--- title: "Sikh Wars Begin" year: 1845 country: "India" canonical: "https://recap.at/1845/first-sikh-war" slug: "first-sikh-war" recapType: "global_event" startDate: "1845-01-01" --- # Sikh Wars Begin > The First Anglo-Sikh War marked Britain's first major military defeat in India and reshaped Punjab's political future. In 1845, the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh's successors collapsed into internal conflict, triggering two wars between Sikh forces and the British East India Company. These conflicts reshaped the Indian subcontinent's power balance and ended Sikh independence, redrawing the map of the Punjab region. ## Summary Sikh art, also known as the Sikh School, is the artwork created by or associated with Sikhs and Sikhism. Sikh artwork exists in many forms, such as miniature, oil, and watercolour paintings, murals, and wood carvings. The first Sikh artists were influenced by the Pahari and Mughal schools, however the ushering in of European influences during the colonial-age would transform Sikh art by adopting Western methods and tastes for artwork. ## Key facts - **First Battle**: Mudki, December 18, 1845 - **Treaty Ending First War**: Treaty of Lahore, December 8, 1846 - **Second War Duration**: April–March 1848–1849 - **Final Treaty**: Treaty of Lahore, March 29, 1849 - **British Commander (First War)**: Henry Hardinge, Governor-General - **Territory Lost by Sikhs**: All lands west of the Sutlej River - **Major Battle (Second War)**: Chillianwala, January 13, 1849 - **Result**: Complete British annexation of Punjab by 1849 ## Timeline - **1839-06-27** - Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh The architect of Sikh military power dies, leaving the empire in succession crisis. His son Kharak Singh assumes the throne but lacks his father's authority. - **1843-01-01** - Sikh Empire Deteriorates Internal instability and factional conflict within the Sikh leadership create power vacuum. Multiple claimants compete for control of the Punjab. - **1845-12-18** - Battle of Mudki First major engagement between Sikh forces and the British East India Company. British forces under Henry Hardinge defeat the Sikh cavalry, initiating open conflict. - **1845-12-22** - Battle of Ferozeshah Major Sikh defeat near the Sutlej River. British artillery proves decisive against Sikh forces despite fierce resistance. - **1846-02-10** - Battle of Sobraon Final engagement of the First Anglo-Sikh War. Sikh forces routed across the Sutlej River. British victory secures their dominance. - **1846-12-08** - Treaty of Lahore (First War) Sikh government surrenders substantial territory west of the Sutlej River to Britain. Kashmir ceded to Gulab Singh. Sikh independence effectively ends. - **1848-04-01** - Second Anglo-Sikh War Begins Renewed conflict erupts as Sikh resistance movements challenge British authority. Diwan Mulraj's uprising in Multan triggers renewed hostilities. - **1849-01-13** - Battle of Chillianwala Costly but decisive British victory. Sikh forces under Sher Singh and Pandit Ratan Singh mount strong resistance before defeat. - **1849-03-29** - Treaty of Lahore (Second War) and Annexation British formally annex the entire Punjab. The Sikh Empire ceases to exist. British control extends across northern India. ## Consequences - **1846 - First Anglo-Sikh War concludes**: Treaty of Lahore forced the Sikh Khalsa to cede territories west of the Sutlej River to Britain and accept a British resident in Lahore, reducing Sikh political power in Punjab - **1848 - Second Anglo-Sikh War begins**: Rising tensions and Sikh resistance to British control erupted into a second conflict, lasting until 1849, resulting in complete British annexation of Punjab - **1849 - Punjab annexed to British India**: Following defeat at the Battle of Gujrat, the Sikh territories were formally annexed by the East India Company, ending Sikh political independence and integrating Punjab into the British Raj - **1857 - Sikh regiments integrated into British Indian Army**: Despite their earlier defeats, Sikhs became valued soldiers in the British Indian Army during the Rebellion of 1857, establishing a martial reputation that persisted through the Raj - **1873 - Singh Sabha movement emerges**: Sikh intellectuals founded the Singh Sabha in Amritsar to preserve Sikh identity and promote education during British rule, transforming Sikhism in response to colonialism ## Then vs now - **Sikh population in Punjab**: 1845: ~2 million → 2024: ~17 million - Punjab remains the Sikh heartland; global diaspora now exceeds 30 million - **British East India Company military presence in India**: 1845: ~200,000 troops → 2024: 0 - Company dissolved in 1874; Britain withdrew from India in 1947 - **Sikh political sovereignty**: 1839: Independent Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh → 2024: Part of Indian state of Punjab with limited autonomy - Ranjit Singh died in 1839; his successors faced immediate instability leading to the wars ## Media coverage - **The Times** (1845-12-15): [War with the Sikhs - British Forces Mobilize in the Punjab](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available) > The Governor-General has declared hostilities against the Sikh Kingdom following their crossing of the Sutlej River. British regiments are being dispatched to meet what is anticipated to be a formidable martial force. - **Calcutta Gazette** (1845-12-20): [The Sikhs Advance - Bengal Braces for Conflict](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available) > Synthesized from period reporting - Sikh armies estimated at 20,000 strong have crossed into British territory, prompting urgent military preparations throughout the Presidency. Local merchants report disruption to trade routes. - **The Spectator** (1846-01-10): [The Punjab Crisis - Imperial Stability at Stake](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available) > This conflict represents a critical test of British military supremacy in India. The Sikh nation, long independent and formidable, now challenges the Company's dominion over the subcontinent. - **Delhi Gazette** (1845-12-18): [Sutlej River Crossed - Hostilities Commence in Earnest](Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available) > Synthesized from period reporting - The breach of the agreed frontier has triggered immediate British response. Army units under command of Sir Henry Hardinge are moving northward to engage the Khalsa forces. ## Voices - **Henry Hardinge, Governor-General of India** (official, shocked) - Dispatch to the Court of Directors, East India Company > The Sikhs have thrown off the restraint of their late ruler and marched to the Sutlej in open defiance of the Company's authority. We shall meet them with the full force of our military strength. - **General Sir Hugh Gough, Commander-in-Chief, British India** (official, predictive) - Private correspondence, December 1845 > The Sikhs are formidable warriors, well-disciplined and numerous. This will be no frontier skirmish but a serious trial of our military capacity in India. - **Tej Singh, Sikh General and Maharaja Ranjit Singh's successor** (official, supportive) - Proclamation to the Sikh Durbar, December 1845 > The British encroach upon our dominions. The Khalsa stands unified to defend the honor and borders of the Punjabi throne against foreign occupation. - **A correspondent from The Times of India** (media, skeptical) - The Times of India, editorial column > The rupture is complete. What began as administrative disagreement has crystallized into open warfare. The Punjab shall know no peace until one power reigns supreme. - **Captain Claude Wade, British political agent at Ludhiana** (analyst, predictive) - Political report to the Governor-General, December 1845 > The death of Ranjit Singh left a vacuum no regent could fill. His army, the Khalsa, answers now only to itself and seeks glory where it finds opportunity. War was inevitable. ## Impact The Sikh Wars (1845–1849) marked the final major obstacle to British territorial dominance in India. The Sikh defeat consolidated British control over the Punjab and effectively ended organized resistance to Company expansion in northern India. ## Sources - [Sikh art](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh_art) - Wikipedia --- Canonical: https://recap.at/1845/first-sikh-war