Rise of Ranjit Singh

• The Sikhs, originally a religious sect, became a military power due to their conflict with the Afghans.
• When Ahmed Shah Abdali withdrew in 1767, the Sikhs occupied the area between the Jumna and Rawalpindi.
• The Maratha power briefly checked Sikh progress but was broken by Lord Lake in 1805, giving the Sikhs hope for future growth.
• Ranjit Singh was born in 1780 and at 19, helped Zaman Shah, the Afghan ruler of Kabul, in invading the Punjab.
• Zaman Shah appointed Ranjit Singh as the Governor of Lahore in 1799 and gave him the title of Raja.
• In 1802, Ranjit Singh made himself the master of Amritsar and eventually brought the Sikh Misls (fraternities) west of Sutlej under his control.
• Ranjit Singh was encouraged by the non-intervention policy of Sir George Barlow (1805-7) and aimed to extend his authority over the Cis-Sutlej states.
• These Sikh states, previously under Scindhia, came under British protection after Scindhia was driven out of Hindustan.
• In 1806, some Sikh chiefs in the Cis-Sutlej states requested Ranjit Singh’s help in their quarrels, leading him to occupy Ludhiana.
• The British, under Lord Minto, opposed Ranjit Singh’s expansion and declared they would not allow him to control the Cis-Sutlej states, leading to the possibility of war.
• Ranjit Singh hesitated, and negotiations began, with Charles Metcalfe sent for this purpose.
• After delays, the Treaty of Amritsar was signed in 1809, establishing the Sutlej River as the boundary and ensuring perpetual amity between Ranjit Singh’s territory and the British.
• Unable to extend his territory eastward, Ranjit Singh turned westward and launched an expedition against Multan in 1810, which was annexed in 1818.
• He acquired Kangra from the Gurkhas and Attock from the Afghans in 1813.
• Ranjit Singh became independent of Afghanistan and sheltered Shah Shuja in 1814, relieving him of the Koh-i-Noor.
• In 1819, Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir, and in 1823, Peshawar passed into his hands, being formally annexed in 1834.
• Although he had designs on Sindh, British opposition prevented his conquest.
• Ranjit Singh died in 1839 at the age of 50.

Anglo-Sikh Relations (1809-39)

• The Treaty of Amritsar allowed the British to take the Cis-Sutlej states under their protection, checking Ranjit Singh’s expansion to the east while granting him freedom west of the Sutlej.
• Metcalfe told Ranjit Singh that in 20 years he would benefit from his alliance with the British, which Ranjit Singh acknowledged in 1827.
• Between 1812 and 1823, the relationship between Ranjit Singh and the British was generally cordial, with Ranjit Singh focused on conquering Multan, Kashmir, Peshawar, and other regions.
• The British began to view Ranjit Singh as a rival, and disputes arose over the Cis-Sutlej frontier.
• Out of 47 territories claimed by Ranjit Singh, 12 were disputed, and the British resolved most in their favor, including disallowing his claim to Ferozepur.
• The British considered Ferozepur strategically important due to its proximity to Lahore and its potential role in curbing Ranjit Singh’s ambitions.
• Ferozepur was occupied by the British in 1835, despite protests from Ranjit Singh.
• Between 1822 and 1828, the British closely monitored Ranjit Singh’s actions, ensuring that he did not pose a threat to their interests.
• In 1815, Ranjit Singh refused to help the Gurkhas against the British, and similarly, he did not respond to appeals from other Indian rulers for help against the British.
• Ranjit Singh did not oppose British involvement in the Burmese War or in the Bharatpur siege in 1825-26.
• From 1827 to 1831, there was an insurrection in Peshawar led by Syed Ahmed, which was indirectly supported by the British, though they did not intervene directly.
• Ranjit Singh sought control over Shikarpur in Sindh, considering its strategic importance, and attempted to sound out the British Government before taking action.
• In 1835, Ranjit Singh began preparations to attack Sindh and seize Shikarpur, but hesitated due to the British Government’s stiff stance.
• Ranjit Singh and William Bentinck met in Rupar to maintain the appearance of cordial relations, with Ranjit Singh seeking recognition from the British as the head of the Khalsa.
• Burnes’s mission to Kabul failed when Dost Mohammad requested British help in taking Peshawar from Ranjit Singh, but the British refused.
• In 1838, the Tripartite Treaty was signed between Ranjit Singh, Shah Shuja, and the British, with Ranjit Singh initially hesitant but ultimately agreeing.
• The treaty was intended to curb Ranjit Singh’s power, particularly in Sindh, and it included provisions to prevent Ranjit Singh from exerting control over the Amirs of Sindh.
• Ranjit Singh did not deal firmly with the British in his later years, possibly due to the growing power of the British, leading him to follow a policy of surrender.
• Dr. Sinha compared the Anglo-Sikh alliance to a rider and a horse, with the British being the rider and Ranjit Singh being the horse, reflecting the limited power Ranjit Singh had.
• Ranjit Singh’s reluctance to challenge the British and his hesitation in his final years weakened his position and paved the way for British dominance after his death in 1839.