95-506: Lahore Town Hall , formerly known as Victoria Jubilee Town Hall is the seat for the civic government of the city of Lahore , Pakistan. It was built to honor the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria , and was originally called Victoria Jubilee Town Hall; the capstone was emplaced by Charles Umpherston Aitchison . Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale attended the 3 February 1890 opening celebration. The two story building
190-613: A "large body of troops" with him to ensure tribute from strongholds within Kashmir that might attempt to resist Sikh rule. The capture of Kashmir set the boundaries and borders of the Sikh Empire with Tibet . The conquest of Kashmir marked an "extensive addition" to the Sikh Empire and "significantly" increased the empire's revenue and landmass. The battle took place on 14 March 1823, in the bloody battle of Nowshera, Ranjit Singh led Sikh force's defeated Yusufzai Afghan supported by
285-599: A coin which pierced the same inscription that fifty five years ago was used by Banda Singh Bahadur on his seal, followed with re-establishment of 13 Sikh rule. The Sikhs would also capture Multan in 1772. The period after this would be known as the "Sikh Interlude Period", from 1772 to 1780. Timur Shah ascended to the throne of the Durrani Empire after his father, Ahmad Shah Durrani 's death. Timur Shah consolidated his rule through multiple attempts, and also attempted an earlier campaign in 1775, however realizing
380-746: A failure but it gave an opportunity to the Sikhs to organize themselves into the Dal Khalsa , an army of the Sikh Confederacy, at Amritsar in March 1748. The Sikhs retook Lahore only to lose it to the Afghans by 12 April 1752. The Sikhs used guerilla warfare to try to oust the Afghans from Punjab. In November 1757, the Sikhs were defeated by the Afghan army at Battle of Amritsar (also known as
475-568: A general massacre in the city and besieged the fort in which the Sikh army was residing. Negotiations were held and with the acceptance of conditions, Timur took over the fort on 18 February 1780, following which Timur Shah appointed Muzaffar Khan as the Nazim of Multan and Abdul Karim Khan Babar, a defected Muslim general of the Sikh army was appointed as Naib (Chief officer) of Muzaffar Khan. Multan would remain under Afghan rule until its loss in 1818 to
570-465: A safer capital for the sultanate, even though Delhi was considered a forward base whereas Lahore was widely considered as the centre of Islamic culture in northeastern Punjab. Lahore came under progressively weaker central rule under Iltutmish's descendants in Delhi, to the point that governors in the city acted with great autonomy. Under the rule of Kabir Khan Ayaz, Lahore was virtually independent from
665-475: A scorched earth from the fleeing populace, food supplies became a major issue for his army, followed by a cholera outbreak. Meanwhile, Ram Dyal, who was entrenched near Srinagar , received a proposal from Azim Khan for a negotiated peace and was able to extricate himself from a difficult situation. Ranjit Singh's campaign ended in failure. Amritsar , Lahore, and other large cities across the Sikh Empire were illuminated for two months afterwards in rejoicing over
760-463: A series of governors who pledged nominal allegiance to the ever-weaker Mughal emperors in Delhi. Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I died en route to Lahore as part of a campaign in 1711 to subdue Sikh rebels under the leadership of Banda Singh Bahadur . His sons fought a battle outside Lahore in 1712 for succession to the Mughal crown, with Jahandar winning the throne. Sikh rebels were defeated during
855-452: A treaty that nominally subjected Lahore to Durrani rule. Lahore was third time conquered by Ahmad Shah in 1752 . The Mughal Grand Vizier Ghazi-Din Imad al-Mulk seized Lahore in 1756, provoking Ahmad Shah to invade for fourth time in 1757, after which he placed the city under the rule of his son, Timur Shah . Durrani rule was interrupted when Lahore was conquered by Adina Beg Arain with
950-462: Is also home to the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens , both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The origin of Lahore's name is unclear. The city's name has been variously recorded by early Muslim historians as Luhawar , Lūhār , and Rahwar . The Iranian polymath and geographer , Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni , referred to the city as Luhāwar in his 11th century work, Qanun , while
1045-509: Is mentioned as a town which had "impressive temples, large markets and huge orchards". Lahore, previously a town, first emerged as a notable city in 11th century during the era of Sufi saint Ali al-Hajvery . Few other references to Lahore remain from before its capture by the Ghaznavid Sultan Mahmud in the 11th century. During this time, Lahore appears to have served as the capital of Punjab under Raja Anandapala of
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#17327835442081140-583: Is the capital and largest city of the Pakistani province of Punjab . It is the second largest city in Pakistan , after Karachi , and 26th largest in the world , with a population of over 13 million. Located in central-eastern Punjab, along the River Ravi , it is the largest Punjabi-speaking city in the world. Lahore is one of Pakistan's major industrial, educational and economic hubs. It has been
1235-626: Is the simplified pronunciation of the name Iravatyāwar, a name possibly derived from the Ravi River , known as the Iravati River in the Vedas . Another theory suggests the city's name may derive from the word Lohar , meaning "blacksmith". According to a legend, Lahore's name derives from Lavpur or Lavapuri (City of Lava ), and is said to have been founded by Prince Lava, the son of Sita and Rama . The same account attributes
