91-604: Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire , serving on the throne of Punjab from 1801; of Jammu from 1808; and of Kashmir from 1819, until his death in 1839. He ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He survived smallpox in infancy but lost sight in his left eye. He fought his first battle alongside his father at age 10. After his father died around Ranjit's early teenage years, Ranjit subsequently fought several wars to expel
182-490: A Kanhaiya Misl relative, seized the land under doubtful circumstances. After marrying the daughter, Tara Singh murdered both and claimed the territory. The Kanhaiya Misl rejected Ganda Singh's petition for the restitution of Pathankot after this act outraged him. In order to oppose the Kanhaiyas, Ganda Singh Dhillon allied up with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and other regional leaders, such as Ranjit Dev of Jammu. Along with
273-579: A Srivijaya Monarchy. In the 12th century with the fall of the empire, the Seri King being a Muslim established the Sultanate of Brunei in 1363 with the throne name Sultan Mohamad Shah. In 1426, he established the sultanate of sulu as his death was recorded in 1431 Mt. Makatangis Sulu grave and 1432 Brunei grave. Both Sulu and Brunei claim the honor of his grave, while his brother, a Johore (Singapore) Prince Makdum Karim (Sharif Kabungsuwan of Malabang Lanao)
364-418: A camp east of the river. Ranjit Dev organized his own army, collaborating with Jhanda Singh Bhangi's forces. The fighting went on for a while until Charat Singh perished when as his own revolver exploded, striking him in the forehead. The allies struggled to hold onto their position against the formidable Bhangi Chief after losing Charat Singh. Jai Singh Kanhaiya , aware of their fragile situation, used
455-664: A diplomatic channel with the British; in 1828, he sent gifts to George IV and in 1831, he sent a mission to Simla to confer with the British Governor General, William Bentinck , which was followed by the Ropar Meeting ; while in 1838, he cooperated with them in removing the hostile Islamic Emir in Afghanistan. As consistent with many Punjabis of that time, Ranjit Singh was a secular king and followed
546-726: A few zamindars who were titled Maharaja for their cordiality and contribution to the British Raj. In the Mughal Empire it was quite common to award to various princes (hereditary or not) a series of lofty titles as a matter of protocolary rank. The British would, as paramount power do the same. Many of these (see also above) elaborate explicitly on the title Maharaja, in the following descending order: Furthermore, there were various compound titles simply including other princely styles, such as: Certain Hindu dynasties even came to use
637-524: A husband . In case a child king is crowned, the mother of the king takes charge of the kingdom and acts as a regent. Until the young king is of the age, the Rajmata ( Queen mother ) administers the kingdom. Famous examples include Rajamata Shetu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore dynasty, Gowri Lakshmi Bai, Maharaji (later Rajamata) Rudrama Devi of Kakatiya dynasty. When the king is present, the Rajamata being
728-399: A list of just sixteen wives and their pension list. Most of his marriages were performed through chādar andāz. Some scholars note that the information on Ranjit Singh's marriages is unclear, and there is evidence that he had many concubines. Dr. Priya Atwal presents an official list of Ranjit Singh's thirty wives. The women married through chādar andāzī were noted as concubines and were known as
819-641: A loyal operative to assassinate Jhanda Singh Dhillon to shift power. After the Bhangi leader's death, Kanhiya strengthened the Kanhaiya Misl, allowing the area to settle under Ganda Singh , Jhanda Singh's successor. After Jhanda Singh's death, the rivalry between Bhangi and Kanhaiya misls resurfaced, causing issues for Ganda Singh. The dispute over Jhanda Singh's grant of Pathankot to Nand Singh escalated. Nand Singh's widow proposed to Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya for Pathankot and her daughter, but Tara Singh,
910-583: A number of Mahan Singh-controlled areas, including as Mandiala and Rasulpur . This sparked a string of clashes that ended with Jai Singh's loss and withdrawal across the Beas River in the Battle of Majitha . Maha Singh, with increased strength, formed alliances with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and Raja Sansar Chand . The final battle of Achal resulted from allied forces pushing on Jai Singh's fortress, Batala . Jai Singh lost his son, Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya , in
1001-574: A number of military operations against the Afghans and the Mughals . The two Sardars, however, disputed on how to divide the looted plunder after the sack of Kasur . Jai Singh and Hari Singh Dhillon later became tense with one another, which resulted in a fight close to Eminabad . Neither side won a clear win, and the combat ended inconclusively. In 1774, the Kanhaiya Misl got involved in
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#17327719348681092-561: A religious diversity. His army included Polish, Russian, Spanish, Prussian and French officers. In 1835, as his relationship with the British warmed up, he hired a British officer named Foulkes. However, the Khalsa army of Ranjit Singh reflected the regional population, and as he grew his army, he dramatically increased the Rajputs and the Sikhs who became the predominant members of his army. In
