Langah Sultanate

There is much uncertainty about the ethnic origins and even the chronology of Langah rulers as primary accounts differ among them widely.{{Cite book |last=Din |first=Dr. Hameed-ud |title=The Delhi Sultanate |date=1967 |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |others= |editor-last=Majumdar |editor-first=R. C. |editor-link=R. C. Majumdar |edition=2nd |series=The History and Culture of the Indian People |volume=VI |pages=246–247 |chapter=Appendix to Chapter X: The Origin of the Lankahs |oclc=664485 |orig-date=1960 |chapter-url=}}

According to the 16th-century writer and author of the Tārīkh-i ḥaqqī, Abd al-Haqq, the founder of the dynasty was one "Buddhan Khan Sindhi", chief of the Langah tribe of the Baloch.{{Cite book |last=Baloch |first=Nabi Bakhsh Khan |author-link=Nabi Bakhsh Baloch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YKPjAAAAMAAJ&q=Langah+Baloch+tribe |title=Lands of Pakistan: Perspectives, Historical and Cultural |date=1995 |publisher=el-Mashriqi Foundation |location=Islamabad |pages=110 |language=en |chapter=Independent Sultanates of Uch, Multan and Sindh |oclc=34962301 |quote=According to the scholar historian Abdul Haqq, the author of Tarikh-i-Haqqi (composed in 1005/1592-93), with the decline of the power of Sultans of Delhi, Budhan Khan of Sindh, the chief of the Baloch tribe of the Langah, assembled his force at Uch and invaded Multan.}} The historian, Suhail Zaheer Lari, who specialises in the history of Sindh and southern Pakistan, also calls the tribe as Baloch.{{Cite book |last=Lari |first=Suhail Zaheer |author-link=Suhail Zaheer Lari |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LfFtAAAAMAAJ&q=Langah+Baloch |title=A History of Sindh |date=1994 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-577501-3 |pages=108 |language=en |chapter=Shah Hasan |quote=Langahs, a Baloch tribe that had manoeuvred to become the overlords of Multan.}} The 17th century Deccan-based historian Firishta on the other hand gives the name of the founder as "Rai Sahra" and further calls him an Afghan.{{cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=Peter |author-link=Peter Jackson (historian) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lt2tqOpVRKgC&dq=langahs+afghan&pg=PA323 |title=The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History |date=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-52154329-3 |pages=323 |quote=...subsequently supplanted by the Afghan dynasty of the Langāhs.}} Dr. Mahmudal Hasan Siddiqi, however, discredits this account for Langahs since their mention is absent in the Afghan genealogies.{{Cite book |last=Siddiqi |first=Dr. Mahmudul Hasan |title=History of the Arghuns and Tarkhans of Sindh (1507 –1593) |date=2014 |publisher=Endowment Fund Trust For Preservation Of The Heritage Of Sindh |isbn=978-969-9860-06-5 |edition=2nd |location=Karachi |pages=220–225 |chapter=Appendix H: The Langāhs of Multan |orig-date=1972}} Originally a doctoral dissertation presented at the University of Manchester in 1958, first published by the University of Sindh in 1972 (see Preface, pp. ix–xiii) He also notes that the local traditions of Multan ascribe a Rajput origins to Langahs, although contemporary Langahs are classed as Jats now. In addition to Firishta, Nizamuddin, Mir Ma'sum, Abbas Sarwani and Sujan Rai also call the dynasty's founder as Rai Sahra (or Sehra), however, provide no further information regarding his ethnic origins.{{cite thesis |author=Islam |first=Arshad |title=History of Sind During Pre-Mughal Period |publisher=Aligarh Muslim University |oclc=957003202 |pages=122–129 |chapter=Sind Under the Delhi Sultanate |year=1990}} According to the historian Dr. Hameed-ud-Din the title Rai prefixed to Sahra's name suggests a Rajput origin.

The place of origins for Langah sultans is similarly disputed, with Siwi (modern Sibi) and Rapar in Mailsi near Multan being usually suggested. According to Siddiqi, it seems more than probable that Langahs were initially settled near Rapar, and their association with Siwi is probably a transcription error as they have never been noticed near it.