1330-666: The Badshahi Mosque , was raised during Aurangzeb's reign in 1673, as well as the iconic Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore fort in 1674. Civil wars regarding succession to the Mughal throne following Aurangzeb's death in 1707 led to weakening control over Lahore from Delhi, and a prolonged period of decline in Lahore. Mughal preoccupation with the Marathas in the Deccan Plateau eventually resulted in Lahore being governed by
1425-487: The Battle of Sialkot , where the Afghans were defeated, and were forced to leave their Punjab campaign in the wake of this defeat. At Gujranwala, Jahan Khan was heavily defeated by the Sikhs, who then continued their victory by sacking the towns of Malerkotla and Morinda, followed with the defeat of the commander of Rohtas Fortress, Sarbaland Khan Saddozai, who was captured and imprisoned but later released after consenting to
1520-774: The Ghurid ruler Muhammad captured the city and imprisoned the last Ghaznavid ruler Khusrau Malik, thus ending Ghaznavid rule over Lahore. Lahore was made an important establishment of the Mamluk dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate following the assassination of Muhammad of Ghor in 1206. Under the reign of Mamluk sultan Qutb ud-Din Aibak , Lahore attracted poets and scholars from medieval Muslim World . Lahore at this time had more poets writing in Persian than any other city. Following
1615-733: The Indian subcontinent , and saw multiple phases of fighting between the Durrani Empire and the Sikh Empire (and its predecessors), mainly in and around Punjab region . The conflict's origins stemmed from the days of the Dal Khalsa , and continued after the Emirate of Kabul succeeded the Durrani Empire. The Sikh Confederacy had effectively achieved independence from the Mughal Empire in 1716, and expanded at its expense in
1710-528: The Koh-i-Noor diamond from Shuja Shah Durrani in 1813. He erected the Gurdwara Dera Sahib to mark the site of Guru Arjan Dev 's death (1606). The Sikh royal court also endowed religious architecture in the city, including a number of Sikh gurdwaras , Hindu temples, and havelis . While much of Lahore's Mughal-era fabric lay in ruins by the time of his arrival, Ranjit Singh's rule saw
1805-598: The Peshawar region and led to multiple Sikh attempts at capturing and the final capture of Peshawar. The battle took place in the Shopian region in the Kashmir region. This battle included the 1819 Kashmir expedition, which led to Kashmir being annexed to the Sikh Empire . When the Sikh army entered the city of Srinagar after the battle, Prince Kharak Singh guaranteed the personal safety of every citizen and ensured
1900-601: The Second Anglo-Sikh War , Punjab was annexed by the East India Company in 1849 and Lahore became the capital of British Punjab . Lahore was central to the independence movements of both India and Pakistan, with the city being the site of both the Declaration of Indian Independence and the resolution calling for the establishment of Pakistan . It experienced some of the worst rioting during
1995-628: The Walled City . Shah Jahan's son, Aurangzeb , last of the great Mughal Emperors, further contributed to the development of Lahore. Aurangzeb built the Alamgiri Bund embankment along the Ravi river in 1662 in order to prevent its shifting course from threatening the city's walls. The area near the embankment grew into a fashionable locality, with several nearby pleasure gardens laid by Lahore's gentry. The largest of Lahore's Mughal monuments,
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#17327835442082090-429: The partition period, preceding Pakistan's independence. Following the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, Lahore served as the capital of West Punjab from 1947 to 1955, and of West Pakistan from 1955 to 1970. Primarily inhabited by ethnic Punjabis , Lahore exerts a strong cultural and political influence over Pakistan. A UNESCO City of Literature and major centre for Pakistan's publishing industry, Lahore remains
2185-426: The Üdi Shahi empire, who moved his capital there from Waihind. Sultan Mahmud conquered Lahore between 1020 and 1027, making it part of Ghaznavid Empire. He appointed Malik Ayaz as its governor in 1021. In 1034, the city was captured by Nialtigin, the rebellious governor of Multan . However, his forces were expelled by Malik Ayaz in 1036. With the support of Sultan Ibrahim , Malik Ayaz rebuilt and repopulated
2280-487: The Afghan army, led by Ahmad Shah's governor of the Chahar Mahal, followed with defeat and surrender of relief party sent from Kandahar . Thereafter, Sikhs captured Lahore. In September 1761, near Gujranwala , Ahmad Shah Durrani's governor of the province of Lahore, was defeated by the Sikhs, continued with the defeat and ousting of the remaining commanders of Durrani's, eventually bringing the entire territories from
2375-642: The Afghans and the local Punjabi states between 1748 and 1798 . The Afghans were eventually driven out of Punjab as the city was captured by the Sukerchakia Misl , based in Gujranwala , under Ranjit Singh in July 1799 where he was crowned the Maharaja of Punjab , thus Lahore became the capital of the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, regaining some of its lost grandeur. In the aftermath of
