Kashmir was annexed to the Mughal empire by Akbar in the year:

Kashmir was annexed to the Mughal empire by Akbar in 1586, when his forces defeated the ruler, Yusuf Shah Chak.

Background:

• Kashmir was ruled by the Chak dynasty in the 16th century.
• Yusuf Shah Chak had accepted Mughal overlordship in a general way, but refused to come to Akbar's court in person.

The conquest:

• In 1585-86, Akbar sent an army under Raja Bhagwan Das and Qasim Khan to Kashmir.
• Yusuf Shah Chak submitted and was sent to Akbar's court.
• He was given a mansab and sent to Bihar, where he died; his tomb is at Biswak (Nalanda district, Bihar).
• His son, Yaqub Shah Chak, continued to resist for a while, but was defeated.
• Kashmir was made a part of the province (suba) of Kabul at first, and later became a separate suba.
• Akbar visited Kashmir three times.
• He built the fort of Hari Parbat in Srinagar (with the city wall of Nagar Nagar).

Mughal interest in Kashmir:

• The Mughal emperors loved Kashmir for its beauty and pleasant climate.
• Jahangir described Kashmir as a paradise on earth.
• The Mughals laid out many gardens in Kashmir, such as the Shalimar Bagh, the Nishat Bagh, the Achabal garden and the Verinag garden.

Earlier history of Kashmir:

Kashmir was ruled by Hindu dynasties and later by Muslim Sultans from the 14th century.

Akbar's other annexations:

• Sindh (1591).
• Qandahar (1595).

Why not the other options?

• ✗1572 was the year of the campaign in Gujarat.
• ✗1576 was the year of Haldighati.
• ✗1595 was the year Qandahar was taken.