| Mansehra | |
| Native Name Lang: | Urdu and Hindko |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Pakistan |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Mansehra |
| Subdivision Type3: | Tehsil |
| Subdivision Name3: | Mansehra |
| Area Total Km2: | 1340 |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 1088 |
| Population Total: | 127,623 |
| Population Rank: | 71st in Pakistan 7th in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Population As Of: | 2017 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Density Km2: | 340 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal Code |
| Postal Code: | 21300 |
| Timezone: | PST |
| Utc Offset: | +5 |
| Population Demonym: | Mansehri or Mansehrian |
| Subdivision Type4: | Region |
| Subdivision Name4: | Upper Pakhli |
Mansehra is a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Mansehra District. It is historically considered as the stronghold of the Swati tribe of Pashtuns.[3]
In 1820, the ruling Swatis were defeated and the larger part of Pakhli came under Man Singh. During the Sikh-era, Mansehra, from a small regional town, became an important city in regards to trade and its strategic location within Hazara.
See main article: Mansehra Rock Edicts. With the rise of Chandragupta Maurya, the region came under the complete control of the Mauryan Empire. Ashoka governed this area as a prince on the imperial throne in 272 BCE. he made it one of the major seats of his government. The Edicts of Ashoka, inscribed on three large boulders near Mansehra record fourteen of Ashoka's edicts, presenting aspects of the emperor's dharma or righteous law. These represent some of the earliest evidence of deciphered writing in the subcontinent, dating to the middle of the third century BCE, and are written from right to left in the Kharosthi script.[4]
The region was briefly and nominally controlled by many foreign rulers, including the Indo-Parthians, Indo-Scythians, and Kushans, who promoted Dharmic religions throughout Central and South Asia. The region reached its height under the Buddhist ruler Kanishka the Great.
During the period,Buddhist art and architecture flourished in the area.[5]
With the decline of the imperial Guptas, the Hindu Shahis came to rule the area. The Hindu Shahis built two massive forts on the northern edges of the region. The forts were later renamed as "Kafirkots" (forts of the infidel). These Hindu Shahi forts were known for high towers and steep defensive walls. The Hindus also built many Hindu temples around the area, however, much of them are now in rubble. The Hindu Shahis remained in control of the area until their defeat by the Ghaznavids in the year 1001.
Pakhli Sultanate (1190-1399):
The are which is now known as Mansehra District was conquered by Sultan Pakhal Swati in 1190 who established the rule by driving out the Bamba and Khakha rulers of this area.[6] It remained part of Sultanate of Swat under the name of Pakhli Walayiat (Province) until 1399.
Pakhli Sarkar(1399-1703):
The Timiurids attacked Pakhli Province of Swat Sultanate in 1370 and established their Sarkar here. The Timiurids gave Sarkar to their subjects called Hazara Turks or Karluk Turks after whom the name of Hazara Division is derived. They ruled until 1703. The last ruler was Sultan Mehmood Khurd. This Sultanate is referred as Pakhli Sarkar in Mughal documents because this area was taken from Sultan Pakhal Swati's Sultanate so the name continued on by Karluk Turks.
2nd Invasion of Swatis in 1703:
Swati's Sultanate of Swat was ended in 1519 after being defeated by Yousafzais. Swatis were finding a area to live peacefully again. In 1703, Swatis under the leadership of Syed Jalal Baba conquered Pakhli and ousted Turks. Saadaat Khan Swati was chosen as Chief of Swati tribe and the whole Pakhli was equally divided among the 3 clans of Swatis. At that time Pakhli was composed of the all areas of today's District Mansehra and District Battagram.
Pakhli Chieftain (1768-1818):
Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded the region with Timur Shah Durrani. Under Durrani Rule, the Chief of Swati tribe Saadaat Khan Swati was chosen as Chief of Pakhli.[7] [8] Durrani rule was interrupted by the Maratha Empire's under Raghunathrao, who drove out the Afghans,[9] Following the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmad Shah Durrani defeated the Marathas and recaptured Lahore, Sikh forces occupied the region after the Durranis withdrew. The Durranis invaded two more times, while the Sikhs would re-occupy the region after both invasions.
