Baltistan and Gilgit before 1947
Early history
- Gilgit was an early centre of Buddhism. The Palola Shahi dynasty ruled it about the 6th to 8th century, when Gilgit was a meeting point of Kashmir, Tibet and Central Asia.
- The Gilgit manuscripts, found in 1931 near Gilgit, are among the earliest manuscripts known from the subcontinent.
- Baltistan, "Little Tibet", had the Maqpon dynasty of Skardu (Ali Sher Khan Anchan was a famous king). Islam spread here from the 14th century through Kashmir's Sufis.
- Hunza and Nagar were small Mir-ruled states.
Under the Dogras and the British
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1840 | Baltistan taken by Zorawar Singh |
| 1842 | Gilgit came under the Dogras |
| 1877 | British Political Agency set up at Gilgit (first time) |
| 1889 | Gilgit Agency re-established |
| 1891 | Hunza-Nagar campaign by Kashmir State troops and the British |
| 1935 | Maharaja Hari Singh leased Gilgit to the British for 60 years |
| 1 August 1947 | The British returned the lease. The Maharaja appointed Brigadier Ghansara Singh governor. |
| 1 November 1947 | Gilgit Scouts, led by Major William Brown, overthrew the Governor and announced the region's joining of Pakistan. |
| 1948 | Baltistan (Skardu) fell to the raiders. |
Keep practising
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Prepared for exam revision from standard sources, official publications and the Census. Figures and recent developments change, so check official sources before relying on them. Found a mistake? Tell us.