At a glance
- Era
- The Gunpowder Empires
- Region
- South Asia
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Overview
Amarkot, in the Tharparkar district of West Sind (Pakistan), is the town where the Mughal emperor Akbar was born. 1
Early history
Tradition says it was founded by a branch of the Sumra Rajputs who embraced Islam in the reign of 'Ala' al-Din Khalji. The Sumras lost it in 624/1226 to the Soda Rajputs, who were expelled in 731/1330 and returned in 843/1439. 1
Humayun and Akbar
In 949/1542, after his defeat by Shir Shah, Humayun sought refuge in Amarkot with the Soda prince. Akbar was born there on 5 Rajab 949/23 November 1542. The old fort was demolished by Nur Muhammad in 1746, and a stone slab marks the birthplace about half a mile north-west of the town. 1
Mughal and later rule
In 999/1590, when 'Abd al-Rahim Khan-i Khanan conquered Sind, Amarkot became part of the Mughal empire, though in 1008/1599 an Arghun prince drove out the Mughal commander. Nur Muhammad Kalhora took it in 1149/1736, and Nadir Shah forced him into submission in 1152/1739. The Talpurs captured the fort in 1228/1813, and it passed to the British with the conquest of Sind in 1843. 2
Sources
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2008), 13 volumes , vol. 1 p. 453
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2008), 13 volumes , vol. 1 p. 453-454
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Amarkot (Umarkot, Tharparkar, Sind)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/place/amarkot/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.