After the invasion of Emir Timur in 1398, the Delhi Sultanate greatly weakened and the city of Multan became independent of the Sultanate of Delhi. The inhabitants chose Shaikh Yousaf Qureshi, a descendant of the famous Sufi Baha-ud-din Zakariya, as ruler in 1438. He was a mild and inexperienced ruler. In 1445, Rai Sahra, chief of the Langah, attacked the city at night with the help of his tribesmen, arrested Sheikh Yousaf and proclaimed himself sultan. In this way Multan passed to the Langah clan, thus establishing the Langah Sultanate. The reign of Sultan Husayn I, who ruled from 1469 to 1498, is considered to be the most illustrious of the Langah sultans. Multan experienced prosperity during this time, and a large number of Baloch settlers arrived in the city at the invitation of Shah Husayn. Shah Husayn successfully repulsed attempted invasion by the Delhi sultans led by Tatar Khan and Barbak Shah. He fought off attempts to reinstall Shiekh Yousaf, who had taken refuge under Delhi sultans. Eventually, he signed a peace treaty with Sikandar Lodi and abducted in the favour of his son. His successor, Budhan Khan, who assumed the title Sultan Mahmud Shah I, inherited the sultanate stretched encompassing the neighbouring regions, including the cities of Chiniot and Shorkot. During the rule of the Langah, a large number of Baloch tribes were allowed to settle in the Derajaat Border in turn for military service.{{cite book |last1=Hussain |first1=J |title=A History of the Peoples of Pakistan: Towards Independence |date=1997 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780195778199 |page=167 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oKDjAAAAMAAJ&q=langah+sultanate+baloch}}

{{South Asia in 1525 CE||Location of the Langah Sultanate and neighbouring South Asian polities circa 1525 CE, on the eve of the establishment of the Mughal Empire.{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |pages=39, 147|isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=076}}|{{Annotation|64|59|37px}}}}

Sultan Husayn I being unable to hold his trans-Indus possessions, assigned the region around Dera Ismail Khan to Sardar Malik Sohrab Dodai in 1469 or 1471 and appointed him as "Jagirdar". During the reign of Mahmud Langah, his Vizier rebelled and declared himself independent ruler of Sorkot. The city was invaded during the reign of Sultan Husseyn II by ruler Shah Husayn of the Arghun dynasty, probably at Babur's insistence. Multan fell in 1528 after an extended siege and Shah Husayn appointed his son Mirza Askari as governor of the city, assisted by Langar Khan, one of the powerful Amirs of Sultan Mahmud Langah I. Shortly after Shah Husayn departed Multan for Thatta, however, the governor was thrown out of the city. The rebels under Sultan Mahmud II administered Multan for a time independentlyDavies, pp. 627-8 but in 1541, Sher Shah Suri captured Multan, and the sultanate ended.{{cite book|last1=Chandra|first1=Chandra|title=Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals Part – II|date=2005|publisher=Har-Anand Publications|isbn=9788124110669}}

The position of Multan as trans-regional mercantile centre for trade with the Islamic world remained dominant during the sultanate era. During their reign, Multan became the principle caravan route between Qandahar and Delhi. The extent of Multan's influence is also reflected in the construction of the Multani Caravanserai in Baku, Azerbaijan — which was built in the 15th century to house Multani merchants visiting the city.{{cite book|title=Amity, Volumes 1-3|date=1963|publisher=Indo-Soviet Cultural Society|page=135|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40EtAQAAMAAJ&q=multani+caravanserai|access-date=12 April 2017}} Legal records from the Uzbek city of Bukhara note that Multani merchants settled and owned land in the city in the late 1550s.{{cite news|last1=Levi|first1=Scott|title=Caravans: Punjabi Khatri Merchants on the Silk Road|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-uviBQAAQBAJ&q=multan&pg=PT7|access-date=12 April 2017|agency=Penguin UK|date=2016|publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=9789351189169}}

File:Ghazi khan tomb DG khan.jpg, the Baloch Governor of Derajat, appointed by Langah rulers.]]

Another important feature of this era was migration of Baloch tribes and their settling in South Punjab. They soon became core of the military and held political positions in regions like Derajat.

Langahs are not known to have issued any coins, and no building built by the Langahs has survived.{{Cite book |last=K̲h̲ān |first=ʻUmar Kamāl |title=Multān, Langah daur men̲: Tārīk̲h̲-i Multān ke sāl 1437 se 1543 tak ke tārīk̲h̲ī vāqiʻāt |publisher=Bazm-i S̲aqāfat |year=1995 |location=Multān |pages=140–141 |language=Ur |oclc=604063289}} However, several mausolea belonging to the Langah period are still extant, including those of Bibi Jawindi (built {{circa|1494}}, Uch), Tahir Khan Nahar (built late 15th century, Sitpur) and Ghazi Khan Mirani (built {{circa|1495}}, Dera Ghazi Khan), among others.

Following is the list of known ministers of Langah Sultanate:

• Imadul Mulk (1469–1499), he was Vizier of Husseyn Langah I. He rebelled against him and was imprisoned.
• Jam Bayzid (1499–1503), he was Vizier of Mahmud Langah I. Due to his strained relations with the Sultan, he rebelled and declared himself independent ruler of Sorkot.
• Shuja Bukhari (1503–1518), He was Vizier of Mahmud Langah.
• Langar Khan (1518–1526), He was last Vizier of Sultanate. He assisted Shah Hussain Arghun to conquer Multan.

• History of Multan
• History of Punjab
• Emirate of Multan

Category:History of Punjab

Category:Medieval Indian monarchies

Category:States and territories established in 1445

Category:States and territories disestablished in 1530

Category:History of Multan