Sikh Empire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Sikh Empire was a state,[1] that existed from 1799 to 1849.[2] It consisted of a collection of autonomous Punjabi Sikh Misls, which were governed by Misldars[3], mainly in the Punjab, the Khalsa 's main land of ruling. The Sikh Khalsa Armies were loosely and politically linked but strongly bounded together in the cultural and religious spheres. The records for these were kept at capitals Gujranwala (1799-1802) and Lahore (1802-1849). As the Sikh Khalsa Army formally called Dal Khalsa grew to new regions which it administered and new Misldars came to the fore and the number of large misls eventually increased to 12 (~70000 Cavalry).
Contents |
[edit] History
 |
This article is missing citations or needs footnotes. Please help add inline citations to guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (November 2008) |
There was strong collaboration together in defense against foreign incursions initiated by foreign invaders such as, Ahmed Shah Abdali and Nadir Shah. Amritsar was attacked numerous times. Yet the time is remembered by Sikh historians as the "Heroic Century". This is mainly to describe the rise of Sikhs to political power against large odds. The circumstances were hostile religious environment against Sikhs, a tiny Sikh population compared to other religious and political powers, which were much larger and stronger in the region than the Sikhs. The military power levels of the Sikh Khalsa Army increased dramatically after 1762, this led to rapid increase in territory.
These Sikh states were disbanded following the Coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji at Lahore, 1801 AD, and the creation of the Sikh Empire.
[edit] Introduction
The period from 1716 to 1799 was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily in the Punjab. This was caused by the overall decline of the Mughal Empire, the loss of Mughal power in the Punjab was quite swift - as the Mughal power weakened it was challenged again and again by the Sikhs resulting in further loss of territory.[4] This left a power vacuum that was eventually filled by the Punjab Army. The Sikh Khalsa Army grew in the 19th century, which led to be a Sikh Empire on the Indian Subcontient, and its influence would remain strong throughout the empire's history.
[edit] Sikh Empire
The Sikh Empire (from 1801-1849) was formed on the foundations of the Sikh Khalsa Army by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Empire extended from Khyber Pass in the west, to Kashmir in the north, to Sindh in the south, and Tibet in the east. The main geographical footprint of the empire was the Punjab. The religious demography of the Sikh Empire was Sikh (10%) Muslim (80%), Hindu (10%)[5].
The foundations of the Sikh Empire, during the Sikh Khalsa Army, could be defined as early as 1707, starting from the death of Aurangzeb and the downfall of the Mughal Empire. The fall of the Mughal Empire provided opportunities for the Sikh army, known as the Dal Khalsa, to lead expeditions against the Mughals and Afghans. This led to a growth of the army, which was split into different Khalsa Armies and then semi-independent misls. Each of these component armies were known as a misl, each controlling different areas and cities. However, in the period from 1762-1799 Sikh rulers of their misls appeared to be coming into their own. The formal start of the Sikh Empire began with the disbandment of the Sikh khalsa Army by the time of Coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1801, creating the one unified political Empire. All the misldars who were affiliated with the Khalsa Army were nobility with usually long and prestigious family histories in Punjab's history.[6][7]
[edit] End of Empire
The once strong empire was severely weakened after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839. After Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji's death in 1839, the empire was severely weakened by internal divisions and political mismanagement. This opportunity was used by the British Empire to launch the first series of Anglo-Sikh Wars. The Sikh Empire was finally dissolved by the British Empire at the end of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849.
The Sikh Empire was annexed mainly because of infighting inside the empire, and several army officers of Khalsa Army were secretly allied to the British, taking along with them some important war plans of the Khalsa Army which they told to the British. They were Gulab Singh and Dhian Singh, who were Hindu Dogras from Jammu, and top Generals of Punjab Army Lal Singh & Tej Singh who were Brahmins of Uttar Pradesh. In the subsequent Anglo-Sikh Wars, Gulab Singh kept sides with the British providing vital intelligence on the Sikh Army.[8] After the British acquisition of the Sikh Empire, the former Empire was dissolved into several crown ruled and princely states under the name of British province of Punjab and was granted a statehood and eventually a lieutenant governorship stationed in Lahore as a direct representative of the Royal Crown in London.
