Ranjit Singh

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For other uses, see Ranjit Singh (disambiguation).

"Sher-e-Punjab" redirects here. For the hockey team, see Sher-e-Punjab (field hockey team). For the
radio station, see KRPI. For the Doordarshan television series, see Maharaja Ranjit Singh (TV series).

Ranjit Singh

Maharaja of Punjab

Maharaja of Lahore

Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab)

Sher-e-Hind (Lion of Hind)

Sarkar-i-Wallah (Head of State)[1]

Sarkar Khalsaji (Head of State)

Lord of Five Rivers

Singh Sahib[2]

Maharaj Ranjit Singh.jpg

Maharaja Ranjit Singh

1st Maharaja of the Sikh Empire

Reign 12 April 1801 – 27 June 1839

Investiture 12 April 1801 at Lahore Fort

Successor Maharaja Kharak Singh

Chief of Sukerchakia Misl

Reign April 1792 – 11 April 1801

Predecessor Maha Singh

Born Buddh Singh

2 November 1780[3]

Gujranwala, Sukerchakia Misl, Sikh Confederacy (present-day Punjab, Pakistan)

Died 27 June 1839 (aged 58)

Lahore, Sikh Empire (present-day Punjab, Pakistan)

Burial Cremated remains stored in the Samadhi of Ranjit Singh, Lahore

Spouse Maharani Mehtab Kaur

Maharani Datar Kaur

Maharani Jind Kaur

Issue Maharaja Kharak Singh

Ishar Singh

Rattan Singh

Maharaja Sher Singh

Tara Singh

Fateh Singh[4]

Multana Singh

Kashmira Singh

Peshaura Singh

Maharaja Duleep Singh

Father Sardar Maha Singh

Mother Raj Kaur

ReligionSikhism

Ranjit Singh (2 November 1780 – 27 June 1839),[5][6] popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of
Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent
in the early half of the 19th century. He survived smallpox in infancy but lost sight in his left eye. He
fought his first battle alongside his father at age 10. After his father died, he fought several wars to
expel the Afghans in his teenage years and was proclaimed as the "Maharaja of Punjab" at age 21.[5]
[7] His empire grew in the Punjab region under his leadership through 1839.[8][9]

Prior to his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring misls (confederacies), twelve of which
were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim.[7] Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh
misls and took over other local kingdoms to create the Sikh Empire. He repeatedly defeated
invasions by outside armies, particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, and established friendly
relations with the British.[10]

Ranjit Singh's reign introduced reforms, modernisation, investment into infrastructure and general
prosperity.[11][12] His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims and Europeans.
[13] His legacy includes a period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, including the rebuilding of
the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar as well as other major gurudwaras, including Takht Sri Patna Sahib,
Bihar and Hazur Sahib Nanded, Maharashtra under his sponsorship.[14][15] Ranjit Singh was
succeeded by his son Kharak Singh.
Contents

1 Biography

1.1 Early life

1.2 Wives

1.3 Punishment by the Akal Takht

1.4 Issue

2 Sikh Empire

2.1 Historical context

2.2 Rise to fame, early conquests

2.3 Expansion

2.3.1 Geography of the Sikh Empire

2.4 Governance

3 Religious Policies

4 Administration

4.1 Khalsa Army

4.1.1 Reforms

4.1.2 Infrastructure investments

4.2 Muslim accounts

4.3 Decline

5 Death and Legacy

5.1 Death

5.2 Gurdwaras

5.3 Memorials and museums

5.4 Crafts

6 In popular culture

7 See also

8 References

9 Bibliography

10 Further reading

11 External links