The Misls (derived from an Arabic word
مِثْل meaning 'equal')
were the twelve
sovereign state
A sovereign state or sovereign country, is a polity, political entity represented by one central government that has supreme legitimate authority over territory. International law defines sovereign states as having a permanent population, defin ...
s of the Sikh Confederacy, which rose during the 18th century in the
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
region in the northern part of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
and is cited as one of the causes of the weakening of the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
prior to
Nader Shah's invasion of India
Emperor Nader Shah, the Shah of Iran (1736–47) and the founder of the Afsharid dynasty, invaded Northern India, eventually attacking Delhi in March 1739. His army had easily defeated the Mughals at the Battle of Karnal and would eventually ...
in 1738–1740.
The misls formed a commonwealth that was described by Swiss adventurer
Antoine Polier
Colonel Antoine-Louis Henri de Polier (1741–1795) was a Swiss adventurer, art collector, military engineer and soldier who made his fortune in India in the eighteenth century. He was the father of Count Adolphe de Polier.
Life
Image:PolierMa ...
as a natural "aristocratic republic".
Although the misls were unequal in strength, and each misl attempted to expand its territory and access to resources at the expense of others, they acted in unison in relation to other states.
The misls held
biannual
An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saint ...
meetings of their legislature, the
Sarbat Khalsa
Sarbat Khalsa (lit. meaning ''all the Khalsa''; Punjabi: ( Gurumukhi)), was a biannual deliberative assembly (on the same lines as a Parliament in a Direct Democracy) of the Sikhs held at Amritsar in Panjab during the 18th century. It literal ...
in
Amritsar
Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Majha r ...
.
History
In order to withstand the persecution of
Shah Jahan
Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...
and other
Mughal rulers, several of the later
Sikh Gurus
The Sikh gurus ( Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ) are the spiritual masters of Sikhism, who established this religion over the course of about two and a half centuries, beginning in 1469. The year 1469 marks the birth of Guru Nanak, the found ...
established military forces and fought the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
and
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
hill chiefs in the
early and
middle Mughal-Sikh Wars.
Banda Singh Bahadur
Banda Singh Bahadur (born Lachman Dev) (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716), was a Sikh warrior and a commander of Khalsa army. At age 15, he left home to become an ascetic, and was given the name Madho Das Bairagi. He established a monastery ...
continued Sikh resistance to the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
until his defeat at the
Battle of Gurdas Nangal
The Battle of Gurdas Nangal was a battle that took place in April 1715 between the Sikhs, led by Banda Singh Bahadur, and the Mughals, led by Abd al-Samad Khan. Banda at that time was carrying out operations and small raids to the north of Amrit ...
.
For several years Sikhs found refuge in the jungles and the
Himalayan foothills until they organized themselves into military bands known as ''
jatha
A Jatha ( Punjabi: ਜੱਥਾ g ਜਥੇ l) is an armed body of Sikhs. They have existed in Sikh tradition since the beginning of the Khalsa (Sikh community) in 1699 CE. A Jatha basically means a group of people.
The Damdami Taksal Jatha
...
s''.
List of misls
Military
![NORTHERN INDIA 1780 by hellbat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/NORTHERN_INDIA_1780_by_hellbat.jpg)
Each Misl was made up of members of soldiers, whose loyalty was given to the Misl's leader. A Misl could be composed of a few hundred to tens of thousands of soldiers. Any soldier was free to join whichever Misl he wished, and was free to cancel his membership of the Misl to whom he belonged. He could, if he wanted, cancel his membership of his old Misl and join another. The Barons would allow their armies to combine or coordinate their defences together against a hostile force if ordered by the Misldar Supreme Commander. These orders were only issued in military matters affecting the whole
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
community. These orders would normally be related to defense against external threats, such as Afghan military attacks. The profits of a fighting action were divided by the misls to individuals based on the service rendered after the conflict using the
sardari system The Sardari system () refers to the panchayat system used in the city of Dhaka (present-day Bangladesh) from the second half of the nineteenth century. The system developed during under the Nawabs of Dhaka. In this state-recognised practice, a five ...
