Editing Skardu (section)

=== Maqpon period ===
{{Original research|section|date=February 2023}}

{{Infobox country
| native_name            = 
| conventional_long_name = Maqpon kingdom
| common_name            = Maqpon kingdom
| status                 = 
| year_start             = 1190
| year_end               = 1840
| date_start             = 
| date_end               = 
| event_start            = 
| event_end              = 
| p1                     = Tibetan Empire
| flag_p1                = 
| p2                     = 
| flag_p2                = 
| s1                     = Dogra dynasty{{!}}Dogra dynasty under the Sikh Empire
| flag_s1                = 
| s2                     = Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)
| flag_s2                = 
| image_flag             = 
| image_map              = File:Kashmir Region November 2019.jpg
| map_width              = 270
| image_map_caption      = Map of ''Kashmir region''. Maqpon Kingdom existed in north in ''Gilgit Baltistan''
| national_anthem        = 
| capital                = Skardu
| common_languages       = 
| religion               = [[Islam]]
| government_type        = Monarchy
| title_leader           = 
| leader1                = 
| year_leader1           = 
| leader2                = 
| year_leader2           = 
| footnotes              = 
| demonym                = 
| area_km2               = 
| area_rank              = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| HDI                    = 
| HDI_year               = 
| today                  = [[Pakistan]] <br> [[India]]
}}

The '''Maqpon kingdom''' ({{langx|bft|{{nq|དམག་པོན་རྒྱལ་པོ }}}}) was located in [[Baltistan]]. The ''Maqpon dynasty'', a [[Balti people|Balti]] royal house of [[Kashmiris|Kashmiri]] origin based in Skardu, ruled over the region for around 700 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mybaltistan.com/History/History%20of%20Emporor/Maqpon/Urdu/009.htm|title=Tareekh e Baltistan}}</ref>  The kings of the Maqpon dynasty extended the frontiers of Baltistan to as far as [[Gilgit Agency]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindukushtrails.com/tribes-baltis.php?print|title=Hindukush Trails > The Tribes > Baltis|website=www.hindukushtrails.com}}</ref> [[Chitral]], and [[Ladakh]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Kashmir: Its Aborigines and Their Exodus|isbn = 9781935501343|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kRFvWyqGNzEC&dq=ali+sher+khan+anchan+ladakh&pg=PA109|last1 = Tikoo|first1 = Tej K.|date = 30 June 2012| publisher=Amber Books Limited }}</ref>

Around the year 1500, Maqpon Bokha was crowned ruler and founded the city of Skardu as his capital.<ref name="Dani" /> [[Skardu Fort]] was established around this time.<ref name="Dani" /> During his reign, Makpon Bokha imported craftsmen to Skardu from Kashmir and [[Chilas]] to help develop the area's economy.<ref name="Dani" /> While nearby [[Gilgit]] fell out of the orbit of Tibetan influence, Skardu's Baltistan region remained connected due to its close proximity to [[Ladakh]],{{sfn|Dani, The Western Himalayan States|1998|p=221}} the region against which Skardu and neighbouring [[Khaplu]] routinely fought.<ref name="Dani-2" /> Sikhs traditionally believe that [[Guru Nanak]], the founder of [[Sikhism]], visited Skardu during his second ''udasi'' journey between 1510 and 1515.<ref>{{Cite book |title=History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1469–1606 C.E |last=Gandhi |first=Surjit Singh |date=2007 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |isbn=9788126908578 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qw7-kUkHA_0C&pg=PA107}}</ref> Gurudwara Chota Nana Kiana, locally known as Asthan Nanak Peer, is believed to be the place where the Guru stayed in Skardu.

[[File:Indus at Skardu (1).jpg|thumb|Skardu was founded around the year 1500 along the [[Indus River]] where it enters a broad valley at its confluence with the [[Shigar River]]]]