2470-525: The Afghans for the post of subahdar to control Lahore following the second invasion. By the end of the 18th century, the city's population drastically declined, with its remaining residents living within the city walls, while the extramural suburbs lay abandoned, forcing travellers to pass through abandoned and ruined suburbs for a few miles before reaching the city's gates. In the aftermath of Zaman Shah's 1799 invasion of Punjab, Ranjit Singh, of nearby Gujranwala , began to consolidate his position. Singh
2565-482: The Afghans' supplies were exhausted and Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar marched 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Attock to Haidaru, on the banks of the Indus River, to offer battle. On 13 July 1813, Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar split the cavalry into four divisions, giving command of one division to Hari Singh Nalwa and taking command of one division himself. The lone battalion of infantry formed an infantry square protecting
2660-613: The Badshahi Mosque by converting it into an ammunition depot and a stable for horses. The Sunehri Mosque in the Walled City was also converted to a gurdwara, while the Mariyam Zamani Mosque was repurposed into a gunpowder factory. The Sikh royal court ( Lahore Durbar ) underwent a quick succession of rulers after the death of Ranjit Singh. His son Kharak Singh died on 6 November 1840, soon after taking
2755-572: The Battle of Gohalwar), under the command of Timur Shah Durrani, son of Ahmad Shah Durrani. After witnessing the fall of Lahore, the Durrani commander-in-chief Jahan Khan and Timur Shah fled the city, and while trying to cross the Chenab and Ravi rivers, thousands of Afghan soldiers were drowned and much of the soldiers' baggage abandoned. Sikhs took the captured Afghan prisoners to Amritsar to clean
2850-632: The Delhi Sultanate. Actual Sultanate rule on Lahore lasted only a few decades until the locals reclaimed their autonomy. Lahore was sacked and ruined by the Mongol army in 1241. Lahore governor Malik Ikhtyaruddin Qaraqash fled the Mongols, while the Mongols held the city for a few years under the rule of the Mongol chief Toghrul . In 1266, sultan Balban reconquered Lahore, but in 1287 under
2945-578: The Durrani sovereignty, such as Sind which reduced the amount of tribute and hardly paid it, mostly due to its concurrent civil war between the Talpurs , and the Kalhoras ; Nasir Khan Balouch , the ruler of the Khanate of Kalat under Timur Shah did not acknowledge the authority of Afghan monarch, as a result, inducing other Durrani chiefdoms to do the same, including the chief of Bahawalpur , who treated
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3040-524: The Khokhar chief, Shaikha in 1394. By the time the Mongol conqueror Timur captured the city in 1398 from Shaikha, he did not loot it because it was no longer wealthy. Timur gave control of the Lahore region to Khizr Khan , governor of Multan, who later established the Sayyid dynasty in 1414 – the fourth dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. The city was twice besieged by Jasrat , ruler of Sialkot , during
3135-734: The Lodi nobles backed away from assisting him. The city became a refuge to Humayun and his cousin Kamran Mirza when Sher Shah Suri rose in power in the Gangetic plains, displacing Mughals. Sher Shah Suri seized Lahore in 1540, though Humayun reconquered Lahore in February 1555. The establishment of Mughal rule eventually led to the most prosperous era of Lahore's history. Lahore's prosperity and central position has yielded more Mughal-era monuments in Lahore than either Delhi or Agra . By
3230-514: The Mongol ruler Temür Khan , the Mongols again overran northern Punjab. Because of Mongol invasions, Lahore region became a city on a frontier, with the region's administrative centre shifted south to Dipalpur . The Mongols again invaded northern Punjab in 1298 , though their advance was eventually stopped by Ulugh Khan , brother of Sultan Alauddin Khalji of Delhi. The Mongols again attacked Lahore in 1305. Lahore briefly flourished again under
3325-433: The Mughal capital when Akbar began re-fortifying the city's ruined citadel, laying the foundations for the revival of the Lahore Fort . Akbar made Lahore one of his original twelve subah provinces, and in 1585–86, relegated governorship of the city and subah to Bhagwant Das , brother of Mariam-uz-Zamani , who was commonly known as "Jodhabhai". Akbar also rebuilt the city's walls and extended their perimeter east of
3420-426: The Mughal governor of Lahore, Shah Nawaz Khan, fled to Delhi. Establishing a governor over Lahore, Ahmad marched his army east taking more territory, but was defeated at the Battle of Manupur by Mughals in alliance with Sikhs and fled back to Kandahar. Sikh bands under Charat Singh , Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Ala Singh continued to harass Durrani forces as they retreated. Thus, the first invasion of Shah proved
3515-619: The Peshawar sardars. Azim Khan Barakzai died shortly after the battle from Cholera . The Battle of Jamrud was the foremost battle within the third Afghan–Sikh war. The result of the battle is disputed amongst historians. Some contend the failure of the Afghans to take the fort and the city of Peshawar or town of Jamrud as a victory for the Sikhs. On the other hand, some state that the killing of Hari Singh Nalwa resulted in an Afghan victory. James Norris, Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M International University, states that
3610-778: The Satluj to the Indus, under Sikh occupation, along with Bist Jalandhar Doab, Sarhind, Rachna and the Chaj Doabs. Ahmad Shah lost most of the Punjab to Sikhs. In October 1762, Ahmad Shah Durrani attacked Amritsar but was defeated by the Sikhs. In December 1762, he fought a skirmish with Sikh forces at the Battle of the Ravi Ford in December 1762. In November 1763, Sikh forces had forced Durrani armies to advance upon them, which led to
