Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class History Book Solutions Chapter 17 Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Career and Conquests Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.
PSEB Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 17 Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Career and Conquests
Long Answer Type Questions:
Question 1.
Give a brief account of the career of Maharaja Ranjit Songh.
Or
Describe briefly the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born in 1780 A.D. His father, Mahan Singh was the Chief of the Sukarchakia Misl. When he was four years old, he fell a victim to small pox. At the age of 12, he got the first opportunity to go to the battle. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was married to Mehtab Kaur of Kanahia Misl. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh grew to be 17, he took over the charge of administration. His first and the most significant victory was that of Lahore in 1799 A.D. Conquest of Amritsar in 1805 A.D., Gujarat in 1809 A.D. and of Multan in 1818 A.D. were some of the major victories of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Ranjit Singh sent three expeditions to Kashmir and finally annexed it in 1819 A.D. Peshawar was also annexed in 1834 A.D. by the Maharaja. In 1805 A.D., Maharaja abolished the institution of Gurmata and became politically independent. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was also an efficient administrator. He had appointed very able and honest ministers to run the administration. He was very shrewd and far sighted diplomat. The Anglo-Sikh friendship was an evidence of his political sagacity. Maharaja Ranjit Singh passed away on 27 June, 1839 A.D.
Question 2.
What was the political condition of Punjab on the accession of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Or
What was the political condition of Punjab at the time when Maharaja Ranjit Singh ascended the throne?
Answer:
When Maharaja Ranjit Singh took the reins of Sukarchakia Misl in his hands in 1797 A.D., the political condition of the Punjab was deplorable. An atmosphere of complete anarchy and unrest prevailed in the Punjab. The mighty Mughal empire had crumbled to dust. On its ruins many independent small Kingdoms were established. The Sikhs had found 12 independent Misls in most parts of the Punjab.
Their unity was a thing of the past and they had started quarrelling among themselves. Shah Zaman, the niler of Kabul started invading the Punjab in order to bring it under his control. Sansar Chand, the ruler of Kangra and Bhim Sen Thapa the ruler of Nepal were on a look-out for getting control of – the Punjab. The Marathas and the English were also dreaming of bringing Punjab under their control, but they were involved with other powers of India.
Question 3.
Write a short note on Shah Zaman.
Answer:
Shah Zaman became the new ruler of Afghanistan after the death of his father, Taimur Shah in 1793 AL.D. He immediately turned his attention to recovering the Punjab from the Sikhs. With this objective he invaded the Punjab in 1793 A.D. and again in 1795 A.D., but he had to go back to Kabul leaving these expeditions. He easily occupied Lahore during his third invasion in January 1797 A.D. The Bhangi Sardars of Lahore, Lehna Singh and Gujjar Singh took to their heels as they heard of Shah Zaman’s invasion. But Shah Zaman had to go back to Kabul due to a rebellion there at that time. Taking advantage of the oppournity, the Bhangi Sardars again got hold of Lahore. In November 1798 A.D.,
once again Shah Zaman took control of Lahore. This time again he had to return to Kabul due to a rebellion. Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupied Lahore on July 7, 1799 A.D. In 1800 A.D. Shah Zaman lost his empire in a coup.
Question 4.
Explain briefly any five conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Undoubtedly Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the greatest ruler of Punjab. By his ability and efforts he converted his small kingdom into a vast empire during his reign (1799-1839). His main conquests are mentioned below:
1. Conquest of Lahore, 1799 A.D.: The first and the most important conquest of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the conquest of Lahore. The three Bhangi Sardars and Sahib Singh, Mohar Singh and Chet Singh jointly ruled Lahore. People were very unhappy due to their tyrannical rule, so they invited Ranjit Singh to take over Lahore. Deeming it a golden chance, Ranjit Singh invaded Lahore and occupied it on July 7, 1799 A.D.
2. Conquest of Amritsar, 1805 A.D.: The city of Amritsar was very important for the Sikhs from the religious point of view. It was considered the Mecca of the Sikhs. It was also the most famous trade centre. In order to be an emperor of the Punjab, the control over Amritsar was essential. In 1805 A.D. Ranjit Singh invaded Amritsar and defeated Mai Sukhan, the widow of Gulab Singh. In this way, Amritsar was conquered.
3. Conquest of Multan, 1818 A.D.: Multan was very important from trade and geographical point of view. Sind could be easily conquered by having a control over Multan. The Maharaja had to attack seven times to conquer Multan. Every time, Muzaffar Khan the ruler of Multan evaded Maharaja Ranjit Singh by offering him a heavy ransom. In 1818 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh resolved to make a conquest of Multan. He sent a vast army under ‘the command of Misar Diwan Chand. After a pitched battle the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Multan. It was indeed one of the important conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
4. Conquest of Kashmir, 1819 A.D.: The valley of Kashmir was famous for its scenic beauty and trade. Ranjit Singh tried to conquer it in 1813 and 1814 A.D. but did not succeed. The conquest of Multan greatly encouraged Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He sent a huge army under the command of Misar Diwan Chand to conquer Kashmir. This army defeated Jabbar Khan, the ruler of Kashmir and occupied Kashmir in 1819 A.D.
5. Conquest of Peshawar, 1834 A.D : Peshawar was an important region from the geographical point of view. In his first expedition in 1818 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had defeated Yar Mohammad Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan but he resolved not to include Peshawar in his empire. In 1823 A.D., Azim Khan, a minister of Afghanistan took over the control of Peshawar. Maharaja Ranjit Singh defeated him in a pitched battle of Naushehra and again got control over Peshawar. He annexed Peshawar to his empire in 1834 A.D.
Question 5.
Give a brief account of the conquest of Lahore by Ranjit Singh and its significance.
Or
Write a brief note on Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Lahore.
Or
What was the importance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Lahore conquest?
Answer:
The conquest of Lahore was the first important political achievement of X Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Lahore assumed great importance, being the biggest and oldest city of the Punjab. Besides, it had been the capital of the Punjab since long. Three Bhangi Sardars, Sahib Singh, Mohar Singh and Chet Singh jointly ruled over it. People were very unhappy due to their oppressive rule. In November 1798 A.D., Shah Zaman, the ruler of Kabul had conquered Lahore but he had to go back due to a mutiny in Kabul. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Bhangi Sardars had again brought Lahore under their control.
As people there were fed up with their misdeeds, they invited Maharaja Ranjit Singh to take control of Lahore. Ranjit Singh with the help of his mother-in-law, Sada Kaur attacked Lahore. On hearing the news of invasion, Sahib Singh and Mohar Singh fled in panic. Chet Singh gave in after a short while. In this way, Ranjit Singh brought Lahore under his control on July 7, 1799 A. D. It laid the foundation of a sovereign Sikh monarchy in Punjab.
Question 6.
Write a short note ‘on the battle of Bhasin.
Answer:
The occupation of Lahore by Ranjit Singh aroused the jealousies among the leading chiefs of Punjab. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia, Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujarat, Gulab Singh Bhangi of Amritsgfr, Jodh Singh of Wazirabad and Nizam- ud-Din of Kasur made a united front against Ranjit Singh. The joint forces under the command of Gulab Singh Bhangi assembled at Bhasin near Lahore. Ranjit Singh too reached Bhasin to face them.
For about two months, neither side dared to attack. Unexpectedly one day Gulab Singh Bhangi died of over-drifliking. It demoralised the opponents of Ranjit Singh and they fled away from the battlefield. In this way Ranjit Singh scored a victory without shedding a drop of blood. Xhis ‘ victory to Ranjit Singh warded off his great danger. It also strengthened his hold over Lahore.
Question 7.
Describe briefly about the conquest of Amritsar by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and its importance.
Or
Discuss briefly the significance of the conquest of Amritsar.
Answer:
The city of Amritsar was of. great religious importance to the Sikhs. It was the Mecca of the Sikhs. Besides, it was also the most famous trade centre of the Punjab. It was very essential for Ranjit Singh to take control of Amritsar in order to become Maharaja of the Punjab. Mai Sukhan, widow of Gulab Singh was ruling over Amritsar as the guardian of her minor son Gurdit Singh. In 1805 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh asked her to hand over the fort of Lohgarh and famous gun Zamzama to him.
Mai Sukhan refused to accept the proposal, so Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Amritsar, along with his mother-in-law Sada Kaur and Fateh Singh Ahluwalia. After a short resistance, Mai Sukhan accepted defeat. In this way, in 1805 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh got control over Amritsar. With the conquest of Amritsar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s fa’me spread far and wide.
Question 8.
How did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Multan?
Answer:
Multan was important from geographic and economic point of view. Hence, Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to conquer it. Multan was under the rule of Afghan Governor, Nawab Muzaffar Khan. As such he was under the rule of the Kabul Government, but in reality he was ruling independently. From 1802 A.D. to 1817 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent six expeditions to Multan. Each time Nawab Muzaffar Khan avoided the army of Ranjit Singh with a Nazrana. In 1818 A.D. Maharaja decided to conquer Multan. He started preparing for an attack on Multan on a large scale.
Misar Diwan Chanid, who was one of the popular generals of the Maharaja, was sent to conquer Multan with an army of 20,000 soldiers in January 1818 A.D. On the other hand, Nawab Muzaffar Khan started preparing to face the armies of the Maharaja. He declared a religious war (Jihad) against the Sikhs.
The siege to Multan continued for four months but the Sikhs were not successful in capturing the fort. On 2nd June, 1818 A.D., the Akali leader Sadhu Singh was successful in entering the fort with some of his companions. Behind him, the Sikh armies also entered the fort. Nawab Muzaffar Khan and his sons valiantly faced them. In the end, Muzaffar Khan and his five sons were killed. His sixth son was wounded and rest ef the two asked for forgiveness.
Thus, the Sikh army occupied Multan. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh received the news of this important victory, he was pleased. Festivities took place to celebrate this victory for days on end. Misar Diwan Chand was bestowed upon with the title of ‘Zafar Jang’.
Question 9.
Describe the significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Multan.
Answer:
The conquest of Multan was one of the significant conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The importance of this conquest can be gauged from the facts given below:
1. A death blow to the Afghan Power : The conquest of Multan sounded the death knell of Afghan influence in the Punjab. There was a time when the Sikhs would run to the forests and hills on hearing the news of Ahmad Shah Abdali’s invasion because at that time it was not possible for them to face a direct clash with the AfghAnswer: The conquest of Multan turned the tables. This conquest marked an end to the Afghan power in the Punjab and proved that the Sikhs were far more powerful than the Afghans.
2. Multan stood like a wall between Sind and Bahawalpur : With the occupation of Multan by Ranjit Singh, the Muslims of Sind and Bahawalpur were separated. With this separation, they could not form a joint front against Ranjit Singh. In this way, Multan stood like a wall between Sind and Bahawalpur.
3. Some Small Muslim States accepted the Submission of Ranjit Singh: Another important result of the conquest of Multan by Maharaja Ranjit Singh was that the Muslim rulers of some small states like Bahawalpur, Derajat, Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ismail Khan were terrified and so they accepted the suzerainty of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
4. Increase in the Revenue : The land of Multan was very fertile. So with its victory, Ranjit Singh’s revenue increased a great deal. The record of the Khalsa Darbar shows that Ranjit Singh received Rs. 7 lakhs per annum as revenue from Multan. With this money Ranjit Singh got the opportunity to execute his future
plans.
5. Commercial Advantage : The conquest of Multan proved useful from commercial point of view. The trade of India with Afghanistan and the Central Asia was carried on through Multan. With Ranjit Singh’s control over this important centre of trade, the trade of Punjab was greatly encouraged.
Question 10.
How did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Kashmir?
Answer:
Kashmir was very famous for its natural beauty and trade. So Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to bring Kashmir under his control. Right at that time Fateh Khan, a minister of Kabul, was also planning to conquer Kashmir. As both of them were not in a position to conquer Kashmir individually, they made an agreement at Rohtas. According to this agreement,
Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to send 12,000 soldiers under the command of Diwan Mohkam Chand to assist Fateh Khan. On the other hand Fateh Khan agreed to give 1/3 of the conquered area and the booty. In 1813 A.D. both the armies marched to Kashmir. Ata Mohammad Khan, Governor of Kashmir advanced to face the joint forces.