[edit] Geography
|
|
This article is missing citations or needs footnotes. Please help add inline citations to guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (February 2009) |
The Sikh Empire, commonly known as, Punjab/Sikh Raj/Khalsa Raj, was a region straddling the border between modern-day People's Republic of China and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The name of the region "Punjab" or "Panjab", comprises two words "Punj/Panj" and "Ab", translating to "five" and "water" in Persian. When put together this gives a name meaning "the land of the five rivers", coined due to the five rivers that run through the Punjab. Those "Five Rivers" are Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum, all tributaries of the river Indus, home to the Indus Valley Civilization that perished 3000 years ago. Punjab has a long history and rich cultural heritage. The people of the Punjab are called Punjabis and they speak a language called Punjabi. The following modern day political divisions made up the historical Sikh Empire:
- Punjab, India
- Punjab, Pakistan
- Haryana, India
- Himachal Pradesh, India
- Chandigarh, India
- Delhi, India
- Jammu, India
- Kashmir, India/Pakistan/China
- Peshawar, Pakistan (taken in 1818, retaken in 1834)
- Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
- Some parts of the modern North West Frontier Province and FATA, Pakistan (documented from Hazara (taken in 1818, again in 1836) to Bannu)[9]
- Gilgit, Northern Areas, Pakistan (Occupied from 1842-1846)[10]
[edit] Timeline
- 1707-1716, Creation of Sikh Khalsa Army begins to influence the political structure of the Punjab.
- 1762-1767, Ahmed Shah Abdali and the Sikhs battle for control.
- 1763-1774, Charat Singh Sukerchakia, Misldar of Sukerchakia Army established himself in Gujranwala.
- 1773, Ahmed Shah Abdali dies and his son Timur Shah is unable to suppress the Sikhs.
- 1774-1790, Maha Singh, becomes Misldar of the Sukerchakia Army.
- 1762-1801, Sikh Khalsa Army military power rating increases rapidly.
- 1790-1801, Ranjit Singh becomes Misldar of the Sukerchakia Army.
- 1799-1801, transition period neither Confederacy or Empire, in a state of revolution or anarchy.
- 1801 April 12, Coronation of Ranjit Singh as Maharaja, formal beginning of the Sikh Empire.
- 1801 - 27 June 1839, Reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, whose coronation took place in 1801.
- 1801 - 1839, large expansion of the Sikh Empire in land mass spearheaded by the Punjab Army.
- 27 June 1839 - 5 November 1840, Reign of Maharaja Kharak Singh
- 5 November 1840 - 18 January 1841, Chand Kaur was briefly Regent
- 18 January 1841 - 15 September 1843, Reign of Maharaja Sher Singh
- 15 September 1843 - 31 March 1849, Reign of Maharaja Duleep Singh
[edit] See also
- Mughal Empire
- Aurangzeb
- Misl
- Punjab Army
- Ranjit Singh
- History of Punjab
- Punjab Chiefs
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Generals
[edit] References
- ^ http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2_nryFANsoYC&pg=PR9&lpg=PR9&dq=map+of+punjab+1799+to+1849&source=bl&ots=xr3Es2YsnI&sig=Y2AcTLzDFUoqum-Vx1xemZUwjxo&hl=en&ei=mDktSrLgG6WQjAf5ra3dCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#PPR10,M1
- ^ Grewal, J. S. (1990). "Chapter 6: The Sikh empire (1799–1849)" (in English). The Sikh empire (1799–1849). The New Cambridge History of India. The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. http://histories.cambridge.org/extract?id=chol9780521268844_CHOL9780521268844A008.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, (Edition: Volume V22, Date: 1910-1911), Page 892.
- ^ Sikh Period - National Fund for Cultural Heritage
- ^ Ranjit Singh: A Secular Sikh Sovereign by K.S. Duggal. (Date:1989. ISBN 8170172446)
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, (Edition: Volume V22, Date: 1910-1911), Page 892.
- ^ MAHARAJAH RANJIT SINGH ... - Online Information article about MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH
- ^ J. S. Grewal (1998). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press.
- ^ Bennett-Jones, Owen; Singh, Sarina, Pakistan & the Karakoram Highway Page 199
- ^ http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Pakistan_princes.html | Pakistan Princely States
[edit] Notes
- Volume 2: Evolution of Sikh Confederacies (1708-1769), By Hari Ram Gupta. (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. Date:1999, ISBN 8121505402, Pages: 383 pages, illustrated).
- The Sikh Army (1799-1849) (Men-at-arms), By Ian Heath. (Date:2005, ISBN 1841767778).
- The Heritage of the Sikhs By Harbans Singh. (Date:1994, ISBN 8173040648).
- Sikh Domination of the Mughal Empire. (Date:2000, second edition. ISBN 8121502136).
- The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of Sikh Misls. (Date:2001, revised edition. ISBN 8121501652).
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lord of the Five Rivers, By Jean-Marie Lafont. (Oxford University Press. Date:2002, ISBN 0195661117).
- History of Panjab, Dr L. M. Joshi, Dr Fauja Singh.
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
