Sangramaraja or Samgramaraja (

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

: ) was the founder of the Lohara dynasty and ruled

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

from 1003 to 1028. During his reign,

Mahmud of Ghazni Abu al-Qasim Mahmud ibn Sabuktigin (; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi (), was Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire, ruling from 998 to 1030. During his reign and in medieval sources, he is usuall ...

tried to invade Kashmir twice but had to retreat both times after suffering heavy casualties.

Rule

Sangramaraja was adopted by his aunt Didda and appointed as her heir and become the ruler in 1003. His rule lasted till 1028.Stein (1900), Vol. 2, p. 294. Sangramaraja's queen was Srilekhā, who was very talented and advised Sangramaraja in his rule and when Mahmud of Ghazni attempted to invade Kashmir.

Battles against Mahmud of Ghazni

In 1014, Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the Kabul Shahi kingdom. The Kabul Shahi ruler Trilochanapala appealed to Sangramaraja for assistance against Mahmud. Sangramaraja responded by sending a large army under his commander-in-chief, Tunga to aid Trilochanapala. In the ensuing battle, Trilochanapala was defeated. Antagonized by Sangramaraja's having helped Trilochanapala, Mahmud invaded Kashmir. He advanced along the Tohi river valley, planning to enter Kashmir through the

Tosamaidan Tosa Maidan (or Toshamaidan) is a tourist destination and a hill station in the Khag area of the Budgam district in the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The name also marks the historic Tosa Maidan route into t ...

pass. However, his advanced was checked by the strong fort of Loharkot. After having besieged the fort for a month, Mahmud abandoned the siege and retreated, losing many of his troops on his way and almost losing his own life as well. In 1021, Mahmud again attempted to invade Kashmir, but was again not able to advance beyond the Loharkot fort, due to heavy snowfall. After the two failed invasion attempts, he did not attempt to invade Kashmir again.

References

{{reflist Kings of Kashmir Lohara dynasty