3705-754: The Shah Alami bazaar to encompass the sparsely populated area of Rarra Maidan. The Akbari Mandi grain market was set up during this era, which continues to function to the present-day. Akbar also established the Dharampura neighbourhood in the early 1580s, which survives today. The earliest of Lahore's many havelis date from the Akbari era. Lahore's Mughal monuments were built under the reign of Akbar and several subsequent emperors. Lahore reached its cultural zenith during this period, with dozens of mosques, tombs, shrines, and urban infrastructure developed in
3800-612: The Sikh Empire, during the Siege of Multan . This phase ended with the death of Timur Shah on 20 May 1793, leading his successor, Zaman Shah Durrani to ascend to the Durrani throne. Zaman Shah Durrani ascended to the Durrani throne after his father, Timur Shah died on 20 May 1793. Zaman Shah lead multiple campaigns of Punjab against the Sikhs. His first campaign was in November 1796. Zaman Shah's campaign of Punjab in 1796 against
3895-431: The Sikh army into disarray and captured some artillery. When it appeared the Sikhs had lost the battle, Dewan Mokham Chand led a cavalry charge atop a war elephant that repulsed the Afghans "at all points", and routed the remaining Afghan troops. Fateh Khan, fearing his brother, Dost Mohammad Khan, had died, escaped to Kabul and the Sikhs captured the Afghan camp, including the lost artillery pieces. Two months after
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3990-466: The Sikh force under Kharak Singh reached Multan and ordered Muzaffar to pay the large tribute he owed and to surrender the fort, but Muzaffar refused. The Sikh forces won an engagement near the city but were unable to capture Muzaffar before he retreated into the fort. The Sikh army asked for more artillery and Ranjit Singh sent them the Zamzama and other large artillery pieces, which commenced fire on
4085-606: The Sikh retreat, while 2000 escaped by successfully reaching the opposite bank of the river. Following the victory, Timur Shah Durrani captured Multan after meeting the relieving Sikh force in Shujabad where a severe battle was fought on 8 February 1780. The Sikhs lost 2,000 men in killed and wounded and proceeded to flee towards Lahore. Timur sent a large army in pursuit of them and managed to overtake them at Hujra Muqim Khan, 64 km south west of Lahore. After this successful juncture, Timur hurried from Shujabad to Multan and ordered
4180-467: The Sikh sovereignty. The reports of catastrophe enraged Ahmad Shah and wrote to Nasir Khan, beglar begi of Khalat, to join him in jihad (holy war) against the Sikhs, to destroy them and to enslave their women and children, but Ahmad Shah's march to Punjab in 1764, resulted in failure of Jihad with the defeat, ambush and ousting of advance guards by the Sikhs outside of Lahore. In 1765, Ahmad Shah marched again to Punjab with Qazi Mur Muhammad but his authority
4275-532: The Sikhs and returned to Peshawar where Sikhs all along harried the Afghans to river Jhelum. While crossing the river, Zaman Shah lost most men, supplies and heavy artillery due to upsurge. Eventually, Shah Zaman and his remaining army reached Kandahar in late 1799, exhausted from the campaign. Zaman Shah set out his third campaign of Punjab in the spring of 1800, plotted to deal with a rebellious Ranjit Singh . However, having civil strife in Afghanistan, he
4370-595: The Sikhs re-occupied the city after both invasions. Expanding Sikh Misls secured control over Lahore in 1767, when the Bhangi Misl state captured the city. In 1780, the city was divided among three rulers: Gujjar Singh , Lahna Singh, and Sobha Singh . Instability resulting from this arrangement allowed nearby Amritsar to establish itself as the area's primary commercial centre in place of Lahore. Ahmad Shah Durrani's grandson, Zaman Shah, invaded Lahore in 1796, and again in 1798–99. Ranjit Singh negotiated with
4465-806: The Sikhs, led to capture of Lahore in January 1797, without any opposition as the Sikh chiefs retired to Amritsar to protect the holy city. Zaman Shah progressed towards Amritsar on January 13, 1797, where he was defeated by the Sikhs, 10 km away from the city. As intelligence from Kabul had warned of a possible Persian invasion of main Afghanistan , Zaman Shah was forced to abandon his first Punjab campaign and return home to mobilize an army to combat this threat, headed by his own brother, Mahmud Shah Durrani . The Sikhs recaptured Lahore as he left. After retreat, he left his deputy general, Ahmad Khan Shahanchi-bashi in charge, along with Afghan soldiers but he too
4560-487: The artillery, with Gouse Khan commanding the artillery. The Afghans took up positions opposite the Sikhs, with a portion of their cavalry under the command of Dost Mohammad Khan . Fateh Khan opened the battle by sending his Pathans on a cavalry charge which was repulsed by heavy fire from the Sikh artillery. The Afghans rallied under Dost Mohammad Khan, who led the Ghazis on another cavalry charge which threw one wing of
4655-532: The assistance of Marathas in 1758 during their campaigns against Afghans . After Adina Beg's untimely death in 1758, however, Marathas occupied the city. The following year, Durranis again marched and conquered it. After the Durranis withdrew from the city in 1765, Sikh forces quickly occupied it. By this time, the city had been ravaged several time and had lost all of its former grandeur. The Durranis invaded two more times—in 1797 and 1798—under Shah Zaman , but
