Ram Dayal | |
---|---|
Governor of Hazara | |
In office 1819–1820 | |
Monarch | Ranjit Singh |
Preceded by | Sardar Hukma Singh |
Succeeded by | Amar Singh Majithia |
Personal details | |
Born | 1792 |
Died | 1820 Hazara,Sikh Empire |
Parent | Diwan Moti Ram |
Diwan Ram Dayal was the governor of Hazara region in the Sikh Empire from 1819 until his death in 1820.
Diwan Ram Dayal was the grandson of Dewan Mokham Chand and the oldest son of Diwan Moti Ram. The family came from Kunjah. Born into a family of military background,he quickly distinguished himself,displaying bravery and strategic insight from a young age. [1]
In 1814,Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to invade Kashmir. Diwan Ram Dayal,only twenty-two, [2] and already distinguished for ability and bravery was appointed to lead one division of the Sikh army. [3]
Diwan Mokham Chand had led the Sikh army into Kashmir in 1812. He cautioned Ranjit Singh about going to the valley at that particular time of the year. However,Ranjit Singh chose to ignore the advice. Despite initial setbacks and being left to his own devices when reinforcements failed to arrive,Diwan Ram Dayal displayed resilience and negotiated a truce with Azim Khan Barakzai. [4] [5]
Mokham Chand was too old to accompany the Sikh forces to Kashmir and died in 1814. Ranjit Singh granted his grandson,Ram Dayal,service in place of his grandfather. [6] Ram Dayal was instrumental in various punitive expeditions against rebellious factions and neighbouring territories,earning a reputation for uncompromising leadership and effectiveness on the battlefield. [4] [5]
In 1818,Diwan Ram Dayal was present at the Battle of Multan. Before this,he had been sent to Multan to collect tribute. [5]
When Akali Sadhu Singh effected a breach at Khizri Gate of the Multan Fort,the Diwan took Sarfraz Khan,one of the two sons of the Nawab Muzaffar Khan who surrendered,on his elephant into the safety of his tent. [4] In 1819,a second attempt was made by the Sikhs to conquer Kashmir,Diwan Ram Dayal commanded the rear division of the army. Although heavy rains prevented him from active participation in the main campaign nevertheless,the expedition succeeded,consolidating Kashmir as part of Ranjit Singh's expanding domain.
In 1819,Diwan Ram Dayal was appointed the governor of Hazara. [5]
Ram Dayal's final campaign was in Hazara,quelling an uprising of the Yusafzais. [5] Despite a valiant defence,he was tragically killed in action,marking the end of a distinguished military career. [4]
Diwan Ram Dayal's legacy is that of a courageous military leader and skilled administrator who contributed significantly to the rise and stability of the Sikh Empire during a tumultuous period of regional conflicts and power struggles. His strategic insights and battlefield exploits remain notable in the annals of Sikh history. [6]
Diwan Ram Dayal was succeeded by Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa as the governor of Hazara. In a befitting tribute,the Sardar built a samadh (memorial) in Hazara to honour the Diwan. [7]
Sardar Mohammad Azim Khan Barakzai was a Pashtun noble who served as Afghan governor of Kashmir (1812–1819). He was the second son of the Barakzai chief Payinda Sarfaraz Khan,while his elder brother Fateh Khan was kingmaker and Vizier to Mahmud Shah Durrani. He was one of 21 brothers from eight mothers including his half-brother Dost Mohammad Khan who would later become Emir of Afghanistan.
Hari Singh Nalwa was the commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Fauj,the army of the Sikh Empire. He is known for his role in the conquests of Kasur,Sialkot,Attock,Multan,Kashmir,Peshawar and Jamrud. Hari Singh Nalwa was responsible for expanding the frontier of Sikh Empire to beyond the Indus River right up to the mouth of the Khyber Pass. At the time of his death,Jamrud constituted the western boundary of the Empire.
Maharaja Gulab Singh Jamwal (1792–1857) was the first Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and the founder of the Dogra dynasty. Originally a commander of the Sikh Empire,he sided with the British in the First Anglo-Sikh War and briefly became prime minister of the Sikh Empire in 1846. In the same year he signed the Treaty of Amritsar with the British,establishing the state of Jammu and Kashmir under the suzerainty of the British Raj;this treaty formalized the transfer of all lands that were ceded by the Sikhs to the British in the Treaty of Lahore.
The Battle of Jamrud was fought between the Emirate of Afghanistan under Emir Dost Mohammad Khan and the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh on 30 April 1837. Afghan forces confronted the Sikh forces at Jamrud. The garrisoned army was able to hold off the Afghans till Sikh reinforcements arrived to relieve them.
Diwan Mokham Chand was one of the chief commanders of the Sikh Empire. He conquered Attock from the Durrani Afghans in 1813 and subdued the Rajputs in the Hills of Himachal and in Jammu at Jasrota,Chamba,and Basroli. He also commanded one of the early Sikh expeditions to conquer Kashmir that ended in failure due to bad weather blocking the passes to the valley. Mokham Chand was born in a Hindu Khatri family.
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.
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The Kashmir expedition took place in 1814 after the battle of Attock. Ranjit Singh began planning to invade Kashmir,leading to the Sikh invasion led by Hari Singh Nalwa and Ram Dayal.
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Diwan Moti Ram (1770–1837),son of Dewan Mokham Chand,was one of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's most trusted and faithful officers.
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