ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SHER SI&#7748GH MAH&#256R&#256J&#256 (1807-1843)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="SHER,SIDGH,MAHRJ,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279SHER SI&#7748GH, MAH&#256R&#256J&#256 (1807-1843), Sikh sovereign of the Punjab from January 1841 until his death in September 1843, was the son of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, born on 4 December 1807 to Mahit&#257b Kaur, the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257's first wife. Sher Si&#7749gh grew up into a handsome, broad-chested young man. His soldierly mien made him popular with the army. He loved hunting and hawking, and devoted attention to cultivating European interests and hobbies in the company of foreigners serving at the Sikh court. In 1820, Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh conferred upon him civil and military honours and the privilege of sitting on a chair in the Darb&#257r. Sher Si&#7749gh took part in many of the campaigns undertaken by the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 for the expansion of his kingdom. In May 1831, he defeated at B&#257l&#257ko&#7789, in Haz&#257r&#257 district, the turbulent Sayyid Ahmad Barelv&#299 who had started a <i>Jih&#257d</i> against the Sikh rule. From 1831 to 1834 he acted as governor of the province of Kashm&#299r. He was one of the army commanders who led in 1834 forces in Pesh&#257war and who finally seized the city from the Af<u>gh</u>&#257ns.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the political vacuum created by the deaths in November 1840 successively of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh and his son Ka&#7749var Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh, Sher Si&#7749gh staked his claim to the throne of the Punjab. Another major contestant was R&#257&#7751&#299 Chand Kaur, Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh's widow, who sent for Gul&#257b Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257 from Jamm&#363 to counteract the influence of his brother, R&#257j&#257 Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh, who had declared support for Sher Si&#7749gh. Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh suggested several compromises. Chand Kaur could marry Sher Si&#7749gh or, being childless could adopt Sher Si&#7749gh's son Part&#257p Si&#7749gh as her son. However, Chand Kaur asserted that Nau Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh's widow was pregnant and might give birth to a rightful successor. Ultimately an arrangement was arrived at under which Chand Kaur was to act as regent for her expected grandson, while Sher Si&#7749gh would function as vice-regent and head of the council of regency, and Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh as the principal minister. But the triumvirate failed to work in unison. A few days later, two powerful Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 Sard&#257rs, Atar Si&#7749gh and Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh, collaterals of the royal contenders for the throne, arrived in Lahore and took over control. On 2 December 1840, Chand Kaur was proclaimed Mah&#257r&#257&#7751&#299 of the Punjab, with the title of Malik&#257 Muqaddas&#257, empress immaculate. The next day Sher Si&#7749gh left Lahore for his estate in Ba&#7789&#257l&#257. A month later, Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257 too was compelled to quit the capital, and Chand Kaur and the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257s gained complete control of the administration.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sher Si&#7749gh still had the support of the army and most of the crack regiments had gone over to his side. The European officers were with him, too. In January 1841, he arrived in Lahore at the head of a considerable force. Chand Kaur appointed Gul&#257b Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257 as commander-in-chief and charged him with the task of defending the city. She cleared the soldiers' arrears of pay for four months, and lavished presents of gold bangles, necklaces and shawls on the officers. She issued orders to the city's bankers forbidding them to lend money to Sher Si&#7749gh. But the situation turned decisively in favour of Sher Si&#7749gh, when regiments stationed outside the city-walls joined him in a body. He finally had with him 26,000 infantry, 8,000 horse, and 45 guns, whereas Chand Kaur was left with only 5,000 men, a few guns and a limited quantity of gunpowder.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sher Si&#7749gh forced his way into the city, and made a proclamation assuring safety of life and property to the citizens and offering pardon to those who would come over to him. The leading courtiers made their submission and forwarded a joint appeal to Chand Kaur and Gul&#257b Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257 to lay down arms. The Mah&#257r&#257&#7751&#299, however, chose to fight. For two days, Sher Si&#7749gh's artillery shelled the Fort, but with little effect. On the evening of 17 January 1841, Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257 arrived and secured a ceasefire. Chand Kaur was persuaded to accept a <i>j&#257g&#299r</i> and relinquish her claim to the throne. At midnight Gul&#257b Si&#7749gh and his soldiers evacuated the Fort, taking with them all the State's hoard of gold and jewels. From among the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 supporters of Chand Kaur, Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh fled to seek help from Mr Clerk, British political agent in Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257, and, on his refusal to receive him, he proceeded to Calcutta to see the Governor-General. Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh's uncle, Atar Si&#7749gh, also sought asylum in the British territory.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sher Si&#7749gh occupied the fort and ascended the throne on 20 January 1841, though the formal <i>tilak</i> (anointment) ceremony was performed a week later on 27 January by B&#257b&#257 Bikram Si&#7749gh Bed&#299 of &#362n&#257. His son, Ka&#7749var Part&#257p Si&#7749gh, received a <i><u>Kh</u>ill'</i> at as heir apparent and Dhi&#257n Si&#7749gh &#7692ogr&#257 as Waz&#299r or minister. In the second half of July, Sher Si&#7749gh married the daughter of the R&#257j&#257 of Suket. Known in the palace as R&#257&#7751&#299 Dukno, she earned fame as one of the most beautiful women of her time. The match was made on the recommendation of Lahi&#7751&#257 Si&#7749gh Maj&#299&#7789h&#299&#257 who conducted the preparatory negotiations.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sher Si&#7749gh forbore from taking any reprisals and treated generously even those who had opposed him. Through a proclamation by the beat of drum, he assured the people of Lahore peace and security. The army was warned not to molest the citizens in any manner, and the commanders were cautioned to exercise maximum vigilance to this end. But since the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 was not able to redeem his promises of rewards to the troops, they went berserk, killing regimental accountants and officers, who they suspected of having embezzled their wages or having dealings with the English, and plundering the city. As the prestige of the Darb&#257r declined, the men of the army arose to have their voice heard in matters of state. The one institution with which they were familiar was the <i>pañch&#257yat</i> --- the council of elders which regulated the affairs in their villages. The system was imported into the army, and each regiment began to elect its own <i>pañches</i> whose duty was to deliberate on the orders of the commanding officer and then to make their recommendations to the men. This seriously affected discipline in the army.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The British from across the border might have intervened in the affairs of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh's administration, but were prevented from doing so by a sudden turn of events in Afghanistan which the British had occupied earlier with the active help of the Sikhs under the Tripartite Treaty of 1838, placing Sh&#257h Shuj&#257' on the throne of K&#257bul. In a bloody rising in K&#257bul in the autumn of 1841, Sh&#257h Shuj&#257' was murdered and the British army of occupation annihilated. For the recovery of Afghanistan, Lord Ellenborough, the governor-general, sought (spring 1842) the co-operation of the Sikhs. Reassured that the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 refugees in the British territory would not be allowed to disturb his reign, Sher Si&#7749gh was persuaded to assist. The purchase of grain and hire of carriage cattle in the Punjab were facilitated, and a division of 5,000 Sikhs helped force the <u>Kh</u>aibar Pass. Sher Si&#7749gh allowed Dost Muhammad <u>Kh</u>&#257n, with whom the Sikhs had crossed swords in many a battle and whom the British were escorting to K&#257bul for installation as the new king. The Lahore Darb&#257r signed a separate treaty with Dost Muhammad <u>Kh</u>&#257n as the Am&#299r of Afghanistan.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A notable event during Sher Si&#7749gh's reign was the conquest of the Lad&#257kh valley which was strategically very important and which made the frontier secure against the expanding influence of China. A Sikh expedition under the &#7692ogr&#257 general, Zor&#257war Si&#7749gh, marched towards Tibet. Garo and Rudok were occupied and the Lh&#257s&#257 armies attacked. Although the expedition did not make much headway owing to premature snowfall and difficult and unfamiliar terrain, a treaty of peace was signed on 17 September 1842 between the representative of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Darb&#257r and the representative of the Chinese emperor. It was agreed that the traditional boundaries of Lad&#257kh and Tibet would be considered inviolable by both parties and trade, particularly of tea and <i>pashm&#299n&#257</i> wool, would, as in the past, pass through Lad&#257kh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In March 1842, Mr Clerk of the Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 political agency had led a diplomatic mission to Amritsar to condole with Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh on the death of his predecessor and congratulate him upon his accession. He also took the opportunity of interceding on behalf of the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257s, Atar Si&#7749gh and Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh, who had formally sought the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257's permission for returning to the Punjab. In September 1842 a letter was received from Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh announcing "his intention to come to Lahore for presenting himself before the Sh&#257hz&#257d&#257 (Sher Si&#7749gh)." Sher Si&#7749gh gave his approval for the return of the fugitives. B&#257b&#257 Bikram Si&#7749gh of &#362n&#257 placed them under solemn oaths. On his standing surety for them, Sher Si&#7749gh pardoned them. Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh arrived in Lahore on 17 November 1842, followed by Atar Si&#7749gh. Amnesty was also extended to Lahi&#7751&#257 Si&#7749gh Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 and Kehar Si&#7749gh Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 who were released from confinement in the Mukerian Fort.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Although Sher Si&#7749gh had shown magnanimity in allowing Atar Si&#7749gh and Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh to return to the Punjab and to resume their accustomed positions at the court, they were not reconciled to him. Their original nominee for the throne of the Punjab, M&#257&#299 Chand Kaur, whose cause they had persistently espoused even after crossing over to the British territory, was now dead (9 June 1842), yet they continued to nurture a feeling of hostility towards Sher Si&#7749gh. This culminated in a murderous plot. On 15 September 1843, the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 rode out of the city early in the morning, that being a sa&#7749kr&#257nt, the first day of the Bikram&#299 month, there was no <i>darb&#257r</i> for him to attend. He alighted near Tej Si&#7749gh's garden where tents were put up for his son, Ka&#7749var Part&#257p Si&#7749gh. To fulfil the morning's engagement, he moved on the Sh&#257h Bal&#257val where sitting in the <i>b&#257r&#257dar&#299</i> or pleasure house, he witnessed wrestling bouts, with D&#299w&#257n D&#299n&#257 N&#257th and Buddh Si&#7749gh, his armour-bearer, in attendance. After he had dismissed the wrestlers with due charity, the Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 Sard&#257rs, who had followed him with 150 horse and 300 foot, requested him to inspect their troops. Totally without suspicion, Sher Si&#7749gh agreed and came out of the room. After the parade, Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh sought his permission to show him a carbine he had obtained from an Englishman in Calcutta. As the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 who was a great lover of weapons put forth his hands to take hold of the rifle; Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh pressed the triggers and emptied the loaded barrels into his chest. "Oh, Sard&#257r, what deception?" was all the Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 could say as he dropped to the ground dead. Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh rushed forward and cut off his head with a single blow of the sword. The shots that killed Sher Si&#7749gh were a signal for the elder Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257, Lahi&#7751&#257 Si&#7749gh, to pounce upon his 12-years-old son, Part&#257p Si&#7749gh, in the nearby Tej Si&#7749gh garden, and hack off his head.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sher Si&#7749gh was survived by his son Sahdev Si&#7749gh, born to R&#257&#7751&#299 Dukno in 1843, who, after the annexation of the Punjab in 1849, accompanied the deported king, Duleep Si&#7749gh to Fatehga&#7771h in Uttar Pradesh. Descendants of Sahdev Si&#7749gh, his son B&#257sdev Si&#7749gh and daughter Harba&#7749s Kaur (later married to the R&#257&#7751&#257 of Dhaulpur), lived at R&#257e Bareli.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, <i>'Umd&#257t ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>. Lahore, 1885-89<BR> <li class="C1"> Prem Si&#7749gh, B&#257b&#257, <i>Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Sher Si&#7749gh</i>. Ludhiana, 1951<BR> <li class="C1"> Smyth, G. Carmichael, <i>A History of the Reigning Family of Lahore</i>. Calcutta, 1847<BR> <li class="C1"> Cunningham, Joseph Davey, <i>A History of the Sikhs from the Origin of the Nation to the Battles of the Sutlej</i>. London, 1849<BR> <li class="C1"> Osborne, W.G., <i>The Court and Camp of Runjeet Sing</i>. London, 1840<BR> <li class="C1"> Khushwant Singh, <i>A History of the Sikhs</i>, vol.II. Princeton, 1966<BR> <li class="C1"> Chopra, Barkat Rai, <i>Kingdom of the Punjab</i>. Hoshiarpur, 1969<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> <li class="C1"> Hasrat, Bikrama Jit, <i>Anglo-Sikh Relations, 1799-1849</i>. Hoshiarpur, 1968<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">B. J. Hasrat<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>