Kingdom of Kashmir (1754–1762)

The Kingdom of Kashmir made a brief and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to regain its independence. Since 1586, Kashmir had been a part of the Mughal Empire and was run by a viceroy appointed by the monarch. Due to the social unrest after the capture of Kashmir by the Durranis in the Mughal–Afghan War, Sukh Jiwan Mal, the Durrani governor, was unanimously elected as the king in 1754.

Many Kashmiris, motivated by a growing sense of identity and shared cultural heritage (Kashmiriyat), harboured resentment towards the Durranis, who had repeatedly plundered the region and left it in a state of devastation. The rebels under Abu'l Hasan Bandey, a Kashmiri Muslim noble and a revenue officer, declared his and the populace's distrust of the Durranis and demanded Sukh Jiwan to refuse the payment of revenue and tribute. Sukh Jiwan ousted Khwaja Kijak, the deputy governor, and announced the secession of Kashmir from the Durrani Empire.

Despite the rivalry between the Maratha Empire and the Durrani Empire, Sukh Jiwan's newly formed state recognized the suzerainty of the weakened Mughal Empire. In acknowledgement of his authority, Emperor Alamgir II bestowed upon him the title of Raja (King). The Durranis, on the orders of Ahmad Shah Durrani, waged war against the Kashmiris, and despite numerous setbacks and failures, were able to emerge victorious in the Battle of Chera Har. Kashmir, as a result, was incorporated into the Afghan Empire while Sukh Jiwan was executed.