.
The Sikh Confederacy is a description of the
political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
structure, of how all the Barons' Kingdoms interacted with each other
politically
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
together in
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
. Although misls varied in strength, the use of primarily
light cavalry with a smaller amount
heavy cavalry
Heavy cavalry was a class of cavalry intended to deliver a battlefield charge and also to act as a Military reserve, tactical reserve; they are also often termed ''shock cavalry''. Although their equipment differed greatly depending on the re ...
was uniform throughout all of the Sikh misls. Cavalrymen in a misl were required to supply their own horses and equipment.
A standard cavalryman was armed with a
spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fasten ...
,
matchlock
A matchlock or firelock is a historical type of firearm wherein the gunpowder is ignited by a burning piece of rope that is touched to the gunpowder by a mechanism that the musketeer activates by pulling a lever or trigger with his finger. Before ...
, and
scimitar
A scimitar ( or ) is a single-edged sword with a convex curved blade associated with Middle Eastern, South Asian, or North African cultures. A European term, ''scimitar'' does not refer to one specific sword type, but an assortment of different ...
.
How the armies of the Sikh misls received payment varied with the leadership of each misl. The most prevalent system of payment was the 'Fasalandari' system; soldiers would receive payment every six months at the end of a
harvest.
Cavalry tactics
Fauja Singh considers the Sikh misls to be
guerrilla armies, although he notes that the Sikh misls generally had greater numbers and a larger number of
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
pieces than a guerrilla army would.
The misls were primarily cavalry based armies and employed less artillery than
Mughal or
Maratha
The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...
armies. The misls adapted their tactics to their strength in cavalry and weakness in artillery and avoided pitched battles. Misls organized their armies around bodies of horsemen and their units fought battles in a series of skirmishes, a tactic which gave them an advantage over fighting pitched battles. Bodies of cavalry would attack a position, retreat, reload their muskets, and return to attack it again. The tactics used by misl field armies include
flanking
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver is a movement of an armed force around an enemy force's side, or flank, to achieve an advantageous position over it. Flanking is useful because a force's fighting strength is typically concentrated i ...
an enemy, obstructing river passages, cutting off a unit from its supplies, intercepting messengers, attacking isolated units like foraging parties, employing
hit-and-run tactics
Hit-and-run tactics are a tactical doctrine of using short surprise attacks, withdrawing before the enemy can respond in force, and constantly maneuvering to avoid full engagement with the enemy. The purpose is not to decisively defeat the en ...
, overrunning camps, and attacking
baggage train
''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...
s. To fight large armies the misl would completely evacuate the areas in front of the enemy's marching route but follow in the rear of the opposition and reconquer areas the enemy had just captured, threaten agents of the enemy with retribution, and sweep over the countryside in the wake of the enemy's withdrawal.
The ''Running Skirmish'' was a tactic unique to the Sikh cavalrymen which was notable for its effectiveness and the high degree of skill required to execute it.
George Thomas and George Forster, contemporary writers who witnessed it described its use separately in their accounts of the military of the Sikhs. George Forster noted:
"A party from forty to fifty, advance in a quick pace to a distance of carbine shot from the enemy and then, that the fire may be given with the greatest certainty, the horses are drawn up and their pieces discharged, when speedily, retiring about a 100 paces, they load and repeat the same mode of annoying the enemy. Their horses have been so expertly trained to a performance of this operation that on receiving a stroke of hand, they stop from a full canter."
