Siege of Lahore (1761)

Last updated
Siege of Lahore
Part of Afghan–Sikh Wars
Sultan Ul Quam Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.jpg
The Sikhs under Jassa Singh Ahluwalia triumphantly enter Lahore
Date27 October 1761
Location
Result Sikh victory [1] [2]
Belligerents
Patiala flag.svg Patiala State Seal of Ahmad Shah Durrani.png Durrani Empire
Commanders and leaders
Kattar Dhal Talwar.png Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
Kattar Dhal Talwar.png Charat Singh
Kattar Dhal Talwar.png Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Kattar Dhal Talwar.png Hari Singh Dhillon
Kattar Dhal Talwar.png Jai Singh Kanhaiya
Patiala flag.svg Ala Singh
Khwaja Obed
Strength
Unknown 12,000 [3]

The siege of Lahore took place in 1761 when the Sikhs besieged Lahore and captured it after facing no opposition from Durrani forces.

Contents

Background

After victory in the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmad Shah Durrani sent General Nuruddin with 12,000 soldiers to chastise Sikhs. Charat Singh Sukerchakia attacked Nuruddin's army at Sialkot. Nuruddin escaped and the Sikhs won a great victory in the 1761 Battle of Sialkot.

Afghan General Khwaja Obed Khan was also sent to punish Sikhs. Khwaja Obed wanted to attack Charat Singh at Gujranwala but before he could, he was attacked by Sikhs led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Hari Singh Dhillon, and Jai Singh Kanheya. The Afghan forces were surrounded and Khwaja fled the battlefield. Sikhs once again defeated the Afghans in the 1761 Battle of Gujranwala. [4]

Siege of Lahore

The Sikhs gained enough confidence to capture Lahore after back to back victories. They met at Amritsar on 27 October 1761, the day of Diwali, and decided to capture Lahore. The Sikhs besieged Lahore, Khawaja obed did not oppose the Sikh attack, Sikhs entered the Lahore city, plundered the city, [5] captured the Royal mint and struck coins bearing Sikka Zad dar Jahan Bafazat-i-Akal, mulk-i-Ahmad garift Jassa Kalal, which means 'Coin struck in the World by the Grace of the Immortal in the Country of Ahmad captured by Jassa Kalal' [6]

References

  1. Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. p. 115. ISBN   9788186505465.
  2. Mehta, J. L. (2005). Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707–1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 303. ISBN   978-1-932705-54-6 . Retrieved 2010-09-23.
  3. Kakshi, S.R.; Pathak, Rashmi; Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. (2007-01-01). Punjab Through the Ages. Sarup & Sons. p. 15. ISBN   978-81-7625-738-1. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  4. Kakshi, S.R.; Pathak, Rashmi; Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. (2007-01-01). Punjab Through the Ages. Sarup & Sons. p. 15. ISBN   978-81-7625-738-1 . Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  5. Grewal, J.S. (1990). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 91. ISBN   0-521-63764-3 . Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  6. Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs: Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. p. 116. ISBN   9788186505465.