The Sikh Kingdom and Rise of Sikh Political Power Under Ranjit Singh
Medieval History › Regional Kingdoms · Topic 3.4
Sikh political power grew from a religious movement founded by Guru Nanak. After the execution of Guru Arjun and Guru Tegh Bahadur it became a military brotherhood, the Khalsa, under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, and after the Mughal collapse Ranjit Singh united the Sikh misls and created a kingdom at Lahore that lasted from 1799 to 1849.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Regional Kingdoms
At a Glance
- Khalsa founded 1699, by Guru Gobind Singh
- Guru executed Tegh Bahadur, 1675
- Later leader Banda Singh Bahadur, 1710 to 1716
- Kingdom Ranjit Singh took Lahore in 1799 and was crowned in 1801
- End Annexed by the British in 1849
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Regional Kingdoms
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fourth topic of the category on regional kingdoms. The previous topic covered the Sharqis of Jaunpur, and this topic jumps to the state that arose after the Mughal decline in the Punjab. The next topic covers the Rajput states. Previous topic: Sultanate of Jaunpur (Avadh Region).
How Did the Sikh Movement Become Political?
In short: the Sikh movement turned into a military brotherhood under pressure from the Mughal state, and that brotherhood later built a Sikh kingdom in the Punjab.
There was no clash between the Sikh guru and Aurangzeb until 1675, though there had been some clashes under Shah Jahan. Jahangir had earlier executed Guru Arjun on a charge of helping the rebel prince Khusrau. In 1675 Guru Tegh Bahadur was brought to Delhi and beheaded when he refused to recant his faith. Reasons for Aurangzeb’s action are debated: the guru’s son said he gave his life to defend the Hindu faith after meeting Kashmiri Brahmans, a later tradition links it to oppression in Kashmir, and Persian sources give it as a law-and-order matter. Peasants in conflict with revenue collectors were turning to the guru as a defender against injustice. The execution forced the Sikhs to return to the Punjab hills and led the movement to turn gradually into a military brotherhood.
What Did Guru Gobind Singh Do?
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base | Makhowal or Anandpur in the foothills of the Punjab |
| 1699 | Founded the Khalsa, the military brotherhood |
| Conflict with hill rajas | The rajas first tried to use the guru, then clashed with him; open breach in 1704 when they attacked him at Anandpur |
| Mughal involvement | Aurangzeb asked the Lahore governor and Wazir Khan of Sirhind to help the hill rajas |
| Siege of Anandpur | The guru left the fort on a promise of safe conduct, and Wazir Khan’s forces attacked; two sons were executed at Sirhind and two died in battle |
| After | Retired to Talwandi; set out for the Deccan in 1706 and was on the way when Aurangzeb died in 1707 |
The struggle was not mainly a religious one. It partly came from local rivalries between Hindu hill rajas and the Sikhs and partly from the way the Sikh movement had grown. Guru Gobind Singh could not set up a separate state, but he made a tradition and a weapon for its later realisation.
What Did Banda Singh Bahadur Achieve?
After Guru Gobind Singh, Banda Singh Bahadur led the Sikhs in revolt. His base was Lohgarh, and one account says he stormed Sirhind on 24 May 1710 and killed the Mughal governor, though the Mughals soon retook it, by 1713 on another account. He was captured at Gurdas Nangal and executed at Delhi on 9 June 1716. The dates in different works vary, so exam answers should rely on the sequence of events. The revolt showed the Sikhs could challenge Mughal rule and prepared the later misls.
How Did Ranjit Singh Build the Kingdom?
Ranjit Singh of the Sukerchakia misl captured Lahore in 1799 and was crowned in 1801, moving the capital to Lahore. He absorbed the other Sikh misls, took Multan in 1818 and Kashmir in 1819, and annexed Peshawar in 1834, with Ladakh and Baltistan under Sikh suzerainty by 1840. His court was religiously and ethnically mixed, with officials chosen on merit and loyalty and Persian as the administrative language. After his death in 1839, successors were quickly replaced and factions weakened the state. The Anglo-Sikh wars followed and the British annexed Punjab in 1849, when the young Duleep Singh gave up the Koh-i-Noor.
