|1871|p=319}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><br />
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Following the Raja's submission Raja, Firuz Shah returned to [[Delhi]]. The dominion of the Raja was spared, he himself being left in charge of the [[garrison]].<ref name=":2">{{Harvb|Jackson|2003|pp=301-302}}</ref><br />
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== Aftermath ==<br />
The book ''Dalil-i-Firozshahi'' comprised religious books gathered by Firuz Shah. It was taken from [[Jawalamukhi|Jawalamukhi temple]] during the return from Nagarkot. The campaign against Nagarkot was appraised as Firuz Shah's most successful.<ref name=":2" /> In later years, [[Nasir ud din Muhammad Shah III]] (son of Firuz Shah) used the fort to hide when pursued by [[Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq II]] in 1388.<ref>{{Harvb|Agrawal|2016|p=7}}</ref><br />
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== See also ==<br />
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* [[Kangra district]]<br />
* [[Siege of Kampili]]<br />
* [[Siege of Warangal (1323)]]<br />
* [[List of wars involving the Delhi Sultanate]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
=== Notes ===<br />
{{Notelist}}<br />
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=== Citations ===<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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=== Sources ===<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Agrawal |first=Ashvini |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HX_ZuQEACAAJ |title=Kangra Fort: Archaeological Survey of India |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |year=2016 |language=en |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/kangrafort00ashv/page/6/mode/2up |archive-date=2018-06-04}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Cunningham |first=Alexander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lnIIAAAAQAAJ |title=Report for the Year 1872-73 |publisher=Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing |year=1875 |language=en |access-date=2024-12-30}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Elliot |first=Henry Miers |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/history-of-india-as-told-by-its-own-historians/EBAE51053520D7EDF75431B0973E4254 |title=The History of India, as Told by its Own Historians The Muhammadan Period |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1871 |isbn=9781139507158 |language=en |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.458719/page/n325/mode/2up?q=Nagarkot |archive-date=2017-01-25}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Jackson |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lt2tqOpVRKgC |title=The Delhi Sultanate A Political and Military History |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2003 |isbn=9780521543293 |language=en |access-date=2024-12-30}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Nasr |first=Mohamed |url=https://archive.org/details/2015.97451.TughluqDynasty/page/n15/mode/2up?q=Nagarkot |title=Tughluq Dynasty |publisher=Thacker Spink & Co. (1933) Pvt. Ltd. |year=1933 |language=en |access-date=2025-01-04}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
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[[Category:Military expeditions]]<br />
[[Category:Military history of India]]<br />
[[Category:History of Himachal Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving the Delhi Sultanate]]<br />
[[Category:Conflicts in 1361]]<br />
[[Category:Conflicts in 1370]]<br />
[[Category:Kangra, Himachal Pradesh]]</div>Basavaraj