The Pothohar Plateau and adjoining areas have been ruled by various tribal chiefs since the arrival of the Ghaznavids. The Khokhars[1] and Gakhars[2] were the dominant birādarīs, while other tribes[e][3] governed major Jagirs throughout the chieftaincy. Gakhars held onto the territories until Gujrat (1765), Rawalpindi (1767), Jhelum (1810), and Pharwala (1818) fell to the Sikhs.[4]
Chieftaincy of Pothohar پوٹھوار نی سرداری | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| before 11th century–1818 | |||||||||
 Core territory of the Pothohar Plateau | |||||||||
| Status | Chieftaincy[a] (until 1525) Sultanate[b] (from 1525) | ||||||||
| Capital | Salt Range[c] Lahore (1342, 1394–1398) Sialkot (1410–1442) Pharwala (1525–1818) | ||||||||
| Largest city | Rawalpindi | ||||||||
| Common languages | Persian (official) Sanskrit (official) Pothwari (native) Pahari Arabic Hindko Saraiki Hindustani | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism Sunni Islam[d] | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Pothohari | ||||||||
| Government | Tribal non-sovereign monarchy | ||||||||
| Chief/Sultan | |||||||||
• 1410–1442 | Jasrat Khokhar | ||||||||
• 1526–1546 | Sarang Gakhar | ||||||||
• 1555–1566 | Kamal Gakhar | ||||||||
• 1705–1769 | Muqarrab Gakhar | ||||||||
| Legislature | Durbar | ||||||||
| Historical era | High Middle Ages to Early Modern | ||||||||
• Kai Gohar builds Pharwala Fort | 11th century | ||||||||
| February–March 1206 | |||||||||
| 1420 | |||||||||
• Mughal sovereignty | 1525 | ||||||||
• Afsharid sovereignty | 1738 | ||||||||
• Durrani sovereignty | 1747 | ||||||||
| 1818 | |||||||||
| Currency | Foreign Coins: Dirham Tanka Jital Dam Mohur Issued Coins: Rupiya | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Pakistan | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ The chiefs of Pothohar held nominal allegiance to various empires, including Ghaznavid, Ghurid, Khwarazmian, Delhi and Mongol
- ^ Babur gave the Gakhars quasi-independence by bestowing the title of Sultan onto Hathi Khan in return for military assistance and yearly tibute. His descendants later on pledged allegiance to Nader Shah and Ahmad Shah
- ^ The range has been an administrative district for various local tribes
- ^ The ruling tribe of Khokhars converted to Islam in the hands of Baba Farid
- ^ Janjua, Bhatti, Thathaal
- ^ Khan, Sarang (2020-10-28). "Jasrath Khokhar, rebel forever". Punjabi Waseb. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
- ^ Saheeb Ahmed Kayani. Historical Note on the Gakkhar Chief Sultan Sarang Khan.
- ^ "Gazetteer of the Rawalpindi district | WorldCat.org". search.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
- ^ Asghar, Hamid (2007-01-30). "Dilapidated Pharwala Fort needs attention". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-07-06.