Srinagar, Oct. 17 -- Sultan Sikandar (1389-1413) occupies an important and, at times, controversial place in the medieval history of Kashmir. A ruler of the Shah Mir dynasty and the son of Sultan Qutb-ud-Din, Sikandar ascended the throne at a time when Kashmir was witnessing significant political, social and religious changes. His reign is particularly remembered for the consolidation of state authority, the strengthening of Islamic institutions, and the changing religious and cultural landscape of the Valley.

Mohibbul Hasan, in Kashmir Under the Sultans, places Sikandar's accession in the broader history of the Shah Mir Sultanate and notes the importance of his reign in the development of the state. When Sikandar came to power, the majo...