But he was defeated in a battle at Shergarh. After conquering Kashmir, Fateh Khan gave, Maharaja Ranjit Singh nothing. In 1814 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh invaded Kashmir for the second time. He had to face defeat in this expedition. Emboldened by the victory of Multan in 1818 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh invaded Kashmir in 1819 A.D. for the third time. In a battle at Supin which was fought on 5th July, 1819 A.D. Jabbar Khan, the then Governor of Kashmir; suffered a defeat. In this way, Maharaja Ranjit Singh succeeded in bringing Kashmir under his control.
Question 11.
Describe the significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Kashmir.
Answer:
1. It increased the prestage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh; The conquest of Kashmir was a very significant conquest of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It greatly increased his prestige and pride. His supremacy was accepted beyond Leh, Lhasa and mountains of Kara Kurram. His frontier in the north had reached its natural bounds.
2. It gave a rude jolt to the Afghan power. The control of Kashmir by the Sikhs dealt a severe blow to the Afghan influence in India and it encouraged the morale of Sikh forces.
3. It increased the income of the Government. The conquest of Kashmir resulted in economic gain to the Maharaja. This province yielded annual income of 40,00,000 rupees to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
4. It encouraged the Trade. The conquest of Kashmir was also useful from a commercial point of view. Kashmir was famous in the world for its shawl industry. Besides, Kashmir was also famous for fruits of many types, and for its forests. With the annextion of Kashmir to the Panjab its trade got great impetus.
Question 12.
Write a brief note on the battle of Naushehra or Tibba Tehri.
Answer:
Azim Khan, the ruler of Kabul had invaded and conquered Peshawar in January 1823 A.D. He declared Jihad (religious war) against the Sikhs, as a result of which many Afghans swarmed under his banner. On the other hand, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent a vast army of 20,000 to face the army of Azim Khan. Hari Singh Nalwa, General Allard, General Ventura, Akali Phula Singh, Fateh Singh Ahluwalia and prince Kharak Singh were sent along with this army.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh himself commanded this expedition. A fierce battle took place between the two armies at Naushehra or Tibba Tehri on March 14,1823 A.D.
Azim Khan had also about 20,000 soldiers. In the beginning of the battle, the Afghans had the upper hand. Akali Phula Singh and many other famous warriors were killed in this battle. At this juncture, Maharaja Ranjit Singh infused a new spirit and dynamism into his army. Now the Sikhs attacked the Afghans so vigorously that the latter had to flee to save their lives. As a result pf the victory in this decisive battle the morale of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army was enhanced. Azim Khan soon died due to shock of his humiliating defeat in this battle.
Question 13.
Briefly write about the significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Peshawar.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Peshawar was one of the most significant conquests. This conquest greatly enhanced the prestige of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The influence of his military power was acknowledged all over India and his empire also expanded. It sounded the death knell of Afghan supremacy beyond the river Indus,
The Punjabis heaved a sigh of relief after 8 centuries when Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Peshawar, because the Muslim invaders invaded Punjab and other parts of India through this route. These invasions had created the atmosphere of unrest and anarchy in India.The danger of these invasions disappeared with Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Peshawar. This conquest also proved economically useful to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Peshawar yielded about 12 lakh rupees annual income to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Question 14.
What policy did Maharaja Ranjit Singh adopt towards the defeated rulers?
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh not only brought several states under his control but also adopted a successful administrative policy. This policy was uniformly applied to all the rulers, may they be Sikhs, Hindus or the Muslims. Many rulers, who accepted the suzereinty of Ranjit Singh were returned their states. Those rulers whose areas were annexed to his empire, were given some posts in the Maharaja’s Darbar or given suitable Jagirs enough for their living.
A stern policy was adopted against those rulers who continued to oppose Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In short the policy of kindness and leniency adopted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh towards the defeated rulers had no parallel in the history of that period.
Question 15.
What policy did Maharaja Ranjit Singh adopt towards the Sikh Misls?
Examine the Misl policy of Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Ranjit Singh adopted a special type of policy towards the Sikh Misls. The main characteristics of this policy were as follows :
- To give no weightage either to relationships or to sentiments in matters of state expansion.
- Not to bother whether it is just or unjust to take possession of the areas of the Misl Sardars while expanding the state.
- To make friendship with the powerful Misl Sardars or to establish matrimonial relations with them so that on one hand their co-operation might be extracted and on the other hand the possible formation of any powerful joint front against him might be ruled out.
- To attack the weak Misl Sardars and annex their territories to his state.
- On getting an opportunity to betray even the friendly Misl Sardars and annex their states to his kingdom. .
- To do away with the important central institution i.e. the ‘Gurmata’ so that no Misldar might equal Ranjit Singh.
Ranjit Singh first of all established friendly relations with the Kanahia Misl. In 1796 A.D., he married Mehtab Kaur, the daughter of late Gurbaksh Singh. At Tarn Taran in 1798 A.D., Ranjit Singh made his second marriage with Raj Kaur. In 1801 A.D. Ranjit Singh and Fateh Singh exchanged turbans and took an oath in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji that they would live like brothers and stand by each other through thick and thin.
Afterwards Fateh Singh rendered yeoman’s contribution in several campaigns of Ranjit Singh. On the other hand he attacked the weak misls and attached them to his kingdom. In July 1799 A.D., Ranjit Singh conquered Lahore from the Bhangi Sardars. After this, he conquered Dallewalia Misl, Karor Singhia Misl, Nakkai Misl and Faizalpuria Misl. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh became confident that his state had grown powerful, he deemed it fit to change his policy towards the friendly Misls.
Essay Type Questions:
Early Career Of Maharaja Ranjit Singh:
Question 1.
Describe the early life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. How far is his early life different from that of Shivaji?
Or
Describe in detail the early life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupies an important place in the Sikh history. By virtue of his ability he converted his small state into a vast empire. In this way, Maharaja Ranjit Singh translated the dream of Sikh Empire into a reality. A brief account of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s early career is given ahead :
1. Birth and Parentage: Ranjit Singh was born in 1780 A.D. His father Mahan Singh was the Chief of the Sukarchakia Misl. There is a controversy among historians about the place and date of his birth. Historians like Osborne, Griffin, Mc-Gregar, Latif, Shahmat Ali and Kanahiya Lai say that his date of birth was 2nd November, 1780 A.D.
On the other hand Sohan Lai Suri, a court historian of Ranjit Singh, and Diwan Amar Nath, a contemporary historian of Ranjit Singh say that Ranjit Singh’s birthday was 13th November, 1780 A.D. Similarly there is also a difference of opinion among the historians about Ranjit Singh’s birthplace. Some historians opine that Ranjit Singh was born at Gujranwala. While on the other hand, some historians believe that Ranjit Singh was born at his maternal grandparents’ house at Badrukhan in Jind State.
Modern historians accept Gujranwala to be Ranjit Singh’s birth place. The name of Ranjit Singh’s mother was Raj Kaur. Ranjit Singh’s childhood name was Budh Singh.
2. Childhood and Education : Since Ranjit Singh was the only son of his parents he was brought up in the lap of luxury. Ranjit Singh was four years old, when he fell a victim to small-pox. Luckily, Ranjit Singh recovered after some time but the scars of the disease were left on his face and the light of his left eye was gone for ever.
When Ranjit Singh was five years old, he was sent to Bhag Singh’s ‘Dharmshala’. at Gujranwala for education. But, Ranjit Singh had no interest in studies, so, he remained illiterate all his life. Ranjit Singh spent most of his time in horse-riding, swordsmanship and shooting. As a result, with the passage of time, he became a top class horse-rider, skilful bowman and expert swordsman. Observing Ranjit Singh’s ability, his father Mahan Singh predicted,
“The state of Gujranwala will not be a sufficient place for my brave son Ranjit Singh. He would become a great warrior.”
3. Acts of bravery: Ranjit Singh was hardly 12 years old, when he got the first opportunity to go in a battle. Mahan Singh had taken his son, Ranjit Singh along with him in the campaign of Sodhran fort. Mahan Singh suddenly fell grievously ill, so he had to return from the battlefield. He handed over the command to Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh not only inflicted a crushing defeat on his enemies, but also robbed them of their ammunition. Mahan Singh was very happy over this victory. He changed his son’s name from Budh Singh to Ranjit Singh (the victor of battle).
In 1793 A.D., once while hunting alone Ranjit Singh reached near Ladowali village. Hashmat Khan, the Chief of the Chatha clan, on finding Ranjit Singh alone, hid himself behind a bush. When Ranjit Singh passed by the bush, Hashmat Khan dealt a powerful blow of sword to Ranjit Singh, but Ranjit Singh had a miraculous escape. He promptly counter-attacked and beheaded him
4. Marriage : Ranjit Singh was six years old, when he was engaged to the granddaughter of the Kanahia Misl Sardar, Jai Singh, and the daughter of
Gurbaksh Singh, Mehtab Kaur. In 1796 A.D. when Ranjit Singh was 16 years old, he was married with Mehtab Kaur with great pomp and show. This marriage proved very useful in the political career of Ranjit Singh. According to Griffin, Ranjit Singh had 18 Queens.
5. The Triune Regency: When Ranjit Singh was only 12 years old, his father Mahan Singh died in 1792 A.D. Since Ranjit Singh was only a minor, the task of state administration passed into the hands of his mother, Raj Kaur. Raj Kaur did not have any administrative skill, so she handed over the charge to her favourite, Diwan Lakhpat Rai. In 1796 A.D. when Ranjit Singh was married to Mehtab Kaur, his mother-in-law, Sada Kaur too began to take interest in matters of administration. In this way during 1792 A.D. to 1797 A.D. the administration of Sukarchakia Misl remained in the hands of three persons Raj Kaur, Diwan Lakhpat Rai and Sada Kaur. So, this period is called the period of the Triune Regency.
6. The end of Triune Regency: When Ranjit Singh grew to be 17, he took over the charge of administration. Some European and Muslim historians have tried without any historical facts that Ranjit Singh had got his mother Raj Kaur and Diwan Lakhpat Rai murdered because of the illicit relations between them. But Dr. N.K. Sinha, Dr. G.L. Chopra, Sita Ram Kohli and Khuswant Singh are of the opinion that the allegation of his mother’s murder against Ranjit Singh is a matter of sheer injustice. Secondly, the allegation of mother’s murder is not consistent with the character of Ranjit Singh.
As we are well aware that during his reign Ranjit Singh had never punished even a single hardcore criminal with death sentence. How such a kind ruler could murder his own mother? Dr. H.R. ‘Gupta aptly says, “The story is purely malicious and absolutely unfair and unjust.”
Political Condition Of The Punjab:
Question 2.
What was the political condition of the Punjab on the eve of Ranjit Singh’s accession? How did this condition prove helpful in his rise to power?
Or
Describe the political condition of the Punjab on the eve of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s accession to power.
Answer:
In 1797 A.D. when Ranjit Singh took over the reins of the Sukarchakia Misl, the atmosphere of anarchy and lawlessness was prevalent in Punjab. The Mughal rule had come to an end in the Punjab and the Sikhs, Afghans and Rajputs had established their small independent states on its ruins. Thus, the political condition of the Punjab, proved eminently, suitable in the rise of Ranjit Singh to power. A brief description of the political condition at the time of Ranjit Singh’s accession to power is as follows :
The Sikh Misls:
In most parts of the Punjab, twelve independent Sikh Misls were established. It was to the good luck of Ranjit Singh that by the end of the 18th century, no Misl was left powerful enough. A brief description of the important Misls is as follows :
1. Bhangi Misl: Before the growth of Ranjit Singh’s power, the Bhangi Misl in the North-West of the Sutlej river was very powerful. The two most important towns of the Punjab, Lahore and Amritsar, were under this Misl. Besides these, the areas of Gujarat and Sialkot were also under it. Among the Bhangi Sardars Chet Singh, Sahib Singh and Mohar Singh were the prominent leaders. All these Bhangi rulers were great addicts of bhang (hemp). They spent most of their times in merry-making. Consequently, the Bhangi Misl had lost much of its previous glory and power. It was heading fast towards its end.
