Battle of Saharanpur explained

Conflict:Battle of Saharanpur
Place:Saharanpur
Partof:Mughal-Sikh Wars
Date:July 1710
Result:Sikh-Gujjar alliance victory
Combatant1: First Sikh State
Combatant2: Mughal Empire
Commander1:Banda Singh Bahadur
Commander2:Unknown
Strength1:Unknown
Strength2:Unknown
Casualties1:Unknown
Casualties2:High

The Battle of Saharanpur was fought between the Sikh and Gujjar forces led by Banda Singh Bahadur and the Mughal forces of Saharanpur

Background and Battle

Banda Singh was deeply angered when he learnt that Jalal Khan and Ali Hamid Khan, the faujdars of Jalalabad and Saharanpur were harassing Sikhs in the area.[1] He sent some Sikhs to Uttar Pradesh to punish the faujdars. The Khalsa Fauj marched upon Saharanpur on their way to Jalalabad.[2] [3] The local faujdar Ali Hamid Khan and all those who could, fled to Delhi.[4] [5] The Sikhs had spread so much terror that most of the inhabitants fled even before the Sikhs attacked.[6] When the Sikhs learnt about this, they made all haste to the spot and overcame the minimal resistance of the remaining inhabitants.[7] The place was plundered like Sirhind previously. Many noble men and respectable families fell fighting.[8] The Sikhs seized the entirety of the city.[9] The Sikhs punished and plundered the people of Behat and Nanauta as well for atrocities against Sikhs and others.[10]

Aftermath

The Sikhs addressed a letter to Shamas Khan, the Faujdar of Jalandhar, ordering him to hand over his treasury to the Khalsa or meet a similar fate.[1] Jihad was declared soon after and thousands of Muslims gathered to crush the Sikh revolt.[10]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Singha,Bhagata (1993). A History of the Sikh Misals. Patiala, India:Publication Bureau, Punjabi University.
  2. Book: Sagoo, Harbans Kaur. Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty. 2001. 9788176293006. Deep & Deep Publications. 168.
  3. Book: Singh, Ganda. Life of Banda Singh Bahadur. 1999. 9788176293006. Publication Bureau. 168.
  4. Book: Sikh History from Persian Sources. Ifran Habib. 2001. 134. Tulika . 9788185229171.
  5. Book: Sikhs In The Eighteenth Century. Surjit Singh Gandhi. Singh Bros.. 1999. 9788172052171. 37.
  6. Book: Zahiruddin Malik. The reign of Muhammad Shah, 1719-1748. Asia Publishing House. 1977. 52. 9780210405987.
  7. Book: Willian Irvine. Later Mughal. Atlantic Publishers. 1971. 101.
  8. Book: Singh, Khushwant . A History Of The Sikhs, Vol. 1, 1469-1839. Oxford University Press. 2004. 134.
  9. Book: The Sikh reference book. Harajindara Siṅgha Dilagīra. 1997. 287. Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark . 978-0-9695964-2-4 .
  10. Book: Gupta, Hari Ram. History Of The Sikhs Vol. II Evolution Of Sikh Confederacies (1707-69). 1978. 16.