1183-438: A struggle between Ranjit Dev and his oldest son, Brij Raj Dev , over the succession to Jammu. The conflict started when Brij Raj Dev tried to protect Ranjit Dev's inheritance and he preferred his younger son, Dalel Singh, as his successor. Charat Singh Sukerchakia and Jai Singh Kanhaiya decided to support Brij Raj Dev's claim when he sought allies. Sukerchakia and Kanhaiya Misls' combined troops invaded Jammu , establishing
1274-757: A treaty with the British viceroy Lord Auckland to restore Shah Shoja to the Afghan throne in Kabul. In pursuance of this agreement, the British army of the Indus entered Afghanistan from the south, while Ranjit Singh's troops went through the Khyber Pass and took part in the victory parade in Kabul. The Sikh Empire, also known as the Sikh Raj and Sarkar-a-Khalsa, was in the Punjab region, the name of which means "the land of
1365-445: A unique style, including a term which as such is not of princely rank, e.g. Maharaja Gaikwar of Baroda , Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior , Maharaja Holkar of Indore, three of the very highest ranking ruling Maratha houses. Chakravarti is a Sanskrit term for "emperor". The meaning of chakravarti is "he, whose wheels (of chariot ) are moving" which symbolises that the leader who is a war hero, who commands over vast land and sea,
1456-474: Is an Indian princely title of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and medieval northern India , the title was equivalent to a prince . However in late ancient India and medieval south India , the title denoted a king . The form "Maharaj" (without "-a") indicates a separation of noble and religious offices, although since in Hindi the suffix -a is silent, the two titles are near homophones. Historically,
1547-489: Is called Datuk Maharaja Lela Penghulu Istana Negara . Eventually, Maharajah Adinda was also used to refer to a particular lineage within the royal families. The King of Thailand has been called a "Maharaj" ( Thai : มหาราชา ). Kanhaiya Misl The Kanhaiya Misl was one of the twelve misls of the Sikh Confederacy . It had been founded by Sandhu Jats . Jai Singh Sandhu (son of Khushal Singh) of
1638-425: Is said that Ishar Singh was not the biological son of Mehtab Kaur and Ranjit Singh, but only procured by Mehtab Kaur and presented to Ranjit Singh who accepted him as his son. Tara Singh and Sher Singh had similar rumours, it is said that Sher Singh was the son of a chintz weaver, Nahala and Tara Singh was the son of Manki, a servant in the household of Sada Kaur . Henry Edward Fane, the nephew and aide-de-camp to
1729-526: The Afghans throughout his teenage years. At the age of 21, he was proclaimed the "Maharaja of Punjab". His empire grew in the Punjab region under his leadership through 1839. Before his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring misls (confederacies), twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim. Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to create
1820-624: The Chattha chieftain Pir Muhammad. Ranjit Singh contracted smallpox as an infant, which resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and a pockmarked face. He was short in stature, never schooled, and did not learn to read or write anything beyond the Gurmukhi alphabet. However, he was trained at home in horse riding, musketry and other martial arts. At age 12, his father died. He then inherited his father's Sukerchakia Misl estates and
1911-615: The Khalsa community of Sikh warriors by Guru Gobind Singh accelerated the decay and fragmentation of the Mughal power in the region. Raiding Afghans attacked the Indus river valleys but met resistance from both organised armies of the Khalsa Sikhs as well as irregular Khalsa militias based in villages. The Sikhs had appointed own zamindars , replacing the previous Muslim revenue collectors, which provided resources to feed and strengthen
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#17327719348682002-734: The Kingdom of Dali , submitted to the Mongol Empire , and in return was enfeoffed as Maharaja (摩诃罗嵯) of Dali, continuing to rule the area (but subordinated to Yuan princes and Muslim governors of Yunnan), until the Ming conquest of Yunnan . When the Indonesian Archipelago was still predominantly Hindu-Buddhist (circa 3rd century CE until the 15th century CE), all of the Indianised kingdoms which ruled different areas of
2093-473: The Nakai Misl in 1797 and she turned into Ranjit's most beloved wife. Mehtab Kaur had three sons, Ishar Singh who was born in 1804 and died in infancy. In 1807 she had Sher Singh and Tara Singh . According to historian Jean-Marie Lafont, she was the only one to bear the title of Maharani . She died in 1813, after suffering from failing health. His second marriage was to, Datar Kaur (Born Raj Kaur )
2184-729: The Nihangs , whose leader Akali Phula Singh was the Jathedar of the Akal Takht . When Ranjit Singh visited Amritsar , he was called outside the Akal Takht, where he was made to apologise for his mistakes. Akali Phula Singh took Ranjit Singh to a tamarind tree in front of the Akal Takht and prepared to punish him by flogging him. Then Akali Phula Singh asked the nearby Sikh pilgrims whether they approved of Ranjit Singh's apology. The pilgrims responded with Sat Sri Akal and Ranjit Singh