2. Ahluwalia Misl : The founder of the Ahluwalia Misl was Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. He was a great warrior, a valiant general and a splendid organiser. He had brought under his submission the territories situated between Jalandhar Doab and Bari Doab. He Was a very brave and fearless warrior. In 1739 A.D. when Nadir Shah was going back from India with the booty, he attacked his army and took away with much of his booty. He had defeated the forces of Ahmad Shah Abdali on a number of times. Because of these reasons, the Sikhs of the Punjab held Jassa Singh Ahluwalia in great esteem. It was fortunate for Ranjit Singh that this great warrior died in 1783 A.D. After his death Bhag Singh became his successor but he lacked the qualities of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.
3. Kanahia Misl: The founder of the Kanahia Misl was Jai Singh Kanahia. He was very brave and courageous warrior. He had -under him the areas of Mukerian, Gurdaspur, Datarpur, Dharampur and Pathankot. Jai Singh’s son, Gurbaksh Singh was also very brave. He died in 1785 A.D. In 1796 A.D., Ramjit Singh was married to Gurbaksh Singh’s daughter, Mehtab Kaur. This marriage proved very significant for the political career of Ranjit Singh. In 1798 A.D. Jai Singh died and the reins of the Kanahia Misl fell into the hands of Gurbaksh Singh’s widow and Ranjit Singh’s mother-in-law Sada Kaur. She was a very ambitious woman.
4. Sukarchakia Misl: The founder of the Sukarchakia Misl Charat Singh was the grandfather of Ranjit Singh. He had under him Gujranwala, Eminabad and Sialkot. After the death of Charat Singh in 1774 A.D. he was succeeded by his son, Mahan Singh. He had all the qualities of a great Sardar. He expanded his Misl by conquering new areas. After the death of Mahan Singh in 1792 A.D., his son Ranjit Singh became his successor. Since Ranjit Singh was barely 12 years old at that time, the task of running the administration of the Misl fell into the hands of his mother Raj Kaur, Diwan Lakhpat Rai and mother-in-law, Sada Kaur till 1797 A.D.
5. Ramgarhia Misl: Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was a very bold and brave warrior. His rule was over Gurdaspur, Kalanaur, Batala and Qadian. It war Ranjit Singh’s good fortune that at the time of his rise, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia had grown quite old. So, he could not become a hurdle in the way of Ranjit Singh.
6. Faizalpuria Misl: Nawab Kapoor Singh was the founder of the Faizalpuria Misl. He was certainly a great Sikh leader, who ably guided the Sikhs at the most critical time. After the death of Nawab Kapoor Singh in 1753 A.D. his nephew Khushal Singh became his successor. He was a brave and able Sardar. He had expanded the Faizalpuria Misl by conquering the areas of Jalandhar, Nurpur, Beharampur, Patti etc. In 1795 A.D. after the death of Khushal Singh his son, Budh Singh ascended the throne. It was Ranjit Singh’s good fortune that Budh Singh did not prove to be a competent ruler.
7. Other Misls : Besides the above mentioned Misls, there existed the Dallewalia, Phulkian, Karorsinghia, the Nishanwalia, the Nakkai and the Shahid Misls. At the time of Ranjit Singh’s rise to power, these Misls were very weak. So, they had no significance in the politics of the Punjab.
Muslim States:
Towards the end of the 18th century, in the North-West of Punjab, the Muslims had established many independent states. The states of Kasur, Multan, Kashmir, Attock and Peshawar were famous among them. Kasur was under the rule of a Pathan ruler, Nizarp-ud-Din. At that time Multan was under Nawab Muzaffar Khan, Kashmir under Ata Mohammad Khan, Attock under Jahandad Khan and Peshawar under Fateh Khan. Besides these states, many other small Muslim states also existed. There was no unity among these Muslim rulers. A struggle for power was always going on among them. Consequently, done of them was powerful enough to create hurdles in the way of Ranjit Singh.
Hill States
To the North of Punjab several independent hill states had come into existence at the time of Ranjit Singh’s rise to power. The state of Kangra was the most famous. Kangra was under the rule of a Rajput ruler, Sansar Chand Katoch. He was dreaming of conquering the whole of Punjab. Towards the end of the 18th century the Rajput rulers were ruling hill spates like Mandi, Kulu, Chamba, Basoli, Suket, Nurpur. and Jammu. Their rulers were very weak and they kept quarrelling among one another. So, they could pose no danger to Ranjit Singh.
The Gorkhas:
The Gorkhas of Nepal were very brave. Towards the close of the 18th century, they had started expanding their power towards the Punjab. Ip 1794 A.D., they had captured Garhwal and Kumaun. Bhim Sen Thapa decided to attack the Punjab under the able leadership of his son Amar Singh Thapa. Therefore a confrontation between Ranjit Singh and the Gorkhas was imminent.
George Thomas:
George Thomas was a brave Englishman. He had established an independent state in the South-East of Punjab at Hansi. There he got constructed a fort named Georgegarh after his own name. He invaded the areas of Patiala and Jind several times and indulged in looting there. The rule of George Thomas could not last long. The French General Paron defeated him and drove him but of the Punjab. General Paron’s rule, too, did not last long.
The Marathas:
Till 1797 A.D. the Marathas under their able leader Daulat Rao Sindhia were able to capture Meerut and Delhi. He wanted to conquer Punjab. Another Maratha leader, Dhara Rao, too had made certain invasions against the South-East based Phulkian Misl of the Punjab. The Marathas could pose a serious danger to Ranjit Singh, but fortunately for Ranjit Singh, exactly at the same time the Marathas got involved with the British, who were very powerful. So, they could not pay their attention to the Punjab. ,
The British:
Towards the end of the 18th century, the power of the British had greatly increased in India. Although the British were looking greedily towards the Punjab but at that time they had locked horns with the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and many other problems. Therefore, Ranjit Singh had no immediate danger from the Britishers. »
Shah Zaiiian:
The ruler of Afghanistan, Shah Zaman, could pose a danger to the power of Ranjit Singh. He had become the new ruler of Afghanistan after the death of his father, Timur Shah in 1793 A.D. He tried to reoccupy Punjab.-With this objective, he invaded Punjab four times between 1793 and 1798 A.D. to go back to Kabul for one reason or the other. In this way, the likely danger of Shah Zaman to the power of Ranjit Singh was averted. It is obvious from the description given above that towards the end of the 18th century the political condition of the Punjab was favourable to Ranjit Singh. He took full advantage of the condition and succeeded in establishing a strong Sikh enipire.in the Punjab.
The famous historian Dr. G.L. Chopra aptly says, “Thus the political situation on the eve of the 19th century was eminently suited for the rise of a resolute and outstanding personality, who might weld these discordant elements steadily into an organised kingdom and as we shall see, Ranjit Singh availed himself of this opportunity.”
Ranjit Singh’S Policy Towards F The Sikh Misls:
Question 3.
Examine critically the Misl policy of Ranjit Singh.
Or
“Ranjit Singh’s policy was one of absorption of all the Sikh confederacies. No ties of kinship, no sentiments of gratitude were strong enough to stand in his way.” (N.K. Sinha). Explain the statement.
Or
Give an account of the salient features of the Misl policy of Ranjit Singh.
Or
Describe the relations of Maharaja Ranjit Singh with Sikh Misls.
Answer:
In 1797 A.D., when Ranjit Singh ascended the throne of Sukarchakia Misl, his kingdom was limited to a few areas only. Since Ranjit Singh was a ruler of high ambitions, he was not satisfied with this small kingdom. He wanted to convert it into a vast empire. For this purpose, he directed his attention towards the Sikh Misls in the Punjab.
Characteristics of the Misl Policy:
Ranjit Singh adopted a special type of policy towards the Sikh Misls. The main characteristics of this policy were as follows :
- To give no weightage either to relationships or to sentiments in matters of state expansion.
- Not to bother whether it is just or unjust to take possession of the areas of the Misl Sardars while expanding the state.
- To make friendship with the powerful Misl Sardars o% to establish matrimonial relations with them so that on one .hand their co-operation might be extracted and on the other hand the possible formation of any powerful joint front against him might be ruled out.
- To attack the weak Misl Sardars and annex their territories to his state.
- On getting an opportunity to betray even the friendly Misl Sardars and annex their states to his kingdom.
- To do away with the important central institution i.e. the ‘Gurmata’ so that no Misldar might equal Ranjit Singh.
Policy towards the Powerful Misls:
1. Matrimonial Relations with Kanahia Misl : Ranjit Singh first of all established friendly relations with the Kanahia Misl. In 1796 A.D., he married Mehtab Kaur, the daughter of late Gurbaksh Singh. In this way the unison of the two Misls strengthened Ranjit Singh’s position. Ranjit Singh’s mother-in¬law, Sada Kaur rendered him very valuable services in his conquests of Lahore, Bhasin and Amritsar.
2. Matrimonial Relations with Nakkai Misi : At Tarn Taran in 1798 A.D., Ranjit Singh made his second marriage with Raj Kaur, the daughter of Sardar Khazan Singh of the Nakkai Misl. With this marriage Ranjit Singh received the requisite co-operation from the Nakkai Misl in the expansion of his Kingdom.
3. Friendship with Fateh Singh Ahluwalia : During Ranjit Singh’s times, the Ahluwalia Misl was one of the most powerful and famous Misls. At that time, Fateh Singh Ahluwalia was the leader of the Misl. In 1801 A.D. Ranjit Singh and Fateh Singh exchanged turbans and took an oath in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji that they would live like brothers and stand by each other through thick and thin. Afterwards Fateh Singh rendered yeoman’s contribution in several campaigns of Ranjit Singh.
4. Friendship with Jodh Singh Ramgarhia : In 1803 A.D., Jodh Singh Ramgarhia became the new Sardar of the Ramgarhia Misl. Like his father, he was also very brave and valiant warrior. Acting diplomatically Ranjit Singh established friendly relations with Jodh Singh. Jodh Singh helped Ranjit Singh in many of his military campaigns.
5. Friendship with Tara Singh Gheba: Tara Singh Gheba was the leader of the Dallewalia Misl. He was brave and powerful. Ranjit Singh established friendly relations with him. Their mutual relations became so intimate that Tara Singh accompanied Ranjit Singh in many battles.
Policy towards the weak Misls:
Whereas on one hand, Ranjit Singh adopted the policy of establishing friendly relations with the powerful Misls, on the other handphe attacked the weak Misls and annexed them to his kingdom. A brief description of these Misls is as given ahead:
1. Bhangi Misl: In July 1799 A.D., Ranjit Singh conquered Lahore from the Bhangi Sardars. It was one of the most significant conquests of Ranjit Singh. In 1805 A.D., by defeating Gulab Singh Bhangi’s widow Mai Sukhan, Ranjit Singh took possession of Amritsar. Likewise by defeating Jiwan Singh Bhangi of Sialkot in 1808 A.D., and Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujarat in 1809 A.D., he annexed their areas to his kingdom. These conquests sounded the death knell of the Bhangi Misl.
2. Dallewalia Misl: Ranjit Singh had established friendly relations with the Dallewalia Chief, Tara Singh Gheba. Tara Singh Gheba died in 1807 A.D. His last rites had not yet been performed, when Ranjit Singh sent his army to attack Dallewalia. It succeeded in occupying the Dallewalia Misl.
3. Karor Singhia Misl : In 1809 A.D., the Chief of the Karor Singhia Misl Baghel Singh died. On finding it a golden opportunity, Ranjit Singh occupied the Karor Singhia Misl.
