Battle of Kasur | |||||||
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Part of Afghan-Sikh wars | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Buddha Dal | Durrani Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Hari Singh Dhillon Jhanda Singh Dhillon Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Jai Singh Kanhaiya Charat Singh Tara Singh Ghaiba | Usman Khan † Muhiuddin Khan † Hamid Khan (POW) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
24,000 [3] 8,000 (Sikh Sources) [4] | 1,200,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | 500 [3] |
The Battle of Kasur (also known as the Sacking of Kasur) took place in May 1763, where the Sikh Misls united their forces against the Afghan forces of Kasur. The Sikhs successfully infiltrated Kasur and defeated the Afghan army. The Sikhs would sack the town after the battle with many of its Muslim residents being put to the sword.
All the Sikhs gathered in Amritsar on April 10th, 1763, to celebrate the Baisakhi festival. During their time there, some Brahmins from Kasur came to complain about how the Afghans were treating Hindus in their town. They particularly pointed out Usman Khan, who had taken one Brahmin’s wife, made her convert to Islam, and mistreated her [5]
Hari Singh Bhangi, the leader of the Taruna Dal, quickly agreed to help the Brahmins. However, others disagreed, citing several concerns. The Pathans were strong, with twelve forts full of weapons, and they might get help from other Afghan forces. Despite these worries, Hari Singh remained firm. Later, Charat Singh also supported his plan but suggested they first consult their sacred Granth. They opened the book at random, and the first lines they read urged them to keep their promises. [5]
The Taruna Dal then left Amritsar, and as they traveled, more people joined their cause. By the time they reached Kasur, their group had grown to 24,000. Some Sikh scouts had already reached Kasur disguised as merchants and reported that the town was unaware of the Sikhs’ plans. They also informed the Sikhs that the Afghans were staying in underground cells to escape the heat of May. The Sikhs took advantage of this information and entered the town at noon, catching the people off guard. They quickly took control of the gates, locked them, and cut off communication, which allowed them to loot the town. [5]
Usman Khan and 500 of his men were killed, and the Brahmin woman was returned to her real husband. Ghulam Muhiy-ud-din Khan, the leader of the Pathan chiefs, died in battle. His nephew, Hamid Khan, begged for his life at Sardar Jhanda Singh’s feet, offering four lakh rupees as payment. The town was looted and burned with many of its Muslim residents being put to the sword and mosques being desecrated. The Sikhs found large amounts of treasure, including gold, silver, jewels, and pearls, making them very rich. It is said that Jassa Singh Ramgarhia gathered so much wealth that four strong men had to carry it on a large bed. He later buried the treasure in a forest near Amritsar but forgot the location and lost it forever.
The Ramgarhia and Kanhiya Misls worked together and shared the loot equally. However, during this event, Jassa Singh kept all the treasure for himself, which led to tension and bad feelings between the two leaders [5]
Dal Khalsa was the name of the combined military forces of 11 Sikh misls that operated in the 18th century (1748–1799) in the Punjab region. It was established by Nawab Kapur Singh in late 1740s.
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Nawab Kapur Singh was a major Sikh leader who led the community during the early-to-mid 18th century. He was the organizer of the Sikh Confederacy and its military force, the Dal Khalsa. He is held in high regards by Sikhs.
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (1723–1803) was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was the founder of the Ramgarhia Misl.
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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.
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Baghel Singh was a warrior leader in the Punjab region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. He rose to prominence in the area around Sutlej and Yamuna. He joined the Singh Krora Misl, one of the Misls during Sikh Confederacy. In 1765, Singh became the leader of the Misl. Baghel Singh is remembered for constructing important Sikh gurdwaras in Delhi at the sites of important events in Sikh history in the area.
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Ramgarhia Misl was a sovereign state (misl) in the Sikh Confederacy of Punjab region in present-day India and Pakistan. The misl's name is derived from Qila Ramgarh, a place located in Ramsar, near Amritsar, which was fortified and redesigned by Ramgarhia Misl chief Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. The Ramgarhia Misl was one of the twelve major Sikh misls, and held land near Amritsar.
The Battle of Delhi was fought between the Dal Khalsa and the Mughal Empire in 1783.
Sardar Gulab Singh was the founder of Dallewalia Misl, one of the sovereign states of the Sikh confederacy that rose during the 18th century in the Punjab region. The Dallewalia and Nishanwalia Misl were stationed as a reserve force at Amritsar to protect the holy city and tackle any emergency. The Amritsar and the Punjab region was subject to raids by the Afghans led by Ahmad Shah Abdali therefore the Sikhs had created misls to defend the Punjab region and push back the invaders.
The Ahluwalia–Ramgarhia War was fought in 1776–1778 between a Coalition led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia against the Ramgarhia Misl. It was primarily caused by territorial claims, leading to a conflict over territorial control in Punjab in which the Ramgarhia Sardars got expelled.
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