With the defeat of Mughal Rulers, Afghan rule was established in the state in 1752 AD, which lasted till 1819 AD. The 67 years of Afghan rule is known as the Darkest Period in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. The rulers and Subedars (Governors) were extremely cruel towards the populace.

The Dogra dynasty was a dynasty of Hindu Rajputs who ruled Jammu & Kashmir from 1846 to 1947. They traced their ancestry to the Ikshvaku (Solar) Dynasty of Northern India, the same clan in which Lord Rama was born. Therefore Rama is the 'kuldevta' (family deity) of the Dogras).

After protracted negotiations, both countries agreed to a cease-fire. The terms of the cease-fire, laid out in a UN Commission resolution on 13 August 1948, were adopted by the Commission on 5 January 1949. This required Pakistan to withdraw its forces, both regular and irregular, while allowing India to maintain minimal forces within the state to preserve law and order. Upon compliance with these conditions, a plebiscite was to be held to determine the future of the territory.

After four centuries of Muslim rule, Kashmir fell to the conquering Armies of the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh of Punjab after the Battle of Shopian in 1819. As the Kashmiris had suffered under the Afghans, they initially welcomed the new Sikh rulers.

Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu & Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 October 1947, in the midst of a tribal invasion supported by Pakistan and Kashmir was acceded to India in 1947. Article 370 was drafted in the Indian constitution granting special autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, as per Instrument of Accession.