Srinagar’s history stretches back over two millennia, steeped in both recorded events and rich regional legends. The founding of the city is traditionally attributed to the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, who is said to have established the old city of Srinagari, though later historical texts like the *Rajatarangini* by Kalhana credit King Pravarasena II with founding the present city roughly 2,000 years ago. Early in its history, the region was an important center for Hinduism and Buddhism.
In the 14th century, the city transitioned to Islamic rule under the Shah Mir dynasty, marking the beginning of a profound cultural and architectural transformation. This period saw the introduction of Central Asian arts, crafts, and Sufi traditions. In 1586, the Mughal Emperor Akbar conquered the Kashmir Valley, ushering in an era of aesthetic development. The Mughals built the city's famous terraced gardens and grand mosques, utilizing Srinagar as their favored summer retreat.
Following the decline of the Mughal Empire, Srinagar fell under the often-harsh rule of the Afghan Durrani Empire (1752), followed by the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1819). In 1846, after the First Anglo-Sikh War, the British sold Kashmir to the Dogra ruler Gulab Singh, who established the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. During the partition of India in 1947, the Dogra Maharaja acceded to India, making Srinagar part of the Indian republic. In modern times, the city has experienced periods of intense geopolitical conflict and insurgency starting in the late 1980s. However, recent years have seen a resurgence in stability, urban modernization, and a renewed boom in domestic and international tourism.