4750-620: The authority of Timur Shah with no respect. Timur Shah thereupon tried to recover Multan by diplomacy and therefore sent Haji Ali Khan, as his agent, along with companions, to the Bhangi Sikh Chiefs to negotiate, with advice to behave and be polite, but instead, Haji Ali Khan threatened the Bhangi Chiefs to retire from Multan or face the royal wrath. The Bhangis tied Haji to the tree and shot him dead whereas his companions were left unharmed and sent back to report to Timur. Upon
4845-599: The capture of his father's murderer, Ajit Singh. Duleep Singh was then crowned Maharajah, with Hira Singh as his wazir , but his power would be weakened by the continued infighting among Sikh nobles, as well as confrontations against the British during the two Anglo-Sikh wars . After the conclusion of the two Anglo-Sikh wars, the Sikh Empire fell into disarray, resulting in the fall of the Lahore Durbar , and commencement of British rule after they captured Lahore and
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#17327835442084940-430: The city was not plundered. The peaceful capture of Srinagar was important as Srinagar, besides having a large Shawl -making industry, was also the center of trade between Panjab , Tibet , Iskardo , and Ladakh . After taking Srinagar, the Sikh army faced no major opposition in conquering Kashmir . However, when Ranjit Singh installed Moti Ram, the son of Dewan Mokham Chand, as the new governor of Kashmir, he also sent
5035-464: The city's importance even further. Struggles between Zakariyya Khan's sons following his death in 1745 further weakened Muslim control over Lahore, thus leaving the city in a power vacuum, and vulnerable to foreign marauders. The Durrani ruler Ahmad Shah occupied Lahore in 1748 . Following Ahmed Shah Durrani's quick retreat, the Mughals entrusted Lahore to Mu’īn al-Mulk Mir Mannu . Ahmad Shah again invaded in 1751, forcing Mir Mannu into signing
5130-415: The city, which had been devastated after the Ghaznavid invasion. He also erected city walls and a masonry fort was built in 1037–1040 on the ruins of a previous one. A confederation of Hindu princes unsuccessfully laid siege to Lahore in 1043–44 during Ayaz's rule. The city became a cultural and academic centre, renowned for poetry . Lahore was formally made the eastern capital of Ghaznavid Empire during
5225-429: The city. During the reign of Emperor Jahangir in the early 17th century, Lahore's bazaars were noted to be vibrant, frequented by foreigners, and stocked with a wide array of goods. In 1606, Jehangir's rebel son Khusrau Mirza laid siege to Lahore after obtaining the blessings of the Sikh Guru Arjan Dev . Jehangir quickly defeated his son at Bhairowal, and the roots of Mughal–Sikh animosity grew. Sikh Guru Arjan Dev
5320-414: The city. Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang gave a vivid description of a large and prosperous unnamed city that may have been Lahore when he visited the region in 630 CE during his tour of India. Xuanzang described the city, then under Taank rule, as a great Brahmin city. The first document that mentions Lahore by name is the Hudud al-'Alam ("The Regions of the World"), written in 982 CE, in which Lahore
5415-574: The death of Aibak, Lahore first came under the control of the Governor of Multan, Nasir ad-Din Qabacha , and then was briefly captured in 1217 by the sultan in Delhi, Iltutmish . In an alliance with local Khokhars in 1223, Khwarazmian sultan Jalal al-Din Mangburni captured Lahore after fleeing from Genghis Khan 's invasion of his realm. Mangburni then fled from Lahore to the city of Uch Sharif after Iltutmish's army re-captured Lahore in 1228. The threat of Mongol invasions and political instability in Lahore caused future sultans to regard Delhi as
5510-453: The direction of the Sikh camp to make the Sikhs aware of their presence. Timur Shah positioned himself in the centre, at the head of 5,000 Yusafzai men. Little before daybreak, early morning, the Sikhs completely unaware of Afghan army's presence, were attacked, and though unorganized, the Sikhs gave tough resistance but were eventually overwhelmed. About 3000 Sikhs were killed, and 500 others drowned in river Jhelum in trying to cross it during
5605-409: The expense of destroying the remaining Mughal architecture for building materials. He established a mint in the city in 1800, and moved into the Mughal palace at the Lahore fort after repurposing it for his own use in governing the Sikh Empire. In 1801, he established a Gurdwara Ram Das to mark the site where Guru Ram Das was born in 1534. Lahore became the empire's administrative capital, though
5700-477: The following decades, despite the Chhota Ghallughara . The Afsharid Persian emperor Nader Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire (1738–40) dealt a heavy blow to the Mughals, but after Nader Shah 's death in 1747, Ahmed Shah Abdali , the founder of the Durrani Empire declared independence from Persia . Four years later, this new Afghan state came into conflict with the Sikh alliance. On 12 January 1748, Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded and occupied Lahore , after
5795-481: The foremost center of Pakistan's literary scene. The city is also a major centre of education sector, with some of Pakistan's leading universities based in the city. Lahore is home to Pakistan's Punjabi film industry , and is a major centre of Qawwali music . The city also hosts much of Pakistan's tourist industry , with major attractions including the Walled City , the famous Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques, as well as several Sikh and Sufi shrines. Lahore
