# Canonical recap data for Sikh Wars Begin (1845)
# Source: https://recap.at/1845/first-sikh-war
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: first-sikh-war
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1845/first-sikh-war"
title: Sikh Wars Begin
aliases:
- Anglo-Sikh Wars
- First Anglo-Sikh War
- Sikh-British Wars
- Punjab Wars
subtitle: The First Anglo-Sikh War marked Britain's first major military defeat in India and reshaped Punjab's political future.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1845-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1845
decade: 1840
country:
name: India
slug: india
summaryShort: 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 Eu
summaryLong: 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.
lede: 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.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Equestrian_portrait_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh_attended_upon_by_a_Nihang.jpg/1280px-Equestrian_portrait_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh_attended_upon_by_a_Nihang.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Sikh art"
importance: 72
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: First Battle
  value: Mudki, December 18, 1845
- label: Treaty Ending First War
  value: Treaty of Lahore, December 8, 1846
- label: Second War Duration
  value: April–March 1848–1849
- label: Final Treaty
  value: Treaty of Lahore, March 29, 1849
- label: British Commander (First War)
  value: Henry Hardinge, Governor-General
- label: Territory Lost by Sikhs
  value: All lands west of the Sutlej River
- label: Major Battle (Second War)
  value: Chillianwala, January 13, 1849
- label: Result
  value: Complete British annexation of Punjab by 1849
timeline:
- date: 1839-06-27
  title: Death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh
  description: 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.
- date: 1843-01-01
  title: Sikh Empire Deteriorates
  description: Internal instability and factional conflict within the Sikh leadership create power vacuum. Multiple claimants compete for control of the Punjab.
- date: 1845-12-18
  title: Battle of Mudki
  description: First major engagement between Sikh forces and the British East India Company. British forces under Henry Hardinge defeat the Sikh cavalry, initiating open conflict.
- date: 1845-12-22
  title: Battle of Ferozeshah
  description: Major Sikh defeat near the Sutlej River. British artillery proves decisive against Sikh forces despite fierce resistance.
- date: 1846-02-10
  title: Battle of Sobraon
  description: Final engagement of the First Anglo-Sikh War. Sikh forces routed across the Sutlej River. British victory secures their dominance.
- date: 1846-12-08
  title: Treaty of Lahore (First War)
  description: Sikh government surrenders substantial territory west of the Sutlej River to Britain. Kashmir ceded to Gulab Singh. Sikh independence effectively ends.
- date: 1848-04-01
  title: Second Anglo-Sikh War Begins
  description: Renewed conflict erupts as Sikh resistance movements challenge British authority. Diwan Mulraj's uprising in Multan triggers renewed hostilities.
- date: 1849-01-13
  title: Battle of Chillianwala
  description: Costly but decisive British victory. Sikh forces under Sher Singh and Pandit Ratan Singh mount strong resistance before defeat.
- date: 1849-03-29
  title: Treaty of Lahore (Second War) and Annexation
  description: British formally annex the entire Punjab. The Sikh Empire ceases to exist. British control extends across northern India.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh_art"
  title: Sikh art
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: 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.
categories:
- war
taxonomy:
domain: military
eventTypes:
- war
- invasion
- occupation
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- collapse
- transformation
impactRadius: regional
velocity: gradual
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: decline
metaDescription: "Sikh Wars 1845: British conquest of Punjab. End of Sikh Empire. Two conflicts redrawing India."
wikidataQid: Q61890363
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260512222032/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh_art"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-12
  label: Sikh art
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh_art"
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Times
  publisherSlug: the-times
  headline: War with the Sikhs - British Forces Mobilize in the Punjab
  publishedAt: 1845-12-15
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 85
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Calcutta Gazette
  publisherSlug: calcutta-gazette
  headline: The Sikhs Advance - Bengal Braces for Conflict
  publishedAt: 1845-12-20
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 78
  type: newspaper
  region: India
- publisher: The Spectator
  publisherSlug: the-spectator
  headline: The Punjab Crisis - Imperial Stability at Stake
  publishedAt: 1846-01-10
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 72
  type: magazine
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Delhi Gazette
  publisherSlug: delhi-gazette
  headline: Sutlej River Crossed - Hostilities Commence in Earnest
  publishedAt: 1845-12-18
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL available
  excerpt: 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.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: India
peoplesVoice:
- source: Henry Hardinge, Governor-General of India
  voiceType: official
  context: Official British response issued as Sikh forces mobilized across the Punjab frontier in December 1845.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 88
  attribution: Dispatch to the Court of Directors, East India Company
  publishedAt: 1845-12-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: General Sir Hugh Gough, Commander-in-Chief, British India
  voiceType: official
  context: Military assessment made as British forces prepared for engagement with the Sikh army in late 1845.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 81
  attribution: Private correspondence, December 1845
  publishedAt: 1845-12-20
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Tej Singh, Sikh General and Maharaja Ranjit Singh's successor
  voiceType: official
  context: Statement made by Khalsa military leadership as the Sikh army crossed into British territory to advance their territorial claims.
  excerpt: The British encroach upon our dominions. The Khalsa stands unified to defend the honor and borders of the Punjabi throne against foreign occupation.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 85
  attribution: Proclamation to the Sikh Durbar, December 1845
  publishedAt: 1845-12-10
  originalLanguage: en
- source: A correspondent from The Times of India
  voiceType: media
  context: Reporting from British-held territory as news of Sikh mobilization reached colonial press offices in late 1845.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: skeptical
  significance: 72
  attribution: The Times of India, editorial column
  publishedAt: 1845-12-18
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Captain Claude Wade, British political agent at Ludhiana
  voiceType: analyst
  context: Intelligence assessment delivered to Hardinge as Sikh forces mobilized, based on Wade's years observing Punjab politics.
