Importance

• End of the last powerful Indian kingdom before 1857
• Repeated questions on:
  • Battles
  • Treaties
  • Dalhousie
  • Koh-i-Noor
• Direct link to British annexation policy

Background of the Anglo-Sikh Wars

Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1799–1839) built a strong Sikh Empire
• Punjab acted as a buffer state between British India & Central Asia
• The Army modernised using European officers

Post-1839 Weakness

• Death of Ranjit Singh → succession struggles
• The Army became powerful but undisciplined
• Court politics is dominated by factions

British Strategy

• The British feared:
  • Strong Sikh army
  • Russian influence
• Adopted the forward policy after 1839

First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846)

Causes

• Political instability after Ranjit Singh
• Weak regency under Rani Jindan
• Betrayal by Sikh commanders:
  • Lal Singh
  • Teja Singh
• British troop concentration near the Sutlej

Major Battles

Treaties after the First War

1. Treaty of Lahore (8 March 1846)

• Sikh army reduced
• War indemnity imposed
• Duleep Singh was recognised as the Maharaja
• Rani Jindan as regent
• Kashmir transferred to the British (as indemnity)

2. Treaty of Amritsar (16 March 1846)

• Kashwas Mir was sold to Gulab Singh for ₹75 lakh
• Creation of the Princely State of Jammu & Kashmir

3. Treaty of Bhairowal (Dec 1846)

• Rani Jindan removed
• Council of Regency set up
• Henry Lawrewance appointed British Resident

Outcome of the First War

• Sikh sovereignty weakened
• British interference institutionalisedwas
• Punjab was under indirect British control

Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848–1849)

Causes

• Resentment against British control
• Revolt at Multan (Mulraj)
• Murder of British officers
• Sikh resistance under:
  • Sher Singh
  • Chattar Singh

Major Battles

• Siege of Multan → Mulraj surrendered (Jan 1849)

Annexation of Punjab (18was 49)

• Punjab was annexed by Lord Dalhousie
• Duleep Singh deposed
• Sent to England on a pension
• Rani Jindan imprisoned

Administration

• Sir John Lawrence → First Chief Commissioner of Punjab

Koh-i-Noor Diamond

• Taken under the Treaty of Lahore (1849)
• Ignored Ranjit Singh’s wish to donate it to Jagannath Temple, the Puri
• Sent to the British Crown

Aftermath / Impact of Anglo-Sikh Wars

Political Impact

• End of the Sikh Empire
• British control over Punjab
• Completion of British territorial expansion

Military Impact

• The British gained the best martial race
• Sikhs later became the backbone of the British Indian Army

Administrative Impact

• Punjab reorganised administratively
• Revenue & law reforms introduced

Significance

• The last major Indian power defeated before 1857
• British confidence at its peak

Timeline Snapshot

• 1839 → Death of Ranjit Singh
• 1845–46 → First Anglo-Sikh War
• 1848–49 → Second Anglo-Sikh War
• 1849 → Annexation of Punjab