List of battles involving the Sikh Empire

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "List of battles involving the Sikh Empire" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The Sikh Empire (1799 – 1849 CE) was established by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Throughout its history, it fought various adversaries including the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan and the British East India Company.

## Background

[edit]

See also: List of battles between Mughals and Sikhs

The Sikhs first raised their weapons against the Mughal Empire under Guru Hargobind. Shri Guru Hargobind Ji was son of the 5th Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji who was executed by the Mughal ruler Jahangir. After his father's death, Shri Guru Hargobind Ji added the martial element to Sikhism which was until then a religion mainly focused on Spirituality. But at this point the need for self defence was felt. Hence Shri Guru Hargobind Ji started recruiting an army which he called "Risaldari", after training his men in cavalry and Sikh Martial Arts. He adopted Royal symbols like wearing "kalgidhari turban" and keeping bodyguards. Along with that he asked his followers to gift him horses and weaponry instead of anything else. So the 6th Guru at one point managed to command 700 cavalry and with this might his Risaldari fought several small scale battles in 1620s and 1630s against Shahjahan's forces and some other warlords in Poadh and Majha. The tenth and the last Guru, Guru Gobind Singh organized Sikhs into a military sect called Khalsa (means "pure"), in 1699, against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Before his death in 1708, he sent Banda Singh Bahadur to lead the Sikhs of Punjab. Banda Singh Bahadur through his outstanding leadership skills weakened the Mughal grasp over India. But he was later captured and beheaded in Delhi in 1716, during the reign of Farrukhsiyar.[citation needed]

Thereafter, Sikhs were divided into Misls. In 1738, Nadir Shah of the Afsharid dynasty attacked India and looted Delhi. The Mughals were never able to recover their power in the Punjab. Later, the Punjab was subject to constant invasions of Ahmad Shah Durrani of Afghanistan.[citation needed]

The Afghans led numerous campaigns to re-capture Lahore but ultimately had to return to Pashtun territories due to internal strife. After Ahmad Shah's final invasion of the Punjab in 1767, he left Lahore which was re-captured by the Sikhs. For more than three decades, Sikhs consolidated their power in areas of the Punjab, though facing repeated invasion attempts from other Afghan emperors such as Timur Shah Durrani, and Zaman Shah Durrani. The decisive moment came in 1790, when Ranjit Singh of Sukerchakia Misl became Misldar. He started uniting Misls and finally took Lahore in 1799. His coronation on 12 April 1801 marked the beginning of the Sikh Empire, which went on to conquer the whole Punjab, Kangra, parts of Kashmir and briefly, the city of Peshawar.[citation needed]

## List

[edit]

Name of conflict (date) | Part of | Belligerents |  Opponents |  Outcome |  Details

|
|
|
|
|

Katoch–Sikh War (1801)  |  | Sikh Empire | Kangra State | Sikh victory
Battle of Kasur
(1807)  |  | Sikh Empire | Durrani Empire | Sikh victory
Battle of Jammu (1808) |  | Sikh Empire | Dogra Rajput | Sikh victory
Gurkha-Sikh War (1809)  |  | Sikh Empire | Kingdom of Nepal | Sikh victory
Siege of Multan (1810) |  | Sikh Empire | Durrani Empire | Sikh victory
Battle of Bhimber (1812) |  | Sikh Empire | Chibhal | Sikh victory
Battle of Anandpur (1812) |  | Sikh Empire | Kahlur | Sikh victory
Afghan-Sikh Capture of Kashmir (1812–1813) |  | Sikh Empire
Durrani Empire | Kashmir under Ata Muhammad Khan  | Sikh-Afghan victory
Battle of Hasan Abdal (1813) |  | Sikh Empire | Pashtuns led by Wazir Fateh Khan Barakzai | Afghan victory[1]
Battle of Attock (1813)  |  | Sikh Empire | Durrani Empire | Sikh victory
Battle of Kashmir (1814) |  | Sikh Empire | Pashtuns led by Wazir Fateh Khan Barakzai | Afghan victory[2]
Battle of Multan (1818)  |  | Sikh Empire | Durrani Empire | Sikh victory
Battle of Shopian (1819)  |  | Sikh Empire | Durrani Empire | Sikh victory | Kashmir is conquered by the Sikhs.
Battle of Gandgarh (1820)  |  | Sikh Empire | Yousufzai Zamindars  | Yousufzai

Afghan victory[3]

