Husain Shah Chak

Husain (Persian: حُسین, romanized: Ḥusaīn, lit. 'handsome'; Persian pronunciation: [hu.ˈsajn]), born Ḥusaīn Shāh Chak (Persian: حُسین شاہ چَک) was the second Chak Sultan who ruled over the Kashmir sultanate. He succeeded his brother Ghazi Shah Chak after Ghazi abdicated the throne in Husain's favour in 1563. and ruled Kashmir until 1570.

He served as a general under his father Hussain Khan and then under his elder brother Ghazi Shah. Husain gradually increased his power throughout the Valley and extended his realm to the hill states of Jammu, Kishtwar and Rajauri. He adopted policies that were politically, culturally and economically beneficial. Ruling through a centralised system, he made his cabinet of ministers follow strict rules. To establish peace in his Sultanate, he constituted peaceful relationships with foreign authorities. He held co-operative and contributive talks with his subjects. Husain is regarded as the foremost monarch of the Chak dynasty.

Historiography The majority of the sources are found in Tarikh i Kashmir IV (History of Kashmir), completed in 1620–21 by Haidar Malik Chadurah, a medieval author and an administrator of Kashmir. Information regarding the Chak rulers including Husain are found in Mughal books like Akbarnama, Ain i Akbari and Tuzk i Jahangiri. Other works include Tarikh i Kashmir I, completed in 1579 by Sayyid Ali while Tarikh i Kashmir II was written in 1590 by an unknown author. Tarikh i Kashmir III was completed during the times of Jahangir. It presents a contemporary version of the rest of the books. Baharistan i Shahi ("Spring Orchard of the Royalty"), the finest of Medieval Kashmiri literature on the Sultanate, was written in 1614 as a Persian chronicle of medieval Kashmir.

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