How Buddhist and Hindu Kashmir became Muslim – History of Kashmir

Rinchan, the son of a Buddhist Ladakhi Chief, moved into the Kashmir valley along with his followers and captured the throne of Kashmir after killing the Hindu King in 1320. The Kashmir valley had an overwhelming Hindu population, and he expressed his desire to convert to the dominant Shaivaite tradition of Hinduism. But the priests of the Kingdom opposed his request because he had just killed their Hindu Prime Minister Ramchandra. Instead, he converted to Islam and became the first Muslim ruler of the valley, adopting the Muslim name of Sadruddin. This started the long process that ultimately led to Islamic Kashmir by the beginning of the 14th century. Kashmir had remained Buddhist for a very long period in history and the valley played a major role in the spread of the Dhamma into central Asia and China. 0:00 - The Rise and Decline of Buddhism in Kashmir 6:24 - The Rise of Islam