kingdom · South Asia

Kalhora dynasty

1701 CE – 1783 CE (approx.) · capital Khudabad

A Sindhi dynasty of Sufi descent that ruled the Indus valley in the 18th century and dug many of Sindh's irrigation canals.

Origins

The Kalhoras were a family of hereditary Sufi leaders in northern Sindh whose followers formed an armed movement. Mian Yar Muhammad Kalhoro was recognised by the Mughal Empire as governor of parts of Sindh around 1701, and his successors extended their rule over the whole of the lower Indus valley.

Rule and society

Mian Nur Muhammad Kalhoro, the most powerful ruler, governed Sindh as a vassal of Nadir Shah of Persia and later of the Durrani Empire, paying heavy tribute. The Kalhoras built canals and founded towns, including Khudabad and Hyderabad. The great Sindhi Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai lived under their rule.

Decline and legacy

Rivalry between the Kalhora rulers and their Baloch Talpur commanders led to civil war after a Talpur leader was murdered. The Talpurs defeated the last Kalhora ruler, Abdul Nabi, at the Battle of Halani in 1783 and founded the Talpur dynasty.

Lineage

Kalhora dynastyTalpur dynasty 1783 CE – 1843 CE

Connections (2)

Kalhora dynasty was a vassal of Mughal Empire1701 CE – 1739 CE
Kalhora dynasty paid tribute to Durrani Empire1748 CE – 1783 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kalhora dynasty. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalhora-dynasty
MLA: “Kalhora dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalhora-dynasty. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Kalhora dynasty.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalhora-dynasty.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kalhora dynasty’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kalhora-dynasty (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