Battle of Mangal (1821)  |  | Sikh Empire | Jaduns and Tanaolis Tribes  | Sikh victory
Siege of Mankera (1821–1822) |  | Sikh Empire | Kingdom of Mankera | Sikh victory
Battle of Taragarh (1822) |  | Sikh Empire | Afghan tribesmen  | Sikh victory
Battle of Nowshera (1823)  |  | Sikh Empire | Coalition of Azim Khan  | Sikh victory
Battle of Akora Khattak (1826)  |  | Sikh Empire | Mujahideen | Mujahideen victory
Battle of Saidu (1827)  |  | Sikh Empire | Mujahideen | Sikh victory
Battle of Haidru (1828) |  | Sikh Empire | Mujahideen | Sikh victory
Battle of Balakot (1831)  |  | Sikh Empire | Mujahideen | Sikh victory
Battle of Bannu (1832)  |  | Sikh Empire | Local Pashtuns | Afghan victory
Expedition of Shuja ul-Mulk (1833-1834)  |  | Shah Shuja Durrani

* British Empire
* East India Company
* Sikh Empire

| Emirate of Kabul

* Principality of Qandahar

| Barakzai Afghan victory | Shah Shuja's expedition fails.
Battle of Peshawar (1834) |  | Sikh Empire | Peshawar Sardars  | Sikh victory | Peshawar Sardars deposed from power.
Ladakh War (1834–1835)  |  | Sikh Empire | Namgyal Dynasty | Sikh victory | Entirety of Ladakh annexed in Sino-Sikh War
Battle of Ramkani (1835)  |  | Sikh Empire | Barakzai Dynasty | Inconclusive
Battle of Michni (1836)  |  | Sikh Empire | Michni Sardars  | Sikh victory
Standoff at the Khyber Pass (1835) |  | Sikh Empire | Emirate of Kabul | Inconclusive | Withdrawal of Dost Mohammad Khan, no battle fought.
Battle of Panjtar (1836)  |  | Sikh Empire | Panjtar Pashtuns  | Sikh victory
Battle of Jamrud (1837)  |  | Sikh Empire | Emirate of Afghanistan | Disputed[4]
1837 Poonch Revolt |  | Sikh Empire | Sudhans of Poonch | Sikh victory | Rebellion suppressed
Baltistan Expedition (1840)  |  | Sikh Empire | Maqpon Dynasty | Sikh victory[5] | Baltistan and Skardu annexed to the Sikh Empire
First Anglo-Afghan War
1 October 1838 – October 1842  |  |  British Empire

* East India Company
* Sikh Empire
* Shah Shuja
* Sadozai loyalists
* Maimana Khanate

| Emirate of Kabul

* Principality of Qandahar
* Barakzai loyalists

| British coalition defeat | Shah Shuja initially restored to the throne successfully, however is deposed and killed in 1842.
Battle of Waziristan 1843[6][7] |  | Sikh Empire | Tribal Afghans  | Afghan victory
Battle of Waziristan 1844[8][9] |  | Sikh Empire | Tribal Afghans  | Afghan victory
Battle of Mudki
18 December 1845  | First Anglo-Sikh war | British Empire | Sikh Empire | British victory | Night battle. The British won with heavy casualties amongst the higher ranks.[citation needed]
Battle of Ferozeshah
21–22 December 1845  | First Anglo-Sikh war | British Empire | Sikh Empire | British victory | British forces under Sir Hugh Gough won a Pyrrhic victory over the Sikh army under Lal Singh.[citation needed]
Battle of Sohana
January (?) 1846  | First Anglo-Sikh war | British Empire | Sikh Empire | British victory
Battle of Baddowal
21 January 1846  | First Anglo-Sikh war | Sikh Empire | British Empire | Sikh victory | Many Sikh soldiers crossed Satluj after being defeated at Mudki and Ferozeshah. When Harry Smith marched to Dharmkot to relieve Ludhiana, their rear was attacked by Sikhs under Ranjodh Singh Majithia.[10][11]
Battle of Aliwal
28 January 1846  | First Anglo-Sikh war | British Empire | Sikh Empire | British victory | Company troops decisively defeated the Sikh army; turning point in the war.[citation needed]
Battle of Sobraon
10 February 1846  | First Anglo-Sikh war | British Empire | Sikh Empire | British victory | End of the war.[citation needed]
Battle of Ramnagar (1848)
22 November 1848  | Second Anglo-Sikh war | Sikh Empire | British East Indian Company | Sikh victory |
Battle of Chillianwala (1849)
13 January 1849  | Second Anglo-Sikh war | Sikh Empire | British East Indian Company | Sikh victory
Siege of Multan (1848–1849)

19 April 1848 – 22 January 1849

| Second Anglo-Sikh war | Sikh Empire | British East Indian Company | British victory | Fort was breached and Dewan Mulraj surrendered.[citation needed]
Battle of Gujrat (1849)  | Second Anglo-Sikh war | Sikh Empire | British East Indian Company | British victory | Decisive defeat of the Sikh Empire. Young emperor Maharaja Dalip Singh was abducted and taken to England; Punjab was annexed as a province of the British Raj.[citation needed]

## See also

[edit]

* Guru Gobind Singh
* Banda Singh Bahadur
* Baghel Singh
* Massa Ranghar

## References

[edit]

This article has an unclear citation style. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation and footnoting. (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