2275-538: The Sukerchakias and Ahluwalias , the Kanhaiya Misl organized themselves for the conflict. Throughout ten days, the two forces engaged in a continuous and violent battle at Dinanagar . When Ganda Singh unexpectedly passed away from sickness, the Bhangis' circumstances drastically changed. The Bhangi troops became insecure after his death and the subsequent death of his nephew Charat Singh, and they ultimately left
2366-865: The archipelago was ruled by a "Maharaja" or simply referred by the locals as "Raja", such as the first and oldest Hindu kingdom of Indonesia the Kutai Martadipura in eastern Borneo , the Tarumanegara , the Srivijaya , the Majapahit and numerous other kingdoms. Traditional titles remain in use for other members of royalty, such as Pangeran Ratu for the heir and other local-Malay titles such as "Paduka Sri". The title "Maharaja" has been used to refer to kings of ancient Indianised kingdoms, such as Maharaja Mulavarman king of Kutai Martadipura and Maharaja Purnawarman king of Tarumanegara . Maharaja
2457-492: The gurmata and provided significant patronage to the Udasi and Nirmala sect, leading to their prominence and control of Sikh religious affairs. The army under Ranjit Singh was not limited to the Sikh community. The soldiers and troop officers included Sikhs, but also included Hindus, Muslims and Europeans. Hindu Brahmins and people of all creeds and castes served his army, while the composition in his government also reflected
2548-686: The 19th century was Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He earned this title by keeping the Britishers beyond the Sutlej and even crushed the Afghan Empire. Maharajas in the twentieth century were the Maharaja of Cochin and Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala . Apart from princely states, rulers of some large and extended zamindaris were also awarded the title of Maharaja. The rulers of Jeypore , Darbhanga , Vizianagaram , Parlakhemundi Gidhaur were
2639-450: The Afghan army. Much of the Afghan army retreated back to Afghanistan. In 1799, Raja Ranjit Singh's army of 25,000 Khalsa , supported by another 25,000 Khalsa led by his mother-in-law Rani Sada Kaur of Kanhaiya misl , in a joint operation attacked the region controlled by Bhangi Sikhs centered around Lahore. The rulers escaped, marking Lahore as the first major conquest of Ranjit Singh. The Sufi Muslim and Hindu population of Lahore welcomed
2730-589: The Afghan forces of Nadir Shah and later Azim Khan. His court was ecumenical in composition: his prime minister, Dhian Singh , was a Hindu ( Dogra ); his foreign minister, Fakir Azizuddin , was a Muslim; and his finance minister, Dina Nath, was also a Hindu ( Brahmin ). Artillery commanders such as Mian Ghausa were also Muslims. There were no forced conversions in his time. His wives Bibi Mohran, Gilbahar Begum retained their faith and so did his Hindu wives. He also employed and surrounded himself with astrologers and soothsayers in his court. Ranjit Singh had also abolished
2821-798: The British officials of the East India Company, in which he agreed that his Sikh forces would not attempt to expand south of the Sutlej River, and the Company agreed that it would not attempt to militarily cross the Sutlej River into the Sikh territory. In 1807, Ranjit Singh's forces attacked the Muslim ruled Kasur and, after a month of fierce fighting in the Battle of Kasur defeated the Afghan chief Qutb-ud-Din, thus expanding his empire northwest towards Afghanistan. He took Multan in 1818, and
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2912-770: The Commander-in-Chief, India, General Sir Henry Fane, who spent several days in Ranjit Singh's company, reported, "Though reported to be the Maharaja's son, Sher Singh's father has never thoroughly acknowledged him, though his mother always insisted on his being so. A brother of Sher, Tara Singh by the same mother, has been even worse treated than himself, not being permitted to appear at court, and no office given him, either of profit or honour." Five Years in India , Volume 1, Henry Edward Fane, London, 1842 Multana Singh , Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh were sons of
3003-682: The Doaba region his army was composed of the Jat Sikhs, in Jammu and northern Indian hills it was Hindu Rajputs, while relatively more Muslims served his army in the Jhelum river area closer to Afghanistan than other major Panjab rivers. Ranjit Singh changed and improved the training and organisation of his army. He reorganised responsibility and set performance standards in logistical efficiency in troop deployment, manoeuvre , and marksmanship . He reformed
3094-575: The Maharaja or coins being struck in her name. Bibi Moran spent the rest of life in Pathankot. Duleep Singh makes a list of his father's queens which also does not mention Bibi Moran. After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire fell apart and declined in its ability to tax or govern most of the Indian subcontinent. In the northwestern region, particularly the Punjab, the creation of
3185-418: The Maharaja. His wife is called Yuvarani. Rajakumara is the son of a king who is not the heir apparent. He is conferred with certain duties or powers per the king's wishes. The daughter of a king who is not the heir apparent is called Rajakumari. Maharani usually denotes the wife of a Maharaja (or Maharana , Maharao , Maharawal) or in rare cases, in some states where it was customary, a woman ruling without
