Battle of Gujrat (1765)

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Battle of Gujrat
Part of Afghan-Sikh wars
DateDecember 1765 [1] [2]
Location
Gujrat
Result Sikh victory
Belligerents
Abdali flag.png Durrani Empire Kattar Dhal Talwar.jpg Sikh Misls
Commanders and leaders
Sultan Muqarrab Khan Charat Singh
Gujar Singh
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Gujrat took place in December 1765 between the supreme leader of the Chaj Doab territory, Sultan Muqarrab Khan, who owed allegiance to Ahmad Shah Abdali, and the Sikh Misls under Charat Singh and Gujar Singh. Muqarrab Khan was defeated in the battle, and the Sikhs captured the city. Gujar Singh made Gujrat his capital after repairing and rebuilding the fort with stronger walls. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Background

Gujrat was part of the Chaj Doab territory and in the middle of the town lay the fort that was built during the time of Emperor Akbar, consisting of 8,000 horses and populated with Muslim Gujars and Hindu Khatris. [6] Previously, Muqarrab Khan had defeated the Afghan Yusufzai of Hazara district and Jang Quli Khan Khattak, followed by the capture of Gujrat, establishing the town as his capital in 1758. [6] Muqarrab Khan was a vassal of the Durrani Empire and a supreme leader of the Chaj Doab who supported Ahmad Shah Abdali in his campaigns of India and also had his daughter married to the Durrani emperor. [6] [7] To possess the territories that owed allegiance to the Durrani empire, Gujar Singh decided to march from Lahore to Chaj Doab with a large army where Charat Singh also joined him. [7] [8]

Battle

In December 1765, Gujar Singh and Charat Singh indulged in a hard-fought battle against Muqarrab Khan who gave a vigorous resistance, particularly at the west bank of the River Chenab and then outside the walls of the town but was eventually defeated by the Sikhs. Muqarrab Khan re-entered the capital and locked himself inside the fort. [7] [6] [9] The Sikhs besieged the fort, cutting off all supplies, causing Muqarrab Khan to ride an elephant through the line of the besiegers. [7] [8] With the Sikhs in pursuit, Muqarrab Khan came across a flooded stream and attempted to cross it, but though the elephant made it across the other side, Muqarrab Khan was nowhere to be seen and presumed to be drowned. [7] [8] According to Griffin, Muqarrab Khan did make it across the Jhelum river but was captured by rival Ghakhar chief Himmat Khan of Domeli who later executed him. [7] [9]

Aftermath

After the victory and capture of Gujrat, the Sikhs completely sacked the city and Gujar Singh made the town his capital after reinforcing the walls of the fort. [7] [8] The whole district of Chaj Doab fell under Sikh domination and was then divided between the two Sikh chiefs, Gujar Singh and Charat Singh. [7] [8]

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References

  1. ↑ Gupta, Hari Ram (1998). History of the Sikhs Volume 4. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. pp. 226–227. ISBN   9788121505406.
  2. ↑ Gupta, Hari Ram (1999). History of the Sikhs Volume 2. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. pp. 233–234. ISBN   9788121502481.
  3. ↑ Gupta 1998, p. 227.
  4. ↑ Gandhi, Surjit Singh (1999). Sikhs of the Eighteenth Century. Singh Bros. p. 453. ISBN   9788172052171.
  5. ↑ Nijjar, Bakhshish Singh (2008). Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors. p. 103. ISBN   9788126909087.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Gupta 1998, p. 226.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gupta 1999, p. 233.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Gandhi 1999, p. 453.
  9. 1 2 Nijjar 2008, p. 103.
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