For his relations with the English and the details of consolidation, see Ranjit Singh and the Consolidation of the Sikh State and Ranjit Singh and the English, and for the annexation, Second Anglo-Sikh War, 1848-49, and the Annexation of Punjab.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Religion to politics A classic example of an egalitarian movement becoming militarised
- Link to the Mughal decline Punjab was the first province to slip from Mughal control
- Exam facts 1675, 1699, 1799 and 1849 are common dates
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the Rajput states of medieval India, from Mewar to Marwar. Next topic: Rajput States of Medieval India.
Key People and Terms
- Khalsa Military brotherhood of 1699
- Anandpur Headquarters of Guru Gobind Singh
- Misl Sikh warrior band
- Banda Singh Bahadur Sikh leader from 1708 to 1716
- Sukerchakia Misl of Ranjit Singh
- Koh-i-Noor Diamond surrendered in 1849
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Guru Tegh Bahadur executed in 1675.
- Khalsa founded in 1699.
- Ranjit Singh took Lahore in 1799; crowned 1801.
- Multan 1818, Kashmir 1819, Peshawar 1834.
- Annexed in 1849.
Do Not Confuse With
- Guru Arjun and Guru Tegh Bahadur Executed by Jahangir versus executed under Aurangzeb
- Guru Gobind Singh and Banda Bahadur Founder of the Khalsa versus later military leader
- Sikh Empire and Sikh misls Unified kingdom versus warrior confederacies
Memory Hook
Arjun falls, Tegh Bahadur falls, Gobind forms the Khalsa, Banda strikes, Ranjit crowns.
Mains Angle
Questions on Sikh power ask how a religious movement became a state. These points add depth.
- Cause Mughal pressure and local rivalry
- Method Military brotherhood and then misls
- Outcome A short-lived but strong kingdom
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Trace the transformation of the Sikh movement from a religious sect into a political power.”
How to Answer
- Early Gurus and Mughal relations.
- 1699 Khalsa under Gobind Singh.
- 18th century Banda and the misls.
- Ranjit Singh State of Lahore.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Khalsa founded?
Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa, a military brotherhood, in 1699. He had his headquarters at Anandpur in the foothills of the Punjab, and the organisation strengthened his hand in conflicts with the local hill rajas and the Mughals.
Why was Guru Tegh Bahadur executed?
Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in 1675 when he refused to recant his faith. Reasons given include his support for Kashmiri Brahmans, a protest against oppression in Kashmir, or a law-and-order question for Aurangzeb, since peasants in conflict with officials had begun to turn to him.
Who was Banda Singh Bahadur?
Banda Singh Bahadur led the Sikhs after Guru Gobind Singh, based at Lohgarh. He is said to have stormed Sirhind in 1710 and killed its Mughal governor, and he was captured and executed at Delhi in 1716.
How did Ranjit Singh build his kingdom?
Ranjit Singh of the Sukerchakia misl took Lahore in 1799, was crowned in 1801, absorbed the other misls and took Multan, Kashmir and Peshawar. He ruled with a mixed court and merit-based officials and died in 1839.
How did the Sikh Empire end?
After Ranjit Singh's death in 1839 successors were quickly replaced and factions weakened the state. Two Anglo-Sikh wars followed, and the British annexed Punjab in 1849, taking the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the young Duleep Singh as part of the settlement.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in 1699.
He was based at Anandpur.
2 Ranjit Singh captured Lahore in 1799 and was crowned in 1801.
He then moved the capital there.
3 Guru Arjun was executed by Aurangzeb.
Jahangir executed Guru Arjun; Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed under Aurangzeb.
4 Punjab was annexed by the British in 1849.
After the Second Anglo-Sikh War.
Related Topics
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