# Trakhan dynasty

The Trakhan dynasty may have been, according to local tradition, a dynasty of rulers in Gilgit and Hunza, established in the 8th-9th century CE after the overthrow of the Patola Shahis.
The Trakhan dynasty may have been of Turkic origin, and established following the departure of the Chinese from region circa 760 CE at the time of the An Lushan Rebellion. Various Arab texts and inscriptions record the rule of Turkic rulers in the region of Gilgit at that time, as well as conflicts with Arab forces circa 810-830 CE. The dynasty lasted until 1810.
According to tradition, the founder of the dynasty was an imaginary character named Azur Jamshid (also known as Shamsher), a Kayani prince from Persia, who had fled the Arab invasion. He secretly married the daughter of Shri Badat, the last Buddhist ruler of Gilgit. She conspired with him to overthrow her cannibal father. Shri Badat's faith is theorised as Hindu by some and Buddhist by others. However, considering the region's Buddhist heritage, with the most recent influence being Islam, the most likely preceding influence of the region is Buddhism.
Prince Azur Jamshid succeeded in overthrowing King Badat who was known as the Adam Khor (literally "man-eater"), often demanding a child a day from his subjects, his demise is still celebrated to this very day by locals in traditional annual celebrations. In the beginning of the new year, where a Juniper procession walks along the river, in memory of chasing the cannibal king Shri Badat away. Azur Jamshid abdicated after 16 years of rule in favour of his wife Nur Bakht Khatùn until their son and heir Garg, grew of age and assumed the title of Raja and ruled, for 55 years.
The dynasty flourished under the name of the Kayani dynasty until 1421 when Raja Torra Khan assumed rulership. From this time, the dynasty was named "Trakhan" after him. He ruled as a memorable king until 1475. He distinguished his family line from his stepbrother Shah Rais Khan (who fled to the king of Badakshan, and with whose help he gained Chitral from Raja Torra Khan), as the now-known dynastic name of Trakhàn. The descendants of Shah Rais Khan were known as the Ra'issiya Dynasty.
Gilgit was ruled for centuries by the local Trakhàn Dynasty, which ended about 1810 with the death of Raja Abas, the last Trakhàn Raja. The rulers of Hunza and Nager also claim origin with the Trakhàn dynasty.

## List of Trakhan rulers

| Ruler | Reign | Lineage and notes |
| Shri Badat | 760s-780 | Local Buddhist king before Azur Jamshid. Probably with Turkic origin. |
| Azur Jamshid | 780-796 | Kayani prince of Persia who is said to have fled here after the Arab conquest of Persia. Existence disputed |
| Nur Bakht Khatun | ?-? | Daughter of Shri Badat, wife of Azur Jamshid |
| Kark (or Gark) | ?-? | Son of Azur Jamshid. Ruled 55 years |
| Rajah Sau Malik | ?-? | |
| Rajah Shah Malik | ?-? | Son of Rajah Sau Malik. Also known as Glit Kalika (or Malik), i.e. Malik of Gilgit |
| Deng Malik | ?-? | Son of Glit Kalika (Rajah Shah Malik) |
| Khusraw Khan | ?-997 | Son of Deng Malik. Married a princess from Badakhshan. With presence of a Badakhshani princess must have led to strengthen northern influence in the royal house of Gilgit through this Turkic family which came from the north, by the end of the tenth century. |
| Rajah Haydar Khan | 997-1057 | Had a struggle for reign with his cousin Shah Hatam (or Shah Tham) who governed the Nager and Hunza valleys. Shah Hatam was defeated and fled to Baltistan |
| Nur Khan | 1057-1127 | Son of Rajah Haydar Khan |
| Shah Mirza | 1127-1205 | Son of Nur Khan |
| Tartora Khan | 1205-1236 | Son of Shah Mirza. Poisoned by his queen who is a commander of Darel valley. |
| the Dareli queen (name unknown) | 1236-1241 | Tried to kill her stepson Torra but failed. |
| Torra Khan | 1241-1275 | Formed the name Trakhan for the dynasty which is known Kayanıs before. |
| Shah Ra’is Khan | 1275 | Shah Ra’is Khan refuged to Badakhshani ruler Tajdar-i Moghul. Tajdar-i Moghul invaded Gilgit, dethroned Torra Khan and placed Shah Ra’is Khan to the throne. This was the beginning of the Ra’isiyya dynasty in Chitral. |
| Sau Malik II | 1276-1345 | Son of Torra Khan |
| Chilis Khan | 1345-1359 | Married Malika Hashim Begam, a daughter of Shah Ra’is Khan |
| Rajah Firdaws Khan | 1359-1397 | He got built the Qilca-yi Firdawsiyya in Gilgit. |
| Khusraw Khan II | 1397-1422 | He added a tower to his father’s fort at Gilgit, which was known as KhusrawKhan-i Shikar. |
| Rajah Malik Shah | 1422-1449 | Son of Khusraw Khan II |
| Torra Khan II | 1449-1479 | Son of Rajah Malik Shah |
| a quick succession of rulers | 1479-? | |
| Shah Ra’is Azam | ?-1561 | |
| Raja Abas | ?-1810 | |
| ? | 1561-1821 | Trakhan dynasty lasted with a series of unknown local rulers until 1821 |