Battle of Jammu (1774)

Battle of Jammu
	Part of Sikh Interwarfare
Date	1774
Location	Jammu, India
Result	Braj Dev-Kanhaiya victory
Territorial; changes	Jammu becomes tributary of Kanhaiya Misl
Belligerents
Braj Dev Faction; Kanhaiya Misl ; Sukerchakia Misl	Raja Ranjit Dev Faction; Bhangi Misl ; Chamba ; Kangra
Commanders and leaders
Braj Dev ; Jai Singh Kanhaiya ; Charat Singh †	Raja Ranjit Dev ; Jhanda Singh Dhillon X ; Ganda Singh Dhillon

Last updated December 31, 2024

The Battle of Jammu was fought in 1774 between Raja Ranjit Deo of Jammu, supported by Jhanda Singh Bhangi of the Bhangi Misl, and Brij Raj Deo, who was allied with Charat Singh Sukerchakia of the Sukerchakia Misl and Jai Singh Kanhaiya of the Kanhaiya Misl. The conflict arose from a succession dispute between Ranjit Deo and his eldest son, Brij Raj Deo.^[1] It took place in the Jammu region, part of the northern territories of the Indian subcontinent.

Background

In the year 1774, a succession dispute arose between Raja Ranjit Deo of Jammu, vassal of Jhanda Singh Bhangi and his eldest son, Brij Raj Deo.^[2] Frustrated by his father for declaring the younger son Dalel Singh as his successor, Brij Raj Deo began a rebellion for enforcing his rights.^[1]ref^[2]^[3] The claimant, Brij Raj Dev, on his part, sought aid from Charat Singh Sukerchakia and Jai Singh Kanhaiya to support his claim.^[2]

Ranjit Deo, being too weak to resist the united forces of Charat Singh Sukerchakia and Jai Singh Kanhaiya separately, appealed for military aid from his suzerain, Jhanda Singh Bhangi.^[2] Anticipating the arrival of such reinforcements, the forces of Jai Singh Kanahiya and Charat Singh Sukerchakia advanced and encamped on the bank of the Basantar River, close to the boundary of the Jammu territory with the Sialkot District.^[3]

Ranjit Deo, meanwhile, got his army organized with the help of staunchly allied chiefs from Chamba, Kangra, Nurpur and Basoli, in alliance with the troops provided by Jhanda Singh Bhangi to challenge the combine.^[3]

Battle

The skirmishes between the two opposing forces developed into a full-scale battle at Dasuha, near the town of Zafarwal. The battle continued for 23 days without either side gaining a conclusive advantage.^[3] On the twenty-third day, Charat Singh Sukerchakia was killed accidentally when his own gun backfired, causing the fatal injury to his forehead.^[3]^[4]^[5]

The death of Charat Singh was a great loss for the allies, and therefore, their strength to resist the strong forces of Jhanda Singh Bhangi was weakened. Jai Singh Kanhaiya, knowing that the son of Charat Singh, Maha Singh, was too young to challenge Jhanda Singh therefore decided that their safety lay in the death of the Bhangi Sardar. To ward off the threat from Jhanda Singh, Jai Singh is said to have plotted a conspiracy to have him killed.^[5] A Mazhabi Sikh in the service of Jhanda Singh was bribed, it is said, to do the deed, and Jhanda Singh was shot dead from behind while walking alone in his camp.^[5]^[6]

Aftermath

Following the death of Jhanda Singh, his younger brother, Ganda Singh, who was present in the camp, was deeply affected. Demoralized by the loss, Ganda Singh chose to withdraw from Jammu, bringing the conflict to an end.^[5] By realizing the growing power of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, Raja Ranjit Deo made an agreement with his son Brij Raj Deo and allowed paying an annual tribute amount of 125,000 rupees.^[6] Jai Singh Kanahiya, satisfied with the settlement, set out to consolidate the power of the Kanhaiya Misl.

Before quitting Jammu, the young Maha Singh made a gesture of diplomacy by exchanging turbans with Brij Raj Deo. The ceremony was considered a token of lifelong brotherhood, an act that Mahan Singh later exploited to further his own strategic purposes.^[1]

Related Research Articles

The Sukerchakia Misl was one of twelve Sikh misls in Punjab during the 18th century, concentrated in Gujranwala and Hafizabad districts in western Punjab and ruled from (1752–1801). The misl, or grouping with its own guerilla militia (jatha), was founded by Charat Singh of Sandhawalia, grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The last Sukerchakia Misldar was Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh united all the misls and established an independent Sikh Empire.

Maha Singh, also spelt as Mahan or Mahn Singh, was the second Sardar of the Sukerchakia Misl, which as a Sikh grouping with its guerilla militia was one of twelve Sikh Misls that later became part of the Sikh Empire. He was the eldest son of Sardar Charat Singh and Sardarni Desan Kaur Warraich. He was the father of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Hari Singh Dhillon was an 18th century Sikh warrior and the chief of Bhangi Misl. During the formation of the Dal Khalsa he was acknowledged as leader of Tarna Dal, and he was made chief of Bhangi Misl following the death of Bhuma Singh Dhillion, who he was an adopted son of, in 1748. Hari Singh made the Bhangi Misl the most powerful of all the Misls. He was described as brave, fearless and a great warrior. Under Hari Singh the Bhang Misl expanded to Jammu, Lahore, Chiniot, Buria, Jagadhari, Firozpur, Kushab, Majha, Malwa, Sandal Bar and Jhang.