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#17327835442085890-455: The founder of the Solar dynasty , migrated out from the city. Alexander the Great 's historians make no mention of any city near Lahore's location during his invasion in 326 BCE, suggesting the city had not been founded by that point or was not noteworthy. Ptolemy mentions in his Geography a city called Labokla situated near the Chenab and Ravi rivers which may have been in reference to ancient Lahore, or an abandoned predecessor of
5985-1876: The founding of nearby Kasur to his twin brother Kusha , though it was actually established in the 16th century. Taank Kingdom 550–950 Hindu Shahis 1001–1020 [REDACTED] Ghaznavid Empire 1020–1186 [REDACTED] Ghurid Empire 1186–1206 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1206–1214 Multan State 1214–1217 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1217–1223 [REDACTED] Khwarazmian Empire 1223–1228 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1228–1241 [REDACTED] Mongol Empire 1241– 1266 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1266–1287 [REDACTED] Mongol Empire 1287–1305 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1305–1329 [REDACTED] Chagatai Khanate 1329 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1329–1342 Khokhars 1342 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1342–1394 Khokhars 1394–1398 [REDACTED] Timurid Empire 1398–1414 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1414–1431 Khokhars 1431–1432 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1432–1524 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1524–1540 Sur Empire 1540–1550 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1550–1739 [REDACTED] Afsharid Empire 1739 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1739–1748 [REDACTED] Durrani Empire 1748–1758 Nawab of Punjab 1758 [REDACTED] Maratha Empire 1758–1759 [REDACTED] Durrani Empire 1759–1765 [REDACTED] Bhangi Misl & Kanhaiya Misl 1765–1799 [REDACTED] Sikh Empire 1799–1846 [REDACTED] British East India Company 1846–1858 [REDACTED] [REDACTED] British Raj / British Empire 1858–1947 [REDACTED] Pakistan 1947– present No definitive record of Lahore's early history exists, and its ambiguous historical background has given rise to various theories about its establishment and history. Hindu legend states that Keneksen,
6080-462: The head of 15,000 cavalry in April 1813 and invested Attock Fort. At the same time Ranjit Singh rushed Dewan Mokham Chand and Karam Chand Chahal from Burhan with a force of cavalry, artillery, and a battalion of infantry to meet the Afghans. Dewan Mokham Chand Nayyar encamped 8 miles (13 km) from the Afghan camp, unwilling to risk a decisive engagement, although both sides engaged in numerous skirmishes and took losses. On 12 July 1813,
6175-494: The heat from summer started to affect the armies, Dewan Mokham Chand marched his army to block the Afghans from getting water from the river. Without water the Afghan troops began to suffer dehydration, so they launched attack after attack towards the river, but were unable to break through. Chand, realizing the Afghans were weakened, charged his cavalry at the Afghans who broke and ran, losing two thousand men. Accusing Ranjit Singh of treachery, Fateh Khan set off from Kashmir at
6270-434: The historic capital and cultural centre of the wider Punjab region , and is one of Pakistan's most socially liberal , progressive , and cosmopolitan cities. Lahore's origin dates back to antiquity. The city has been inhabited for around two millennia , although it rose to prominence in the late 10th century with the establishment of the fortified Walled City . Lahore served as the capital of several empires during
6365-408: The iconic Naulakha Pavilion in 1633. Shah Jahan lavished Lahore with some of its most celebrated and iconic monuments, such as the Shahi Hammam in 1635, and both the Shalimar Gardens and the extravagantly decorated Wazir Khan Mosque in 1641. The population of pre-modern Lahore probably reached its zenith during his reign, with suburban districts home to perhaps 6 times as many compared to within
6460-399: The medieval era, including the Hindu Shahis , Ghaznavids and Delhi Sultanate . It succeeded Multan as the primary cultural centre of Punjab in the late-medieval era , reaching the height of its splendor under the Mughal Empire between the late 16th and early 18th centuries and also serving as its capital city between 1586 and 1598. During this period, it was one of the largest cities in
6555-450: The minarets of the Badshahi Mosque in order to target Chand Kaur's forces in the Lahore fort, destroying the fort's historic Diwan-e-Aam . Kaur quickly ceded the throne, but Sher Sing was then assassinated in 1843 in Lahore's Chah Miran neighbourhood along with his wazir Dhiyan Singh. Dhyan Singh's son, Hira Singh, sought to avenge his father's death by laying siege to Lahore in order to capture his father's assassins. The siege resulted in
6650-423: The nearby economic centre of Amritsar had also been established as the empire's spiritual capital by 1802. By 1812, Singh had mostly refurbished the city's defences by adding a second circuit of outer walls surrounding Akbar's original walls, with the two separated by a moat. Singh also partially restored Shah Jahan's decaying Shalimar Gardens and built the Hazuri Bagh Baradari in 1818 to celebrate his capture of