3276-621: The Panjab region into his control through his general Shahanchi Khan and 12,000 soldiers. The battle was fought in the territory that fell in Ranjit Singh's controlled misl, whose regional knowledge and warrior expertise helped resist the invading army. This victory at the Battle of Amritsar (1798) gained him recognition. In 1798, the Afghan ruler sent in another army, which Ranjit Singh did not resist. He let them enter Lahore, then encircled them with his army, blocked off all food and supplies, and burnt all crops and food sources that could have supported
3367-606: The Phulkias misl had switched loyalties in the late 18th century and supported the Afghan army invasion against their Khalsa brethren. The Kasur region, ruled by Muslims, always supported the Afghan invasion forces and joined them in plundering Sikh misls during the war. Ranjit Singh's fame grew in 1797, at age 17, when the Afghan Muslim ruler Shah Zaman, of the Ahmad Shah Abdali dynasty , attempted to annex
3458-566: The Sikh Empire. He repeatedly defeated invasions by outside armies , particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, and established friendly relations with the British . Ranjit Singh's reign introduced reforms, modernisation, investment in infrastructure and general prosperity. His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs , Hindus , Muslims and Europeans . His legacy includes a period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, including
3549-490: The Sikh forces against the Afghan forces of Shah Mahmud led by Fateh Khan Barakzai. The Afghans lost their stronghold at Attock in that battle. In 1813–14, Ranjit Singh's first attempt to expand into Kashmir was foiled by Afghan forces led by Azim Khan , due to a heavy downpour, the spread of cholera, and poor food supply to his troops. In 1818, Darbar's forces led by Kharak Singh and Misr Dewan Chand occupied Multan, killing Muzaffar Khan and defeating his forces, leading to
3640-589: The Sikh path. His policies were based on respect for all communities, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim. A devoted Sikh, Ranjit Singh restored and built historic Sikh Gurdwaras – most famously, the Harmandir Sahib , and used to celebrate his victories by offering thanks at the Harmandir. He also joined the Hindus in their temples out of respect for their sentiments. The veneration of cows was promoted and cow slaughter
3731-592: The Sikhs led by him and the Afghans, which displayed the extent of the western boundaries of the Sikh Empire. On 25 November 1838, the two most powerful armies on the Indian subcontinent assembled in a grand review at Ferozepore as Ranjit Singh, the Maharajah of the Punjab brought out the Dal Khalsa to march alongside the sepoy troops of the East India Company and the British troops in India. In 1838, he agreed to
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3822-805: The Srivijaya satellite empire of the Majapahit Empire dominated over the whole Malayas far-reaching the present Philippine Archipelago , Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia under the Srivijaya Empire of the Majapahit King Maharaja Pamariwasa. The latter's daughter Es-kander was married to an Arab (Zein Ul-Abidin), the third Makdum who promulgated Koranic studies (Madrassahs) and was a Srivijaya ruler in Seri who were
3913-618: The State. During the expedition to Multan in 1818 , she was given command alongside her son, Kharak Singh . Throughout his life she remained Ranjit Singh's favorite and for no other did he have greater respect for than Datar Kaur, who he affectionately called Mai Nakain. Even though she was his second wife she became his principal wife and chief consort. During a hunting trip with Ranjit Singh, she fell ill and died on 20 June 1838. Ratan Kaur and Daya Kaur were wives of Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujrat (a misl north of Lahore, not to be confused with
4004-580: The Sultan during the Raffles' stint. The word Rajah derived from the word Maharaja. In 1842, the Sultan of Brunei ceded Sarawak to Rajah Brooke who founded the Kingdom of Sarawak and a line of dynastic monarchs known as the White Rajahs . In contemporary Malay usage, the title Maharaja refers to an emperor , e.g. " Maharaja Jepun " (" Emperor of Japan "). In Seri Malayas of the Srivijaya , under
4095-828: The battlefield. Due to unclear leadership and low morale among the Bhangi allies, the Kanhaiya Misl and its alliance held their ground and won the war. In the late 18th-century struggle for the Kangra fort , the Kanhaiya Misl played a crucial role. The region was previously ruled by Rajput lords of the Katoch line. Under Mughal rule , the fort was located 50 meters above the Ban Ganga. During Ahmad Shah Durrani 's rule, Ghamand Chand Katoch ruled, while Saif Ali Khan remained in charge. In 1782, Raja Sansar Chand Katoch sought help from Jai Singh Kanhiya to take over Kangra fort . Jai Singh sent Gurbakhsh Singh and Baghel Singh to assist in
4186-422: The colonial Dutch East Indies authorities in October 1878. In peninsular Malaysia : In northern Borneo , the title Maharajah of Sabah and Rajah of Gaya and Sandakan was used from 29 December 1877 to 26 August 1881 by Baron von Overbeck (compare White Rajah ). The Englishman Capt. James Brooke was declared as Rajah Brooke by the Sultan of Brunei for his role in pacifying the Sarawak revolt against