Administration
![Sikh Misldars holding a conference](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Sikh_Misldars_holding_a_conference.jpg)
The Sikh Misls had four different classes of administrative divisions. The patadari, misaldari, tabadari, and jagirdari were the different systems of
land tenure
In common law systems, land tenure, from the French verb "tenir" means "to hold", is the legal regime in which land owned by an individual is possessed by someone else who is said to "hold" the land, based on an agreement between both individual ...
used by the misls, and land granted by the misl left the responsibility of establishing law and order to the owner of the land. The land under the direct administration of the chief of the misl was known as the ''sardari'' and the tabadari and jagirdari systems used land directly given by the chief from the sardari. The patadari and misaldari systems formed the basis of a misl, while tabadari and jagirdari lands would only be created after large acquisitions of land. The type of system that was used in an area depended on the importance of the chief
sardar
Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been u ...
of the area to the rest of the misl.
The ''Patadari system'' affected newly annexed territories and was the original method used by the misls in administrating land. The patadari system relied on the cooperation of surkundas, the rank of a leader of a small party of
cavalrymen
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...
. The chief of the misl would take his/her portion and divide the other parcels among his
Sardar
Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been u ...
s proportional to the number of
cavalrymen
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...
they had contributed to the misl.
The Sardars would then divide their parcels among their Surkundas, and then the Surkundas subdivided the land they received among their individual cavalrymen. The Surkundas receiving parcels of land with settlements were required to fortify them and establish fines and laws for their
zamindar
A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
s and
ryot
Ryot (alternatives: raiyat, rait or ravat) was a general economic term used throughout India for peasant cultivators but with variations in different provinces. While zamindars were landlords, raiyats were tenants and cultivators, and served as hi ...
s. Parcels of land in the patadari system could not be sold, but could be given to relatives in an
inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, Title (property), titles, debts, entitlements, Privilege (law), privileges, rights, and Law of obligations, obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ ...
.
The soldiers who received parcels from the Patadari system held their land in complete freedom.
The ''Misaldari system'' applied to sardars with a small number of cavalrymen as well as independent bodies of cavalrymen who voluntarily attached themselves to a misl.
They kept the lands they held before joining the misl as an allotment for their cooperation with the misl. The leaders of these groups, called misaldars, could transfer their allegiance and land to another misl without punishment.
The ''Tabadari system'' referred to land under the control of a misl's tabadars. Tabadars served a similar function to retainers in Europe. They were required to serve as cavalrymen to the misl and were subservient to the misl's leader. Although tabadars received their land as a reward, their ownership was subject entirely on the misl's leader.
The tabadari grants were only hereditary on the choice of the chief of the misl.
The ''Jagirdari system'' used the grant of
jagir
A jagir ( fa, , translit=Jāgir), also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar (Zamindar) system. It developed during the Islamic rule era of the Indian subcontinent, start ...
s by the chief of the misl.
Jagir
A jagir ( fa, , translit=Jāgir), also spelled as jageer, was a type of feudal land grant in the Indian subcontinent at the foundation of its Jagirdar (Zamindar) system. It developed during the Islamic rule era of the Indian subcontinent, start ...
s were given by the chief of the misl to relations, dependents, and people who "deserved well".
The owners of jagirs were subservient to the chief of the misl as their ownership was subject to his/her needs. Like the Tabadars, jagirdars were subject to personal service when the chief of the misl requested.
However, because jagirs entailed more land and profit, they were required to use the money generated by their jagirs to equip and mount a quota of
cavalrymen
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...
depending on the size of their jagir.
Jagirdari grants were hereditary in practice but a misl's chief could revoke the rights of the heir. Upon the death of the owner of a tabadari or jagadari grant, the land would revert to direct control of the chief (sardari).
Territory
![NORTHERN INDIA 1780 by hellbat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/NORTHERN_INDIA_1780_by_hellbat.jpg)
The two main divisions in territory between the misls were between those who were in the
Malwa
Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syno ...
region and those who were in the
Majha
Majha (Punjabi: ਮਾਝਾ (Gurmukhi), (Shahmukhi); ''Mājhā'') is a region located in the central parts of the historical Punjab region split between India and Pakistan. It extends north from the right banks of the river Beas, and reaches ...
region. While eleven of the misls were north of the
Sutlej river, one, the
Phulkian Misl
Phulkian Misl was a Sikh misl named after Choudhary Phul Singh. Maharaja Ala Singh, Maharaja Amar Singh, Raja Sahib Singh, Raja Gajpat Singh, Maharaja Hamir Singh all are rulers of Phulkian misl (Bhadaur Barnala, Sangrur). It was a Kshatriya ...
was south of the Sutlej.
