Siege of Lahore (1761) explained

Conflict:Siege of Lahore
Partof:Afghan–Sikh Wars
Date:27 October 1761
Place:Lahore
Result:Sikh victory[1] [2]
Combatant1: Sikh Misls
Combatant2: Durrani Empire
Commander1:
Commander2:Khwaja Obed
Strength1:Unknown
Strength2:12,000 [3]

The siege of Lahore took place in 1761 when the Sikhs besieged Lahore and captured it after facing no opposition from Durrani forces.

Background

After victory in the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmad Shah Durrani sent General Nuruddin with 12,000 soldiers to chastise Sikhs. Charat Singh Sukerchakia attacked Nuruddin's army at Sialkot. Nuruddin escaped and the Sikhs won a great victory in the 1761 Battle of Sialkot.

Afghan General Khwaja Obed Khan was also sent to punish Sikhs. Khwaja Obed wanted to attack Charat Singh at Gujranwala but before he could, he was attacked by Sikhs led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Hari Singh Dhillon, and Jai Singh Kanheya. The Afghan forces were surrounded and Khwaja fled the battlefield. Sikhs once again defeated the Afghans in the 1761 Battle of Gujranwala.[4]

Siege of Lahore

The Sikhs gained enough confidence to capture Lahore after back to back victories. They met at Amritsar on 27 October 1761, the day of Diwali, and decided to capture Lahore. The Sikhs besieged Lahore, Khawaja obed did not oppose the Sikh attack, Sikhs entered the Lahore city, plundered the city,[5] captured the Royal mint and struck coins bearing Sikka Zad dar Jahan Bafazat-i-Akal, mulk-i-Ahmad garift Jassa Kalal, which means 'the coin struck by Grace of God in the country of Ahmad captured by Jassa Kalal.'[6]

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Raj Pal Singh. Pentagon Press. 2004. 9788186505465. 115.
  2. Book: Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707–1813. Mehta. J. L.. 2005. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 978-1-932705-54-6. 303. 2010-09-23.
  3. Kakshi, S.R.; Pathak, Rashmi; Pathak, S.R.Bakshi R. (2007-01-01). Punjab Through the Ages. Sarup & Sons. p. 15. . Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  4. Book: Kakshi. S.R.. Pathak. Rashmi. Pathak. S.R.Bakshi R.. Punjab Through the Ages. 12 June 2010. 2007-01-01. Sarup & Sons. 978-81-7625-738-1. 15.
  5. Book: Grewal, J.S. . 1990 . The Sikhs of the Punjab . Cambridge University Press . 91 . 0-521-63764-3 . 15 April 2014 .
  6. Book: The Sikhs: Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years . Raj Pal Singh . Pentagon Press. 2004. 9788186505465. 116.