6745-408: The news of death of his agent, Timur Shah detached a force of 18,000 men that included Yusafzais , Durranis , Mughals and Qizalbashes under general Zangi Khan, with orders to march by less known routes and fall upon the Sikhs unaware and Zangi Khan gave strict orders to his army to keep the movement secret. Zangi Khan halted 25 km from the Sikh camps with orders to imprison anyone who goes in
6840-491: The poet Amir Khusrow , who lived during the Delhi Sultanate period, recorded the city's name as Lāhanūr . Yaqut al-Hamawi records the city's name as Lawhūr , mentioning that it was famously known as Lahāwar . Persian historian Firishta mentions the city as Alahwar in his work, with al-Ahwar being another variation. One theory suggests that Lahore's name is a corruption of the word Ravāwar, as R to L shifts are common in languages derived from Sanskrit . Ravāwar
6935-573: The re-establishment of Lahore's glory, though the Mughal monuments suffered during the Sikh period. Singh's armies plundered most of Lahore's most precious Mughal monuments, and stripped the white marble from several monuments to send to different parts of the Sikh Empire during his reign. Monuments plundered for decorative materials include the Tomb of Asif Khan, the Tomb of Nur Jahan, and the Shalimar Gardens. Ranjit Singh's army also desecrated
7030-582: The reign of Farrukhsiyar when Abd as-Samad and Zakariyya Khan suppressed them. Nader Shah 's brief invasion of the Mughal Empire in early 1739 wrested control away from Zakariya Khan Bahadur . Though Khan was able to win back control after the Persian armies had left, the trade routes had shifted away from Lahore, and south towards Kandahar instead. Indus ports near the Arabian Sea that served Lahore also silted up during this time, reducing
7125-670: The reign of Ghiyath al-Din Tughlaq (Ghazi Malik) of the Tughluq dynasty between 1320 and 1325, though the city was again sacked in 1329 by Tarmashirin of the Central Asian Chagatai Khanate , and then again by the Mongol chief Hülechü. Khokhars seized Lahore in 1342, but the city was retaken by Ghazi Malik's son, Muhammad bin Tughluq . The weakened city then fell into obscurity and was captured once more by
7220-460: The reign of Khusrau Shah in 1152. After the fall of Ghazni in 1163, It became the sole capital. Under their patronage, poets and scholars from other cities of Ghaznavid Empire congregated in Lahore. The entire city of Lahore during the medieval Ghaznavid era was probably located west of the modern Shah Alami Bazaar and north of the Bhatti Gate . Following the Siege of Lahore in 1186,
7315-529: The reign of Mubarak Shah , the longest of which being in 1431–32. To combat Jasrat, the city was granted by the Sayyid dynasty to Bahlul Lodi in 1441, though Lodi would then displace the Sayyids in 1451 by establishing himself upon the throne of Delhi. Bahlul Lodi installed his cousin, Tatar Khan, to be governor of the city, though Tatar Khan died in battle with Sikandar Lodi in 1485. Governorship of Lahore
7410-505: The sacred pool in Amritsar that was desecrated by the Afghans. In 1758, the Sikhs defeated the Afghan faujdar (military officer) Sa‘adat Khan Afridi, who fled from Jalandhar , followed with the defeat of Afghan army from all direction. Though the Sikhs captured and plundered Lahore, the Afghans recaptured Lahore in 1761, but just within a couple of months, in May 1761, the Sikh army defeated
7505-477: The throne. On that same day, the next appointed successor to the throne, Nau Nihal Singh , died in an accident at the gardens of Hazuri Bagh. Maharaja Sher Singh was then selected as Maharajah, though his claim to the throne was quickly challenged by Chand Kaur , widow of Kharak Singh and mother of Nau Nihal Singh, who quickly seized the throne. Sher Singh raised an army that attacked Chand Kaur's forces in Lahore on 14 January 1841. His soldiers mounted weaponry on
7600-681: The time of the rule of the Mughal empire's greatest emperors, a majority of Lahore's residents did not live within the walled city itself but instead lived in suburbs that had spread outside the city's walls. Only 9 of the 36 urban quarters around Lahore, known as guzars , were located within the city walls during the Akbar period. During this period, Lahore was closely tied to smaller market towns known as qasbahs , such as Kasur and Eminabad , as well as Amritsar , and Batala in modern-day India, which in turn, linked to supply chains in villages surrounding each qasbah . Beginning in 1584, Lahore became
7695-512: The victory at Attock, Ranjit Singh decided to capitalize on instability in the Durrani Kingdom, and launched a campaign to take Kashmir from the Durrani Empire. A late Autumn start postponed the campaign until the next spring. By June, an army of 30,000 men under the command of Ram Dyal, grandson of Dewan Mokham Chand , marched toward Baramulla, with a pincer attack of 20,000 men led by Ranjit Singh marching to Poonch. Ranjit's force
7790-403: The victory. After his defeat at Attock, Fateh Khan fought off an attempt by Ali Shah , the ruler of Persia , and his son Ali Mirza to capture the Durrani province of Herat , which left their newly captured province of Kashmir open to attack. In early January the Sikh force began their campaign with the capture of Nawab Muzaffar Khan 's forts at Muzaffargarh and Khangarh . In February,
7885-420: The walls of the fort. In early June, Sadhu Singh and a small band of other Akalis attacked the fort walls and discovered a breach in the wall. As they ran in to battle the unaware garrison the larger Sikh army was alerted and entered the fort through the breach. Muzaffar and his sons attempted a sortie to defend the fort but were killed in the battle. The siege of Multan ended significant Afghan influence in
