Battle of Multan (1766)
| Battle of Multan (1766) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of expansion of the Bhangi Misl | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Bhangi Misl | Bahawalpur State | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Jhanda Singh Bhangi Ganda Singh Bhangi |
Mubarik Khan Shuja Khan | ||||||||
The Battle of Multan was an indecisive engagement fought in December 1766 between the forces of the Bhangi Misl, led by Jhanda Singh Bhangi, Ganda Singh Bhangi, and the combined forces of Mubarik Khan of Bahawalpur State and Shuja Khan, the governor of Multan. The battle took place on the right bank of the Sutlej opposite Bahawalpur. After neither side secured a decisive victory, a treaty was concluded dividing the territory between Bahawalpur and Lahore, with Pakpattan fixed as the line of demarcation.
Background
In 1766, shortly after his accession, Jhanda Singh Bhangi, together with Ganda Singh, marched at the head of a strong force toward Multan. On the way, the Sikh army halted on the right bank of the Sutlej opposite Bahawalpur.[1] According to another account, the expedition took place in December 1766 and also included Lehna Singh Bhangi. The Bhangi sardars declared war against Shuja Khan of Multan and the Daudputras of Bahawalpur.[2]
Mubarik Khan, ruler of Bahawalpur from 1749 to 1772, advanced to oppose the Sikhs. Shuja Khan, the governor of Multan, joined him in resisting the Bhangi advance.[1][2]
Battle
A severe battle was fought between the Sikh and Muslim forces on the banks of the Sutlej. The engagement is described as grim and inconclusive, with neither side able to claim a clear victory.[1][2]
Treaty and territorial settlement
After the battle, both sides settled their differences by signing a treaty that split the land between Bahawalpur and Lahore evenly.[1][3] Pakpattan, located about 208 kilometres from Lahore and 221 kilometres from Bahawalpur, served as the boundary between the two regional powers.[1][3] Jhanda Singh Bhangi was acknowledged as master of the territory up to and Pakpattan itself, which had earlier been occupied by the Bhangi chiefs from Abdus Subhan, the diwan of Pakpattan.[2][4]
Aftermath
After the agreement with Shuja Khan of Multan, Jhanda Singh and Ganda Singh moved against the territory of Muhammad Azim Hans, located to the north-west of Pakpattan. However, they had left only a small force behind.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e Gupta 1999, p. 208.
- ^ a b c d e Singh 2010, p. 82.
- ^ a b Johar 1985, p. 87.
- ^ Banerjee & Ghose 1978, p. 293.
Works cited
- Gupta, Hari Ram (1999). History Of The Sikhs: The Sikh Commonwealth Or Rise And Fall Of Sikh Misls, Vol. Iv (3, illustrated ed.). Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. ISBN 9788121501651.
- Singh, Dalbir (2010). Rise, Growth And Fall Of Bhangi Misal.
- Banerjee, A. C.; Ghose, D. K., eds. (1978). A Comprehensive History of India: 1712–1772. People's Publishing House.
- Johar, Surinder Singh (1985). The Secular Maharaja: A Biography of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Manas. ISBN 9780836415438.