HUNZA- Political History

For centuries the tiny state was unconquerable. When Kashmir sent a force to attack it in the 1848, the Hunzakutz captured more than 200 of Kashmiris and sold them as slaves to Chinese Turkistan. Hunza was considered critical to the expansionist plans of both Russia and British India as it controlled the most important mountains passes linking Russia, India and China, Johan Biddolph was the first Westerner to penetrate Hunza southern defenses in 1876, but not allowed to explore beyond the capital at Baltit today's Karimabad. In 1888, the Rusians entering from the north negotiated with the mir of Hunza offering arms and technical training in return for a Russian post at Baltit.n 1889 the British countered by sending Francis Young husband to explore mountain passes and by reopening their British Agency in Gilgit in 1889. They also negotiated with the mir of Hunza, offering a subsidy in return for safe passage for trade caravans between Gilgit and Kashgar, safe passage on the Leh-Yarkand route, and the breaking of relations with Russia. It did not take the mir long to calculate that the Russian deal was more advantageous, so he returned the English representatives to Gilgit. The British decided to invade Hunza, and in December 1891, a force led by Colonel Algernon Durand advanced to Nilt, and accompanied the fled minister form Baltit, informed all the secrets to the British, In fierce battle lasting three weeks, During the battle the Duran was injured by a Bullet made by Russians, Decided to return form here, he though that the Russian are here to help to Hunzakutz, But the fled wazir informed that they have only one bullet which they fired but not any more, the british aided by a Nagar prince defeated the combined forces of Nagar and Huzna. The mir fled to Xinjiang and Baltit Fort was ransacked in search of treasure, they found little except for some beautifully decorated Quran,a Holy Book and secret room full of gunpowder, garnet bullets and a few Russian rifles.
It reamined a princely state in the northern most part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan, till 1974. The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south, the former princely state of Nagar to the east, China to the north and Afghanistan to the northwest. the state capital was the town of Baltit (also known as Karimabad). Rulers of this state were Muslim (Ismaili) and have an area of 10,101 km². The area of Propr Hunza now forms the Aliabad tehsil of Gilgit District. Hunza was an independent principality for 900 years.
The British gained control of Hunza and the neighbouring valley of Nagar between 1889 and 1892. The Tham (Mir) of Hunza escaped to China. Although never ruled directly by neighbouring Kashmir, Hunza was a vassal of Kashmir from the time of Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Jammu and Kashmir. The Mirs of Hunza sent an annual tribute to the Kashmir Durbar until 1947, and along with the ruler of Nagar, was considered to be among the most loyal vassals of the Maharaja of Kashmir.On 3rd November 1947, the ruler, Mohammad Jamal Khan sent a telegram to Mohammad Ali Jinnah acceding his state to Pakistan. Then it came 1974 when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came here to introduce reforms on democratic lines. Now it enjoy specific rights as bestow by the government of Pakistan.
Pople of Hunza are now well educated and striving for thier due rights and identity and it is likely that the region will be given a special status like that of the Azad Kashmir government with an interim constitution to full fill aspirations of dwellers.

Choronology of Royal Dynasty

Ancient Era

Title: Rullers (Mirs) Time Span

The Hephtalites 410 - c. 550
The Pratiharas 550 - 988
Bokhara 988 - 999
The Ghaznavid Empire 999 - 1148
The Ghurid Empire 1148 - 1213
Khwarazm 1213 - 1220
The Mongols 1221 - 1332
The Timurids 1379 - 1506

2nd Phase Medual Era

Hunza State founded 1521

Rulers (title: Mir)
Salim Khan II
Shah Sultan Khan
Shahbaz Khan 1710 - 1740
Shahbeg Khan
Shah Kisro Khan 1750 - 1780
Mirza Khan 1780- 1790
Salim Khan III 1790 - 1825

3rd Phase Neu Midual Era

Under suzerainty of Kashmir 1891
Ghazanfar Ali Khan I 1825 - 1864
Mohammad Ghazan Khan I 1864 - 1886
Safdar Ali Khan 1886 - 1891

The last independent ruler was Mir Safdar Khan, who ruled from 1886 to December 1891 -until the British conquest in December 1891. His younger brother Mir Mohammad NazimKhan was installed by the British and Maharaja (Raja) of Kashmir in September 1892.
Mohammad Nazim Khan, Tham of Hunza who reigned from 15 Sep 1892 to 22 Jul 1938
Mohammad Ghazan Khan IIwho reigned from 22 Jul 1938 - 1945

4th Phase Modern Era

Mohammad Jamal Khan S/o M. Ghazan Khan II who ruled from Apr 1945 - 25 Sep 1974
Hunza incorporated into Pakistan 25 Sep 1974
Mohammad Jamal Khan died in 1976. His son Ghazanfar Ali Khan II becomes the non sovereign head of the state from 1976. Some of the family members are now settled in United Kingdom. State of Hunza was dissolved by Z. A. Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan on 25 Sep 1974.

Thum

The traditional name for the ruler in Hunza was Thum which is also a respectful appellation used by people of both Hunza and Nager who belong to the caste of Boorish. The Shin use the term Yeshkun for the Boorish. Hunza has been ruled by a family of Mirs of Hunza for about 960 years.There are many theories about the origin of Hunzukutz. According to one myth they are are believed to be the descendents of five wandering soldiers of Alexander the Great. The people of Hunza speak Brushuski, an aboriginal language.