1. ^ www.DiscoverSikhism.com. History Of The Sikhs Vol. V The Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839).
2. ^ www.DiscoverSikhism.com. History Of The Sikhs Vol. V The Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839).
3. ^ Griffin, Lepel Henry (1890). "The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab".
4. ^ Clements, Frank; Adamec, Ludwig W. (2003). Conflict in Afghanistan: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-402-8.
5. ^ Charak, Sukh Dev Singh (1983). General Zorawar Singh. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
6. ^ Kumar, Rajinder (January 2023). "Hari Singh Nalwa".
7. ^ Alikuzai, Hamid Wahed (October 2013). A Concise History of Afghanistan in 25 Volumes. Trafford. ISBN 978-1-4907-1446-2.
8. ^ Kumar, Rajinder (January 2023). "Hari Singh Nalwa".
9. ^ Alikuzai, Hamid Wahed (October 2013). A Concise History of Afghanistan in 25 Volumes. Trafford. ISBN 978-1-4907-1446-2.
10. ^ Jacques, Tony (2007). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Greenwood Press. p. 92\. ISBN 978-0-313-33536-5.
11. ^ Jacques, p. 93

* v
* t
* e

Sikh Empire

Rulers|

* Ranjit Singh
* Kharak Singh
* Nau Nihal Singh
* Chand Kaur
* Sher Singh
* Jind Kaur
* Duleep Singh

Military
conflicts|

| Mughal-Sikh Wars|

* Battle of Bhangani
* Nadaun
* Basoli
* 1st Anandpur
* 2nd Anandpur
* Chamkaur
* Sarsa
* Muktsar
* Sonepat
* Samana
* Sirhind
* Sadhaura
* Chappar Chiri
* Rahon
* Lohgarh
* Jalalabad
* Jammu
* Gurdas Nangal
* Delhi

|

Afghan–Sikh wars|

* Battle of Attock
* Battle of Multan
* Battle of Shopian
* Battle of Nowshera
* Battle of Peshawar
* Battle of Jamrud

First Anglo-Sikh War|

* Battle of Mudki
* Battle of Ferozeshah
* Battle of Aliwal
* Battle of Sobraon

Second Anglo-Sikh War|

* Battle of Ramnagar
* Battle of Chillianwala
* Siege of Multan
* Battle of Gujrat

Others|

Nepal–Sikh War, Sino-Sikh war, Katoch–Sikh War, Hill States–Sikh Wars, Panchayati Revolution, List of battles involving the Sikh Empire

Military forces|

* Sikh Khalsa Army
* Fauj-i-Khas
* Fauj-i-Ain

Adversaries|

* Mughal Empire
* Durrani Empire
* Emirate of Afghanistan
* British East India Company
* Kingdom of Nepal
* Qing Empire
* Hill States Alliance
* Kingdom of Mankera
* Namgyal dynasty
* Barakzai dynasty
* Sudhans of Poonch
* Maqpon Dynasty

Forts|

* Jamrud Fort
* Multan Fort
* Harkishangarh
* Lahore Fort
* Zorawar Fort

Officials and warriors|

| Natives|

* Dhian Singh
* Diwan Dina Nath
* Diwan Bhawani Das
* Diwan Buta Singh
* Pratap Singh
* Misr Diwan Chand
* Diwan Mulraj
* Hari Singh Nalwa
* Mahan Singh Mirpuri
* Dewan Mokham Chand
* Khushal Singh Jamadar
* Zorawar Singh
* Tej Singh
* Lal Singh
* Gulab Singh
* Balbhadra Kunwar
* Jawahar Singh
* Mehta Basti Ram
* Sham Singh Attariwalla
* Sher Singh Attariwalla
* Chattar Singh Attariwalla
* Amar Singh Majithia
* Lehna Singh Majithia
* Ranjodh Singh Majithia
* Surat Singh Majithia
* Mangal Singh Ramgarhia
* Akali Phula Singh
* Chandu Lal
* Ajit Singh Sandhawalia
* Kahan Singh Nakai
* Sangat Singh Saini
* Hukma Singh
* Veer Singh
* Jarnail Ghaus Khan
* Ilahi Bakhsh
* Fakir Azizuddin
* Sultan Mahmud Khan
* Malik Fateh Khan Tiwana
* Sohan Lal Suri

|

Foreigners|

* Jean-François Allard
* Jean-Baptiste Ventura
* Claude Auguste Court
* François Henri Mouton
* Alexander Gardner
* Paolo Avitabile
* Josiah Harlan
* Johann Martin Honigberger
* Henry Lawrence

Influential families|

* Sandhawalia family
* Majithia family
* Tiwana family

Treaties|

* Treaty of Amritsar (1809)
* Tripartite Treaty (1838)
* Treaty of Chushul (1842)
* Treaty of Lahore (1846)
* Treaty of Amritsar (1846)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template