The Sikhs north of the Sutlej river were known as the
Majha
Majha (Punjabi: ਮਾਝਾ (Gurmukhi), (Shahmukhi); ''Mājhā'') is a region located in the central parts of the historical Punjab region split between India and Pakistan. It extends north from the right banks of the river Beas, and reaches ...
Sikhs while the Sikhs that lived south of the
Sutlej river were known as the
Malwa
Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syno ...
Sikhs.
In the smaller territories were the Dhanigeb Singhs in the
Sind Sagar Doab, the Gujrat Singhs in the
Jech Doab
Chaj Doab ( pa, ) can be classified as one of the main regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Punjab historically has been divided into regions based on its various rivers, since the name Punjab is based on its five main rivers. The Chaj doab includes the ...
, the Dharpi Singhs in the
Rechna Doab
Rachna Doab ( pa, ) can be classified as one of the main regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Punjab historically has been divided into regions based on its various rivers, since the name Punjab is based on its five main rivers. Rachna doab includes a ...
, and the Doaba Singhs in the
Jalandhar Doab
Doaba also known as Bist Doab, is the region of Punjab, India that lies between the Beas River and the Sutlej River. People of this region are given the demonym "Doabia". The dialect of Punjabi spoken in Doaba is called "Doabi". T ...
.
Sikh women in state affairs
* Mai Fateh Kaur (d.1773) of Patiala Sikh dynasty
* Mai
Desan Kaur
Sardarni Desan Kaur Waraich (1740 – 1794), also known as Mai Desan was the regent of the Sukerchakia Misl during the minority of her son from 1770. She was the wife of Sardar Charat Singh and the mother of Sardar Maha Singh. Her grandson, Mahara ...
(d.1778) of Sukerchakia Sikh Misl
* Bibi Rajinder Kaur (1739–1791) of Patiala Sikh dynasty
* Mai Sukkhan Kaur (r.1802) of Bhangi Sikh Misl
* Mai Lachhmi Kaur of Bhangi Sikh Misl
*
Rani Sada Kaur
Rani Sada Kaur (Punjabi: ਸਦਾ ਕੌਰ; 1762 – 1832) was a Sikh leader. She served as the Chief of the Kanhaiya Misl from 1789 to 1821, following the death of her husband Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya, the heir to Jai Singh Kanhaiya, the lead ...
(1762–1832) of Kanhaiya Sikh Misl
* Bibi Rattan Kaur of Dallewalia Sikh Misl
* Mai
Karmo Kaur
Sardarni Karmo Kaur was the wife of Ran Singh Nakai,the third ruler of the Nakai Misl. She served as the regent of the Nakai Misl during the reign of her sons, Bhagwan Singh and Gyan Singh. Being the mother of Maharani Datar Kaur, she was the mot ...
of Nakai Sikh Misl
* Bibi Sahib Kaur (1771–1801) of Patiala Sikh dynasty
*
Maharani Datar Kaur
Maharani Datar Kaur (born Bibi Raj Kaur Nakai; (c. 1784– 20 June 1838) was the queen consort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire and the mother of his successor, Maharaja Kharak Singh. She was the daughter of Sardar Ran ...
of Sikh Empire (maiden name Raj Kaur of Nakai Misl) (1784–1838)
* Rani Aus Kaur (1772–1821) of Patiala Sikh dynasty
*
Maharani Jind Kaur
Maharani Jind Kaur ( – 1 August 1863) was regent of the Sikh Empire from 1843 until 1846. She was the youngest wife of the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Ranjit Singh, and the mother of the last Maharaja, Duleep Singh. She was renowned fo ...