4277-549: The considerable influence of British representatives, such as Residents , at their courts. The word Maharaja may be understood simply to mean "ruler" or "king", in spite of its literal translation as "great king". This was because only a handful of the states were truly powerful and wealthy enough for their rulers to be considered 'great' monarchs; the remaining were minor princely states , sometimes little more than towns or groups of villages. The word, however, can also mean emperor in contemporary Indian usage. The title of Maharaja
4368-493: The end of Afghan influence in the Punjab. In July 1818, an army from the Punjab defeated Jabbar Khan, a younger brother of the governor of Kashmir Azim Khan, and acquired Kashmir, along with a yearly revenue of Rs seventy lacs. Dewan Moti Ram was appointed governor of Kashmir. In 1823, Yusufzai Pashtuns fought the army of Ranjit Sing north of the Kabul River . In 1834, Mohammed Azim Khan once again marched towards Peshawar with an army of 25,000 Khattak and Yasufzai tribesmen in
4459-421: The eve of independence in 1947, the Indian Empire contained more than 600 princely states , each with its own native ruler, often styled Raja or Rana or Thakur (if the ruler were Hindu ) or Nawab (if he were Muslim ), with a host of less current titles as well. The British directly ruled two-thirds of the Indian subcontinent ; the rest was under indirect rule by the above-mentioned princes under
4550-415: The event of external invasion such as from the Muslim armies of Ahmed Shah Abdali from Afghanistan, they would usually unite. Towards the end of 18th century, the five most powerful misls were those of Sukkarchakkia, Kanhayas, Nakkais, Ahluwalias and Bhangi Sikhs. Ranjit Singh belonged to the first, and through marriage had a reliable alliance with Kanhayas and Nakkais. Among the smaller misls, some such as
4641-413: The female equivalent is Maharaj Kumari (Maharajkumari ): daughter of a Maharaja. The Gorkha Kings of Nepal (now a republic) used the title of Mahārājādhirāja which was "King of Great Kings", a title of honour, a degree higher than Mahārājā. Rana Prime ministers of Nepal used the title of Shree Teen Maharaja while the Gorkha Kings used Shree Panch Maharajadhiraja. Duan Xingzhi, the last monarch of
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#17327719348684732-508: The final spouse of Ranjit Singh. Her father, Manna Singh Aulakh, extolled her virtues to Ranjit Singh, who was concerned about the frail health of his only heir Kharak Singh. The Maharaja married her in 1835 by 'sending his arrow and sword to her village'. On 6 September 1838 she gave birth to Duleep Singh , who became the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire . His other wives included, Mehtab Devi of Kangara also called Guddan or Katochan and Raj Banso, daughters of Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra. He
4823-532: The five rivers". The five rivers are the Beas , Ravi , Sutlej , Chenab and Jhelum , all of which are tributaries of the river Indus . The geographical reach of the Sikh Empire under Singh included all lands north of Sutlej River, and south of the high valleys of the northwestern Himalayas. The major towns at the time included Srinagar, Attock, Peshawar, Bannu, Rawalpindi, Jammu, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kangra, Amritsar, Lahore and Multan. Muslims formed around 70%, Hindus formed around 24%, and Sikhs formed around 6–7% of
4914-454: The fort in an effort to crush the Sikh Misls . Jai Singh Kanhaiya launched many attacks on the besieging army during the siege. He made several charges while mounted on a swift horse, sliding by the attackers before turning back toward the fort. Even though he encountered resistance throughout these movements, he was always able to go back to the fort. At first, Jai Singh Kanaihya and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia remained close, working together on
5005-468: The lesser title of Rani (queen). While Mehtab Kaur and Datar Kaur officially bore the title of Maharani (high queen), Datar Kaur officially became the Maharani after the death of Mehtab Kaur in 1813. Throughout her life was referred to as Sarkar Rani . After her death, the title was held by Ranjit's youngest widow Jind Kaur. According to Khushwant Singh in an 1889 interview with the French journal Le Voltaire , his son Dalip (Duleep) Singh remarked, "I am
5096-401: The mother of the king, might given ceremonial roles. A famous Rajamata who functioned with the king is Rajamata Jijabai of the Maratha Kingdom , accompanying the Chhatrapati (king). Like Raja and various other titles, Maharaja was repeatedly awarded to notables without a princely state, such as zamindars . Maharaj Kumar (or Maharajkumar ) means son of a Maharaja or Heir-Apparent;
5187-599: The muklawa happened in 1796. She was the only daughter of Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya and his wife Sada Kaur . She was the granddaughter of Jai Singh Kanhaiya , the founder of the Kanhaiya Misl . This marriage was pre-arranged in an attempt to reconcile warring Sikh misls , Mehtab Kaur was betrothed to Ranjit Singh in 1786. The marriage, however, failed, with Mehtab Kaur never forgiving the fact that her father had been killed in battle with Ranjit Singh's father, and she mainly resided with her mother after marriage. The separation became complete when Ranjit Singh married Datar Kaur of
