history after 1840 : anglo Sikh wars

Topic: Hill States & the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46)

• Background: The rulers of the Punjab hill states were opposed to Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s policy of “annexation and extinction” and wanted to end the growing power of the Sikhs.
• The Opportunity: An opportunity arose after Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death, during the First Anglo-Sikh War which began in Autumn 1845.
• Actions of Hill Rulers (Against the Sikhs):
  • The hill rulers sided with the British to expel the Sikhs.
  • Raja Shamsher Singh (Guler): Raised a force and drove the Sikhs out of Haripur fort.
  • Bir Singh (Nurpur): Besieged the fort of Nurpur.
  • Raja Narain Pal (Kutlehr): Expelled the Sikhs from Kotwalbah.
  • Ugar Sen (Suket) & Balbir Sen (Mandi): Offered their allegiance to the British Government to help remove the Sikhs from the hills.
• Outcome of the War:
  • Battle of Sabraon (10th Feb 1846): The Sikhs were defeated.
  • Treaty of Lahore (9th March 1846): A peace treaty was signed between the Sikhs and the British.
  • Treaty Terms: The Sikhs ceded all territories south of the Satluj River to the British, which included the Jalandhar Doab (the land between the Satluj and Beas rivers).

Topic: Consequences for Hill States After the Anglo-Sikh War

• Hill Chiefs’ Expectation: The Punjab hill chiefs had given unconditional support to the British during the war.
• Basis for Expectation: They believed their territories would be restored to them, just as the British had restored territories to the Shimla hill states after the Anglo-Gurkha War (1815).
• Actual Outcome (Hopes Belied):
  • The British did not restore the ceded territories to the hill chiefs.
  • British Annexation: The British retained the portion between the Satluj and the Ravi rivers as British territory.
  • Transfer to Jammu: The rest of the territory was given to Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu.
• Resulting Status of Hill States (Under British Control):
  • The following states came under the direct control of the British:
    • Kangra
    • Guler
    • Jaswan
    • Datarpur
    • Nurpur
    • Suket
    • Mandi
    • Kullu (Exception: The Jagir of Waziri Ruppi was confirmed to Thakur Singh with sovereign powers).
  • Lahaul-Spiti: Although it initially fell under Raja Gulab Singh, it was later exchanged with him for other territory and also came under British control.

Topic: War Indemnity & Special Sanads (Post 1846)

• War Indemnity from Lahore Durbar (Sikhs):
  • Total Amount: One and a half crore rupees.
  • Payment Method:
    • Cash: Fifty lakh rupees.
    • Territory (for balance): Ceded the hill districts between the Beas and the Indus rivers, which included Kashmir and Hazara.
• Special Arrangement for Mandi & Suket:
  • Background: The chiefs of Mandi and Suket had tendered their allegiance to the British Government at Bilaspur on 21st February 1846.
  • Separate Sanad: Because their territories were ceded to the British by the treaty, they were granted a separate Sanad (deed/charter) on 24th October 1846.
  • Conditions of the Sanad:
    1. Required to pay a fixed tribute to the British Government in half-yearly installments.
    2. Agreed to abolish all transit duties on goods.

Topic: Post-War Settlements with Hill Chiefs & Treaty of Amritsar

• Raja Jagat Chand (Bilaspur):
  • Allowed to retain possession of territory held since A.D. 1809.
  • Exempted from paying tribute.
  • Required to abolish transit duties on British goods.
• Raja Narain Singh (Kutlehr):
  • Awarded a life grant of Rs. 10,000 (in addition to his Jagir).
  • This grant was later confirmed to his heirs “in perpetuity.”
  • This was subject to paying a nazrana (tribute) of Rs. 1188.
• Treaty of Amritsar (16th March 1846):
  • Parties: Signed between the British Government and Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu.
  • Territory Ceded to Gulab Singh: He received possession of the entire hilly area and British dependencies between the Ravi and the Indus rivers.
  • Areas Included: Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, and Chamba.
  • Area Excluded: Lahaul.
  • Payment by Gulab Singh: In return, the Maharaja had to pay Rs. 75,00,000 to the British.
  • Emerging Issue: The transfer of Chamba to the Raja of Jammu created a “different type of problem.”

Topic: The Resolution of the Chamba State (Post-1846)

• The Geographical Problem: The Ravi River divides the state of Chamba into two parts. This created ambiguity over the transfer: was the whole state or only the portion west of the Ravi intended to be transferred to Gulab Singh?
• The Final Agreement:
  • An agreement was reached to preserve the “ancient integrity of the state.”
  • Gulab Singh (Jammu): Acquired ‘taluka Lakhanpur’.
  • Chamba State:
    • Regained the ‘cis-Ravi’ portion (the part on the British side, not Gulab Singh’s) from Jammu.
    • In return, Chamba surrendered all claims to ‘Bhadrawah’.
• Key Intervener: Wazir Bhaga:
  • Chamba was saved from being permanently transferred to Jammu by the “patriotic zeal and astuteness” of Wazir Bhaga.
  • He successfully presented Chamba’s case to Sir Henry Lawrence, securing his sympathy and support.
• Sanad of 1848:
  • Date: 6th April 1848.
  • Outcome: A sanad was granted to the Raja of Chamba, restoring him to full possession of the State.
  • Conditions:
    1. Payment of an annual tribute of 12,000 rupees.
    2. Allegiance to the British Government.

Topic: Shift in Allegiance & the Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848)

• Developing Anti-British Feelings: After the treaties (Lahore, Amritsar) and the sanads were issued, anti-British feelings grew among the hill state rulers.
• Reason for Disappointment:
  • They were “disappointed with the new conditions.”
  • The new arrangement deprived the hill rulers of the chance of restoration of their dominions, which “came as a bolt from the blue.”
• Support for Sikhs (1848):
  • In the Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848), the rulers of the Kangra hill states decided to support the Sikhs.
  • Sikh Promise: The Sikhs had promised to restore their territories to them if they were successful in the war.
• The Revolt of 1848 & Suppression:
  • Main Rulers Who Revolted: Chiefs from Nurpur, Kangra, Jaswan, and Datarpur.
  • British Response: A force was sent against them under Mr. Lawrence, the Commissioner.
  • Outcome:
    • The revolt was suppressed, and the chiefs surrendered easily.
    • They were captured and transported to Almora as political prisoners, where they died.
• Notable Resistance: Ram Singh of Nurpur:
  • Ram Singh, the wazir of Nurpur, “proved to be a difficult person to deal with.”
  • He was defeated with “great difficulty” at ‘Dalle Kee Dhar’ (a rocky ridge in the Shivaliks, NW of Shahpur, overhanging the Ravi).

Topic: Aftermath of the 1848 Revolt

• The Fate of Wazir Ram Singh (Nurpur):
  • He was betrayed for gold by a Brahmin named ‘Pahar Chand’, whom he had trusted as a friend.
  • He was captured and transported to Singapore, where he died.
  • His “undaunting courage” and exploits are still “sung by the hill bards.”
• Settlement with Nurpur State:
  • Despite Nurpur being the first state to revolt, the British “dealt generously” with Jaswant Singh (the minor son of Raja Bir Singh of Nurpur).
  • Jaswant Singh was conferred an annual ‘Jagir’ of Rs. 5000.
  • The Nurpur state was merged with the Kangra state.
• A New Phase of British Governance:
  • With the British now “directly in touch with the hill rulers,” a new phase of governance began.
  • These territories were now under the control of the “paramount power of the British.”