20 April 1526
First battle of Panipat
Babur defeats and kills Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, ending the Lodi sultanate.
From the article: Pashtun history: from the first records to the present
1526–1707
The Mughal frontier
د مغلو سرحد
Under the Mughal emperors the Pashtun hills were a frontier. These years saw the Roshani movement of Pir Roshan, the Yusufzai defeat of Akbar's army in 1586 and Khushal Khan Khattak's war against Aurangzeb from 1672.
What happened
1500–1599
1539
Battle of Chausa
Sher Khan defeats the Mughal emperor Humayun on the Ganges below Benares.
From the article: Sher Shah Suri: the Afghan who drove the Mughals out of Delhi
1540
Battle near Kannauj; Sher Shah rules Delhi
A second defeat of Humayun leaves Sher Khan master of Delhi, where he takes the title Sher Shah and rules until 1545.
From the article: Sher Shah Suri: the Afghan who drove the Mughals out of Delhi
1540
Sher Shah takes Delhi
Sher Shah Suri drives Humayun out of India after victories in 1539 and 1540.
From the article: Pashtun history: from the first records to the present
1541
Rohtas fort begun
Sher Shah orders the construction of the great fort at Rohtas, on the Jhelum, according to UNESCO after his defeat of Humayun.
From the article: Sher Shah Suri: the Afghan who drove the Mughals out of Delhi
1543
Humayun turned away from Kandahar
Humayun, after his defeats by Sher Shah, fails to find refuge at Kandahar and goes to Safavid Iran.
From the article: Sher Shah Suri: the Afghan who drove the Mughals out of Delhi
1545
Death of Sher Shah at Kalinjar
Sher Shah dies in an accidental gunpowder explosion at the siege of Kalinjar fort.
From the article: Sher Shah Suri: the Afghan who drove the Mughals out of Delhi
1555
End of Suri rule
The Mughals return to north India, ending the brief period of Afghan Suri rule begun in 1540.
From the article: Sher Shah Suri: the Afghan who drove the Mughals out of Delhi
Mid-1580s
Defeat of Akbar's army in the Karakar
Raja Birbal and about 8,000 men of Akbar's army are killed in the passes between Swat and Buner.
From the article: The Yusufzai: the Pashtun tribe of Swat, Buner and the Mardan plain
1600–1699
1610
Gardens built at Nimla
Jahangir builds gardens at Nimla, about 25 miles south-west of Jalalabad.
From the article: Jalalabad: the valley between Kabul and the Khyber
1613
Khushal Khan Khattak born
The Khattak chief and Pashto poet is born.
From the article: Pashto literature and oral poetry: from the Roshani writers to the landay
1622
Shah Abbas takes Kandahar
Safavid Shah Abbas I captures the city after a siege of five to six weeks.
From the article: Kandahar: an oasis city and its long history
April 1664
Khushal Khan arrested by Aurangzeb
Khushal Khan Khattak is arrested and held in India for more than two years, where he writes many poems.
From the article: Pashto literature and oral poetry: from the Roshani writers to the landay
1672
The Afridi destroy a Mughal army
The Afridi annihilate a Mughal army in the Khyber Pass and capture its baggage train; the pass stays closed for two years.
From the article: The Afridi: Pashtun tribe of the Khyber and Tirah
1672
Khushal Khan joins the tribal rebellion
He resigns his Mughal rank and joins the Afridi and Mohmand rebel confederacy against the Mughals.
From the article: Pashto literature and oral poetry: from the Roshani writers to the landay
1672
Khyber rising
Afridi, Mohmand, Shinwari and Safi tribesmen destroy the army of the Mughal governor of Kabul; Khushal Khan Khattak joins the revolt.
From the article: Pashtun history: from the first records to the present
1689
Khushal Khan Khattak dies
The poet dies at the age of about 76.
From the article: Pashto literature and oral poetry: from the Roshani writers to the landay
1700–1799
1704
Gorgin Khan governs Kandahar
Shahnavaz Khan, known as Gorgin Khan and King George XI of Kartli, is appointed Safavid governor of Kandahar.
From the article: The Hotak dynasty: Ghilzai rule from Kandahar to Isfahan, 1709–1738
1706
Mir Wais loses his caravan post
Mir Wais, head of the Hotak tribe and mayor of Kandahar, is relieved of his post as caravan watchman.
From the article: The Hotak dynasty: Ghilzai rule from Kandahar to Isfahan, 1709–1738