4. Nakkai Misl: Maharaja Ranjit Singh had matrimonial relations with the Nakkai Misl. Caring little about it Ranjit Singh’s army attacked the Nakkai Misl in 1810 A.D., defeated its Chief Kahan Singh and merged his areas to his Kingdom.
5. Faizalpuria Misl: After the death of Khushal Singh in 1795 A.D., his son Budh Singh became the new Chief of the Faizalpuria Misl. He lacked the bravery and ability of his father. As a result the Faizalpuria Misl began to head towards its decline. Ranjit Singh took advantage of it and occupied it in 1811 A.D.
Change In the Policy towards Friendly Misls:
When Maharaja Ranjit Singh became confident that his state had grown powerful, he deemed it fit to change his policy towards the friendly Misls. This policy may be discussed as follows :
1. Kanahia Misl: In 1796 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh married Mehtab Kaur, the daughter of the late Kanahia Chief, Gurbaksh Singh and Sada Kaur. As has already been described, the Maharaja’s mother-in-law, Sada Kaur had rendered invaluable help in Ranjit Singh’s rise to power. But in 1821 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh arrested his mother-in-law, Sada Kaur and seized the areas of Kanahia Misl.
2. Ramgarhia Misl: As long as Jodh Singh Ramgarhia lived, Maharaja Ranjit Singh maintained friendly relations with him. In 1815 A.D., when Jodh Singh died, Ranjit Singh took possession of the Ramgarhia Misl and annexed its areas to his kingdom.
3. Ahluwalia Misl: Maharaja Ranjit Singh had very intimate relations with Fateh Singh Ahluwalia. He had helped Ranjit Singh in several of his military campaigns. Ranjit Singh too had helped him in some of his conquests. In 1825-26 A.D., some sort of misunderstanding developed between them. So, Fateh Singh Ahluwalia with his family sought the refuge of the Britishers. Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured all the areas which were under Fateh Singh Ahluwalia. In 1827 A.D., they compromised. Maharaja Ranjit Singh Returned some of the areas of Fateh Singh Ahluwalia while the rest remained with Kim.
Abolition of Gurmata:
Gurmata was the central institution of the Sikh Misls. It symbolised the unity, organization and equality of the Misl Chiefs. The convention of the Gurmata was held at the Akal Takht Sahib at Amritsar. The Chiefs of the various Misls would take part in it and decide about the action to be taken against the enemies and also discuss in detail matters of common interest. Although now the Gurmata had ceased to be an effective institution, yet Ranjit Singh did not want that the other Misl Chiefs should claim equality with him through the medium of Gurmata. Therefore in 1805 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh scrapped the institution of the Gurmata. With the abolition of this institution, Maharaja Ranjit Singh became totally independent to take his political decisions.
Criticism of the Misl Policy:
Some historians prominently Griffin, Sinha and Latif, have criticised the Misl policy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh severely on the following basis:
(a) Aggressive Policy : Maharaja Ranjit Singh adopted aggressive policy towards the weak Misls. He would attack the Misls without any rhyme or reason and take possession of them. Ranjit Singh seized the territories of Dallewalia, Bhangi, Faizalpuria, Nakkai and Karor Singhia Misls and annexed them to his kingdom. These Misls had done nothing wrong to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
(b) Selfish and Unscrupulous Policy: Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s policy towards the Misls was entirely selfish and unscrupulous. He did not conduct himself well even towards the Chiefs of the powerful Misls, who had rendered him their invaluable services at the time of his rise to power. Not to speak of others, in 1821 A.D., he imprisoned his mother-in-law, Sada Kaur and included her areas in his empire. According to Dr. N. K. Sinha, “Ranjit Singh’s policy was one of absorption of all the Sikh confederacies. No tie of kinship, no sentiment of gratitude was strong enough to stand in his way.”
Justification of the Misl Policy:
Although Ranjit Singh’s policy towards the Misls has been described as aggressive and selfish, the following facts prove that his policy towards the Misls was not unfair : ‘
(a) Generous treatment with the vanquished Chiefs : It is true that Maharaja Ranjit Singh had annexed the Misls to his kingdom but he treated the vanquished with a leniency and kindness unknown in Oriental despotism. He granted big estates to the chiefs and their families for their sustenance.
(b) Establishment of a Powerful Kingdom: Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a man of far-sightedness. He had realized that small and weak Misls could not prove helpful in any way in establishing a strong Sikh empire. So Maharaja Ranjit Singh took possession of these Misls and organised them into’a powerful Sikh empire. If these Misls had been left in their original form, they would have been swallowed either by the Afghans or by some other enemy.
(c) Ranjit Singh was not devoid of sentiments of Gratitude : The charge levelled against Ranjit Singh that he was devoid of the sentiments of relationship and gratitude is entirely wrong. As long as Jodh Singh Ramgarhia lived, Ranjit Singh did not bring his areas under his submission. Ranjit Singh imprisoned his mother-in-law, Sada Kaur in 1821 A.D., because she had started conspiring against the Maharaja.
(d) A blessing for the People of Punjab : Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Misl policy actually proved a blessing for the people of Punjab. An atmosphere of anarchy and chaos prevailed in Punjab during the Misl period. By putting an end to the Misls the Maharaja established an independent Sikh empire. Maharaja Ranjit Sing’ not only maintained peace in his empire, but also encouraged agriculture and trade. Consequently, Punjab became a prosperous state.
Conquests Of Maharaja Ranjit Singh:
Question 4.
Give a brief description of the victories of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Or
Explain the main conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. “Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a great conqueror and. an empire builder.” In the light of this statement, give a brief account of the important conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a great conqueror. When he ascended the throne he was a Sardar of a small Misl of Sukarchakia. But, by the virtue of his bravery and ability, he changed his state into an empire. A brief account of the conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is given below :
1. Conquest of Lahore 1799 AD.: Hie first and the most significant conquest of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was that of Lahore. Lahore had been the capital of the Punjab for centuries together. At that time, three Bhangi Sardars Sahib Singh, Mohar Singh and Chet Singh jointly ruled oyer it. The people were fed up with their cruelties and maladministration. The ruler of Afghanistan, Shah Zaman, was dreaming of bringing the Punjab under his control. With this objective he invaded the Punjab four times during the years 1793 A.D. and 1798 AD. During his fourth invasion, Shah Zaman easily captured Lahore in November 1798 A.D. But because of a rebellion in Kabul, Shah Zaman had to retreat to Kabul.
Taking advantage of this situation the Bhangi Sardars, ence again took possession of Lahore. Since, the people of Lahore were already fed up with their oppressive rule, they invited Ranjit Singh to take control of Lahore. Ranjit Singh took advantage of this golden opportunity and attacked Lahore on 6th July, 1799 AD., with the help of his mother-in-law Sada Kaur. On hearing the news of attack, Bhangi Sardars fled away from the city. Thus, Ranjit Singh occupied Lahore on 7th July, 1799 AD. The conquest of Lahore was the first major achievement of Ranjit Singh. According to Fakir Syed Waheeduddin, “Its capture, therefore, not only added to Ranjit Singh’s strength and importance, but also invested him with title to the rest of the Punjab.”
2. Battle of Bhasin 1800 AD. : The occupation of Lahore by Ranjit Singh aroused the jealousies among the leading chiefs of Punjab. Gulab Singh Bhangi of Amritsar, and Nizam-ud-Din of Kasur made a united front against Ranjit Singh. The joint forces under the command of Gulab SinglHBhangi assembled at Bhasin near Lahore. Ranjit Singh too reached Bhasin to face them. Unexpectedly one day Gulab Singh Bhangi died of over-drinking. It demoralised the Opponents of Ranjit Singh and they fled away from the battlefield. In this way Ranjit Singh scored a victory without shedding a drop of blood.
3. Coronation of Ranjit Singh. On 12 April, 1801 A.D., on the auspicious day of Baisakhi festival, Ranjit Singh was crowned as the Maharaja of Lahore. The coronation took place amidst great festivities and public rejoicings. Baba Sahib Singh Bedi, a descendant of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, anointed Ranjit Singh with tilak. Maharaja Ranjit Singh took the title of ‘Sarkar-e-Khalsa’. To commemorate this event,’4ie issued Nanakshahi coin.
4. Conqpest of Amritsar 1805 A.D.: The city of Amritsar was very important for the Sikhs trom the religious point of view. The Sikhs considered it as their Mecca. In addition, it was the most famous trade centre of the Punjab. In order to become the Maharaja of the Punjab it was very essential for Ranjit Singh to bring Amritsar under his control. In 1805 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh asked Gulab Singh Bhangi’s widow Mai Sukhan, who was ruling over Amritsar in the name of her minor son, Gurdit Singh, to hand over the fort of Lohgarh and the famous Zamzama gun to him. Mai Sukhan did hot concede these demands of the Maharaja. So Maharaja Ranjit Singh at once attacked Amritsar. After some resistance, Mai Sukhan admitted defeat. Thus, Amritsar came under the control of Ranjit Singh.
5. Cis-Sutlej Expeditions 1806-08 A.D.: Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked the area of Cis-Sutlej thrice i.e. ih 1806 A.D., 1807 A.D. and 1808 A.D. During his first attack the Maharaja conquered the areas of Ludhiana, Jagraon, Dakha, Jandiala and Talwandi. During his second expedition, Ranjit Singh took possession of the areas of Morinda, Sirhind, Zira, Kot-Kapura and Dharmkot. In his third expedition, Ranjit Singh captured the areas of Faridkot, Ambala, Shahabad. Maharaja Ranjit Singh did not annex the conquered territories to his kingdom, but distributed them to his companions. According to the Treaty of Amritsar, signed on 25th April, 1809 A.D. between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and British the region of Cis-Sutlej had gone under the protection of British, so the Maharaja could not establish his hold on these territories.
6. Conquest of Dallewalia Misl, 1807 A.D. : The leader of the Dallewalia Misl was Tara Singh Gheba. He was an able ruler. So Maharaja Ranjit Singh did hot dare to attack the Dallewalia Misl as long as he was alive. In 1807 A.D., Tara Singh Gheba died. Finding a good^ppdrtunity, Ranjit Singh attacked the Dallewalia Misl on the pretext of expressing his condolence. Tara Singh’s widow gave little resistance to Ranjit Singh and thqn admitted defeat. The Maharaja annexed to his kingdom all the territories of the Dallewalia Misl.
7. Conquest of Sialkot 1808 A.D.: The ruler of Sialkot was Jiwan Singh. In 1808 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh asked him to hand over the fort of Sialkot to him. On his refusal, Ranjit Singh attacked Sialkot. After a brief resistance Jiwan Singh admitted his defeat. The Maharaja annexed Sialkot to his kingdom.
8. Conquest of Kangra l4op A.D.: In 1809 A.D. the Gorkhas of Nepal beseiged the Tort of Kangra. The ruler of Kangra Sansar Chand Katoch requested Ranjit Singh for help against the Gorkhas. He promised to give Ranjit Singh the fort of Kangra in return of that. Ranjit Singh readily accepted the offer. His army compelled the Gorkhas to retreat. Now, Sansar Chand declined to give the fort to Ranjit Singh. Consequently, Ranjit Singh detained Sansar Chand’s son, Anurodh. As a result, Sansar Chand had no option, but to hand over the fort to Ranjit Singh. v Its occupation added to the prestige of the Maharaja.
9. Conquest of Gujarat 1809 A.D.: The city of Gujarat was very famous for its vast resources. The ruler of Gujarat, Sahib Singh Bhangi had been conspiring against Ranjit Singh. Being preoccupied elsewhere, Ranjit Singh could not pay attention to Gujarat. In 1809 A.D., Ranjit Singh sent a force under Faqir Aziz-ud-Din against Gujarat. He defeated Sahib Singh Bhangi and brought Gujarat under ’ control.
