History of Baltit Fort
Hunza
One of the wonderful attraction for tourists.
In olden
times a number of small independent states existed in the history of Northern
Areas of Pakistan. Among them Hunza and Nager were the traditional rival
states, situated on opposite sides of the Hunza (kanjut) river. The rulers of
these two states, known as Thámo / Mirs (Thάm=S), built various strongholds to
express their power.
According to historical sources {Ref: Tarikh-e-Ehd Atiiq Riyasat
Hunza by Haji Qudratullah Baig, Pub: S.T.Printers Rawalpindi 1980 Pakistan},
the Hunza rulers initially resided in the Altit Fort, but later as a result of
a conflict between the two sons of the ruler Sultan, Shah Abbas (Shάboos) and
Ali Khan (Aliqhάn), Shaboos shifted to the Baltit Fort, making it the capital
seat of Hunza. The power struggle between the two brothers eventually resulted
in the death of younger one, and so Baltit Fort further established itself as
the prime seat of power in the Hunza state.
The rich beauty of Baltit Fort can be traced to over seven
hundred 700 years ago. Ayasho II, Tham / Mir of Hunza in the early 15th
fifteenth century married Princess Shah Khatoon (Sha Qhatun) from Baltistan (In
Moghul history Baltistan is called Tibet Khurd mean, little Tibet), and was the
first to modify the face of Altit and, subsequently Baltit Fort. Baltistan
meaning land of Balti people had a very strong cultural and ethnical relation with
the Ladakh territory of India then. Consequently, the structure of Baltit Fort
was influenced by the Ladakhi / Tibetan architecture, with some resemblance to
the Potala palace in Lahasa
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