This PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 23 Second Anglo-Sikh War, Causes, Results and Annexation of the Punjab will help you in revision during exams.
PSEB 12th Class History Notes Chapter 23 Second Anglo-Sikh War, Causes, Results and Annexation of the Punjab
Causes of the Second Anglo-Sikh War:
- The Sikhs were defeated in the first war against the Britishers.
- Thus they wanted to avenge their defeat.
- The Punjabis were dissatisfied with the Treaties of Lahore and Bhairowal because they ended the sovereignty of the Sikh Empire.
- Thousands of Sikh soldiers were disbanded leading to resentment amongst them.
- The humiliating treatment meted out to Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s widow and Maharaja Dalip Singh’s mother Maharani Jindan further aggravated the resentment of the Sikhs.
- The British deliberately avoided the rebellion by Moolraj.
- The revolt of Chattar Singh and his son Sher Singh was also the cause of the war.
- Lord Dalhousie’s policy further aggravated the problem and because of the immediate cause for the Second Anglo-Sikh War.
Events of the War:
The main events of the second Anglo-Sikh War were as follows:
Battle of Ramnagar:
- The first battle of the second Anglo-Sikh war between the Sikhs and the British took place at Ramnagar on 22nd November 1848 A.D.
- Lord Hugh Gough was the commander of the British army and the Sikh army was led by Sher Singh.
- The Sikhs inflicted a crushing defeat on the British.
The Battle of Chillianwala:
- The battle of Chillianwala was one of the significant battles of the second Anglo-Sikh War.
- It was fought on 13th January 1849 A.D.
- The British army was again led by Lord Gough and the Sikh army was again led by Sher Singh.
- This battle proved to be the worst defeat of the British, in India.
Battle of Multan:
- General Whish besieged the fort of Multan in December 1848 A.D.
- A shell hurled by the British fell on gun-powder due to which the Sikh ammunition was destroyed and soldiers were killed in large numbers.
- Owing to this Diwan Moolraj was forced to surrender to the British on 22nd January 1849 A.D.
Battle of Gujarat:
- The battle of Gujarat proved to be the most important and decisive battle of the Second Anglo-Sikh War.
- In this battle, Chattar Singh, Sher Singh, and Bhai Maharaj Singh made a united front against the British.
- The English army was still led by Lord Hugh Gough.
- This battle is also famous as the ‘Battle of Guns’ in history.
- This battle started on 21st February 1849 A.D.
- On 10th March 1849 A.D., the Sikhs were defeated and they collectively surrendered before the General.
Consequences of the War:
- The most significant result of the Second Anglo- Sikh war was that it completely brought to an end the Sikh Empire which was completely annexed by the British on 29th March 1849 A.D.
- The Sikh army was disbanded.
- Moolraj and Bhai Maharaj Singh were banished from the state.
- The British established a Board of Administration to run the administration of Punjab in 1849 A.D.
Arguments in favour of Annexation of Punjab:
- The Sikhs were accused of violating the terms of the Treaty of Bhairowal.
- Sardar Chattar Singh and his son Sher Singh revolted and supported Moolraj which the British felt was an effort to revive the Sikh rule in Punjab.
- Lord Dalhousie thus had an undoubting conviction of the expediency, the justice, and necessity of his act.
- Lord Dalhousie levelled a charge against the Lahore Darbar that according to the terms of the Treaty of Bhairowal, she was to pay Rs. 22 lakhs annually to the British but it did not pay a single penny.
Arguments against Annexation of Punjab:
- Historians believe that the Sikhs were provoked to revolt.
- The revolt by Moolraj was not suppressed deliberately in time so that the British got a pretext to1 to wage a war against Punjab.
- Lahore Darbar gave full co-operation in fulfilling the terms of the treaty.
- The revolt against the British had taken place only in some regions of Punjab.
- To punish the whole of Punjab was totally unjustified.