10. Conquest of Attock 1813 A.D. : The fort of Attock was geographically very significant. During Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time, Jahandad Khan, the Afghan Governor, was ruling over Attock. He was under the Kabul government only in name, otherwise he was ruling independently. In 1813 A.D., when the Wazir of Kabul, Fateh Khan, attacked Kashmir and defeated his brother Ata Mohammad Khan, he was alarmed. He was confident that Fateh Khan’s next target would he K Attock. Therefore, he started negotiations with Ranjit Singh. In exchange of a big ‘ Jagir yielding an annual revenue of Rs. 1 lakh he agreed to surrender the fort of Attock to Ranjit Singh.
When Fateh Khan came to know about it, he flew into a v rage. In order to bring the fort of Attock under his control, he proceeded towards Attock with his army. On 13th July, 1813 A.D., at a place called Hazro or Haidr u, a fierce battle was fought between the armies of Ranjit Singh and Fateh Khan. In this battle Ranjit Singh gave a crushing defeat to Fateh Khan. It was the first battle fought between the Afghans and the Sikhs. This victory not only strengthened v Ranjit Singh’s hold on Attock, but also spread his fame far and wide.
11. Conquest of Multan 1818 A.D.: Multan was important from geographic and economic point of view. Hence, Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to conquer it. Multan was under the rule of Afghan Governor, Nawab Muzaffar Khan. As such he was under the rule of the Kabul Government, but in reality he was ruling independently. From 1802 A.D. to 1817 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent six expeditions to Multan. Each time Nawab Muzaffar Khan avoided the army of Ranjit Singh with a Nazrana. In 1818 A.D. Maharaja decided to conquer Multan. He started preparing for an attack on Multan on a large scale.
Misar Diwan Chand, who was one of the popular generals of the Maharaja was sent to conquer Multan with a large army. After a fierce fight Misar Diwan Chand was able to conquer Multan. In this fight Nawab Muzaffar Khan and his five sons were killed. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh received the news of this important victory, he was pleased. Festivities took place to celebrate this victory for days on end. Misar Diwan Chand was bestowed upon with the title of ‘Zafar Jang’.
12. Conquest of Kashmir 1819 A.D. : The valley of Kashmir has been famous for its beauty, delicious fruits and prosperous trade since ancient times. That is why, Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to conquer this province. In this regard, he sent two expeditions to Kashmir in 1813 and 1814 A.D., but both these expeditions failed to achieve the desired objective. Maharaja Ranjit Singh got a new impetus with the conquest of Multan in 1818 A.D. Therefore, in 1819 A.D., he sent a huge force under the command of Misar Diwan Chand, the victor of Multan, to Kashmir.
He succeeded in defeating the Afghan Governor of Kashmir, Jabbar Khan. The conquest of Kashmir added to the prestige of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Misar Diwan Chand was honoured with the title of ‘Fateh-o-Nusrat Nasib’ (one who is destined to win). The conquest of Kashmir gave a stunning blow to the Afghan power. It boosted the morale of the Sikh forces. Moreover, it proved beneficial to the Maharaja from the commercial point of view. Dr. G.S. Chhabra aptly says, “The conquest of Kashmir had a great significance in the Maharaja’s development of power.”
13. Conquest of Peshawar 1834 A.D.: Peshawar was an important region from the geographical point of view. In his first expedition, in 1818 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh had defeated Yar Mohammad Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan, but he resolved not to include Peshawar in his empire. In 1823 A.D., Azim Khan, a minister of Afghanistan took over the control of Peshawar. Maharaja Ranjit Singh defeated him in a pitched battle of Naushera and again got control over Peshawar. He annexed Peshawar to his empire in 1834 A.D.
Extent of the Empire:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s, empire had extended upto Ladakh in the North, ShikarpuT in the South, the river Sutlej in the East and Peshawar in the West. In this way Maharaja Ranjit Singh had established a big empire during his reign. According to Dr. G.L. Chopra, “Ranjit Singh, within forty years, raised himself from a petty sardar to the rulership of an extensive kingdom.”
Question 5.
Briefly describe the various stages in the conquest of Multan by Ranjit Singh. Point out its significance.
Or
How did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer and administer Multan?
Answer:
Multan was geographically and economically very significant. It was an important province of the Mughal empire. In 1779 A.D., Ahmad Shah Abdali’s successor Timur Shah defeated the Bhangi Sardars and established his control over Multan. He appointed NaWab Muzaffar Khan as the Governor of Multan. Soon after taking advantage of the political instability in Afghanistan, Nawab Muzaffar Khan declared his independence. During Ranjit Singh’s times Multan was under Nawab Muzaffar Khan, Expeditions of Ranjit Singh In order to conquer Multan Maharaja Ranjit Singh had invaded Multan seven timefffrom 1802 AD. to 1818 A.D.Ahrief description of these expeditions is as follows:
1. First Expedition 1802 A.D.: In 1802 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh led his first expedition to Multan. When his army reached near Multan, Nawab Muzaffar Khan became panicky. So he sent this message to Ranjit Singh that if he did not attack Multan, he was ready to pay annual tribute to him. Ranjit Singh accepted the condition and returned to Lahore with plenty of riches without fighting.
2. Second Expedition 1805 A.D.: According to the treaty of 1802 A.D. Nawab Muzaffar Khan did not send the annual tribute to Ranjit Singh. So Ranjit Singh again marched to Multan in 1805 A.D. At that time, Ranjit Singh received the information that the Maratha Sardar, Jaswant Rai Holkar had entered the Punjab. So Maharaja Ranjit Singh hastily entered into a pact with Muzaffar Khan and returned to Lahore.
3. Third Expedition 1807 A.D.: In 1807 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Multan for the third time because Nawab Muzaffar Khan was helping the rulers of Jhang and Kasur against Ranjit Singh. When Ranjit Singh received this news, he attacked Multan. In no time, his army conquered several territories of Multan , but it could not conquer the fort of Multan. Finally, Ranjit Singh raised the seige after accepting Rs. 70,000 as Nazrana from Muzaffar Khan.
4. Fourth Expedition 1810 A.D. : In 1810 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singli despatched a force against Multan for the fourth time under the command of Diwan Mohkam Chand. The Sikh army conquered the Multan city and beseiged the fort. This time too the forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh couldn’t conquer the Multan fort. At last a compromise took place between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Nawab Muzaffar Khan. According to the compromise Nawab -Muzaffar Khan agreed to give Ranjit Singh an annual tribute of Rs. 2 lakhs.
5. Fifth Expedition 1816 A.D.; In 1816 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent an expeditiohto Multan under the command of Misar’Diwan Chand. Akali Phula Singh with a number of Akalis also joined this expedition. Once again Muzaffar Khan paid a huge amount to the Maharaja in order to forestall his doom.
6. Sixth Expedition 1817 A.D.: In order to get the arrear of the tribute fror Nawab Muzzaffar Khan, Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent an army to Multan in 1817 A.D. under the command of Diwan Bhiwani Das. This expedition failed to¬ffs objectives.
7. Seventh Expedition 1818 A.D.: In 1818 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh firmly decided to conquer Multan. Preparations for the attack on Multan were made with great zeal and zest. The command of 20,000 cavalry and infantry soldiers was entrusted to Misar Diwan Chand. He beseiged the fort of Multan. This seige continued for four months. All the efforts of the Sikh forces to demolish the fort proved futile. In the evening of 2nd June, Akali Sadhu Singh with his companions succeeded in entering the fort, raising the slogans of ‘Sat Siri Akal’. In the battle Muzaffar Khan mid his five sons died fighting bravely.
One of his sons was wounded and two of them apologised. Thus, Ranjit Singh’s army conquered the fort of Multan on 2nd June, 1818 A.D. When Ranjit Singh heard the news of the conquest of Multan, he was overjoyed. To celebrate this grand victory, Lahore and Amritsar were greatly illuminated and celebrations were held for days together throughout the State. The conqueror of Multan Misar Diwan Chand was presented valuable gifts and honoured with the title of ‘Zafar Jang9 (Victor of the Battle).
Importance of the Conquest of Multan:
The conquest of Multan was one of the significant conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The importance of this conquest can be gauged from the facts given below :
- This conquest marked an end to the Afghan power in the Punjab and proved that the Sikhs were far more powerful than the Afghans.
- Another important result of the conquest of Multan by Maharaja Ranjit Singh was that the Muslim rulers of some small states were terrified and so they accepted the suzerainty of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
- The land of Multan was very fertile. So with its victory Ranjit Singh’s revenue increased a great deal.
- The conquest of Multan not only expanded the empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh but also enhanced his prestige. All began to acknowledge his power.
- The conquest of Multan greatly encouraged Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his soldiers.
- The conquest of Multan proved useful from commercial and military point of view. According to H.S. Bhatia and S.R. Bakshi, “The conquest besides adding to his financial sources, established Ranjit Singh’s prestige among his enemies.”
Conquest Of Kashmir:
Question 6.
Discuss the various expeditions sent to conquer Kashmir. Study its significance.
Or
How did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer and administer Kashmir?
Or
How did Ranjit Singh conquer Kashmir? What was the significance of this conquest?
Answer:
The valley of Kashmir has been famous for its beauty, natural sights, pleasant climate, delicious fruits and prosperous trade. It is, in fact, a paradise on earth. That is why, it has been a source of attraction for the invaders since ancient times. In 1752 A D., the ruler of Afghanistan Ahmad Shah Abdali conquered it from the Mughals and annexed it to his empire. During Ranjit Singh’s times Afghan Governor Ata Mohammad Khan was ruling over Kashmir. Taking advantage of the political instability in Afghanistan, Ata Mohammad Khan declared his inde¬pendence in 1809 A.D.
After consolidating his position in Kabul, Wazir Fateh Khan paid attention to bring Kashmir under his control. Right at that time Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab was also anxious to conquer Kashmir.
In 1813 A.D., an agreement was reached between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Fateh Khan at Rohtas. According to this agreement between Ranjit Singh and Fateh Khan, it was decided that the forces of the two would jointly attack Kashmir. A brief account of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s expeditions to Kashmir is given below:
First Expedition of Kashmir—1813 A.D.:
According to the agreement made at Rohtas in 1813 A.D., Ranjk Singh’s General Diwan Mohkam Chand with twelve thousand soldiers, and Fateh Khan with a huge force proceeded jointly to attack Kashmir. When the Governor of Kashmir Ata Mohammad Khan heard the news of the arrival of the joint forces, he tried to resist them at Shergarh. After a brief resistance Ata Mojhammad Khan fled from the battlefield. Thus, Kashmir was occupied without much difficulty. After the conquest of Kashmir. Fateh Khan refused to share the territory and the booty with the Sikhs.
When Maharaja Ranjit Singh came to know that Fateh Khan had deceived him, his wrath knew no bounds. He decided to teach the Afghans a lesson, which they might remember for long. The Maharaja secured the important fort of Attock from Jahandad Khan in lipu of a ‘Jagir’ of one lakh per annum. When Fateh Khan came to know about it, he became very furious. In order to retrieve it from Maharaja Ranjit Singh he, with his forces proceeded towards Attock. Before leaving Kashmir, he entrusted its administration to his brother Azim Khan.
A fierce battle was fought between the two foffies on 13th July, 1813 A.D., at a place named Hazro or Haidru, 5 miles away from Attock. In this bloody battle, 2000 Afghans were killed. Fateh Khan with his soldiers fled to Kabul. The victory of Hazro greatly boosted the morale of the Sikh forces because in this battle they had for the first time inflicted a crushing defeat on the Afghan forces.
Second Expedition of Kashmir—1814 A.D.:
Greatly encouraged by the victory at Hazro, Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to attack Kashmir in April, 1814 A.D. At that time Azim Khan, the younger brother of Fateh Khan was acting as the Governor of Kashmir. He had made full arrangements to resist the forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s experienced General, Diwan Mohkam Chand suggested to the Maharaja not to attack Kashmir at that time. But Ranjit Singh paid little heed to his suggestion. Maharaja Ranjit Singh himself with Diwan Mohkam Chand’s grandson Ram Dayal marched towards Kashmir. Ranjit Singh had to face many hardships in the absence of Diwan Mohkam Chand’s experience and military command.
