Sultan Mahmud Khan

Sultan Mahmud Khan
Born	Gujranwala, Shukarchakia Misl, Sikh Confederacy (present-day Punjab, Pakistan)
Died	1859 (1860) Amritsar, Punjab, British India (present-day Amritsar, India)
Allegiance	Sikh Empire
Branch	Sikh Khalsa Army
Service years	1797-1849
Rank	Jarnail
Commands	Command of Artillery in Hazara
Awards	Order of Guru Gobind Singh
Spouse	Bibi Peeran
Relations	Jarnail Ghaus Khan (father) Sultan Ahmad Ali (son) Khan Mohammed Ali Khan (son)

Not to be confused with Sultan Mohammad Khan.

Sultan Mahmud Khan (died 1859) was a Punjabi Muslim commander of the Sikh Khalsa Army, in the Sikh Empire. His derah of artillery was designated as Topkhana Sultan Mahmud. ^[1] He is regarded as one of the best commanding officers of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

He is best known for showcasing his bravery in Battle of Multan, Battle of Hairdu, Battle of Shopian and the Anglo-Sikh Wars: Battle of Ramnagar ^[2] and Battle of Chillianwala, in which the Sikh army defeated the forces of Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough. ^{[3] [4]}

Early life

Mahmud Khan was born to Ghaus Khan, also known as Mian Ghausa, who served in the army of Sardar Maha Singh, chief of Sukerchakia Misl. His father was of Rajput decent ^{[5] [6]} while his mother was a Meo Muslim from Mewat. His ancestral village was Bharowal in Amritsar district. ^[7]

Military career

Mahmud Khan's military career started when he was quite young. During the Battle of Amritsar (1797), Battle of Gujrat (1797) and Battle of Amritsar (1798), he served under the then Sardar Ranjit Singh; these battles foiled the attempts of Zaman Shah Durrani to annex Punjab into his region. ^[8] In 1799, Ranjit Singh and his mother-in-law, Sada Kaur liberated Lahore from the Bhangi Misl and was proclaimed the Maharaja of Punjab in 1801.

After the death of his father, he was appointed as commander of the battalion that his father previously commanded. ^{[9] [10]} He showed exceptional bravery during the Battle of Multan (1818) whose command was assigned to Prince Kharak Singh and his mother, Maharani Datar Kaur. Following year, he accompanied Kharak Singh in Kashmir campaigns and part took in Battle of Shopian, after which Kashmir was annexed to the Sikh Empire. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he served under his son, Maharaja Kharak Singh.

Later life

After the annexation of the Punjab into British India, Sultan Mahmud Khan retired. His jagirs were initially confiscated and he received a pension of Rs 600 which he received for the rest of his life. He died in 1859. ^[11] His service jagirs were amounted to 6000 Rs. but he was only provided with Rs. 600. His son, Ahmad Ali was allotted a pension of Rs. 120. ^[12]

References

1. Suri, Sohan Lal. Umdat Ul Tawarikh.
2. Singh, Khushwant (2014-07-15). The Fall of the Kingdom of Punjab. Penguin UK. ISBN   978-93-5118-796-7. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
3. A Book of Readings on the History of the Punjab: 1799-1947. Research Society of Pakistan, University of the Punjab. 1970. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
4. Suri, Sohan Lal. Umdat Ul Tawarikh.
5. Saggar, Balraj (1993). Who's who in the History of Punjab, 1800–1849. National Book Organisation. p. 126. ISBN   978-81-85135-60-1.
6. Punjab., Griffin, Lepel Henry, 1840-1908. Panjab chiefs. Massy, Charles Francis. Chiefs and families of note in the (1992). Revised pedigree tables of the families mentioned in Griffin's Punjab chiefs and Massy's "Chiefs & families of note in the Punjab.". Sang-e-Meel Publication. OCLC   27428372. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
7. Singh, Nagendra Kr. (2001). Encyclopaedia of Muslim biography : India, Pakistan, Bangladesh. A.P.H. Pub. Corp. ISBN   81-7648-230-7. OCLC   47174928. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
8. Khushwant Singh (2001). Ranjit Singh : Maharajah of the Punjab. Penguin. ISBN   0-14-100684-6. OCLC   49498238. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
9. Duggal, Kartar Singh (2001). Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Last to Lay Arms. Abhinav Publications. ISBN   978-81-7017-410-3. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
10. Grewal, J. S.; Banga, Indu (1987). Civil and Military Affairs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh: A Study of 450 Orders in Persian. Guru Nanak Dev University. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
11. Davey., CUNNINGHAM, Joseph (1904). [A History of the Sikhs, from the origin of the nation to the battles of the Sutlej ... With a map.]. Calcutta. OCLC   558157969. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
12. Griffin, Lepel Henry (1865). The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Territories Under the Panjab Government. T.C. McCarthy. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2021-11-08.