Ranjit Singh: Difference between revisions
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===Rise to power=== | ===Rise to power=== | ||
As such Ranjit Singh was brought up in military style. From a young age he was taught Equestrianism along with the traditional Sikh martial arts. As he grew his love for battle grew as well, even though he | As such Ranjit Singh was brought up in military style. From a young age he was taught Equestrianism along with the traditional Sikh martial arts. As he grew his love for battle grew as well, even though he was blind in one eye. After the death of his father Ranjit Singh gained control of the Sukkerchakia Misl and as such was required to represent his Misl in the assembly of the Sikh clans. It is through this that his rage grew. He discovered that many of the clans had been appeasing the Afghans so as they would not invade again. As he was now the leader of the Sukkerchakia clan they needed his consent to continue. In a heated rage he vowed that he would never allow such a thing and questioned the integrity of the council for allowing giving in to the Afghans. He pressed the ideal that the Sikh clans should unite, as they had done in the past, and force the Afghans to submit to ''their'' will. As he challenged the status quo many of the clans disagreed. In response to what he saw as cowardice Ranjit Singh claimed that if he had to bring them to heel in order to do the same to the Afghans he would not hesitate. The other clans saw this as an open declaration of internal war. Thus the council was disbanded and the stage set. Ranjit Singh gathered his clan's forces and marched on. Eventually after many arduous battles he gained control of the majority of lands in the Panjab and was declared Emperor(Maharaja) by the clans that were left in 1801 after taking the fort of Lahore. He was very kind. | ||
===Modernisation of the Army=== | ===Modernisation of the Army=== | ||
With the Panjab now under his control Ranjit Singh looked towards Afghanistan. However, he knew that the times had changed. The Sikh armies would no longer be able to rely on the old ways in order to bring the fight to them. The Maharaja then looked to the Southeast, towards the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company East India Company]. He saw that the European style of battle had allowed the East India Company to annex the lands of the Hindu States in a short period of time with inferior numbers. The Maharaja then began looking for those foreigners who would be willing to help train the Sikh Army in the ways of the Europeans, however, no British man would help him. It is then that the Maharja came into contact with the four Frenchmen who would help change the history of the Subcontinent. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Allard Jean-Francois Allard], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Ventura Jean-Baptise Ventura], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Di_Avitabile Paolo Di Avitabile], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_August_Court Claude August Court]. All four of these men were Ex-Napoleonic Generals who had been exiled from France after the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Days Hundred Days]. They all needed work and a home. The Maharaja openly welcomed these men and put them under his employment. Through their guidance the Sikh Army was transformed from Irregulars and heavy melee troops to Line-Infantry, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuirassiers Cuirassiers], and Artillery masters by 1835. The most seasonsed of these troops were put into the "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauj-i-Khas Fauj-I-Khas]" whose command language was French and who marched under a flag which was a combination of the French Tri-Color and the Sikh Nishan-Sahib.Ranjit Singh was now ready to enact his complete revenge. | With the Panjab now under his control Ranjit Singh looked towards Afghanistan. However, he knew that the times had changed. The Sikh armies would no longer be able to rely on the old ways in order to bring the fight to them. The Maharaja then looked to the Southeast, towards the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company East India Company]. He saw that the European style of battle had allowed the East India Company to annex the lands of the Hindu States in a short period of time with inferior numbers. The Maharaja then began looking for those foreigners who would be willing to help train the Sikh Army in the ways of the Europeans, however, no British man would help him. It is then that the Maharja came into contact with the four Frenchmen who would help change the history of the Subcontinent. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Allard Jean-Francois Allard], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Ventura Jean-Baptise Ventura], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Di_Avitabile Paolo Di Avitabile], and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_August_Court Claude August Court]. All four of these men were Ex-Napoleonic Generals who had been exiled from France after the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Days Hundred Days]. They all needed work and a home. The Maharaja openly welcomed these men and put them under his employment. Through their guidance the Sikh Army was transformed from Irregulars and heavy melee troops to Line-Infantry, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuirassiers Cuirassiers], and Artillery masters by 1835. The most seasonsed of these troops were put into the "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauj-i-Khas Fauj-I-Khas]" whose command language was French and who marched under a flag which was a combination of the French Tri-Color and the Sikh Nishan-Sahib.Ranjit Singh was now ready to enact his complete revenge. | ||
Revision as of 02:01, 31 October 2013
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder of the Sikh Empire which rose to power in the Panjab of the Indian Subcontinent in the early 19th century.
Ancestry
Born into the Sukkerchakia Misl(Clan) of the Sikh Confederacy Ranjit Singh had much to live up to. His Grandfather, Charat Singh Sukkerchakia, the founder of the Misl, was one of the leading individuals during the defense against the Afghan attempt to wipe out the Sikh people once and for all. After the pushing back of the Afghans it is said that Charat Singh vowed that the Sikh people and his family would gain an ultimate revenge for the bloodshed.
Rise to power
As such Ranjit Singh was brought up in military style. From a young age he was taught Equestrianism along with the traditional Sikh martial arts. As he grew his love for battle grew as well, even though he was blind in one eye. After the death of his father Ranjit Singh gained control of the Sukkerchakia Misl and as such was required to represent his Misl in the assembly of the Sikh clans. It is through this that his rage grew. He discovered that many of the clans had been appeasing the Afghans so as they would not invade again. As he was now the leader of the Sukkerchakia clan they needed his consent to continue. In a heated rage he vowed that he would never allow such a thing and questioned the integrity of the council for allowing giving in to the Afghans. He pressed the ideal that the Sikh clans should unite, as they had done in the past, and force the Afghans to submit to their will. As he challenged the status quo many of the clans disagreed. In response to what he saw as cowardice Ranjit Singh claimed that if he had to bring them to heel in order to do the same to the Afghans he would not hesitate. The other clans saw this as an open declaration of internal war. Thus the council was disbanded and the stage set. Ranjit Singh gathered his clan's forces and marched on. Eventually after many arduous battles he gained control of the majority of lands in the Panjab and was declared Emperor(Maharaja) by the clans that were left in 1801 after taking the fort of Lahore. He was very kind.
Modernisation of the Army
With the Panjab now under his control Ranjit Singh looked towards Afghanistan. However, he knew that the times had changed. The Sikh armies would no longer be able to rely on the old ways in order to bring the fight to them. The Maharaja then looked to the Southeast, towards the East India Company. He saw that the European style of battle had allowed the East India Company to annex the lands of the Hindu States in a short period of time with inferior numbers. The Maharaja then began looking for those foreigners who would be willing to help train the Sikh Army in the ways of the Europeans, however, no British man would help him. It is then that the Maharja came into contact with the four Frenchmen who would help change the history of the Subcontinent. Jean-Francois Allard, Jean-Baptise Ventura, Paolo Di Avitabile, and Claude August Court. All four of these men were Ex-Napoleonic Generals who had been exiled from France after the Hundred Days. They all needed work and a home. The Maharaja openly welcomed these men and put them under his employment. Through their guidance the Sikh Army was transformed from Irregulars and heavy melee troops to Line-Infantry, Cuirassiers, and Artillery masters by 1835. The most seasonsed of these troops were put into the "Fauj-I-Khas" whose command language was French and who marched under a flag which was a combination of the French Tri-Color and the Sikh Nishan-Sahib.Ranjit Singh was now ready to enact his complete revenge.