When Ranjit Singh’s army reached Rajori on the ill-advice of the Sardar of that place, Aghar Khan, he divided his army into two parts. Owing to this division Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s forces had to suffer a heavy loss. In July, 1814 A.D., in a battle fought at Sopian, Azim Khan inflicted crushing defeat on the Sikh forces under Ram Dayal. Since Ranjit Singh was left with a small number of soldiers, he thought it better to retreat without any confrontation. Owing to bad weather, Ranjit Singh’s forces had to suffer a heavy loss of life and material. Ram Dayal too had to return to Lahore with a heavy loss.
Third Expedition of Kashmir-—1819 A.D.:
In 1818 A.D., Azim Khan appointed his brother Jabbar Khan the Governor of Kashmir. Jabbar Khan did not have any quality of his brother, Azim Khan. He proved to be a worthless and inefficient ruler. Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to avail himself of this opportunity. Secondly, the conquest of Multan in 1818 A.D., infused a new confidence among the soldiers of Ranjit Singh. So, Ranjit Singh thought it a golden opportunity to attack Kashmir.
In April 1819 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh with a big force of 30,000 soldiers marched towards Kashmir. The main division of the army was kept under the command of Misar Diwan Chand. For his assistance the second division of the army was kept under Prince Kharak Singh. The third division of the army was commanded by Maharaja Ranjit Singh himself. This army was to be used in need only. On the other hand, Jabbar Khan too advanced with his soldiers to face the Sikhs. A fierce battle took place between the two armies at a place called Supin on 5th July, 1819 A.D.
But the Afghan forces could not stand before the Sikh forces for long and they fled from the battlefield. Jabbar Khan, having been wounded escaped to Peshawar. In this way, the Sikhs took possession of Kashmir. Maharaja Ranjit Singh celebrated the occasion with great joy. Misar Diwan Chand was honoured with the title Fateh-o-Nusrat Nasib (one who is destined to win).
Importance of the Conquest of Kashmir:
The conquest of Kashmir was one of the most significant conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This conquest added to the Maharaja’s prestige. Secondly, the Sikh’s occupation of Kashmir gave a stunning blow to the»Afghan power. It boosted the morale of Sikh forces. Thirdly, the conquest of Kashmir proved beneficial to the Maharaja from the economic point of view. Ranjit Singh’s annual income from . this province was Rs. 40,00,000. Fourthly, the conquest of Kashmir proved extrefnely useful from the commercial point of view. This province was world famous for its shawl industry. According to Khushwant Singh, “Kashmir was an important acquisition for the Punjab.”
Administration of Kashmir:
After the annexation of Kashmir to the Sikh empire in 1819 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed Diwan Moti Ram, the first Governor of Kashmir. He failed to check the anarchy and corruption which had prevailed there. So General Hari Singh Nalwa was appointed the new Governor of , Kashmir. He brought about many significant improvements in the administrative, economic and social fields. He tried to give impartial justice to the people. He withdrew undue taxes levied on the people. Those who defied the government rules were severely dealt with.
Special attention was paid to develop the industries of Kashmir. As a result of these efforts, the people of Kashmir met with prosperity after a long time. In 1821 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh called back Hari Singh Nalwa from Kashmir for some other important assignment. After Hari Singh Nalwa, all the Governors appointed in Kashmir failed to maintain such order.
Conquest Of Peshawar:
Question 7.
Give the main stages of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Peshawar and its annexation to his kingdom.
Or
Describe in brief the conquest of Peshawar by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. What was its significance?
Or
Describe the conquest of Peshawar by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Peshawar was situated to the North-West Frontier of India. It had its strategic importance. The invaders coming to the Punjab from the North-West Frontier generally came’by this way. Therefore, for the security of the Punjab, it was essential for Ranjit Singh to take possession of Peshawar.
Moreover Peshawar was also a famous trade centre. India carried on its trade with Afghanistan through this route. So, by annexing Peshawar to his empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh wanted to add to his financial resources. Since, Peshawar was situated near Kabul, it was not an easy task to capture it.
Various Expeditions of Peshawar:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent various expeditions to conquer Peshawar. A brief description of these expeditions is as follows :
1. First Expedition 1818 A.D.: Maharaja Ranjit Singh led his first expedition to Peshawar in 1818 A.D. At that time Peshawar was being jointly ruled by Barakzai brothers, Yar Mohammad Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan. When they heard about the advancement of the Sikh forces, they fled from Peshawar, without offering any resistance. Thus, on 20th November, 1818 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Peshawar without any difficulty.
For the time being the Maharaja did not want to annex Peshawar to his empire. So, he appointed the ex-ruler of Attock, Jahandad Khan, the Governor of Peshawar and he himself marched back to Lahore.
2. Second Expedition 1819 A.D.: Hardly had the Sikh army reached Lahore, Yar Mohammad Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan attacked Peshawar and recaptured it. Maharaja Ranjit Singh could not tolerate the occupation of Peshawar by Yar Mohammad Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan. He sent an. army of 12,000 soldiers under the command of Prince Kharak Singh and Misar Diwan Chand to attack Peshawar. Instead of resisting the forces of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Barakzai brothers accepted his overlordship.
3. Third Expedition 1823 A.D. : After sometime Azim Khan, the wazir of Kabul took possession of Peshawar. Azim Khan knew it very well that he might have to face Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s forces at any time. Therefore, he started consolidating his position. On the other hand, Ranjit Singh too, in a bid to maintain his hold of Peshawar, had started making military preparations. Soon, the Maharaja sent a large army to Peshawar under the command of famous Generals like Hari Singh Nalwa, Prince Sher Singh and Attar Singh Attariwala.
A decisive battle was fought between the two armies on 14th March, 1823 A.D., at a place called Naushera. This battle is also known as the battle of Tibba Tehri. It was a very dreadful battle. In the beginning, the Afghans had an upper hand. Akali Phula Singh and many other famous warriors of the Sikhs were killed in this battle. Therefore, the Khalsa army began to feel disheartened. At this time, Maharaja Ranjit Singh infused a new enthusiasm in his soldiers and shouting the slogans of Sat Siri Akal attacked the Afghans with full force. This attack turned the tides.
Azim Khan and his companions fled for life from the battlefield. In this way, Sikhs were able to win this decisive battle. After the victory at Naushera, the Sikh forces reached Peshawar on 17th March, 1823 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh reappointed, Yar Mohammad Khan the Governor of Peshawar.
4. Fourth Expedition 1827-31 A.D.: During 1827 A.D., to 1831 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh had to send expeditions to crush the revolts of Sayyed Ahmad. He had started instigating the Afghans against the Sikhs. In 1829 A.D., Sayyed Ahmad with 40 thousand soldiers attacked Peshawar. Yar Mohammad Khan was killed while fighting. As a result Sayyed Ahmad captured Peshawar. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh heard about it, he sent an army under the command of Prince Sher Singh and General Ventura. Sayyed Ahmad and his soldiers suffered a heavy defeat in a fierce battle fought at Peshawar.
Sayyed Ahmad succeeded in fleeing from the battlefield. Yar Mohammad Khan’s brother, Sultan Mohammad Khan was appointed the new Governor of Peshawar. Sayyed Ahmad still did not desist from his anti-Sikh activities. In May, 1831 A.D., he was killed at Balakot, while fighting against Prince Sher Singh. In this way a big nuisance for the Sikhs came to an end.
5. Fifth Expedition 1834 A.D.: In 1834 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to annex Peshawar to his empire. With this objective, a huge force was sent to Peshawar under the command of Prince Naunihal Singh and General Hari Singh Nalwa. When Sultan Mohammad Khan heard the news, he fled to Kabul without offering any resistance. In this way on 6th May, 1834 A.D., the Sikh forces occupied Peshawar very comfortably. General Hari Singh Nalwa was appointed the first Governor to look after the administration of Peshawar.
Battle of Jamraud:
Dost Mohammad Khan did not sit quietly on reaching Kabul. He wanted to avenge the insult suffered by him at the hands of the Sikhs. On the other side, the Sikhs were also busy in consolidating their position in Peshawar. In order to, prevent the Afghans from invading Peshawar, General Hari Singh Nalwa got a strong fort constructed at Jamraud. Dost Mohammad Khan could not tolerate the growing power of the Sikhs in Peshawar.
So, he sent twenty thousand soldiers under the command of Mohammad Akbar and Shamsudin to invade Jamraud. This army attacked Jamraud on 28th April, 1837 A.D. Sardar Mahan Singh with his 600 soldiers bravely resisted the Afghans for two days. At that time, General Hari Singh Nalwa was lying seriously ill at Peshawar.
When he heard the news of Afghan attack, roaring like a lion, he reached Jamraud with his 10,000 soldiers. He’trounced the Afghan forces. Being hit by a shell, General Hari Singh Nalwa died a martyr’s death on 30th April, 1837 A.D. In order to, avenge his martyrdom, the Sikh army made so powerful attack on the Afghans that they fled to Kabul like jackals. Thus* the Sikhs emerged victorious in this decisive battle of Jamraud. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh heard the news of the death of his great general, Hari Singh Nalwa, tears kept flowing down his eyes for days together. After the battle of Jamraud, Dost Mohammad Khan never dared to attack Peshawar again. He felt assured that it was not possible to recover Peshawar from the Sikhs.
Significance of the Conquest of Peshawar:
The conquest of Peshawar was one of the significant conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This conquest largely added to the empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The supremacy of his military power was established all over India. It enhanced his prestige also. With the conquest of Peshawar by Ranjit Singh, the Punjabis heaved a sigh of relief after eight centuries, because .the Muslim invaders had invaded the Punjab and other parts of India only through this route. These invasions not only caused much havoc but also made the nights of the people sleepless.
But this danger was removed, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh took possession of Peshawar. The conquest of Peshawar by Maharaja Ranjit Singh also added to his economic resources. Prof. Harbans Singh aptly says, “The Sikh conquest of Peshawar finally ended the long sequence of invasions from the north-west.”
Short Answer Type Questions:
Question 1.
Give a brief account of the career of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Or
Describe briefly the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit. Singh was well known as the most efficient ruler not only in Punjab but in India. He was born in 1780 A.D. in Gujranwala. He ruled from 1799 A.D. to 1839 A.D. He established a vast empire.Under him all religions were paid equal respect. He established an efficient administration. He captured the areas of Lahore, Multan, Kashmir, Peshawar, Amritsar and Gujarat etc. Undoubtedly, he was Sher-i-Punjab.
Question 2.
What was the political condition of Punjab on the accession of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Or
What was the political condition of Punjab at the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s accession to power?
Answer:
When Maharaja Ranjit Singh took the reins of Sukarchakia Misl in his hands in 1797 A.D., the political condition of the Punjab was deplorable. The Sikhs had found 12 independent Misls in most parts of the Punjab. Their unity was a thing of the past. Shah Zaman, the ruler of Kabul started invading the Punjab in order to bring it under his control. Sansar Chand Katoch, the ruler of Kangra and Bhim Sen Thapa the ruler of Nepal were on a look out for getting control of the Punjab.
Question 3.
Write a short note on Shah Zaman.
Answer:
Shah Zaman became the new ruler of Afghanistan after the death of his father, Taimur Shdh in 1793 A.D. He immediately turned his attention to recover the Punjab from the Sikhs. With this objective he invaded Punjab in 1793 A.D. and again in 1795 A.D., but he had to go back to Kabul, unsuccessfully. He easily occupied Lahore during his third invasion in January 1797 A.D. In November 1798 A.D., once again Shah Zaman took control of Lahore. In 1800 A.D. Shah Zaman lost his empire in a coup. –
Question 4.
Give a brief account of the conquest of Lahore by Ranjit Singh and its significance.
Or
Write a brief note on Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Lahore.
Or
What was the importance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Lahore conquest?
