INTRODUCTION
Territory of Punjab established by Maharaja Ranjit Singh stretched from river Sutlej in the East to Khyber pass in Northwest in 40 years of his life. He won over various sardar of Punjab and Afghans. He ruled for 40 years and died on 27 June 1839 in Lahore. His successors only ruled for 10 more years and finally in 1849 Punjab was annexed by the British.
MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH AND HIS SUCCESSORS TIMELINE OF RULING
- MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH :- 1799 - 1839
- MAHARAJA KHARAK SINGH :- JUNE 1839 - OCTOBER 1839
- PRINCE NAU NIHAL SINGH :- OCT 1839 - NOV 1840
- RANI CHAND KAUR :- NOVEMBER 1840 - JANUARY 1841
- MAHARAJA SHER SINGH :- JANUARY 1841 - SEPTEMBER 1843
- MAHARAJA DALIP SINGH :- 18 SEPTEMBER 1843 - 29 MARCH 1849
SUDDEN DOWNFALL OF EMPIRE :-
RESPONSIBILITY OF MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH :- His weak policy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh towards the British caused the downfall of his empire. He was suppressed by the British and did not go against them. He acted as a rider to the British as a horse. He avoided clashes and refused to face the war despite knowing that it was unavoidable in the near future. He failed in training his successors as much strong in the art of administration as he was which ultimately brought up weak leaders. Ranjit Singh made great reforms and set up a well equipped military but failed in civil administration. He failed in giving the best service to people. Ranjit Singh established an organised army who remained subdued during his life but after his death they went out of control and began to interfere in political activities.
He Set up the centralised government, all the powers vested by him and was sole authority of powers. His death created a vacuum which could not be filled.
Ranjit Singh during b his rule was busy in fighting wars because of which he could not give best in civil administration and secondly he failed to impart proper education and training to his successors. His instant wars emptied the government treasury and created a lot of difficulties for sikh state.
OTHER FACTORS :- Successors of Ranjit Singh were weak and incapable rulers. British and Sikhs collided with each other and it sadly led to the downfall of the government. The khalsa army was a strong and capable army. After the death of Ranjit Singh it became difficult for weak rulers to keep check over such a strong army. No general was there to keep check over them. When Sher Singh was unable to pay the army they went violent and started to loot and plunder.
Dogra Chiefs after the death of Ranjit Singh became unfaithful towards rulers. They created hurdles from time to time which disturbed the working of the Punjab government.
The British tried every effort to annex the Punjab. They were not faithfully towards any treaty and tried to encircle the territory of Punjab by raising forts and cantonments.
CONCLUSION
Ranjit Singh established a great empire but after his death it declined at very high speed. The successors were not very capable and remained weak in front of the British. Maharaja Ranjit Singh himself was responsible for the decline of empire as despite of knowing that war with British is unavoidable still he did not faced the challenge and remained as rider for British.
BOOK REFERENCE ( CLICK TO BUY )
The Sikhs of the Punjab: 03 (The New Cambridge History of India)