valley. This peace in the northern Indus Valley, including Shaidu, was broken by an invasion of White Huns who were repelled in 455 CE. One of the feudal dynasties of the Peshawar district of the 6th century and on were the Shahiya. Introduction of Islam In 1001 CE, the Shahiya ruler, Jaipala, was defeated at the Battle of Peshawar by Mahmud of Ghazni (971 1030 CE). Mahmud of Ghanzi, a member of the Ghaznavid dynasty, brought Islam to the region. A succession of Islamic leaders held the Indus Valley from the 1st to 8th centuries CE. Between 1173 and 1186, Muhammad of Ghor invaded and took power in Peshawar and Lahore. The population was forced to convert to Islam. His rule lasted till his assassination in 1206. Following rulers included the Lodi (1451 1526) and the Mughal (1526 1857). In the 17th century, local traditional tribesmen, such as the khattaks, rebelled against the foreign ruling forces. Battle of Shaidu In the early 18th century, as the Mughal Empire declined, a new empire, the Durrani Empire was formed in the Indus valley from a union of territories. However, in the late 18th century and early 19th century, a number of battles between the Durranis and Afghan Pashtun tribes ensued. In 1815, Sikhs under Ranjit Singh (1780 1839) took Peshawar and its surrounds. Syed Ahmad (1786 1831) was a radical Sunni Islamist from northern India. After rallying followers, militia, funds and the credibility from two trips to Mecca, Syed Ahmad went to the Peshawar valley as Imam, intending to make the valley a base from which to destroy the Sikh Empire and defend against the British Raj. In 1827, Syed Ahmad met with the leaders of the Durranis, two brothers named Yar Muhammad Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan. The Durranis initially pled allegiance to Syed Ahmed. Legend holds that on the evening of 24 February 1827, the brothers turned and had the cook poison Syed Ahmad and the Durranis thence forth refused to fight. On 25 February 1827, Syed Ahmad's forces and the mujahidin moved towards Shaidu where the forces of the Sikh leader, Budh Singh were encamped. On the battle field, the Sikh forces prevailed but Syed Ahmad escaped. The battle field may have been at what is now the Shaidu old cemetery. British rule By the mid 19th century, the Sikh empire was in decline. On 29 March 1849, the