(1817–1863) of Sikh Empire
* Bibi Daya Kaur (d.1823) of Nishanwalia Sikh Misl
* Rani Desa Kaur Nabha of Nabha Sikh dynasty
*
Bibi Khem Kaur Dhillon
Maharani Khem Kaur Dhillon ( Punjabi ਬੀਬੀ ਖੇਮ ਕੌਰ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ) was a Sikh queen and the second wife of Maharaja Kharak Singh, the second Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.
She was the daughter of Jodh Singh Kalalvala and g ...
Of Sikh Empire
*
Maharani Chand Kaur
Chand Kaur (1802 – 11 June 1842) was fourth ruler of the Sikh Empire, proclaimed as Malika Muqaddisa on 2 December 1840. She was born to Sardar Jaimal Singh of the Kanhaiya Misl. In 1812, she was married to Crown Prince Kharak Singh, son and ...
(1802–1842) of Sikh Empire
Battles fought by Sikhs
#
Battle of Rohilla
The Battle of Rohilla was a 1621 campaign by the Mughal Empire against the growing influence of the Sikhs. Because of historic persecution from the Mughal Empire and the martyrdom of the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Arjan (Also Guru Hargobind ...
#
Battle of Kartarpur
The Battle of Kartarpur occurred on 25 April 1635 It started when the Mughal Empire attacked the town of Kartarpur, and was the last major battle of the Mughal-Sikh Wars during Guru Hargobind's period of Guruship.The Mughal force was repulsed ...
#
Battle of Amritsar (1634)
The Battle of Amritsar was a campaign by Mukhlis Khan against Guru Hargobind and the Sikhs on 14 April 1634. The battle took place over two days and was a result of increasing tensions between the Mughal government and Guru Hargobind.
Backgrou ...
#
Battle of Lahira
The Battle of Lahira was fought between Mughal Empire and Sikhs in 1634.
Battle
Guru Hargobind's popularity became a cause of the tension between Sikhs and Mughals. The concerned Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, sent his two generals, Husein Mirz ...
#
Battle of Bhangani
The Battle of Bhangani ( pa, ਭੰਗਾਣੀ ਦਾ ਯੁੱਧ) was fought between Guru Gobind Singh's army and Bhim Chand (Kahlur) of Bilaspur on 18 September 1686, at Bhangani near Paonta Sahib.Rajput Rajas of Shivalik Hills particip ...
#
Battle of Nadaun
The Battle of Nadaun was fought at Nadaun, between Raja Bhim Chand Chandel of Bilaspur (Kahlur) and the Mughals under Alif Khan. Raja Bhim Chand Chandel was supported by Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Sikh Guru) and the Mughals were supported ...
#
Battle of Guler (1696)
The Battle of Guler was fought between forces led by Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and Mughal forces aided by the Rajas of the Sivalik Hills.
Background and Battle
In an expedition against Guru Gobind Singh, Rustom khan failed and he returned in sh ...
#
Battle of Basoli
The Battle of Basoli was fought between the Mughal Empire and the Sikhs. The Mughal Army was defeated in the bloody Battle of Nirmohgarh (1702) earlier in the year. After the battle, Sikh Guru Gobind Singh moved to Basoli where the combined for ...
#
First Battle of Anandpur
The Battle of Anandpur was fought at Anandpur, between the armies of the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh and the Mughal forces aided by the Nawab of Bahawalpur state, Rajas of the Sivalik Hills. Cause
The increasing power of Guru Gobind Singh, and his ...
#
Battle of Nirmohgarh (1702)
The Battle of Nirmohgarh was fought between Sikhs and the Mughal Empire in 1702.
Background
The Imperial Mughal Army was defeated in the bloody Battle of Anandpur (1700). After hearing the news about the defeat of the Mughal Army in the battle ...
