Karlugh Turks

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At the end of Timur's invasion of India in 1398-99, Timur left behind a legion of Qarluk turks as the rulers of the Hazara Division region of then India, currently a part of Pakistan. The locals called these turks the Karlugh Turks and the legion Hazara-i-Karlugh. First Karlugh Turk ruler of Hazara was Sultan Shahab-ud-Din and the last one was Sultan Mehmud Khurd.

The Karlugh Turks were the ruling class of Hazara Division till the 1700s, when they were thrown out of power by the locals, and claim their descendance through Timur. They formed Turki Shahi dynasties for the most part between 1400-1700 and were even acknowldged as the rulers of Hazara by the Mughals, who were also Timur's descendants.

[edit] Current Karlugh Settlements

Karlugh Turk's descendants continue to live in Hazara Division of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, mostly in the mountainous regions. They continued to maintain a very secluded and exclusive lifestyle till the late 1800s and early 1900s. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 13, p. 79, published in 1909, some 2000 persons returned themselves as Turks, descendants of the Turkomans who came with Timur in 1398. It is more probable, given the fact that most turkish villages were in inaccessible mountainous regions at the time of 1901 census, that the actual number could be as high as around 10000. Currently, some of the main Karlugh turkish villages in Hazara Division are Manakrai and Bayan in (Haripur District), Behali and Mohar in (Mansehra District) and RichhBehn in the (Abbottabad District).

[edit] Karlugh Turks and Mughal Empire

Mughals acknowledged Karlughs as the local rulers, and probably due to their common central asian origin, never levied taxes on the state of Pakhli Sarkar. However, during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, the then Karlugh Turk ruler Sultan Hussain Khan revolted against Mughals citing increased interference on the part of Mughal Empire. This revolt was put down by Akbar who eventually pardoned and restored Sultan Hussain Khan as the ruler of Pakhli Sarkar.