5278-401: The name of Guru Nanak named the "NanakShahi" ("of the Emperor Nanak"). In 1802, Ranjit Singh, aged 22, took Amritsar from the Bhangi Sikh misl , paid homage at the Harmandir Sahib temple, which had previously been attacked and desecrated by the invading Afghan army, and announced that he would renovate and rebuild it with marble and gold. On 1 January 1806, Ranjit Singh signed a treaty with
5369-405: The name of jihad, to fight against infidels. The Maharaja defeated the forces. Yar Mohammad was pardoned and was reinvested as governor of Peshawar with an annual revenue of Rs one lac ten thousand to Lahore Darbar. In 1835, the Afghans and Sikhs met again at the Standoff at the Khyber Pass , however it ended without a battle. In 1837, the Battle of Jamrud , became the last confrontation between
5460-455: The one who rules the people with dedication. In the Mahabharata, the Chakravarti Bharat is known to have ruled the entire sub-continent of India brought golden age to his empire. He is called as chakravarti. The wife of a Chakravartin or it's female Chakravartin is called a Chakaravartini. Yuvaraja means the crown prince of the kingdom or empire. He is granted with certain powers and responsibilities so that he can be prepared to take over as
5551-466: The rebuilding of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar as well as other major gurdwaras , including Takht Sri Patna Sahib , Bihar and Hazur Sahib Nanded , Maharashtra under his sponsorship. Ranjit Singh was succeeded by his son Kharak Singh . Ranjit Singh also founded the Order of the Propitious Star of Punjab in 1837 . Singh is known by several titles such as Sher-e-Punjab ("Lion of Punjab") and Sarkar-e Wallah (Head of Government). Ranjit Singh
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#17327719348685642-549: The rule of Ranjit Singh. In 1800, the ruler of the Jammu region ceded control of his region to Ranjit Singh. In 1801, Ranjit Singh proclaimed himself as the "Maharaja of Punjab", and agreed to a formal investiture ceremony, which was carried out by Baba Sahib Singh Bedi – a descendant of Guru Nanak. On the day of his coronation, prayers were performed across mosques, temples and gurudwaras in his territories for his long life. Ranjit Singh called his rule "Sarkar Khalsa", and his court "Darbar Khalsa". He ordered new coins to be issued in
5733-419: The second Makdum after the first one Makdum Tuan Masha'ik. Karim ul-makdum re=enforced Islam, a Srivijaya Johore ruler, later established the Sultanate of Maguindanao-Ranao (Mindanao) after taking the political authority of his father-in-law Tomaoi Aliwya of the Maguiindanao family dynasty. He adapted the title as sultan Aliwya (Sharif Kabungsuwan), the first Maguindanao Sultan. The second and third Makdum's father
5824-416: The siege. After Saif Ali Khan's death, Jiwan Khan took over as defender. Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya recommended financial and jagir benefits to Jiwan Khan for a peaceful surrender, but followed a different strategy. He personally paid Jiwan Khan a substantial fee in a secretive deal to persuade him to let the Kanhaiya soldiers enter the fort. This move shocked and infuriated Raja Sansar Chand as Gurbakhsh Singh
5915-453: The size of his harem." George Keene noted, "In hundreds and in thousands the orderly crowds stream on. Not a bough is broken off a wayside tree, not a rude remark to a woman". According to the pedigree table and Duleep Singh 's diaries that he kept towards the end of his life another son Fateh Singh was born to Mai Nakain, who died in infancy. According to Henry Edward only Datar Kaur and Jind Kaur's sons are Ranjit Singh's biological sons. It
6006-400: The son of one of my father's forty-six wives." Dr. Priya Atwal notes that Ranjit Singh and his heirs entered a total of 46 marriages. But Ranjit Singh was known not to be a "rash sensualist" and commanded unusual respect in the eyes of others. Faqir Sayyid Vaḥiduddin states: "If there was one thing in which Ranjit Singh failed to excel or even equal the average monarch of oriental history, it was
6097-511: The staffing to emphasise steady fire over cavalry and guerrilla warfare, and improved the equipment and methods of war. The military system of Ranjit Singh combined the best of both old and new ideas. He strengthened the infantry and the artillery. He paid the members of the standing army from treasury, instead of the Mughal method of paying an army with local feudal levies. Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj ; lit. ' great ruler ' ; feminine: Maharani )
6188-482: The state of Gujarat). After Sahib Singh's death, Ranjit Singh took them under his protection in 1811 by marrying them via the rite of chādar andāzī , in which a cloth sheet was unfurled over each of their heads. The same with Roop Kaur, Gulab Kaur, Saman Kaur, and Lakshmi Kaur who looked after Duleep Singh when his mother Jind Kaur was exiled. Ratan Kaur had a son Multana Singh in 1819, and Daya Kaur had two sons Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh in 1821. Jind Kaur ,