#
Second Battle of Anandpur
The Second Battle of Anandpur (1704) (''anadapura dī dūjī laṛā'ī sāla satārāṁ sau cāra''), also known as the Siege of Anandpur (''anadapura dī ghērābadī''), was fought at Anandpur, between Sikhs and the Mughal generals Wazir K ...
#
Second Battle of Chamkaur (1704)
#
Battle of Muktsar
The Battle of Sri Muktsar Sahib (Muktsar) or Battle of Khidrāne Dee Dhāb took place on 29 December 1705, (29 Poh) following the siege of Anandpur Sahib. In 1704, Anandpur Sahib was under an extended siege by the allied forces of the Mugha ...
#
Battle of Sonepat
#
Battle of Ambala
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
#
Battle of Samana
The Battle of Samana was fought between Banda Singh Bahadur and the Mughal Government of Samana in 1709. Following the battle, Banda Singh Bahadur shook the administration of Delhi.
Background
Samana was a town where executioners Sayyed Jalal ...
#
Battle of Chappar Chiri
#
Battle of Sadhaura
#
Battle of Rahon (1710)
The Battle of Rahon was fought between Sikhs and Mughal Empire on 11 October 1710.
Background
Banda Singh Bahadur captured almost half Punjab, east of Lahore and became the master of a region in eastern Punjab from river Indus to Satluj. Thi ...
#
Battle of Lohgarh
The Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah's army moved towards Lohgarh where they engaged with the Sikhs to capture the fort on 16 December 1710.
Battle
Bahadur Shah had planned to advance upon Banda's stronghold at Lohgarh, however reports of Banda's ...
#
Battle of Jammu
The Battle of Jammu was fought between the Sikhs under the command of Banda Singh Bahadur against the Mughal forces near the hills of Jammu on January 22, 1712. The Mughals were able to achieve victory against the Sikhs.
Background
After t ...
#
Battle of Jalalabad (1710)
The Battle of Jalalabad occurred in 1710 between the Mughal forces of Jalal Khan and the Sikh forces of Banda Singh Bahadur. Banda Singh Bahadur attacked the Mughal stronghold of Jalalabad. The army opposing Banda Singh was composed of a sizea ...
#
Siege of Gurdaspur
The siege of Gurdaspur was a major campaign of the new Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar in present-day India in 1715.
Aftermath
Banda and his followers were captured alive and then taken to Delhi and executed under the orders of Mughal Emperor Farrukh ...
or
Battle of Gurdas Nangal
The Battle of Gurdas Nangal was a battle that took place in April 1715 between the Sikhs, led by Banda Singh Bahadur, and the Mughals, led by Abd al-Samad Khan. Banda at that time was carrying out operations and small raids to the north of Amrit ...
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Battle of Manupur (1748)
The Battle of Manupur was fought between the Mughal Empire and the Durrani Empire in March 1748 near Sirhind which ended in victory for the Mughal Empire, Mughals.
Background
Following the assassination of Nader Shah, last Emperor of the Persian ...
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Battle of Amritsar (1757)
The Battle of Amritsar, also known as the Battle of Gohalwar, was fought between Durrani Empire and Shaheedan Misl of Dal Khalsa on 11 November 1757.
The Battle
Ahmad Shah Durrani had finished raiding Hindustan and was returning to Afghanis ...
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Battle of Lahore (1759)
The Battle of Lahore was fought between the Durrani Empire and the Maratha Empire, who were assisted by the forces of the local Sikh Misls such as the Sukerchakia Misl and the Ahluwalia Misl of the Punjab in 1759.
Background and battle
Ahmad ...
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Battle of Sialkot (1761)
The Battle of Sialkot was fought between Durrani Empire and Sukerchakia Misl of Dal Khalsa in 1761.
Background
Ahmad Shah Durrani raided India and defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat like he defeated them at Bararighat and Sika ...
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Battle of Gujranwala (1761)
The Battle of Gujranwala was fought between the Durrani Empire and the Sikh Confederacy in September 1761.
