MONGOLS PASSED THROUGH LAHORE
UNCHARTED HISTORY OF CHANGEZ, HALAKU AND OTHERS
GENERAL HASSAN Al-BALKHI MARTYRDOM IN LAHORE
We all know that Changez Khan swept all over Asia, and empire after empire crumpled under him. The hordes of the Mongols were unstoppable and yet history is never really clear about things. Why not Hindustan? Iltutmish ruled here and why was Sultan of Delhi so spared from such anguish? A little by little can be picked up from here and there.
Changez Khan wanted to cross Qaraqoram through Lakhnauti and Kamrud, and sent a delegation to Iltutmish requesting permission to do so. Sultan Iltutmish refused but honoured the guests in a big way. Changez Khan respected the sovereignty of Sultan. It speaks well of the moderation of Changez khan and his scrupulous observance of international practice of that time.
The Mongols spared the Sultanate of Delhi all the time. But the frontiers like Lahore were ravaged again an again. In 1241 the first organized attack on Lahore came, and the city was taken over by the Mongols. Sometimes they would appoint a resident here and Lahore would be known as IQTAH of the Mongols. Sometimes Sher Khan was in control, at times Kashlu Khan, and they had more sympathy for Halaku Khan, than Ghiyas ud din Balban in Delhi. Sher Khan the resident of Lahore in 1253 revolted and transferred his allegiance to Halaku Khan. He also received a Mongol resident. In 1257 he even went to Khurassan to enlist help of Halaku Khan. Although he was received warmly by Halaku Khan, Halaku also followed previous policies and forbade his troops from moving to Delhi, But the Mongols from time to time did ravage the Punjab as well as Lahore. We hear of their presence in different ways, like that of Hassan Al Balkhi’s martyrdom at Lahore. This brings us to the year 643 AH or 1245 AD. Driven out of Balkh by Changez Khan Khan, it was at the frontiers of Lahore, that Hassan Al-Balkhi met his martydom at the hands of Quli Khan grandson of Changez Khan. In Lahore we hear again and again
SO SUKH CHABARA,
NO BALKH NA BOKHARA.
It seems that the Chabara became Lahore and the mighty cities of Balkh and Bokhara were forgotten for him. It was a grand mausoleum and the inscription is of red stone. Nawab Bhikari Khan when he constructed the Golden Mosque, he relocated this grave which was actually in the hujra of Hassan Al Balkhi. The Mongols got their presence in Lahore.
The mausoleum of Said Mitha inside the cityt and others are all reflections of that era in Lahore. Said Mitha in future blogs.
P.S. The date is 643 AH, not 543 AH as adversely printed in book.
Least known period about Lahore
Around 1342 AD Lahore was again occupied by a Mongol chief by name of Haljaun, assisted by a Hindu chieftain Kul Chandar. The Viceroy of Lahore Tatar Khurd was killed by them. Khawaja Jahan was sent from Delhi to crush them and he defeated them in no time. Rare mentions of Lahore in those times.