234 / 822
Eternal India
encyclopedia
LURE - THRU THE AGES
Overview
*
Sikh religion was originally founded by
Guru Nanak, a saint preacher in early
16th C.
*
The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Mai
compiled the
Adi Granth,
the holy book
of the Sikhs and built the Golden Temple
at Amritsar.
*
The tenth and last Sikh Guru created the
Khalsa,
the military wing of the Sikh
faith.
*
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839)
was
the founder of the first Sikh Kingdom.
Advent
*
The Sikhs who were originally a
religious
sect were hammered into a military
power
by their conflict with the Mughals.
*
Ranjit singh wanted to extend his author-
ity over the territory known as the
Cis-
Sutlej
states. In 1806 he crossed the
Sutlej
and occupied Ludhiana.
*
In 1809 the treaty of Amritsar fixed the
river Sutlej as the boundary line between
Maharaja Ranjit Singh's territory and that
of the English Company.
Chronology
*
Ranjit Singh (1798-1849) the founder.
*
Kharthak Singh (I Son of Ranjit Singh)
came
to throne in
1839; died in 1840.
*
Navnihal Singh (Son of Kharthak Singh)
(1840-40).
*
Mai Chand Kaur
(regent for son of
Navnihal
Singh).
*
Sher Singh
(
II Son of Ranjit Singh)
(1840-
43)(Viceroy of Mai Chand Kaur who
usurped
power and became Maharaja).
*
Duleep Singh (III Son of Ranjit Singh)
(1843-
49) (since he was a minor his mother Rani
Jundan was regent for him).
Wars
1845-46 First Sikh War - Sikhs were de-
feated; Treaty of Lahore; Lahore
occupied by British; Kashmir sold
to Dogra prince Gulab Singh for
75 lakh rupees.
1848-49 Second Sikh War - Sikhs were
defeated; Punjab annexed by Brit-
ish.
SIKHS 1798-1849 A.D.
gratitude,
Zaman
Shah
appointed Ranjit Singh the
Governor of Lahore in 1799.
In 1802, he made himself
master of Amritsar. The
Treaty of Amritsar was
signed in 1809 between
Ranjit Singh and the British.
This treaty fixed the river
Sutlej as “the boundary line
between Maharaja Ranjit
Singh's territory and that of
the English Company. He
died in 1839.
Impact
After the annexation of
Punjab, Maharaja Duleep
Singh was deposed and
given
a pension. Punjab was
divided into 4 divisions -
each of them under a com-
missioner. The Sikh army
was completely disarmed and disbanded. The
Jagirs of Sikh nobles were confiscated. A
strong police force was raised and put under
supervision of English officers. A code of law
was prepared; Roads, bridges and canals were
constructed; Agriculture was improved; Law
and Order was established in Punjab within a
short period.
Strengths
*
Ranjit Singh was a great warrior and
statesman; his employment of Muslims
and Europeans showed that he had no
religious bias.
*
He was a great organiser; his deeds in-
spired the masses of Punjab to resist the
tyranny of the Mughals.
Administration
*
Division of the financial transactions of
the state among 5 departments.
*
Punjab was divided into four
Subas,
each
Suba was divided into
Paraganas,
each
Paragana
into
Taliqas.
Each
Suba
was
administered by a
Nazim
(Governor).
*
All legal disputes were settled by
Pan-
chayats.
In towns justice was admini-
stered by
Kardars.
*
His military was a disciplined force.
Achievements
*
The establishment of authority all over
the Punjab, Kashmir and Peshawar was
his greatest achievement.
*
He consolidated the numerous petty states
into a kingdom.
*
To the Hindus and Sikhs he was a cham-
pion of their faith. He took up cudgels
against the tyranny of the Mughals. He
took revenge for the murder of the sons
of Guru Gobind at Sirhind.
Weakness
*
He committed the grave blunder of al-
lowing the acquisition of vast territorial
power by Dogra chiefs.
*
He was a despot who concentrated all
powers in himself. He failed on account
of the desertion of the Sikh soldiers.
*
He created a Sikh nation within the Punjab
but not a Punjabi nation. He took no steps
to prevent British dominion.
Decline
*
With the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839,
began the palace intrigues and civil wars
in Punjab. Karthak Singh and Navnihal
Singh died in 1840. Shersingh was assas-
sinated in 1843. Ranjit's last son Duleep
Singh, aged 5, was under the regency of
queen-mother Jundan. In two Sikh wars,
in 1846 and 1848, the rebel Sikhs were
suppressed and in 1849 Punjab was an-
nexed by the British and Duleep Singh
was pensioned.