Battle
Ahmad Shah Durrani raided India in 1761 and defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat in January 1761. He then returned ...
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Sikh Occupation of Lahore
The Siege of Lahore took place in 1761 when the Sikhs besieged Lahore and captured it after facing no opposition from Durrani forces.
Background
After victory in the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmad Shah Durrani sent General Nuruddin with 12,00 ...
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Sikh holocaust of 1762
Vadda Ghalughara ( pa, ਵੱਡਾ ਘੱਲੂਘਾਰਾ, translit=ʋəɖɖɑ kə̀lːuɡɑ̀ɾɑ, lit=Greater Massacre) was the mass murder of unarmed Sikhs by the Afghan forces of the Durrani Empire during the years of Afghan influence in t ...
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Battle of Kup
The Battle of Kup was fought on 5 February 1762, between the Afghan forces of Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Sikhs, under the command of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Charat Singh. Ahmad Shah Durrani with around 40,000 Soldiers reached Malerkotla, west ...
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Battle of Harnaulgarh
The Battle of Harnaulgarh was fought between the Durrani Empire and the Sikh Misls of Dal Khalsa in 1762.
Battle
The Sikhs assembled on May 1762 and plundered the baggage of the Mughal governor of Sirhind, Zain Khan Sirhindi. The Sikh forces ...
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Battle of Amritsar (1762) Battle of Amritsar may refer to:
* Battle of Amritsar (1634)
* Battle of Amritsar (1757)
The Battle of Amritsar, also known as the Battle of Gohalwar, was fought between Durrani Empire and Shaheedan Misl of Dal Khalsa on 11 November 1757.
T ...
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Battle of Sialkot (1763)
The Battle of Sialkot took place on 12 November 1763, between the Durrani Empire, led by Jahan Khan, and the Sukerchakia Misl, led by Charat Singh, as part of the Afghan-Sikh wars which concluded with Sikh victory.
Background
During the battle ...
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Battle of Sirhind (1764)
The battle of Sirhind was fought between Durrani Empire and Sikh Misls on 14 January 1764.
Battle
Ahmad Shah Durrani returned to Afghanistan after appointing Zain Khan Sirhindi as the Governor of Sirhind. Zain Khan Sirhindi, the Afghan Governo ...
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Battle of Delhi (1783)
The Battle of Delhi was fought between Khalsa Sikhs and the Mughal Empire in 1783.
Background and battle
The Sikhs under Baghel Singh, leader of the Karorsinghia Misl, began raiding and plundering the outskirts of Delhi in 1764. In April 1782, ...
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Battle of Amritsar(1797) Battle of Amritsar may refer to:
* Battle of Amritsar (1634)
The Battle of Amritsar was a campaign by Mukhlis Khan against Guru Hargobind and the Sikhs on 14 April 1634. The battle took place over two days and was a result of increasing tensio ...
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Gurkha-Sikh War
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Battles of Sialkot
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Battle of Jammu (1808)
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Battle of Attock
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Battle of Multan
The siege of Multan began in March 1818 and lasted until 2 June 1818 as part of the Afghan–Sikh Wars, and saw the Sikh Empire capture the city of Multan (in modern-day Pakistan) from the Durrani Empire.
Background
After he was defeated at ...
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Battle of Shopian
The Battle of Shopian took place on 3 July 1819 between an expeditionary force from the Sikh Empire and Jabbar Khan, the governor of the Kashmir Valley province of the Durrani Empire. It was the decisive battle during the Sikh expedition into K ...
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Battle of Balakot
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Battle of Peshawar (1834)
The Battle of Peshawar took place on May 6, 1834, between the Sikh Empire and the Peshawar Sardars, who was ruled by Sultan Mohammad Khan after being deposed by his brother, Dost Mohammad Khan, from his rule in Kabul. Following the collapse ...
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Battle of Jamrud
The Battle of Jamrud was fought between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the Sikh Empire on 30 April 1837. It was the last effort made by Emir Dost Mohammad Khan to recapture the former Afghan winter capital of Peshawar. Afghan forces confronted the ...