Answer:
The conquest of Lahore was the first important political achievement of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. At that time three Bhangi Sardars-Sahib Singh, Mohar Singh, Chet Singh ruled over Lahore. Ranjit Singh with the help of his mother- in-law, Sada Kaur attacked Lahore. On hearing the news of invasion, Sahib Singh and Mohar Singh fled in panic. Chet Singh gave in after a short while. In this way, Ranjit Singh brought Lahore under his control on July 7, 1799 A. D. It proved to be turning point in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s life.
Question 5.
Write a short note on the battle of Bhasin.
Answer:
The occupation of Lahore by Ranjit Singh. Gulab Singh Bhangi of Amritsar and Nizam-ud-Din of Kasur made a united front against him. The joint forces under the command of Gulab Singh Bhangi assembled at Bhasin near Lahore. Ranjit Singh too reached Bhasin to face them. Unexpectedly one day Gulab Singh Bhangi died of over drinking. It demoralised the opponents of Ranjit Singh and they fled from the battlefield. In this way Maharaja Ranjit Singh scored a victory without shedding a drop of blood.
Question 6.
Describe briefly about the conquest of Amritsar by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and its importance.
Or
Discuss briefly the significance of the conquest of Amritsar.
Or
Describe briefly about the conquest of Amritsar by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Or
Write a short note on the Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Amritsar conquest.
Answer:
In 1805 A.D., Maharaja Ranjit Singh asked her to hand over the fort of Lohgarh and famous gun Zamzama to him. Mai Sukhan refused to accept the proposal, so Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Amritsar, along with his mother-in¬law Sada Kaur and Fateh Singh Ahluwalia. After a short resistance, Mai Sukhan accepted defeat. In this way, in 1805 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh got control over Amritsar. With the conquest of Amritsar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s fame spread far and wide.
Question 7.
How did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Multan?
Answer:
Multan was very significant from the geographical and commercial point of view. Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent six military expeditions between 1802-1817 A.D. Nawab Muzaffar Khan, the ruler of Multan evaded annexation everytime by offering tribute to the Maharaja. In 1818 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh resolved to conquer Multan. With this aim, he sent a vast army under the command of Misar Diwan Chand to conquer Multan. The Sikhs easily conquered Multan.
Question 8.
Describe the three significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of’Multan.
Answer:
The conquest of Multan is one of the important conquests of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. This conquest put an end to the influence of Afghans in Punjab. This decisive conquest enhanced the morale of the Sikhs. It expanded Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire. It also enhanced his grandeur and glory. As a result, the conquest of Multan gave impetus to the trade of Punjab.
Question 9.
How did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Kashmir?
Or
Describe Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Kashmir.
Answer:
According to an agreement made between Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Fateh Khan, they attacked Kashmir in 1813 A.D. Ata Mohammad Khan, Governor of Kashmir was defeated in a battle at Shergarh. In 1814 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh invaded Kashmir for the second time. He had to face defeat in this expedition. Maharaja Ranjit Singh invaded Kashmir in 1819 A.D. for the third time. Maharaja Ranjit Singh won the battle and succeeded in bringing Kashmir under his control.
Question 10.
Describe the significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Kashmir.
Answer:
- It greatly increased Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s prestige and pride,
- His frontier in the north had reached its natural bounds.
- The control of Kashmir by the Sikhs dealt a severe blow to the Afghan influence in India and it encouraged the morale of Sikh forces.
- The conquest of Kashmir resulted in economic gain to the Maharaja.
- With the annextion of Kashmir to the Panjab its trade got great impetus.
Question 11.
Write a brief note on the battle of Naushera or. Tibba Tehri.
Answer:
A fierce battle tbok place between the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Afghans at Naushehra or Tibba Tehri on March 14, 1823 A.D. In the beginning of the battle, the Afghans had the upper hand. Akali Phula Singh and many other famous warriors were killed in this battle. Now the Sikhs attacked the Afghans so vigorously that the latter had to flee to save their lives. As a result of the victory in this decisive battle the morale of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s army was enhanced.
Question 12.
Briefly write about the significance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Peshawar.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s conquest of Peshawar greatly enhanced the prestige of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Punjabis heaved a sigh of relief after Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Peshawar, because the Muslim invaders invaded Punjab and other parts of India through this route. This conquest also proved economically useful to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It sounded the death knell of Afghan supremacy.
Question 13.
What policy did Maharaja Ranjit Singh adopt towards the defeated rulers?
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh not only brought several states under his control but also adopted a successful administrative policy. This policy was uniformly applied to all the rulers, whether Sikhs, Hindus or the Muslims. Many rulers, who accepted the suzerainty of Ranjit Singh were returned their states. Those, rulers whose areas were annexed to his empire, were given some posts in the Maharaja’s Darbar or given suitable Jagirs enough for their living. A stern policy was adopted against those rulers who continued to oppose Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Question 14.
What policy did Maharaja Ranjit Singh adopt towards the Sikh Misls?
Or
Examine the Misl policy of Ranjit Singh.
Or
Write down the policy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh towards Sikh Misls.
Answer:
There were 12 independent Sikh Misls at the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s accession to power. Maharaja Ranjit Singh belonged to the Sukarchakia Misl. As the Maharaja wanted to establish a vast empire, he planned to bring all the Sikh Misls under his control. Since he was not in a position at that time to face the powerful Misls, he either established matrimonial relations or friendship with these Misls. With their cooperation he took control of weak Misls. When his resources increased, he included powerful Misls to his empire one by one.
Objective Type Questions:
Question 1.
When was Maharaja Ranjit Singh born?
Answer:
November 13, 1780 A.D.
Question 2.
Where was Maharaja Ranjit Singh born?
Answer:
Gujranwala.
Question 3.
To which Misl did he belong?
Answer:
Sukarchakia Misl.
Question 4.
Give the name of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s mother.
Answer:
Raj Kaur.
Question 5.
What was the name of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s father?
Answer:
Mahan Singh.
Question 6.
Who was Raj Kaur?
Answer:
Mother of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Question 7.
What was Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s mother called.as?
Answer:
Mai Malwain.
Question 8.
With which Misl did Maharaja Ranjit Singh belong to?
Answer:
Sukarchakia Misl.
Question 9.
Name the grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Or
What was the name of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s grandfather?
Answer:
The name of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s grandfather was Charat Singh.
Question 10.
What was the original name of Ranjit Singh?
Answer:
Budh Singh.
Question 11.
When did Ranjit Singh get accession to the throne?
Answer:
1792 A.D.
Question 12.
Who was Sada Kaur?
Answer:
Mother-in-law of Ranjit Singh.
Question 13.
What was the name of mother-in-law of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Answer:
Sada Kaur.
Question 14.
To which Misl did Sada Kaur belong?
Or
To which Misl Sada Kaur belonged?
Answer:
Kanahia Misl.
Question 15.
Name the three Bhangi Sardars who ruled oyer Lahore during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time.
Answer:
Chet Singh, Sahib Singh and Mohar Singh.
Question 16.
Name the two Misls annexed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Dallewalia Misl and Karorsinghia Misl. .
Question 17.
Which ruler did rule over Kasur, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh rose to power?
Answer:
Nizam-ud-Din.
Question 18.
Who was the ruler of Kangra when Maharaja Ranjit Singh rose to power?
Answer:
Sansar Chand Katoch.
Question 19.
Which Gorkha leader of Nepal was famous, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh rose to power?
Answer:
Bhim Sen Thapa.
Question 20.
Who was George Thomas?
Answer:
He was a brave Englishman who had set up an independent state in Hansi.
Question 21.
Who was Shah Zaman?
Answer:
Emperor of Afghanistan.
Question 22.
What was the period of reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Answer:
1799 A.D. to 1839 A.D.
Question 23.
Which Misl was ruling over Lahore when Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered it in 1799 A.D.?
Answer:
Bhangi Misl.
Question 24.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Lahore?
Answer:
July 7, 1799 A.D.
Question 25.
Give any one significance of the conquest of Lahore.
Answer:
Maharaja Ranjit Singh was considered the ruler of the Punjab.
Question 26.
When did the coronation of Maharaja Ranjit Singh take place?
Or
When was Maharaja Ranjit Singh coronated?
Answer:
April 12, 1801 A.D.
Question 27.
Where was Maharaja Ranjit Singh coronated?
Answer:
Lahore.
Question 28.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Amritsar?
Answer:
1805 A.D.
Question 29.
What was Zamzama?
Answer:
A famous cannon.
Question 30.
How many times Maharaja Ranjit Singh invaded Malwa region?
Answer:
Three times.
Question 31.
Who was the Nawab of Kasur when-Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered it?
Answer:
Qutab-ud-Din.
Question 32.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Kangra?
Answer:
1809 A.D.
Question 33.
Who was the ruler of Kangra when Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered it?
Answer:
Sansar Chand Katoch.
Question 34.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh,conquer Gujarat?
Answer:
1809 A.D.
Question 35.
From whom did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Gujarat?
Answer:
Sahib Singh Bhangi.
Question 36.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Attock?
Answer:
1813 A.D.
Question 37.
From whom did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Attock?
Answer:
Jahandad Khan.
Question 38.
When was the battle of Hazro or Haidru fought?
Answer:
July 13, 1813 A.D.
Question 39.
When Ranjit Singh occupied Multan, who was the ruler of Multan at that time?
Answer:
Nawab Muzaffar Khan.
Question 40.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Multan?
Answer:
2nd June, 1818 A.D.
Question 41.
Who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Sikh forces when Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered it in 1818 A.D.?
Answer:
Misar Diwan Chand.
Question 42.
Give any one important result of the conquest of Multan.
Answer:
This conquest was a big setback to the Afghan power.
Question 43.
When did Fateh Khan enter into an alliance with Ranjit Singh to conquer Kashmir?
Answer:
1813 A.D.
Question 44.
Who was Wafa Bagum?
Answer:
She was the wife of Afghanistan’s ruler Shah Shuja.
Question 45.
What did Maharaja Ranjit Singh get from Begum Shah Shuja?
Answer:
‘Kohinoor Diamond’.
Question 46.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh attack Kashmir for the first time?
Answer:
1813 A.D.
Question 47.
Who was the ruler of Kashmir when Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s forces attacked it in 1813 A.D.?
Answer:
Ata Mohammad.
Question 48.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh attack Kashmir for the second time?
Answer:
1814 A.D.
Question 49.
Who was the ruler of Kashmir when Maharaja Ranjit Sihgh attacked in 1814 A.D.?
Answer:
Aazim Khan.
Question 50.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Kashmir?
Answer:
July 5, 1819 A.D.
Question 51.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh attack Peshawar for the first time?
Answer:
1818 A.D.
Question 52. Who ruled over Peshawar when Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Peshawar in 1818 A.D.?
Answer:
Yar Mohammad Khan and Dost Mohammad Khan.
Question 53.
When was the famous battle of Naushera or Tibba Tehri fought?
Answer:
March 14, 1823 A.D.
Question 54.
Which famous Akali warrior was killed in the battle of Naushera?
Answer:
Akali Phula Singh.
Question 55.
When Peshawar was annexed to thfe Sikh Empire?
Answer:
1834 A.D.
Question 56.
When was the battle of Jamraud fought?
Answer:
1837 A.D.
Question 57.
Which famous Sikh General was killed in the battle of Jamraud?
Answer:
General Hari Singh Nalwa.
Question 58.
Who was defeated in the battle of Jamraud?
Answer:
Afghans.
Question 59.
Mention the capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire.
Answer:
Lahore.
Question 60.
Name any one special feature of Misl policy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
No room for any consideration of relationship.
Question 61.
Name the Sardar of the Ramgarhia with whom Maharaja Ranjit Singh established friendly relations.
Answer:
Jodh Singh Ramgarhia.
Question 62.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh abolish Gurmata as a political institution?
Answer:
1805 A.D.
Question 63.
When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh die?
Answer:
June 27, 1839 A.D.
Question 64.
Who became the successor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Answer:
Kharak Singh.
Question 65.
Who was Kharak Singh?