6279-453: The struggle. After the defeat, he disarmed and left himself vulnerable to enemy fire. Opponents chose not to strike further, respecting the experienced leader. When Jai Singh died in 1789, his daughter-in-law Sada Kaur succeeded him. The Kanhaiya Misl's widowed leader, Sada Kaur, was instrumental in forming Punjab 's political climate. Sada Kaur demonstrated strategic insight by convincing her father-in-law, Jai Singh Kanhaiya , to set up
6370-419: The title "Maharaja" was first introduced in the first century BC by the Kushans as a higher ranking variant of "Raja". Eventually, during the medieval era, the title "Maharaja" came to be used by sovereign princes and vassal princes, and the title " Maharajadhiraja " was used by sovereign kings . Eventually, during the Mughal and British eras , Maharajadhiraja too came to be used by princes, though it
6461-455: The total population living in Singh's empire Ranjit Singh allowed men from different religions and races to serve in his army and his government in various positions of authority. His army included a few Europeans, such as the Frenchman Jean-François Allard , though Singh maintained a policy of refraining from recruiting Britons into his service, aware of British designs on the Indian subcontinent. Despite his recruitment policies, he did maintain
6552-426: The two widows of Sahib Singh, Daya Kaur and Ratan Kaur, whom Ranjit Singh took under his protection and married. These sons, are said to be, not biologically born to the queens and only procured and later presented to and accepted by Ranjit Singh as his sons. In 1802, Ranjit Singh married Moran Sarkar , a Muslim nautch girl . This action, and other non- Sikh activities of the Maharaja, upset orthodox Sikhs, including
6643-648: The village Kanha (district Lahore ) was the founder of this Misl ; hence the misl came to known as Kanhaiya Misl; another founder leader of this Misl was Amar Singh of Kingra village. Jai Singh and his brother Jhanda Singh had got initiation from the jatha of ( Nawab ) Kapur Singh ; when all the Sikh Jathas were organised into 11 Misls , Jai Singh’s jatha was named as Kanhaiya Misl. Haqiqat Singh Kanhaiya , Jeewan Singh, Tara Singh and Mehtab Singh (all four from village Julka, about 6 km from village Kanha) too were senior generals of this Misl. Adina Beg Khan
6734-486: The vocabulary of most languages in Greater India and Southeast Asia , the term Maharaja is common to many modern Indo-Aryan and Dravidian languages . The Sanskrit title Maharaja was originally used only for rulers who ruled a considerably large region with minor tributary rulers under them. Since medieval times, the title was used by (Hindu) monarchs of lesser states claiming descent from ancient maharajas. On
6825-446: The warriors aligned with Sikh interests. Meanwhile, colonial traders and the East India Company had begun operations in India on its eastern and western coasts. By the second half of the 18th century, the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent (now Pakistan and parts of north India) were a collection of fourteen small warring regions. Of the fourteen, twelve were Sikh-controlled misls (confederacies), one named Kasur (near Lahore)
6916-605: The whole Bari Doab came under his rule with that conquest. In 1819 at the Battle of Shopian , he successfully defeated the Afghan Sunni Muslim rulers and annexed Srinagar and Kashmir , stretching his rule into the north and the Jhelum valley, beyond the foothills of the Himalayas. The most significant encounters between the Sikhs in the command of the Maharaja and the Afghans were in 1813, 1823, 1834 and 1837. In 1813, Ranjit Singh's general Dewan Mokham Chand led
7007-492: The youngest child and only daughter of Ran Singh Nakai , the third ruler of the Nakai Misl and his wife Karman Kaur . They were betrothed in childhood by Datar Kaur's eldest brother, Sardar Bhagwan Singh, who briefly became the chief of the Nakai Misl, and Ranjit Singh's father Maha Singh. They were married in 1797; this marriage was a happy one and Ranjit Singh always treated Raj Kaur with love and respect. Since Raj Kaur
7098-436: Was Muslim controlled, and one in the southeast was led by an Englishman named George Thomas. This region constituted the fertile and productive valleys of the five rivers – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Bias and Sutlej. The Sikh misls were all under the control of the Khalsa fraternity of Sikh warriors, but they were not united and constantly warred with each other over revenue collection, disagreements, and local priorities; however, in
7189-467: Was Sultan Betatar of Taif Arabia who was the 9th progeny of Hasan, the grandson of prophet Sayyidina Muhammad. The word can also be part of titles used by Malay nobility: Most famous was Bendahara Seri Maharaja Tun Mutahir of Malacca (executed 1509) and Datuk Maharaja Lela Pandak Lam of Perak (executed 1876). The palace marshal of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (head of state) of modern Malaysia
7280-528: Was able to seize control of the fort. After it, the Kanhaiya Misl took control of the whole Kangra area, dominating it all the way to Palampur . Following Maha Singh 's Sack of Jammu , a disagreement over booty distribution led to a war between Jai Singh Kanhaiya and Maha Singh Sukarchakia. Kanhaiya criticized Mahan Singh for hoarding wealth, while Maha Singh Sukerchakia rejected his attempts to please him, leading to retribution. When Mahan Singh started preparing for battle, Jai Singh retaliated by attacking