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Sino-Sikh War
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Battle of Mudki
The Battle of Mudki was fought on 18 December 1845, between the forces of the East India Company and part of the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The British army won an untidy encounter battle, suffering heavy casu ...
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Battle of Ferozeshah
The Battle of Ferozeshah was fought on 21 December and 22 December 1845 between the British East India Company and the Sikh Empire, at the village of Ferozeshah in Punjab. The British were led by Sir Hugh Gough and Governor-General Sir Henry Har ...
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Battle of Baddowal
The Battle of Baddowal was an attack in 1846 by troops of the Sikh Empire on a contingent of the British East India Company near Ludhiana in the present-day state of Punjab, India.
The Battle
After the Sikh army was defeated in the Battle of Mu ...
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Battle of Aliwal
The Battle of Aliwal was fought on 28 January 1846 between the British and Sikh forces in northern India (now Punjab). The British were led by Sir Harry Smith,Smith, Sir Harry. ‘'The Autobiography of Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith Bar ...
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Battle of Sobraon
The Battle of Sobraon was fought on 10 February 1846, between the forces of the East India Company and the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The Sikhs were completely defeated, making this the decisive battle of th ...
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Battle of Chillianwala
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Battle of Ramnagar
The Battle of Ramnagar (sometimes referred to as the Battle of Rumnuggur) was fought on 22 November 1848 between British East India Company and Sikh Empire forces during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. The British were led by Sir Hugh Gough, while t ...
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Siege of Multan
The siege of Multan began on 19 April 1848 and lasted until 22 January 1849, and saw fighting around Multan (in present-day Pakistan) between the British East India Company and the Sikh Empire. It began with a rebellion against a ruler imposed ...
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Battle of Gujrat
The Battle of Gujrat was a decisive battle in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, fought on 21 February 1849, between the forces of the East India Company, and a Sikh army in rebellion against the company's control of the Sikh Empire, represented by ...
See also
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History of Punjab
The History of Punjab refers to the past human history of Punjab region which is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent, comprising eastern Pakistan and Punjab state in India. It is believe ...
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Jat Mahasabha
Akhil Bhartiya JAT Mahasabha ( hi, अखिल भारतीय जाट महासभा) or ( hi, अखिल भारतीय जाट महासभा) is an organization of Jats in India. The organization was created to raise aw ...
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Khap
A Khap is a community organisation representing a clan or a group of North Indian castes or clans. They are found mostly in northern India, particularly among the Jat people of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, but also amongst other states like Raj ...
Bibliography
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* Ahmad Shah Batalia, Appendix to Sohan Lal Suri's Umdat-ut-Tawarikh. Daftar I, Lahore, 1X85, p. 15; Bute Shahs Tawarikh-i-Punjab, Daftar IV, (1848), (MS., Ganda Singh's personal collection. Patiala), p. 6; Kanaihya Lal, Tarikh-i-Punjab, Lahore, 1877, p. 88; Ali-ud-Din Mufti, Ibratnama, Vol. I, (1854), Lahore, 1961, p. 244. Muhammad Latif, History of the Punjab (1891), Delhi, 1964, p. 296.
* Ian Heath, ''The Sikh Army, 1799–1849 (Men-at-arms),'' Osprey (2005)
* Harbans Singh, ''The Heritage of the Sikhs,'' second rev. ed., Manohar (1994)
* Hari Ram Gupta, ''History of the Sikhs: Sikh Domination of the Mughal Empire, 1764–1803,'' second ed., Munshiram Manoharlal (2000)
* Hari Ram Gupta, ''History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls,'' rev. ed., Munshiram Manoharlal (2001)
* Gian Singh, Tawarikh Guru Khalsa, (ed. 1970), p. 261.
Notes
References
{{Sikhism
History of Sikhism
Sikh Empire
Sikh warriors