Siege of Lahore (1800)
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| Siege of Lahore (1800) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Bhangi Misl Ramgarhia Misl Nawab of Kasur |
 Sukerchakia MislKanhaiya Misl | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Gulab Singh Dhillon Sahib Singh Bhangi Jodh SinghJassa Singh Ramgarhia Nizam-ud-Din Khan |
Ranjit Singh Sada Kaur | ||||||
The Siege of Lahore took place in early 1800 and spanned two months. It was a coalition response by Bhangi Sardars and Nawab Nizam-ud-Din Khan of Kasur against Ranjit Singh's expanding influence,[1] supported by Rani Sada Kaur. The siege ended with the death of Gulab Singh Bhangi due to excessive drinking. The Bhangi and Pashtun forces then lifted the siege and retreated.
Background[edit]
In the summer of 1799, Ranjit Singh's occupation of Lahore marked a pivotal moment in Sikh rule in the Punjab. Singh, invited by some Muslim and Hindu Sardars seeking an end to the Bhangi Sardars' rule,[2] captured Lahore with minimal resistance from the Bhangi Misl. The invitation was signed by notable figures like Hakam Hakim Rai and Mian Ashok Muhammed.[3] Nawab Nizam-ud-Din of Kasur also aspired to seize Lahore but failed to garner support.[4] The elites of Lahore preferred inviting Ranjit Singh, viewing him as a more benevolent and secular leader. The city gates were opened for him, and the conquest witnessed little significant bloodshed.[5]
Siege[edit]
In early 1800, a coalition of surrounding chiefs formed against Ranjit Singh, including Nizamud-din of Kasur, Gulab Singh Bhangi of Amritsar, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujrat, and Jodh Singh of Wazirabad.[1] Their motivation was enmity for Ranjit Singh's rule of Lahore and domination in Punjab. They attacked Lahore after gathering their men at Amritsar. Despite a two-month stagnation, neither side made any sort of compromise. Fortunately for Ranjit Singh and Sada Kaur, the tide shifted in his favour when Gulab Singh, a key ally of the opposing troops, drank himself to death during the fight.[6] This premature death not only gave reassurance to Ranjit Singh, but it also shook the Bhangi soldiers confidence and commitment, resulting to their departure from the battlefield.[7]
Aftermath[edit]
Ranjit Singh was crowned uncontested Maharaja of Punjab, and the Khalsa army grew more powerful and skilled.[8] Ranjit Singh descended to Kasur in 1801 to give Nizam-ud-Din of Kasur a lesson.[9] The strategic setback not only weakened the Bhangi Misl collective strength but also left a lasting impact on their ability not able to unite.[10]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Hari Ram Gupta (1978). History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Lion of Lahore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 33. ISBN 9788121505154.
- ^ Grewal, J.S (1998). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 101. ISBN 9780521637640.
- ^ Latif, Muhammed (1891). History of the Panjáb from the Remotest Antiquity to the Present Time. Punjab: Calcutta Central Press Company, limited. p. 349.
- ^ Āhalūwālīā, Jasabīra Siṅgha; Singh, Parm Bakhshish (2001). An Overview of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and His Times. Punjab (India).: Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. p. 117. ISBN 9788173807886.
- ^ Hari Ram Gupta (1978). History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Lion of Lahore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 29. ISBN 9788121505154.
- ^ Yasmina, Robina (13 Jan 2022). Muslims under Sikh Rule in the Nineteenth Century. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 42. ISBN 9780755640331.
- ^ Chaurasia, R.S (2002). History of Modern India: 1707 A.D. to Upto 2000 A.D. India: Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 139. ISBN 9788126900855.
- ^ Suri, Sohan Lal (1831–1839). Umdat-ut-Tawarikh. Punjab (India): S. Chand. p. 53.
- ^ Latif, Muhammed (1891). History of the Panjáb from the Remotest Antiquity to the Present Time. Punjab: Calcutta Central Press Company, limited. p. 355.
- ^ Sharma, T.R. (2005). Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Ruler and Warrior (illustrated ed.). Punjab (India): Publication Bureau, Panjab University. p. 148. ISBN 9788185322353.