The Ladakh Kingdom's Rise and Fall

Ladakh has existed as an independent kingdom off and on through its tumultous history. In the 7th century an invading Tibetan warlord kept Ladakh for himself, Tibetanizing it and elevating it to a separate realm. Ladakh's sovereignty was under threat after the Islamic conquest of India and Central Asia in the 1200s. During this period the kingdom was periodically raided. Portions of its population embraced Islam. In the 15th century the Namgyal dynasty took control and for two hundred golden years its line of kings expanded their territory up to Nepal, keeping invaders at bay. In the 17th century the Tibetans were back at Ladakh's door. The kingdom's rulers brokered a deal with Kashmir and the Moghuls to stave off Tibetan invasion, but Ladakh lost much of its autonomy as a result. It was a downward slide after that. In the 19th century Ladakh was annexed into the Dogra kingdom, the original inhabitants of neighboring Jammu. The Namgyal monarchs were reduced to landholders in the area of Stok, where their palace still stands today.