Sikh Empire: Ranjit Singh and Annexation by British

Introduction

The Sikh Empire (1799-1849), under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was the last major independent kingdom to be annexed by the British East India Company. It represented a unique experiment in secular and inclusive governance — with a multi-ethnic, multi-religious administration — and a formidable modernized military that challenged British supremacy in the Anglo-Sikh Wars.

Background: Rise of the Sikh Confederacy (Misls)

The Misls (1700s)

• After Guru Gobind Singh's death (1708), Sikhs organized into 12 Misls (confederacies)
• Each Misl controlled a territory and was led by a Misladar
• Major Misls: Sukkerchakia (Ranjit Singh's), Bhangi, Kanhaiya, Ramgarhia, Ahluwalia
• The Misls operated through Gurmata (collective decision-making) at Sarbat Khalsa (biannual gatherings)

Political Context

• Afghan invasions (Ahmad Shah Abdali) weakened Mughal authority in Punjab
• Misls consolidated control in the vacuum between the declining Mughals and Afghans
• Intra-Misl rivalries created opportunities for consolidation

Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839)

Early Life and Accession

• Born 1780 (Gujranwala) to Sardar Maha Singh (Sukkerchakia Misl)
• Suffered smallpox at age 2 — lost vision in left eye
• At age 10, became leader of Sukkerchakia Misl after father's death
• 1799: Captured Lahore from Bhangi Misls; proclaimed himself Maharaja (1801)

Coronation (1801)

• Coronation at Lahore (by Baba Sahib Singh Bedi — descendant of Guru Nanak)
• Title: Maharaja of Lahore (not "of Punjab" — symbolic humility)
• Asserted sovereignty but maintained Sikh religious symbols

Territorial Expansion