Afghan–Sikh Wars

The Afghan–Sikh wars were a series of wars between the Islamic Durrani Empire (centred in present-day Afghanistan), and the Sikh Empire (located in the Punjab region). The conflict had its origins stemming from the days of the Dal Khalsa.

Afghan-Sikh Wars
Date First Phase: November 1751 – May 1765 Second Phase: December 1766 – 1799 Third Phase: 1800 – 1839 Location Punjab, Kashmir, Haryana, Pakistan and Afghanistan Result First Phase:Afghans driven from country; Lahore taken by Sikhs[1] Second Phase:Afghan campaign cut short, return home[2] Third Phase:
Belligerents
Durrani Empire (1751-1826) Emirate of Afghanistan (1823-1837) Afghan tribesmen (1751-1837)	Khalsa (1751-1837) Dal Khalsa (1748-1765) Misldar Army (1765-1800) Sikh Empire (1800-1839) Sikh Khalsa Army (1799-1837)
Commanders and leaders
Ahmad Shah Durrani Timur Shah Durrani Mir Mannu Shah Zaman Fateh Khan Dost Muhammad Khan Nawab Muzaffar Khan  † Azim Khan Syed Akbar Shah  † Sultan Mohammad Shah Akbar Khan	Akali Baba Deep Singh  † Nawab Kapur Singh Sardar Tara Singh Ghaiba & Badesha Sardars Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgharia Sardar Hari Singh Bhangi Sardar Charat Singh Sardar Maha Singh Baba Ala Singh Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab Misr Diwan Chand Jarnail Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa  † Sher Singh Sandhanwalia Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh Sardar Sham Singh Sardar Chattar Singh Sardar Sher Singh Kharak Singh Mahan Singh Mirpuri Akali Phula Singh  † Akali Sadhu Singh  † Akali Naina Singh Sardar Lehna Singh Sardar Ranjodh Singh Jean-Francois Allard Jean-Baptiste Ventura Claude Auguste Court

Background

The Sikh Confederacy had effectively achieved independence from the Mughal Empire in 1716, and expanded at its expense in the following decades, despite the Sikh holocaust of 1746. The Afsharid Persian emperor Nader Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire (1738–40) dealt a heavy blow to the Mughals, but after Nader Shah's death in 1747, the Durrani Empire (roughly covering modern Afghanistan and Pakistan) declared its independence from Persia. Four years later, this new Afghan state came into conflict with the Sikh alliance.

First Phase

Second Phase

In 1766, Ahmad Shah Durrani, again invaded India, taking Lahore without a fight.[2] The Sikhs withdrew, resorting to guerilla warfare against the Afghans.[2] Ahmad marched on to Amritsar, massacring the population and destroying the city,[2] however his campaign was short-lived.[2] Faced with unpaid troops and internal strife back home in Kandahar, Ahmad was forced to march back to Afghanistan.[2] Ahmad Shah died in 1776, and by 1799, Sikhs were back in possession of Lahore.[3]

Third Phase

Battle of Attock

Main article: Battle of Attock

Siege of Multan

Main article: Siege of Multan (1818)

Battle of Shopian

Main article: Battle of Shopian

Battle of Nowshera

Main article: Battle of Nowshera

Battle of Jamrud

Main article: Battle of Jamrud

See also

• Battles fought by Sikhs
• Pashtun tribes

References

1. Mehta 2005, p. 303.
2. Dupree 1980, p. 339.
3. Glover 2008, p. 12.

Sources

• Dupree, Louis (1980). Afghanistan. Princeton University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Glover, William J. (2008). Making Lahore Modern: Constructing and Imagining a Colonial City. University of Minnesota Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Mehta, Jaswant Lal (2005). Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813. New Dawn Press, Inc.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)