Conquest of Punjab

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  • Lord Minto sent Charles Metcalfe to Lahore, Offered to accept Metcalfe’s proposal of an offensive and defensive alliance on the condition that the English would remain neutral in case of a Sikh-Afghan war.
  • Ranjit Singh the sovereign of the entire Punjab including the Malwa (cis-Sutlej) - Treaty of Amritsar (1809), Ranjit Singh and the British
  • 1838, Ranjit Singh was compelled by political compulsions to sign the Tripartite Treaty with the English.
  • Refused to give passage to the British army through his territories to attack Dost Mohammad, the Afghan Amir. Ranjit Singh died in June 1839 led to decline of his empire.
  • Kharak Singh, son of Ranjit Singh, not efficient. Sudden death of Kharak sing, accidental death of his son, Prince Nav Nihal Singh.
  • Various groups to capture the throne of Lahore provided an opportunity for decisive action by the English.
  • Permitted the British troops to pass through its territory - once
  • After the death of Nav Nihal Singh, Sher Singh, another son of Ranjit Singh succeeded murdered in late 1843.
  • Daleep Singh, a minor son of Ranjit Singh, was proclaimed the Maharaja with Rani Jindan as regent and Hira Singh Dogra as wazir.
  • Hira Singh Dogra murdered in 1844, Jawahar Singh, the brother of Rani Jindan.
  • Teja Singh was appointed as the commander of the forces.
First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46)
  • Sikh army crossing the River Sutlej on December 11, 1845.
  • English with the justification to declare war,
  • Death of Ranjith Singh, English military campaigns to achieve the annexation of Gwalior and Sindh, increase in the number of English troops being stationed near the border with the Lahore kingdom.
  • Treachery of Lal Singh and Teja Singh caused five successive defeats to the Sikh - Treaty of Lahore (March 8, 1846)
  • Treaty of Bhairowal - not satisfied with the Treaty of Lahore, Rani Jindan
  • was removed as regent and a council of regency for Punjab was set up. The council consisted of 8 Sikh sardars presided over by the English Resident, Henry Lawrence.
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49)
  • Mulraj, the governor of Multan, was replaced by a new Sikh governor.
  • Mulraj revolted and murdered two English officers accompanying the new governor.
  • Governor-General of India, Lord Dalhousie himself proceeded to Punjab to annex Punjab completely.
  • Result, surrender of the Sikh army and Sher Singh in 1849;
  • Set a three-member board to govern Punjab, Lawrence brothers (Henry and John) and Charles Mansel.
  • 1853 the board was nullified and Punjab was placed under a chief commissioner. John Lawrence became the first chief commissioner.
Significance of the Anglo-Sikh Wars - Sikhs were to fight loyally on the British side in the Revolt of 1857.

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