Multan a ancient city of Pakistan

Multan is a very ancient city and according to an old tradition is as old as Noah’s flood. It is related that Yafis a son of Hazrat Noah came to live here after the great deluge. Hansput Hans a descendent of Yafis founded the city which came to be known as Hanspur. However this tradition about Multan is not supported by any documental or archaeological evidence.It is related that the city of Hanspur was destroyed in one of the Aryan invasions, and Raja Bhagat founded another city at the old site which was called Baghpur. This city was destroyed by Raja Sham and the city came to be called Shampur. Sometimes later Raja Mor founded a city at the site which was called Mortaran. This city was in turn conquered by Raja Kasyapa and the name of the city was changed to Kasyapura. The famous writer Ptolemy of Egypt has described an Indian city called Kaspaeria and General Cunningham has identified Multan with Kasperia.at the time of the invasion of Alexander the Great, Multan was the stronghold of the powerful Malli (Malloi) tribe. The invasion of the city came in 327 B.C. The Malli were a fierce tribe and they decided to remain in the Multan fortress instead of fighting in the open battle field. Alexandar himself climbed the battlements and landed inside the fortress. The Malli rushed on to attack him and many were killed by Alexander and his companions

But the Malli also fought bravely and countless Macedonions were killed. A three feet long arrow struck Alexander through his corslet into his chest. When a Malli attacked him  Alexander stabbed him to death. Eventually after a fierce battle, the fortress was conquered by Macedonians and the people of the city were massacred by the Macedonian  soldiers. Alexander’s wound was deep and serious but he recovered after a few days. When the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Hieun Tsang visited Multan in 641 A.D,  it was a part of Sindh and ruled by Raja Chach. Hieun Tsang found the city  pleasant and prosperous. The city had a circuit of five miles.   The Chineses traveler saw the temple of the Sun. In the temple was the Idol of the Sun-Deva cast in gold and decorated with expensive and rare gems. People from all over India came to this famous temple to worship the Sun-Deva. Hieun Tsang calls Multan Meulo-san-pu-lo.In 712 A.D. the Arab general Muhammad Bin Qasim conquered  Multan. The city was captured after a siege of nearly two months. The Arab geographer Masudi came to Multan in 915 A.D., and at that time the city was ruled by a Quraish king.

In 980 A.D. the town was captured by the Qarmatians. When Mahmud Ghaznavi invaded Multan in 1005 the Qarmation ruler  of Multan allied himself with Anandpal. However, the town was captured by Mahmud and his son Masud was made the governor of Multan. In 1176 Shihabuddin Ghori conquered Multan. the thirteenth century Multan was invaded by the Mongols many times. The Mongols massacred a large portion of the poplution of the city.In 1398, Timur the Lame raided and captured Multan. Babur captured the  city an 1527 and under the Mughals Multan became a prosperous city. In 1739 Nadir Shah of Persia captured Multan and the city was plundered ruthlessly.  Afterwards Ahmad Shah Durrani of Afganistan conquered Multan. After the   weakening of the Afghans, the city was ruled by Nawab Muzaffar Khan Sadozai.  In 1818 the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh captured Multan. The Sikh rule was the darkest period in the history of Multan. In 1848, the British captured Multan and for nearly a century the city was governed by the British. The people of Multan took a very active part in the freedom movement and  there was much rejoicing when Pakistan came into being in 1947. Now Multan is a flourishing and prosperous city of Pakistan.