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History of Chiniot

In 1010 A.D. Sultan Mahmoood Ghaznavi not only killed the Karamti leaders but also occupied a vast region. From 1030 A.D. to 1113 A.D. Khokher ruled over this region and built many armed-stations there. In 1175 A.D., Shahab-ud-Din Ghori defeated the Khokhers and occupied the whole region. But with the combined conspiracy between Ghakhar Tribe of Gujranwala and Khokhers, Shahab-ud-Din ...

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In 1010 A.D. Sultan Mahmoood Ghaznavi not only killed the Karamti leaders but also occupied a vast region. From 1030 A.D. to 1113 A.D. Khokher ruled over this region and built many armed-stations there. In 1175 A.D., Shahab-ud-Din Ghori defeated the Khokhers and occupied the whole region. But with the combined conspiracy between Ghakhar Tribe of Gujranwala and Khokhers, Shahab-ud-Din Ghori was assassinated and Khokhers established their government again.

In 1218 A.D. Ghulaman Family ruled over Chiniot and Pathans, Turkish and Mogul ruled overthis region. We find the witness of the stronger features of the history of Chiniot in the same period. Mogul conqueror Zaheer-ud-Din Babar described about Chiniot at many places. Before Babar, Turkish tartars were ruling here. In these Turkish, there was a man Machi Khan who was very brave and valiant. He was the ruler of Bhera and Khushab. The ruler of Chiniot got him killed and occupied the Khushab. The sister of Machi Khan whose name was Channi put on the male-dress and commanded her army towards Chiniot to revenge the bloodshed of her brother. She arrived at the bank of the River Chenab. The ruler of Chiniot was also informed about her arrival by his spies. Therefore, armed forces of both regions came face to face and a war fought, which continued for three days. Channi became the triumphant. The city was affected very badly during this battle. So, Channi ordered to build a new city, which is existed. That is why, some historians made a wrong notion that this city was built by RaniCahndan. It is clear that both Rani and Chandan are the names of Hindus and these were not the names of Tartars. The name of the sister of Machi Khan was Channi and the city was also called “vet”. So, generally, people thought it as a deformed state of the Chani Vet.

During the reign of Channi, Mogul leader attacked and went away after plundering. The second larger attack was made by Mogul in 1398 A.D. who ruined the whole region. Third attack was made by the ruler of Kabul, Sheikh Ali on the request of Shah Rukh Mirza in 1430 A.D. Sultan Shah Lodhi was ruler at that time. Sheikh Ali occupied the region from Trimo to Pindi Bhattain. In 1431 A.D., Khokher took advantage of the panic created due to Mogul and started ruling over this region. but soon they were defeated and the Langa tribe of Multan ruled over this region till 1528 A.D. But they could not stay there longer because of the attack of Mogul and Zaheer-ud-Din Babar ruled over Chiniot till 1540 A.D. Then after defeating Humayyo, Sher Shah Sori got control over Chiniot and the city mad much progress and development during this period. From Jalal-ud-Din Akbar to Bahadur Shah Zafar, Chiniot remained in direct control of the Governemnt of Delhi or seldom in the control of local leaders. In this period, the visit of Mogul Emperors Jahangeer and Shahjahan were a great blessing for the Chiniot as in the period of Jahangeer, Ilm-ud-Din Insari who was an inhabitant of Chiniot, was appointed as the Governor of Punjab and the people of Chiniot attained access to Royal Court. Then in the period of Shah Jahna, Nawab Sad Ullah Khan was in government and Chiniot became a center of wealth and status. This region was also important by politics. The family of Qazi was of importance and power and their forefathers had been appointed as “Qazi-ul-Fiqqa”(Chief Justice). This family still possesses the orders, documents and gifts of the Mogul kings and the large area of land was awarded too.

Nawab Wali Dad Khan Sial also ruled over Chiniot for some years. This ruler was veryexperienced, intelligent and courageous. He occupied on Chiniot, Rajoa, Langer, Kamalia and Maari, and in this way expanded his state. But he had to return the state of Rajoa to Syed because of the order of Mogul Emperor. He died in 1163 A.D. He had no male child. He had only one daughter who was married with Inayat Ullah Khan who was the nephew of Wali Dad Kahn. She gave birth two sons who fought each other for power and in the result, Inayat Ullah Khan himself took the control of the state in 1167 A.D. But in the same days, Ahmad Shah Abdali made an assault on Chiniot. According to Jhang gazetteer, Ahmad Shah Abdali made assault in 1778 A.D. but a pact was made and Inayat Ullah agreed to pay tax. In thesame days, Sikhs started attacks. The first attack on Chiniot was made by the families of Sardar Ganda Singh and Sardar Dasso Singh. Anoop Singh was the superintending officer of the castle. He made conspiracy with Sikh army and opened the door of the castle at the very time of attack. But the army of Inayat Ullah fought boldly and killed the Sikhs and gave shelter to those Sikhs who sought for forgiveness. In this way Sial remained the ruler of Chiniot.

Inayat Ullah Khan died in 1203 A.D. After his death, Mahmood Khan and Sahib Khan who were his sons started to fight against each other. Mahmood Khan had been appointed as the successor of his father and he was the ruler. Sahib Khan became a rebel and got attacked on Chiniot and other regions with the help of Mahaan Singh, the father of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. But Mahmood Khan faced them boldly and defeated them. Sahib Khan fled away and remained disappeared for six months. He again organized his power and got his brother killed and took the charge of the government but he was killed by his enemies after a short period of four months and Kabeer Khan became the ruler of Chiniot. Kabeer Khan married the widow of Sahib Khan and generated close relations with the two sects of Sials. He died after eleven years of supremacy and his son, ahmad Kahn who had become rebel in the life of his father, succeeded his father. Maharaja Ranjeet Singh made an assault on Chiniot in 1809 A.D. and conquered it. But Ahmad Khan made a pact with Ranjeet Singh decided to pay sixty thousands rupees per year as tax and included Chiniot in his state. But this pact broke and Ranjeet Singh again made another assault on Chiniot with the declarationthat Ahmad Kahn had tried to break the promise. But another pact was made on these terms that the son of Ahmad Khan whose name was Inayat Khan, would be in the custody of Sikhs and he would pay seventy thousands rupees per year. So ianyat Khan got a regularcommission in the army of Sikh army. Later on, the state of Chiniot went into the control of Bhangi Sikhs. In the period of Sikhs, Jana Singh, Mohan Singh and Ghulab Singh, the ruler of Kashmir were ruler. Due to inner problems of Sikhs, Bhangi Sikhs were ruling over Chiniot.