The Anglo-French Struggle for Supremacy: the Carnatic Wars, Causes for the English Success and the French Failure.
Immediate Cause of Rebellion. Offensive and Support. Retreat and Further Conflict. Resolution and Aftermath. Role of Nur JahanEarly Life and Marriage.
Family Influence and Political Rise. Role in Governance and Administration. Cultural Contributions and Legacy. Relationship with Jahangir and Shah JahanPolitical
and Administrative Developments. Jahangir's Reign and Challenges. Nur Jahan's Influence and Succession Issues.
After the murder of the last Sikh guru, Guru Govind Singh, a section of Sikhs under the leadership of Banda Bahadur revolted against the Mughals during the rule of Bahadur Shah.
In 1715, Banda Bahadur was defeated by Farrukhsiyar and put to death in 1716.
Thus the Sikh polity, once again, became leaderless and later got divided into two groups—Bandai (liberal) and Tat Khalsa (Orthodox).
This rift among the followers ended in 1721 under the influence of Bhai Mani Singh.
Later in 1784 Kapur Singh Faizullapuria organised the Sikhs under Dal Khalsa, with the objective of uniting followers of Sikhism, politically, culturally and economically.
The whole body of the Khalsa was formed into two sections—Budha Dal, the army of the veterans, and Taruna Dal, the army of the young.
The weakness of the Mughals and invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali created a general confusion and anarchy in Punjab.
These political conditions helped the organised Dal Khalsa to consolidate further.
The Sikhs consolidated in misls which were military brotherhoods with a democratic set-up.
Misl is an Arabic word which means equal or alike. Another meaning of Misl is State.
During the period, 1763 to 1773, many misls started to rule the Punjab region under Sikh chieftains, from Saharanpur in the east to Attock in the west, from the mountainous regions of the north to Multan in the south.
At the time of the birth of Ranjit Singh (November 2, 1780), there were 12 important misls—Ahluwaliya, Bhangi, Dallewalia, Faizullapuria, Kanhaiya, Krorasinghia, Nakkai, Nishaniya, Phulakiya, Ramgarhiya Sukharchakiya, and Shaheed.
The central administration of a misl was based on Gurumatta Sangh which was essentially a political, social and economic system.
Ranjit Singh was the son of Mahan Singh, the leader of the Sukarchakiya misl.
Mahan Singh died when Ranjit Singh was only 12 years old.
But Ranjit Singh showed an early acumen at political affairs.
Towards the close of the 18th century, all the important misls (except Sukarchakiya) were in a state of disintegration.
Afghanistan was also engulfed in a civil war due to a power struggle which went on for the next three decades.
These events in the neighboring regions were fully exploited by Ranjit Singh who followed a ruthless policy of ‘blood and iron’ and carved out for himself a kingdom in the central Punjab.
In 1799, Ranjit Singh was appointed as the governor of Lahore by Zaman Shah, the ruler of Afghanistan.
In 1805, Ranjit Singh acquired Jammu and Amritsar and thus the political capital (Lahore) and religious capital (Amritsar) of Punjab came under the rule of Ranjit Singh.
He also maintained good relations with the Dogras and the Nepalese and enlisted them in his army.
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