Sikh Rule(1818-1831)
The fall of the Durrani Empire made way for the Sikhs to rise to power under Ranjit Singh. The Sikhs gained control of the area in 1818 by defeating many tribal rulers locally known as "Khans", all belonging to the Swati tribe. A town in Pakhli which is now called Mansehra city(not whole District) was founded by Mahan Singh Mirpuri, a Sikh governor.[10] There were popular uprisings against Sikh rule, but these uprisings failed and the Sikhs remained in power until 1849 when the area came under British rule.[11] [12] [13] [14]
The name of the city is derived from the name of its founder, Mahan Singh, who was an administrator in the Sikh Army during the rule of Ranjit Singh.[15] The city hosts the Mansehra Shiva Temple, which is known for its annual Shivarathri festival.[16]
followed by his son Jagirdar Ameen Khan Khankhail Swati while Agror Valley was in the chieftainship of Ghafoor Khan Begal Swati.
In this rule, Jagirdar Muhammad Ali Khan Jahangiri Swati was the "Wali of Konsh Valley" and Khan Wasil Khan Sarkheli Swati was the "Khan of Balakot" who gave valuable assistance to Syed Ahmed Shaheed against Sikhs.
By 1849, the British had gained control of all of Mansehra. To maintain peace in the area, the British took preventive measures by co-opting the local chiefs.
Khan Jummah Khan Jehangiri Swathi was the Khan of Mansehra city under British rule.[18] Atta Muhamad Khan Begal Swathi was the chief of Agror Valley, Lal Khan Sarkheli Swathi was the Chief of Balakot, Samundar Khan Khankhail Swathi was Khan of Garhi Habibullah while Wali Muhammad Khan Jehangiri Swathi was the Wali of Ogra and Konsh Valley.
The British divided Hazara region into three tehsils (administrative subdivisions): Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Haripur. In 1901, when the British formed the buffer province of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Hazara was annexed into it.
During British rule, Mansehra was a small town. Its population according to the 1901 census was 5,087.[19] During the British period, Mansehra was the headquarters of Mansehra Tehsil.
In 1976 Mansehra Tehsil was made district and Mansehra became the centre of it.
Mansehra City is the administrative capital of District and Tehsil Mansehra. The City of Mansehra is administratively divided into four Union Councils:[20] Mansehra City Wards 1–4 and Mansehra (Rural)/suburban. Each union council is divided into Mohallas.
| 1931[21] | 1941[22] | 2017[23] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,217 | 8,141 | 144,838 | |||||
| 1,091 | 1,699 | 2 | |||||
| 469 | 375 | ||||||
| 3 | 2 | 39 | |||||
| 0 | |||||||
| 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 0 | |||||||
| 0 | |||||||
| Others | 0 | 0 | 19 | ||||
| Total population | 5,780 | 10,217 | 144,898 | ||||
During the festival of Durgashtami, held in the first month of the Hindu calendar and the seventh month of the Nanakshahi calendar,[24] about 400 local Hindus assembled on Bareri Hill to worship Devi (as Durga). Offerings were taken by a Brahmin of Mansehra.[24] The assembly on each occasion lasted only one day.[24] The site is ancient, as at the base of Bareri Hill are the boulders inscribed with the Edicts of Ashoka.[25]
Khans also known as Nawabs of Mansehra (city only) are following :[26] [17]
| 1 | Khan Sardar Khan Jahangiri Swati | 1703-1751 | ||
| 2 | Khan Suddam Khan Jahangiri[27] | 1751-1795(died) | 2nd Khan Of Mansehra, son of Sardar Khan | |
| 3 | Khan Zaman Khan Jahangiri[28] | 1795- 1881(died) | 3rd Khan of Mansehra, Known for resistance against Sikh rule, son of Suddam Khan | |
| 4 | Khan Juma Khan Jahangiri | 1881- 1910 | Son of Zaman Khan, British terminated his Khanate | |
| 5 | Khan Bahadur Raja Ali Gohar Khan Jahangiri | 1925-1948 | Restored Khanate, MLA, Governor Srinagar, Agriculture Minister Kashmir(princely state), Khan Bahadur, Raja | |
| 6 | Khan Tariq Khan Jahangiri[29] | 1948–Present | Minister KPK, 3 times elected MPA of Mansehra |
Khan Muhammad Tariq Khan Swati has been MPA of Mansehra from 1990-2002 and minister of KPK. Khan Ali Gohar Khan was the agriculture minister of Kashmir before partition, deputy commissioner and acting governor of Srinagar. He was awarded the title of "Khan Bahadur" by British Viceroy and title of "Raja" by Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir. MPA of Mansehra, Babar Saleem Swati also belongs to the same family. He is the great grandson of 4th Khan Of Mansehra, Jummah Khan. Khurram Khan, a well known Politician of Mansehra also belongs to same family and is the great great grandson of 3rd "Khan Of Mansehra", Zaman Khan. Zaman Khan Jehangiri was well known for his resistance against Maharaja Ranjeet Singh armies in Hazara.
