The Story of Ahom Empire
The Ahom Empire was one of the most powerful kingdoms in medieval India, and its history has been largely forgotten even in its home country, India. Though the Mughal Empire ruled supreme over almost all of India for hundreds of years, the Ahom’s successfully took them down and united the entire region under their rule! How did they do it? And why has this story been forgotten? Find out more about this fascinating piece of Indian history here!
Who was the founder of Ahom Kingdom?
The Ahom Kingdom was founded by a Tai prince named Chaolung Sukapha, who established the dynasty and their capital at Sibsagar. A Naga, Suka Pha came to Assam to establish the first Ahom state. The Ahom Empire defeated the Kachari, Jaintia and Kamata kingdoms in 1450 AD.
The word Ahom is derived from the name of a Tai language, in which ‘Ahom’ means mother. In 1681, the kingdom fell due to excessive Burmese raids and attacks from Golapjangharia (Changpuria) which led to famine as well as internal rebellion against then king Swargadeo Jayadhwaj Singha in 1682.
Did you know that the Ahom’s once had their own kingdom? Did you know that they were defeated in the Battle of Saraighat in the 1670s? Did you know that, for centuries before its conquest by Akbar, the north-east was ruled by indigenous peoples? A detailed look at who these people were and how they helped define north-east India.
Ahom King List
Ahom was ruled by a total of 41 kings during its existence. The Ahom kingdom began in 1228 and ended in 1826. It lasted for 427 years but no one knows when exactly it came to an end. The records are unclear about whether Ahom fell to a military invasion, or whether it was due to political pressures after multiple invasions had weakened its strength. What is clear is that they refused to be defeated by any force (including Mughal) and kept fighting until their last king fell fighting in battle. This first line should answer your question here: King Sutamla – ଶà‚ଟମଳ -was regarded as being one of Ahom’s most powerful and most popular rulers.
Which tribal group established a powerful kingdom in assam
In 1228, the first capital of Ahom kingdom was established by Sukaphaa. Ahom culture is a matrilineal society and last king of Ahom kingdom was Khunlung. The kingdom finally fell to Burmese invaders in 1826 after an unsuccessful rebellion against them.
Ahom Culture
There are many aspects of Ahom culture that have been forgotten or lost over the years. The first capital of the Ahom kingdom is called Garhgaon, which means town on a hill. It was located in an area called Darrang. A few centuries ago, this area was also known as Kamrup. According to legend, it was a place where Ram Chandra rested during his time in exile from Ayodhya. For this reason, some people believe that Garhgaon is the birthplace of Hinduism in India. This is not true, but Garhgaon does have an important place in Indian history for other reasons.
Famous king of Ahom kingdom?
Once upon a time, before Bengal and Orissa were sliced into pie-shaped pieces and handed over to us in 1947, there was a tiny kingdom on our eastern frontier with an ethnic mix even more diverse than today’s India. Assam is known as Brahmaputra valley now, but till 1825 when Yandaboo fell to Burmese invaders, it was called ‘Ahom’ after its rulers. The Ahoms were once feared by everybody from Afghans to Chinese – except themselves who had been fighting amongst themselves for generations! King Rudra Singha (1696-1714) was one such mediocrity among many gifted rulers who failed to unite his people under one banner and lost out big time when Ahmed Shah Abdali came calling in 1762.
But he wasn’t alone; others like Pratap Singha, Purandar Singh or Jai Narayan also frittered away their chances. So did mighty Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who sacked Delhi twice but died without conquering Assam. In fact, it took just two years for Afghan invader Mir Qasim to conquer Guwahati and declare himself king of Assam in 1763 – only to be ousted soon after by another Afghan named Mir Jafar! That’s how unstable things were then; that’s why history books never mention them much.
Why Ahom defeated Mughal?
The reason behind their success against mighty mughal empire was that they didn’t follow any religion or caste system like Hindus, Muslims or Christians.
Ahom defeated Mughals 17 times
The history books only talk about how Mughals defeated and ruled India, but very few know that a small kingdom at that time defeated Mughals 17 times. The kingdom was known as Ahom. Unlike other kingdoms, like Mysore and Maratha, it did not have huge armies. How then did they defeat such powerful Mughals who had their reign in India for almost 200 years? In fact, Muslims were also considered to be invincible by Indians themselves, until one king from Assam stood up against them. The name of that king was Swargadeo Rudra Singha! And he is famous for his battles against Mughals and bringing Assam to its golden age of culture and civilization.
Why did the Mughals invade Assam?
The Mughal Empire was the powerhouse of India. With Babur as its founder, it extended from the gates of Punjab to the Bay of Bengal with relatively little resistance. The problems began when the Mughals turned their attention towards regions that had historically resisted their rule and where they did not have any strong allies. They came into direct conflict with the powerful kingdom of Ahom in Assam—and lost spectacularly despite having an army at least three times larger than theirs. How did they do it? What led the Ahom king to lead such a successful campaign against the mighty Mughals?
Ahom Kingdom History
The history of the region now known as Assam is shrouded in mystery. Aryan settlers arrived there during the second millennium BC and established themselves on the banks of Brahmaputra River. The first major dynasty to rule the area was the Kachari kingdom, which came into power around the 7th century AD.
