Last reviewed 1 Oct 2026 · Facts as of 1 Oct 2026 · 5 min read
Exam focus. Expect questions on battle names and sites, treaty names and years, the Governor-Generals involved, and who betrayed whom. This note arranges these in order.
1. Background: why war came
- After Ranjit Singh's death (1839) the Sikh kingdom fell into factional struggles among court groups, with a series of short reigns and murders (Kharak Singh, Nau Nihal Singh, Sher Singh).
- The Khalsa army (Panchayats) became powerful and unruly; the court (Dogra and Lahore ministers) could not control it.
- The British had completed their annexation of Sindh (1843) and built military positions along the Sutlej (Ferozepur, Ambala, Ludhiana), and the First Afghan War had exposed their need to secure the northwest.
- Maharaja Duleep Singh (born 1838) ascended in 1843 as a child; his mother Rani Jindan acted as regent. Prime ministers Lal Singh and army chief Tej Singh were later accused of secretly working with the British.
- Governor-General: Sir Henry Hardinge (1844–48); Commander-in-chief: Sir Hugh Gough.
2. First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46)
| Date | Battle | Result / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Dec 1845 | Sikh army crossed the Sutlej | The British declared war, claiming Sikh aggression |
| 18 Dec 1845 | Mudki | British victory (hard-fought); Sikh leader Lal Singh fled |
| 21–22 Dec 1845 | Ferozeshah | Indecisive, British heavy losses; Tej Singh's withdrawal saved the British |
| 28 Jan 1846 | Aliwal | British victory under Sir Harry Smith |
| 10 Feb 1846 | Sobraon | Decisive British victory; Sardar Sham Singh Attariwala died fighting; the Sikh army's retreat to the Sutlej bridge was cut off |
Treaty of Lahore (9 March 1846)
- Signed between the British and Maharaja Duleep Singh.
- Terms:
- The Jalandhar Doab (between the Sutlej and the Beas) was ceded to the British.
- A war indemnity of ₹1.5 crore (one and a half crore) was imposed; as the Lahore treasury could not pay in full, Kashmir and Hazara were ceded in lieu of one crore.
- The Sikh army was limited to 20,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry.
- A British Resident was to be posted at Lahore (Henry Lawrence first).
- Treaty of Amritsar (16 March 1846) — the British sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh of Jammu for ₹75 lakh; he became the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir.
Treaty of Bhyrowal (16 December 1846)
- After disputes (e.g., the Kashmir governor's revolt), the British made a further agreement:
- Rani Jindan was removed from regency and pensioned.
- A council of regency of eight Sikh sardars was formed under the control of the British Resident.
- British troops were stationed at Lahore at the Sikh government's cost.
- The British Resident now effectively governed Punjab.