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Draft:Abu'l Hasan Bandey

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Khawaja Abu'l Hasan Khan Bandey was a Kashmiri noble, statesman and a rebel against the Durrani Empire. He served as the Prime Minister of Kashmir from 1754 until 1757. He was reinstated in 1758 but revolted against Raja Sukh Jiwan Mal after an internal dispute.

Abu'l Hasan Bandey
Prime Minister of Kashmir
In office
1754–1757
MonarchSukh Jiwan Mal
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byMir Muqim Kanth
In office
1758–1758
Preceded byMir Muqim Kanth
Succeeded byPandit Mahanand Dhar
Personal details
Born1720s
Srinagar, Kashmir Subah, Mughal Empire (present-day Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India)
Died1758
Poonch, Poonch Jagir, Kingdom of Kashmir (present-day Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir, India)
Military service
Allegiance Kingdom of Kashmir (1754–1757, 1758)
Branch/service Kashmiri Army (1754–1757, 1758)
CommandsSrinagar
Battles/wars

Biography

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Abu'l Hasan Bandey was born into the influential Bandey family of Srinagar. He grew up as a noble in the Mughal Kashmir. After the Durrani conquest of Kashmir in the Battle of Shopian (1752), Kashmir witnessed a horrific turn of events including plundering, looting and genocide against the locals. The Kashmiris under the leadership of Bandey revolted against the Durrani governor Abdullah Khan Kabuli. The deputy governor, Sukh Jiwan Mal, who was naturally on the side of the Kashmiris, with the help from Bandey assassinated Kabuli and became the governor in 1753. Bandey was made the advisor and finance minister.

In 1754, Ahmad Shah Durrani asked Sukh Jiwan for the annual tribute but Bandey urged Sukh Jiwan to reject it and instead assert Independence. Sukh Jiwan ousted his deputy governor Khwaja Kijak Khan, announced the independence of Kashmir from the Durrani Empire and his allegiance to the Mughal Empire. Bandey was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Kashmir.