Answer:
He was the eldest son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Fill in the blanks:
1. Maharaja Ranjit Singh belonged to ……………. Misl.
Answer:
Sukarchakia
2. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was horn in ……………..
Answer:
1780 A.D.
3. The name of the father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was ………………..
Answer:
Mahan Singh
4. The name of the mother of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was …………………
Answer:
Raj Kaur
5. The childhood name of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was ………………
Answer:
Budh Singh
6. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was married to Mehtab Kaur in …………….
Answer:
1796 A.D.
7. ………….. was the mother-in-law of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Sada Kaur
8. ………………. ruled over Lahore during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time.
Answer:
Bhangi Misl
9. Ranjit Singh conquered Lahore in ……………….
Answer:
1799 A.D.
10. Ranjit Singh was coronated as Maharaja of Punjab in …………..
Answer:
1801 A.D.
11. The capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was ………….
Answer:
Lahore
12. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Amritsar in …………….
Answer:
1805 A.D.
13. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Kangra in ……………..
Answer;
1809 A.D.
14. …………….. was the ruler of Kangra at Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time.
Answer:
Sansar Chand Katoch
15. In 1809 A.D. Maharaja Ranjit Singh defeated …………… the ruler of Gujarat.
Answer:
Sahib Singh Bhangi
16. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Attock in ………………
Answer:
1813 A.D.
17. Nawab …………….. was the ruler of Multan during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time.
Answer:
Muzaffar Khan
18. Multan was conquered by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in ……………
Answer:
1818 A.D.
19. ……………… was the ruler of Kashmir when Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered it.
Answer:
Ata Mohammad Khan
20. Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Kashmir in ……………… for the first time.
Answer:
1813 A.D.
21. Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Kashmir in ………………. for the second time.
Answer:
1814 A.D.
22. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir in ………………
Answer:
1819 A.D.
23. Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Peshawar in ……………… for the first time.
Answer:
1818 A.D.
24. At the time of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, battle between Afghans and Sikhs was fought at Tibba Tehri on ………………
Answer:
March 14, 1823 A.D.
25. The Akali leader Phula Singh was killed in theJbattle of ………………..
Answer:
Naushera
26. Maharaja Ranjit Singh annexed Peshawar to his-empire in …………..
Answer:
1834 A.D.
27. The battle of Jamraud was fought between the Sikhs and the Afghans in ……………
Answer:
1837 A.D.
28. Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in …………….
Answer:
1839 A.D.
True or False:
1. Maharaja Ranjit Singh belonged to Kanahia Misl.
Answer:
False
2. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born in 1780 A.D.
Answer:
True
3. The name of the father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was Charat Singh.
Answer:
False
4. Sada Kaur was the mother of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
False
5. Sada Kaur belonged to Kanahia Misl.
Answer:
True
6. The childhood name of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was Buddh Singh.
Answer:
True
7. Sher Singh was the childhood name of Maharaja Ranjit Smgh.
Answer:
False
8. Shah Zaman was the son of Timur Shah.
Answer:
True
9. Shah Zaman was the ruler of Afghanistan.
Answer:
True
10. Ranjit Singh conquered Lahore in 1799 AD.
Answer:
True
11. Ranjit Singh was considered as the Maharaja df Lahore in 1801 AD.
Answer:
True
12. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Amritsar from Mai Sukhan in 1805 A.D.
Answer:
True
13. Zamzama was the name of a fort.
Answer:
False
14. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Kangra in 1809 A.D.
Answer:
True
15. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Attock in 1813 A.D.
Answer:
True
16. Maharaja Ranjit Singh occupied Multan in 1818 A.D.
Answer:
True
17. Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Kashmir for the first time in 1814 A.D.
Answer:
False
18. Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir in 1819 AD.
Answer:
True
19. Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Peshwar for the first time in 1818 AD.
Answer:
True
20. The famous battle of Naushera was fought in 1813 AD.
Answer:
False
21. Akali Phula Singh was kifled in the battle of Naushera.
Answer:
True
22. Maharaja Ranjit Singh annexed Peshawar, to his empire in 1834 A.D.
Answer:
True
23. The battle of Hazro was fought on 13th July, 1813 AD.
Answer:
True
24. The Battle of Jamraud was fought in 1837 AD.
Answer:
True
25. Maharaja Ranjit Singh passed away on June 27, 1839 A.D.
Answer:
True
26. Maharaja Ranjit Singh made Lahore as capital of his empire.
Answer:
True
27. Maharaja Dalip Singh became the successor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Empire.
Answer:
False
28. Maharaja Kharak Singh was the successor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
True
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. When was Mahairaja Ranjit Singh born?
(a) 1770 A.D.
(b) 1775 A.D.
(c) 1776 A.D.
(d) 1780 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1780 A.D.
2. Where was Maharaja Ranjit Singh born?
(a) Gujranwala
(b) Lahore
(c) Amritsar
(d) Multan.
Answer:
(a) Gujranwala
3. To which Misl did Maharaja Ranjit Singh belong?
(a) Kanahia
(b) Sukarchakia
(c) Ramgarhia
(d) Phulkian.
Answer:
(b) Sukarchakia
4. What was the name of the father of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
(a) Budh Singh
(b) Charat Singh
(c) Mahan Singh
(d) Bhag Singh.
Answer:
(c) Mahan Singh
5. Who was famous as‘Mai Malwain’?
(a) Daya Kaur
(b) Rattan Kaur
(c) Raj Kaur
(d) Sada Kaur.
Answer:
(c) Raj Kaur
6. When did Ranjit Singh become the leader of Sukarchakia Misl?
(a) 1790 A D.
(b) 1792 A.D.
(c) 1793 A.D.
(d) 1795 A.D.
Answer:
(b) 1792 A.D.
7. Who was Sada Kaur?
(a) Queen of Ranjit Singh
(b) Mother-in-law of Ranjit Singh
(c) Sister of Ranjit Singh
(d) None of these.
Answer:
(b) Mother-in-law of Ranjit Singh
8. Which Bhangi Sardar ruled over Lahore when Maharaja Ranjit Singh rose to power?
(a) Chet Singh
(b) Sahib Singh
(c) Mohar Singh
(d) All of the above.
Answer:
(d) All of the above.
9. Who was ruling over Kasur, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh rose to power?
(a) Nizam-ud-Din
(b) Kadam-ud-Din
(c) Wazir Khan
(d) Zakariya Khan.
Answer:
(a) Nizam-ud-Din
10. Which city was ruled by Sansar Chand Katoch when Maharaja Ranjit Singh rose to power?
(a) Nepal
(b) Kangra
(c) Jammu
(d) Sialkot.
Answer:
(b) Kangra
11. Which Gurkha leader of Nepal was famous in 18th century?
(a) Bhim Sen Thapa
(b) Agar Sen Thapa
(c) Amar Singh Thapa
(d) Tej Bahadur Thapa.
Answer:
(a) Bhim Sen Thapa
12. Where did George Thomas set up an independent state in 18th century?
(a) Jhansi
(b) Hansi
(c) Sirhind
(d) Muradabad.
Answer:
(b) Hansi
13. Who was Shah Zaman?
(a) Ruler of Iran
(b) Ruler of Nepal.
(c) Ruler of Afghanistan
(d) Ruler of China.
Answer:
(c) Ruler of Afghanistan
14. Which was the first important conquest of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
(a) Amritsar
(b) Lahore
(c) Bhasin
(d) Kashmir
Answer:
(b) Lahore
15. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Lahore?
(a) 1799 A.D.
(b) 1801 A.D.
(c) 1803 A.D.
(d) 1805 A.D.
Answer:
(a) 1799 A.D.
16. Which was the capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Kingdom?
(a) Lahore
(b) Amritsar
(c) Kashmir
(d) Peshawar.
Answer:
(a) Lahore
17. When was Maharaja Ranjit Singh coronated?
(a) 1799 A.D.
(b) 1800 A.D.
(c) 1801 A.D.
(d) 1805 A.D.
Answer:
(c) 1801 A.D.
18. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Amritsar?
(a) 1805 A.D.
(b) 1806 A.D.
(c) 1808 A.D.
(d) 1809 A.D.
Answer:
(a) 1805 A.D.
19. When was the battle of Hazro or Haidru fought?
(a) 1809 A.D.
(b) 1811 A.D.
(c) 1813 A.D.
(d) 1814 A.D.
Answer:
(c) 1813 A.D.
20. Who was the ruler of Multan when Ranjit Singh occupied it?
(a) Misar Diwan Chand
(b) Ata Mohammad Khan
(c) Nawab Muzaffar Khan
(d) Dost Mohammad Khan
Answer:
(c) Nawab Muzaffar Khan
21. When did Ranjit Singh conquer Multan?
(a) 1802 A.D.
(b) 1805 A.D.
(c) 1817 A.D.
(d) 1818 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1818 A.D.
22. From whom did Maharaja Ranjit Singh get the ‘Kohinoor’ Diamond?
(a) Shah Shuja
(b) Waffa Begum
(c) Fateh Khan
(d) Jabbar Khan.
Answer:
(b) Waffa Begum
23. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh attack Kashmir for the first time?
(a) 1811 A.D.
(b) 1812 A.D.
(c) 1813 A.D.
(d) 1818 A.D.
Answer:
(c) 1813 A.D.
24. Who was the Governor of Kashmir when Maharaja Ranjit Singh attacked Kashmir for the first time?
(a) Ata Mohammad Khan
(b) Shah Shuja
(c) Jabbar Khan
(d) Qutub-ud-Din.
Answer:
(a) Ata Mohammad Khan
25. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Kashmir?
(a) 1813 A.D.
(b) 1814 A.D.
(c) 1818 A.D.
(d) 1819 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1819 A.D.
26. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh attack Peshawar for the first time?
(a) – 1802 A.D.
(b) 1805 A.D.
(c) 1809 A.D.
(d) 1818 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1818 A.D.
27. In which battle was Akali leader Phula Singh killed?
(a) Battle of Jamraud
(b) Battle of Naushera
(c) Battle of Sopian
(d) Battle of Supeen.
Answer:
(b) Battle of Naushera
28. When was battle of Naushera or Tibba Tehri fought?
(a) 1818 A.D.
(b) 1819 A.D.
(c) 1821 A.D.
(d) 1823 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1823 A.D.
29. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquer Peshawar?
(a) 1819 A.D.
(b) 1821 A.D.
(c) 1823 A.D.
(d) 1834 A.D.
Answer:
(c) 1823 A.D.
30. When was Peshawar annexed to the Sikh Empire?
(a) 1823 A.D.
(b) 1825 A.D.
(c) 1834 A.D.
(d) 1839 A.D.
Answer:
(c) 1834 A.D.
31. When was the battle of Jamraud fought?
(a) 1818 A.D.
(b) 1819 A.D.
(c) 1823 A.D.
(d) 1837 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1837 A.D.
32. Which famous Sikh General was killed in the battle of Jamraud?
(a) Hari Singh Nalwa
(b) Akali Phula Singh
(c) Misar Diwan Chand
(d) Diwan Mohkam Chand.
Answer:
(a) Hari Singh Nalwa
33. With which powerful Misl Maharaja Ranjit Singh did not establish friendly relations?
(a) Ahluwalia
(b) Bhangi
(c) Ramgarhia
(d) Dallewalia.
Answer:
(b) Bhangi
34. Which Misl Sardar was called Baba by Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
(a) Gurbax Singh
(b) Fateh Singh Ahluwalia
(c) Jodh Singh Ramgarhia
(d) Tara Singh Gheba.
Answer:
(c) Jodh Singh Ramgarhia
35. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh abolish Gurmata?
(a) 1799 A.D.
(b) 1801 A.D.
(c) 1802 A.D.
(d) 1805 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1805 A.D.
36. When did Maharaja Ranjit Singh die?
(a) 1829 A.D.
(b) 1831 A.D.
(c) 1837 A.D.
(d) 1830 A.D.
Answer:
(d) 1830 A.D.