7980-488: The weakness of his army in view of smaller in number, Timur Shah retired to Peshawar which proceeded with rebellion by Faizullah Khan, who plotted to assassinate Timur Shah but was cunningly executed. In late 1779, Timur Shah decided to conquer Multan . Due to Sikhs having been in possession of the provinces of Lahore and Multan, these provinces served as a barrier for any attempt by Timur Shah to invade, many chiefs and nobility, dependencies of Durranis, paid no respect to
8075-499: The wider Punjab region. The British East India Company seized control of Lahore in February 1846 from the collapsing Sikh state and occupied the rest of Punjab in 1848. Following the defeat of the Sikhs at the Battle of Gujrat , British troops formally deposed Maharaja Duleep Singh in Lahore that same year. Punjab was then annexed to the British Indian Empire in 1849. At the commencement of British rule, Lahore
8170-467: The world. The city was captured and looted by the forces of the Persian Afsharid ruler Nader Shah in 1739. Although Mughal authority was briefly re-established, it fell into a period of decline and nominal control with frequent raids and invasions by Afghans and Marathas . After the official end of Mughal rule and Afghan–Maratha War in Punjab, the city became heavily contested among
8265-683: Was able to seize control of the region after a series of battles with the Bhangi chiefs who had seized Lahore in 1780. His army marched to Anarkali, where according to legend, the gatekeeper of the Lohari Gate , Mukham Din Chaudhry, opened the gates allowing Ranjit Singh's army to enter Lahore. After capturing Lahore, Sikh soldiers immediately began plundering Muslim areas of the city until their actions were reined in by Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh's rule restored some of Lahore's lost grandeur, but at
8360-752: Was defeated and killed by the Sikhs. Having dealt with Mahmud Shah Durrani for the time being, Zaman Shah returned to Punjab and resumed his campaign once again, occupying Lahore in autumn of 1798, without opposition, as it was strategy of Ranjit Singh to drive them into Lahore and then lay siege to the city. Zaman Shah intended to march on Delhi but the Sikhs laid waste around 150 km of his camp to stop supplies and engaged in skirmishes. Facing determined foe who could cut of his communication with Kabul, Shah Zaman exercised discretion and returned to Afghanistan with his troops on 4 January 1799. Bhangi Sikh Misl recaptured Lahore. Zaman Shah then appointed 19 yr old Ranjit Singh as governor of Lahore to try to divide
8455-410: Was delayed by torrential rains, while Ram Dyal's army took the fortress of Baramulla on 20 July 1814. When Dyal's army reached Shupaiyan, the governor of Kashmir, Azim Khan blocked his advance. Fighting a delaying action, Dyal waited on a reinforcement of 5,000 men from Ranjit. These reinforcements were forced to a standstill by Afghan snipers. Ranjit Singh's force made little progress. Faced with
8550-565: Was designed based of a winning entrant plan by a Chennai architect named Pogson. The structure has Mughal, Sultanate, and Spanish design elements, and sees a lancent arch flanked by corner towers ending in merlons . The total construction cost was Rs. 60,000. Architecture of Lahore 31°34′07″N 74°18′20″E / 31.56859°N 74.30565°E / 31.56859; 74.30565 Lahore Lahore ( / l ə ˈ h ɔːr / lə- HOR ; Punjabi : لہور [lɔː˩˥ɾ] ; Urdu : لاہور [laːˈɦɔːɾ] )
8645-508: Was estimated to have a population of 120,000. Prior to annexation by the British, Lahore's environs consisted mostly of the Walled City surrounded by plains interrupted by settlements to the south and east, such as Mozang and Qila Gujar Singh , which have since been engulfed by modern Lahore. The plains between the settlements also contained the remains of Mughal gardens, tombs, and Sikh-era military structures. Afghan-Sikh Wars The Afghan–Sikh wars spanned from 1748 to 1837 in
8740-407: Was executed in Lahore in 1606 for his involvement in the rebellion. Emperor Jahangir chose to be buried in Lahore, and his tomb was built in Lahore's Shahdara Bagh suburb in 1637 by his wife Nur Jahan , whose tomb is also nearby. Jahangir's son, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), was born in Lahore in 1592. He renovated large portions of the Lahore Fort with luxurious white marble and erected
8835-417: Was forced to cut his campaign short, having to deal with his brother, Mahmud Shah Durrani once again. Shah Zaman would not return to Punjab, and he would be deposed by Mahmud Shah. In 1813, after demanding the return of the fort at Attock, the Durrani prime minister Wazir Fateh Khan besieged Attock. A Punjabi relief force arrived and for three months the two armies faced each other, neither side moving. As
8930-522: Was only restricted within his camp as he remained on the defensive side with Sikhs swarming around the camp, which eventually resulted in Ahmad Shah's return to Kabul without pursuing even a single battle, where the Qazi noticed with disappointment that the country from Sirhind to Derajat was divided amongst the Sikhs with their sovereignty The Sikh sovereignty was further acknowledged in Lahore by striking
9025-449: Was transferred by Sikandar Lodi to Umar Khan Sarwani, who quickly left the management of this city to his son Said Khan Sarwani. Said Khan was removed from power in 1500 by Sikandar Lodi, and Lahore came under the governorship of Daulat Khan Lodi , son of Tatar Khan and former employer of Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism ). Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire , captured and sacked Lahore and Dipalpur, although he retreated after
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