After 1700s During the
First Anglo-Sikh War, Maharaja Gulab Singh Jamwal (Dogra) helped the British Empire against the Sikhs. After the defeat of the Sikh Empire, The
Treaty of Lahore (1846) and the
Treaty of Amritsar (1846) were signed. Under Article IV of The
Treaty of Lahore, signed between the Maharaja
Duleep Singh and the British Empire, the Sikhs ceded the territories between the rivers Beas and Indus as war indemnity. IV. The British Government having demanded from the Lahore State, as indemnification for the expenses of the war, in addition to the cession of territory described in Article 3, payment of one and half crore of Rupees, and the Lahore Government being unable to pay the whole of this sum at this time, or to give security satisfactory to the British Government for its eventual payment, the Maharajah cedes to the Honourable Company, in perpetual sovereignty, as equivalent for one crore of Rupees, all his forts, territories, rights and interests in the hill countries, which are situated between the Rivers Beas and Indus, including the Provinces of Cashmere and Hazarah. In the north, these territories included
Gilgit (the present
Gilgit District), Astore (the present
Astore District) and
Chilas (presently a tehsil of the
Diamir District). By 1860, the three areas were constituted as a Gilgit
wazarat (district), and the princely states of
Hunza and
Nagar to the northeast accepted the suzerainty of the Maharaja
Ranbir Singh. The Treaty of Amritsar did not constrain the Maharaja from establishing relationships with external powers, and he is said to have had dealings with Russia, Afghanistan, China and Turkestan. The British watched these developments with concern, especially in the light of Russian expansion in the north.
Establishment of agency s based at an airfield in Gilgit around 1930. Ranbir Singh's successor
Pratap Singh was a weak ruler. The British used the opportunity to establish an Agency in Gilgit in 1889, stationing a Political Agent who reported to the British Resident in Srinagar. The initial purpose of the Agency was to keep watch on the frontier and to restrain Hunza and Nagar from dealing with the Russians. By 1889, the House of Ayasho had consolidated complete control over the regions of
Gilgit,
Punial,
Gupis-
Yasin, and
Ishkoman, incorporating them as provinces under their rule, and appointing suitable governors to monitor each province. To emphasize their authority over these territories, the ruling family named the newly unified state Gilgit Wazarat translating to (Greater Gilgit State). The Ayasho family, of
Ismaili origin, was supported by the
Syeds, particularly the fathers and uncles of
Pir Syed Karam Ali Shah. The
British Raj, aiming to strengthen their hold over the area, installed the Ayasho family as permanent rulers and officially recognized the state as a Special Political District. The last ruler of Ayasho Dynasty, legitimate rulers of
Gilgit,
Punial,
Gupis-Yasin and
Ishkoman was
His Royal Highness Aqā Māyoon Alī Shāh Ayāsho
. After the abolishment of the princely state, the family legacy of the Imperial House of Ayasho is carried on by Shehzada Sameer Shah the current
ceremonial crown prince of the family, who is also known as Shēhzada Mīr Sāmeer Ạl'y Shāh Ayāsho as well as by his famous reputation amongst the locals to be called and respected as the rightful "Prince of Gilgit" and "Prince of Punial". Soon afterwards, the states of Hunza and Nagar were brought under the direct purview of the Gilgit Agency. The Jammu and Kashmir State Forces were stationed in a garrison at Gilgit, which were used by the Agency to keep order. They were replaced by a British-officered
Gilgit Scouts in 1913. Gradually, the princely states to the west of Gilgit (
Punial,
Yasin,
Kuh-Ghizar,
Ishkoman and
Chitral) were also brought under the purview of the Gilgit Agency. These areas were nominally under the suzerainty of
princely state of Kashmir but were directly administered by the Agency. Following a rebellion in 1892, Chitral was transferred to the
Malakand Agency in the
Frontier Areas The remaining areas remained under the control of the Gilgit Agency, which administered them through governors. == Inside Pakistan (After 1947) ==