The hilly area of Himachal Pradesh flourished under the Mughal rule. The independent states or principalities were plundered and conquered by Muslim rulers. The Mughal rulers consolidated these states to build their empire. The region prospered in trade and culture under the influence of the Mughal rule.
The region of Himachal Pradesh had been under the influence of great dynasties of the Guptas, Mauryas and the Vardhans. The region came under the influence of the Rajput rulers who set up their rule in independent principalities after the death of the king, Harsha Vardhan. These kingdoms were seized by the Muslim invaders who conquered the lands around Himachal Pradesh. In the start of the 10th century, Mahmud Ghaznavi confiscated the region of Kangra. Among the other Muslim rulers who marched in with troops into Himachal Pradesh were Timur and Sikander Lodi. Struggle also continued with the Bhotes of the neighboring region. The hilly area and the valley of Kinnaur, which is a part of the region of Himachal Pradesh was incorporated into the Mughal rule under the emperor Akbar.
The Mughal rulers established trade links with Tibet and made pilgrimage routes through the Himachal region. With the decline of the Mughal rule, the regions of Lahul and Spiti was administered from Ladakh by the Sikh rulers. The region of Kangra regained its independence under the Katoch rulers. Maharaja Sansar Chand was the most successful ruler of the region after the end of the Mughal rule. His empire extended into the states of Chamba, Suket, Mandi, Bilaspur, Guler, Jaswan, Siwan and Datarpur.
