Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Anglo-Sikh war

Ranjit Singh was born to the chief of Sukarchakiya Misl on 13 November, 1780. Amritsar treaty was signed between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Britishers on 25^th April, 1809. Ranjit Singh captured Multan in 1818, Kashmir in 1819 and Peshawar in 1834. In 1798, Jaman Shah attacked Punjab. While returning, his cannons accidently fell in Chenab River. These cannons were sent back to Jaman Shah by Ranjit Singh. Happy with this gesture of Ranjit Singh, Jaman Shah allowed Ranjit Singh to rule Lahore. As a result, Ranjit Singh took the control of Lahore in 1799 and made it his Capital.

Jaman Shah gave him the title of ‘Raja’ and assumed him as the Subedar of Lahore. Now both the political capital ‘Lahore’ and religious capital ‘Amritsar’ was under the control of Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh was an able ruler. He once said, “God wants me to see all the religion as one so he took the light of my other eye”. Amir Shah Shuza of Afghan gifted Kohinoor to Ranjit Singh.

He signed the Treaty of Amritsar (or The Treaty of Perpetual Friendship), in 1809 AD under which he accepted the East India Company’s greater right over territories south of the Sutlej river.

Highlights of Ranjit Singh’s Administration

1. Training of Army on European lines with the help of French officers Ventura and Allard.
2. Setting up an Artillery unit.
3. Introduction of payment of monthly salary to the soldiers.
4. Appointment of Fakir Aziz-ud-din, a Muslim, as Foreign Minister.
5. Appointment of Dina Nath, a Hindu, as Finance Minister.
6. Establishment of special court at Lahore where Maharaja himself heard cases and passed judgements.
7. Establishment of a well organised state.
8. Shelter to the Afghan King Shah Shuja who had been pushed out of his country (he gave Kohinoor diamond to Ranjit Singh)

Khadag Singh succeeded Ranjit Singh after the laters death in 1839. He was an opium addict. During his reign two opposite groups one consisted of Dogra Brothers – Dhyan Singh, Ghulab Singh and Suchet Singh other included Sandhawaliya Sardar – Chait Singh, Atar Singh, Lahna Singh and his nephew Ajeet Singh, were the main reason of growing chaos in Punjab. Battle of Chillianwala was fought on 13 January 1849 between English forces led by Lord Gough and Sikh forces led by Sher Singh. The war ended undecided. Lord Dalhousie was the governor general of India during this war.

Maharaja Duleep Singh was last ruler of Sikh Empire. He ruled from 1843 to 1849. Dalip Singh converted to Christianity and travelled to Russia. He died in Paris on 23 October, 1893. His funeral took place in England. In 1849 after the Anglo-Sikh war, Punjab was annexed by Britishers and Duleep Singh was sent to Britain on pension. After the annexation of Punjab, Lord Dalhousie in 1849 made a three-member body consisting of Sir Henry Lawrence as director and, John Lawrence and Charles Gravil Mansel as members to administer Punjab.

Anglo-Sikh war	War’s Result	Treaty Signed
First Anglo-Sikh war (1845-46 AD)	Sikhs defeated by the Britishers	The Treaty of Lahore (9^th March, 1846); Second Treaty of Lahore or Treaty of Bhairowal (16^th Dec, 1846)
Second Anglo-Sikh war (1848-49 AD)	Punjab was annexed to the British dominion in March, 1849.	Dalip Singh, the minor son of Ranjit Singh, and his mother, Rani Jindan, were pensioned off and sent to England.

The Treaty of Lahore (9^th March, 1846)

1. The territory lying to the south of Sutlej were given to the Company.
2. Paid 1.5 crore rupees to the Company as war indemnity.
3. The Company was given control over the Mountainous areas between the Beas and the Indus river which included Kashmir and Hazarah.
4. Rani Jindan Kaur was made the Regent of the state and Lal Singh as the Wazir of the Maharaja. Sir Henry Lawrence was appointed as the Resident of Lahore.

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