Jhanda Singh Dhillon was a chief of Bhangi Misl. Under his leadership the Dhillon family became the dominant de facto ruling power of Punjab. His father was Hari Singh Dhillon, one of the most powerful Sikh warriors of the time. He also had a warrior brother Ganda Singh Dhillon. Jhanda Singh appointed his younger brother Ganda Singh as the commander in chief of the forces. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was one of the closest friends of Jhanda Singh.

The KanhaiyaMisl was one of the twelve misls of the Sikh Confederacy. It had been founded by Sandhu Jats.

The Bhangi Misl was a large and powerful Sikh Misl headquartered in Amritsar. It was founded in the early 18th century by Sardar Chhajja Singh Dhillon, who was baptised into the Khalsa tradition by Banda Singh Bahadur. The misl received its name "Bhangi" because Chhajja Singh and his soldiers frequently used the herbal intoxicant bhang. It was a first misl to established a Khalsa Raj and publish Khalsa currency coins. The Bhangi Kingdom/Misl was founded by Dhillon Jats.

Sardar Charat Singh, also romanised as Charhat Singh, was the founder of Sukerchakia Misl, father of Mahan Singh, and the grandfather of Ranjit Singh, the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. He distinguished himself at an early age in campaigns against Ahmad Shah Abdali and along with 150 horsemen split from the Singhpuria Misl to establish the Sukerchakia Misl, a separate grouping with its distinct guerilla militia.

Sardar Gujjar Singh Bhangi was a Sikh warrior of the Bhangi Misl, and one of the triumvirates who ruled over Lahore prior to the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Jai Singh Kanhaiya (1712–1793) was the founder and, until his death, leader of the Kanhaiya Misl in Punjab. His daughter-in-law, Sada Kaur succeeded him as the misl leader.

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Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya was the eldest son and heir of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, the chief of the Kanhaiya Misl. He was the father of Maharani Mehtab Kaur and thus, the father-in-law of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire.

Rani Raj Kaur was the wife of Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl and the mother of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire. She was affectionately known as Mai Malwain after her marriage. She is also referred to as Sardarni Raj Kaur and Rajkumari Bibiji Raj Kaur Sahiba before marriage. She was the daughter of Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind.

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Sardarni Karam Kaur popularly known as Karmo Kaur was the wife of Ran Singh Nakai, the third ruler of the Nakai Misl, one of the groupings with its distinct guerilla militia that later became part of the Sikh Empire. Karmo Kaur served as the regent of the Nakai Misl during the reign of her sons, Bhagwan Singh and Gyan Singh. She was the mother of Maharani Datar Kaur, one of the wives of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire. She was the grandmother of Maharaja Kharak Singh, the second king of the Sikh Empire and Sardar Kahan Singh Nakai, the last chief of the Nakai Misl.

Haqiqar Singh Kanhaiya was the cousin of Jai Singh Kanhaiya, founder and leader of the Kanhaiya Misl, a grouping of Sikhs with a distinct guerrilla militia. He founded a village named Sangatpur.

The Battle of Achal was fought in Batala in 1785 between the Sukerchakia Misl and Afghans, supported by the Ramgarhia Misl, alongside Sansar Chand.

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References

1 2 3 Gupta 1939, p. 34.
1 2 3 4 Hutchison 1994, p. 89.
1 2 3 4 5 Singh 2010, p. 99.
↑ Siṅgha 1993, p. 153.
1 2 3 4 Gupta 1999, p. 215.
1 2 Gandhi 1999, p. 459.

Works cited

Siṅgha, Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Punjab (India): Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
Gupta, Hari Ram (1999). History Of The Sikhs: The Sikh Commonwealth Or Rise And Fall Of Sikh Misls, Vol. Iv (3, illustrated ed.). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. ISBN 9788121501651.
Gandhi, Surjit Singh (1999). Sikhs in the Eighteenth Century: Their Struggle for Survival and Supremacy. Singh Bros. ISBN 9788172052171.
Gupta, Hari Ram (1939). History of the Sikhs: Trans-Sutlej Sikhs, 1769-1799. Punjab: S.N. Sarkar.
Singh, Dalbir (2010). Rise, Growth And Fall Of Bhangi Misal.
Hutchison, John (1994). History of the Panjab Hill States, Volume 1 (reprint ed.). Asian Educational Services. ISBN 9788120609426.

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[FOOTNOTEGupta193934-1] 1 2 3 Gupta 1939, p. 34.

[FOOTNOTEHutchison199489-2] 1 2 3 4 Hutchison 1994, p. 89.

[FOOTNOTESingh201099-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Singh 2010, p. 99.

[FOOTNOTESiṅgha1993153-4] Siṅgha 1993, p. 153.

[FOOTNOTEGupta1999215-5] 1 2 3 4 Gupta 1999, p. 215.

[FOOTNOTEGandhi1999459-6] 1 2 Gandhi 1999, p. 459.

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