7371-546: Was also married to Rani Har Devi of Atalgarh, Rani Aso Sircar and Rani Jag Deo According to the diaries, that Duleep Singh kept towards the end of his life, these women presented the Maharaja with four daughters. Dr. Priya Atwal notes that the daughters could be adopted. Ranjit Singh was also married to Jind Bani or Jind Kulan, daughter of Muhammad Pathan from Mankera and Gul Bano, daughter of Malik Akhtar from Amritsar. Ranjit Singh married many times, in various ceremonies, and had twenty wives. Sir Lepel Griffin , however, provides
7462-635: Was also part of the titles of the nobility in the Sumatran sultanate of Aceh . In the past, the title of Maharaja is given to a leader of the unreigning noble family and the Prime Minister Maharaja Mangkubumi. The last Prime Minister of Aceh who was installed to be the Maharaja Mangkubumi, Habib Abdurrahman el Zahir, who also acted as the foreign affairs minister of Aceh but was deposed and exiled to Jeddah by
7553-461: Was also the name of Ranjit Singh's mother, his wife was renamed Datar Kaur. In 1801, she gave birth to their son and heir apparent, Kharak Singh . Datar Kaur bore Ranjit Singh two other sons, Rattan Singh and Fateh Singh. Like his first marriage, the second marriage also brought him a strategic military alliance. Along with wisdom and all the chaste virtues of a noblewoman, Datar Kaur was exceptionally intelligent and assisted Ranjit Singh in affairs of
7644-564: Was born in a Sandhawalia Jat Sikh family on 13 November 1780 to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur in Gujranwala , Punjab region (present-day Punjab, Pakistan ). His mother Raj Kaur was the daughter of Sidhu Jat Sikh ruler Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind . Upon his birth, he was named Buddh Singh after his ancestor who was first in line to take Amrit Sanchaar . The child's name was changed to Ranjit (literally, "victor in battle") Singh ("lion") by his father to commemorate his army's victory over
7735-472: Was converted into "Moti Mandir" (Pearl Temple) by the Sikh army, and Sonehri Mosque was converted into a Sikh Gurdwara , but upon the request of Sufi Fakir (Satar Shah Bukhari), Ranjit Singh restored the latter to a mosque. Lahore's Begum Shahi Mosque was also used as a gunpowder factory, earning it the nickname Barudkhana Wali Masjid , or "Gunpowder Mosque." Singh's sovereignty was accepted by Afghan and Punjabi Muslims, who fought under his banner against
7826-418: Was not as common before the gradual British colonisation of India, upon and after which many rajas and otherwise styled Hindu rulers were elevated to Maharajas, regardless of the fact that scores of these new Maharajas ruled small states, sometimes for some reason unrelated to the eminence of the state, for example, support to the British in Afghanistan, World War I or World War II . The Maharaja of Punjab in
7917-589: Was punishable by death under his rule. He ordered his soldiers to neither loot nor molest civilians. He built several gurdwaras, Hindu temples and even mosques, and one in particular was Mai Moran Masjid, built at the behest of his beloved Muslim wife, Moran Sarkar . The Sikhs led by Singh never razed places of worship to the ground belonging to the enemy. However, he did convert Muslim mosques into other uses. For example, Ranjit Singh's army desecrated Lahore's Badshahi Mosque and converted it into an ammunition store, and horse stables. Lahore's Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque)
8008-420: Was raised by his mother Raj Kaur, who, along with Lakhpat Rai, also managed the estates. The first attempt on his life was made when he was 13, by Hashmat Khan, but Ranjit Singh prevailed and killed the assailant instead. At age 18, his mother died and Lakhpat Rai was assassinated, and thereon he was helped by his mother-in-law from his first marriage. In 1789, Ranjit Singh married his first wife Mehtab Kaur ,
8099-561: Was released and forgiven. An alternative holds that Ranjit went to visit Moran on his arrival in Amritsar before paying his respects at Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara , which upset orthodox Sikhs and hence was punished by Akali Phula Singh. Iqbal Qaiser and Manveen Sandhu make alternative accounts of the relationship between Moran and the Maharaja; the former states they never married, while the latter states that they married. Court chronicler, Sohan Lal Suri makes no mention of Moran's marriage to
8190-490: Was the Viceroy of the Punjab from May to September 1758. Known for his strict rule, he sought to stop any disturbances brought on by Sikhs . He did this by sending a military force led by Mir Aziz to hunt them out. As a result, a number of Sikh leaders sought shelter in the mud fort of Ram Rauni in Amritsar , including Nand Singh Sanghania, Jassa Singh Ramgarhia , and Jai Singh Kanhaiya . After that, Mir Aziz's army besieged
8281-648: Was used by sovereign kings as well, such as the King of Nepal . The title ranks under the titles of Maharajadhiraja Bahadur , Maharajadhiraja and Maharaja Bahadur , equal to Maharana and Maharao and above Raja Bahadur , Raja and Rai . The word Maharaja originates in Sanskrit and is a compound karmadhāraya term from mahānt- "great" and rājan "ruler, king"). It has the Latin cognates magnum "great" and rex "king". Due to Sanskrit's major influence on
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