  excerpt: 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.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 76
  attribution: Political report to the Governor-General, December 1845
  publishedAt: 1845-12-12
  originalLanguage: en
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Equestrian_portrait_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh_attended_upon_by_a_Nihang.jpg/1280px-Equestrian_portrait_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh_attended_upon_by_a_Nihang.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/Equestrian_portrait_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh_attended_upon_by_a_Nihang.jpg/800px-Equestrian_portrait_of_Guru_Gobind_Singh_attended_upon_by_a_Nihang.jpg"
  caption: Sikh art
  credit: Wikipedia · "Sikh art"
  width: 330
  height: 433
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Fresco_artwork_from_Pothi-Mala%2C_Guru_Harsahai%2C_Punjab_135.jpg/1280px-Fresco_artwork_from_Pothi-Mala%2C_Guru_Harsahai%2C_Punjab_135.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Fresco_artwork_from_Pothi-Mala%2C_Guru_Harsahai%2C_Punjab_135.jpg/800px-Fresco_artwork_from_Pothi-Mala%2C_Guru_Harsahai%2C_Punjab_135.jpg"
  caption: Fresco artwork from Pothi-Mala, Guru Harsahai, Punjab 135
  credit: Unknown authorUnknown author
  width: 810
  height: 810
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Miniature_painting_of_Sikh_rulers_Surjan_Singh_and_his_son_Trilok_Singh%2C_ca.1830-1840.jpg/1280px-Miniature_painting_of_Sikh_rulers_Surjan_Singh_and_his_son_Trilok_Singh%2C_ca.1830-1840.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Miniature_painting_of_Sikh_rulers_Surjan_Singh_and_his_son_Trilok_Singh%2C_ca.1830-1840.jpg/800px-Miniature_painting_of_Sikh_rulers_Surjan_Singh_and_his_son_Trilok_Singh%2C_ca.1830-1840.jpg"
  caption: Miniature painting of Sikh rulers Surjan Singh and his son Trilok Singh, ca.1830-1840
  credit: Unknown authorUnknown author
  width: 1000
  height: 758
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Guru_Gobind_Singh_on_horseback_accompanied_by_attendants_Punjab_Plains%2C_circa_1820-30.jpg/1280px-Guru_Gobind_Singh_on_horseback_accompanied_by_attendants_Punjab_Plains%2C_circa_1820-30.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Guru_Gobind_Singh_on_horseback_accompanied_by_attendants_Punjab_Plains%2C_circa_1820-30.jpg/800px-Guru_Gobind_Singh_on_horseback_accompanied_by_attendants_Punjab_Plains%2C_circa_1820-30.jpg"
  caption: Guru Gobind Singh on horseback accompanied by attendants Punjab Plains, circa 1820-30
  credit: Unknown authorUnknown author
  width: 3262
  height: 2723
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Sikh population in Punjab
  thenValue: ~2 million
  thenYear: 1845
  nowValue: ~17 million
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Punjab remains the Sikh heartland; global diaspora now exceeds 30 million
- metric: British East India Company military presence in India
  thenValue: ~200,000 troops
  thenYear: 1845
  nowValue: "0"
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Company dissolved in 1874; Britain withdrew from India in 1947
- metric: Sikh political sovereignty
  thenValue: Independent Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh
  thenYear: 1839
  nowValue: Part of Indian state of Punjab with limited autonomy
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Ranjit Singh died in 1839; his successors faced immediate instability leading to the wars
consequences:
- title: First Anglo-Sikh War concludes
  year: 1846
  description: 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
- title: Second Anglo-Sikh War begins
  year: 1848
  description: Rising tensions and Sikh resistance to British control erupted into a second conflict, lasting until 1849, resulting in complete British annexation of Punjab
- title: Punjab annexed to British India
  year: 1849
  description: 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
- title: Sikh regiments integrated into British Indian Army
  year: 1857
  description: 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
- title: Singh Sabha movement emerges
  year: 1873
  description: Sikh intellectuals founded the Singh Sabha in Amritsar to preserve Sikh identity and promote education during British rule, transforming Sikhism in response to colonialism
culturalContext:
topMusic: []
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: The Sikh Wars occurred during the height of British imperial expansion in India. In 1845, the East India Company had already consolidated control over most of the subcontinent; the Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh's successors represented one of the last independent regional powers. The wars themselves reflected broader 19th-century patterns of industrial military superiority overwhelming traditional armies. In Britain, the conflicts received attention in newspapers and military dispatches but were secondary to concurrent concerns like the Corn Law debates (repealed 1846) and the Irish famine. For Sikhs, the wars marked a traumatic transition from sovereignty to subjugation that would define their experience throughout the subsequent century of British rule.
relatedQueries:
- Sikh Wars 1845 1846 1848 1849
- Ranjit Singh death Khalsa succession crisis
- Treaty of Lahore 1846 British East India Company
- Battle of Mudki Battle of Ferozeshah First Anglo-Sikh War
- Maharaja Duleep Singh British exile
- British annexation Punjab 1849
- Sikh regiments British Indian Army
- Singh Sabha movement Sikh reform