The kingdom fell after a series of invasions by Muslims from Central Asia and Afghanistan, who were fleeing the Mongol invasion of their homeland. The next major dynasty to rule over Assam was the Chutiya kingdom, which was established in 1228 AD by a Kshatriya named Lakshmi Narayan. The kingdom thrived under the leadership of Bhismaka Deva (ruled 1238-1264) but its downfall began when his son Jayadhvaja Deva (ruled 1264-1289) attempted to expand his territory beyond what he could hold onto militarily.
Where was Assam located?
The former kingdom of Assam was located in present-day India. At the time, the area was thought to be part of Tibet. The territory is actually sandwiched between Bhutan and Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). Long story short: Assam isn’t part of present-day India—it became a state only in 1971. The region is also home to the Assamese people, who speak a dialect called Assamese. Their culture and language differ from those found in most other parts of India. The name Assam means home of the horse. The word comes from the Sanskrit word Ashma, which means horse. The region once served as an important trading post on the Silk Road connecting China with India. It has also been inhabited by many different groups over the years, including the Ahoms, Kacharis, and Chutiyas. The first recorded mention of Assam came in ancient Indian texts that date back to 600 BCE.
How strong was the Ahom army?
The battle tactics used by Ahom soldiers were not particularly sophisticated—they usually relied on greater numbers to overwhelm their opponents. It’s generally accepted that the mukhur, or king’s own battalion, was the strongest regiment in the Ahom army. But how strong was it? Though troop sizes are not recorded precisely, a good estimate is that between 1600 and 1750 there were between 20,000 and 40,000 soldiers in the Ahom army (though many more men likely served part-time). The mukhur numbered about 3,500 men at its peak under Swargadeo Pratap Singha—more than one quarter of his total troops. What made the Ahom army so effective?: The main reason for the effectiveness of the Ahom military was the use of composite bows, which were among the best archery weapons available during that time period. They were especially effective against heavily armored infantry because they could penetrate armor with ease. The longbow could shoot an arrow as far as 400 yards, but most soldiers shot shorter arrows at closer ranges.
What made them unique as warriors?
The Assamese warriors were known to wear no armour, only loincloths or turbans and so they were able to move swiftly. Due to their speed, it became almost impossible for enemies to capture an Assamese alive. And if caught, an Assamese warrior would not give his captor any information about their kingdom or its defences. They believed that if captured he could not be held responsible for telling anything because he was bound by honour. It also meant that at night, men standing guard duty didn’t have to worry about staying silent as there was nothing like ‘I think I heard something’ – it either made a sound or it didn’t!
Why is this war considered a turning point in history?
Ahom Empire who defeated the Mughals is not as famous as the others such as The Battle Of Saragarhi or Siege of Mardan, but historians also see it as a turning point in history. With their military supremacy and advanced weaponry, the Mughal empire was feared all over India and its neighboring countries. But just when everyone thought that nothing could stop them from ruling India and going further to invade Europe, The Forgotten Kingdom of Ahom who defeated the Mughals went on to defeat their army. This victory came at a great cost though, as they lost around 70% of their land to Mughals after losing this war. This loss still haunts them even today, but they are proud of what they did for their country and will always remember it with pride.
In conclusion, why should we remember Assam’s forgotten warriors
If a kingdom, which was defeated by the Mughals and forgotten for centuries is remembered for its warriors who fought bravely and loyally, there is no reason why India should not remember such examples from its own history. Despite being outnumbered by more than three to one and fighting in almost impassable terrain, the descendants of Ahom’s never surrendered. This display of loyalty to their king is an inspiration even today. It’s high time Assam remembered their bravery. Assam can learn a lot from our forefathers: While most Indians are unaware of these amazing feats performed by our ancestors, it is important that we understand what made them fight so fiercely. The desire to preserve your land at all costs might seem like an outdated notion but given how much we have changed as a nation over last few decades, perhaps it’s time we re-examine our priorities. While technology has given us many conveniences and luxuries, maybe it has also made us forget what truly matters – family, friends and Honour. Maybe instead of working day and night to become rich or famous maybe we should try leading simpler lives without losing sight of what really matters – love for each other, love for nature and above all love for country!
End of the Ahom Empire
As was the case with most of India at the time, the Ahom Empire fell under British rule in 1826. Although some elements of Ahom culture endured, like the festival of Rongali Bihu, which is still celebrated today. The fertile lands that were once at the heart of their kingdom are now considered among Assam’s most fertile regions. To explore more about Assam and what to see in Assam don’t forget to check out our India travel guide where you can also find information on how to visit famous places like Guwahati, Kaziranga and Shillong from Delhi. The beautiful Ahom monuments have become tourist attractions in their own right. But despite their popularity, many visitors seem unaware of just who built them. If you have visited these ancient sites and marveled at the intricate architecture, here’s a quick history lesson: The first ever empire established by Tai people was known as ‘Chutiya Kingdom’. It flourished during 11th-14th century AD in lower Assam region (North bank of Brahmaputra River). After 1498 AD it got disintegrated into smaller kingdoms led by many chieftains called ‘Baro-Bhuyans’ or independent rulers.