Maha Singh
Encyclopedia
Maha Singh (alternatively Mahan Singh)(1765–1792) Upon the death of his father, Charat Singh
, he succeeded to the leadership of the Sukerchakia Misl. His son Ranjit Singh
succeeded him and established the Sikh Empire. He is known for his alliance with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
and for reducing the power of the Kanheya Misl
.
from Nur ud-Din Bamezai, a general of Ahmad Shah Durrani
. With the help of Jai Singh Kanheya
he laid a four month siege to Rasool Nagar
and captured the city from Pir Mohammed, its Chattha leader. The reputation he gained as a result of the siege led to Sardar
s loyal to the Bhangi Misl
defecting to him He continued to expand his territory and captured Pindi Bhattian
, Sahiwal
, Isakhel
, Kotli Loharan, and Jhang
. In 1784-5, He used a feud between rulers to raid Jammu
, but because he gained a great degree of wealth without sharing or informing his partner Jai Singh Kanheya
, Jai Singh refused his attempts to reconcile. Maha Singh then created an alliance with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
and defeated the Kanheya Misl
at the Battle of Batala. During the Battle of Batala Jai Singh Kanheya
's son and successor, Gurbaksh Singh Kanheya, was killed. His widow, Sada Kaur
betrothed her daughter to Ranjit Singh
, Maha Singh's Son. Sada Kaur
would later succeed to the leadership of the Kanheya Misl
and aided Ranjit Singh
in his early victories. According to the Gujrat District gazetteer 1921 Maha Singh was one of the chiefs of the Chatha
Jatt tribe.
In 1790, he died during the siege of Sodhra
, which was being occupied by the Bhangi Misl
.
Charat Singh
Charat Singh was the eldest son of Naudh Singh, the father of Maha Singh, and the grandfather of Ranjit Singh. He distinguished himself at an early age in campaigns against Ahmad Shah Abdali and along with 150 horsemen split from the Singhpuria Misl to establsih the Sukerchia Misl- Head of...
, he succeeded to the leadership of the Sukerchakia Misl. His son Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
succeeded him and established the Sikh Empire. He is known for his alliance with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was the Commander of the Ramgarhia Sikh Cavalry misl . This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801...
and for reducing the power of the Kanheya Misl
Kanheya Misl
The Kanheya Misl was first led by Sardar Jai Singh Kanhaiya. It had a Strength of 5,000 regular horsemen.The Kanhaiya Misl was founded by Sardar Jai Singh , a Sandhu Jatt of the village of Kahna, 21 km south-west of Lahore on the road to Firozpur. His father Bhai Khushhal Singh sold hay at Lahore...
.
Leadership of the Sukerchakia Misl
As the new leader of the Sukerchakia Misl he captured the Rohtas FortRohtas Fort
Rohtas Fort is a garrison fort built by the great Afghan king Sher Shah Suri. This fort is about 4 km in circumference and the first example of the successful amalgamation of Pashtun and Hindu architecture in the Indian Subcontinent.-Name of fort:...
from Nur ud-Din Bamezai, a general of Ahmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani , also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī and born as Ahmad Khān, was the founder of the Durrani Empire in 1747 and is regarded by many to be the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan.Ahmad Khan enlisted as a young soldier in the military of the Afsharid kingdom and quickly rose...
. With the help of Jai Singh Kanheya
Jai Singh Kanheya
Jai Singh Kanheya was the founder and leader of the Kanheya Misl until his death at the age of 81. His daughter-in-law, Sada Kaur succeeded him in the leadership of the misl.-Early life:...
he laid a four month siege to Rasool Nagar
Rasool Nagar
Rasool Nagar is a small city in Gujranwala District, situated on the bank of the Chenab River in Punjab, Pakistan. The neighboring cities are Alipur Chatha at 8 km and Wazirabad at 40 km apart.-History:...
and captured the city from Pir Mohammed, its Chattha leader. The reputation he gained as a result of the siege led to Sardar
Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
s loyal to the Bhangi Misl
Bhangi Misl
The Bhangi Misl was a large Sikh Misl centered around a village around Amritsar. It was founded in the early 18th century by Hari Singh. It grew in strength and territory to cover an area from Attock to Multan and emerged as the strongest power in the western Punjab region. However, deaths among...
defecting to him He continued to expand his territory and captured Pindi Bhattian
Pindi Bhattian
Pindi Bhattian is an administrative sub-division Pindi Bhattian Tehsil and an historic city of Hafizabad District. It is the city of Bhatti family. Dulla Bhatti was the famous person of Pindi Bhattian....
, Sahiwal
Sahiwal
Sahiwal is a city in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the administrative centre of Sahiwal District and Sahiwal Division. Sahiwal is approximately 180 km from the major city Lahore and is the city between Lahore and Multan...
, Isakhel
Isakhel
Isakhel is a town of Mianwali District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The town is the headquarters of Isakhel Tehsil, an administrative subdivision of the district and is located at 32°40'29N 71°16'52E....
, Kotli Loharan, and Jhang
Jhang
- Demographics :According to 1981 census of Pakistan population of Jhang was 1,970,944 with the 434,495 housing units in Jhang. In 1998 census, population of Jhang was 2,834,545, whose annually growth rate was 2.16%. Male population was 1,474,099 and female population was 1,360,446...
. In 1784-5, He used a feud between rulers to raid Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
, but because he gained a great degree of wealth without sharing or informing his partner Jai Singh Kanheya
Jai Singh Kanheya
Jai Singh Kanheya was the founder and leader of the Kanheya Misl until his death at the age of 81. His daughter-in-law, Sada Kaur succeeded him in the leadership of the misl.-Early life:...
, Jai Singh refused his attempts to reconcile. Maha Singh then created an alliance with Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was a prominent Sikh leader during the period of the Sikh Confederacy. He was the Commander of the Ramgarhia Sikh Cavalry misl . This period was an interlude, lasting roughly from the time of the death of Banda Bahadur in 1716 to the founding of the Sikh Empire in 1801...
and defeated the Kanheya Misl
Kanheya Misl
The Kanheya Misl was first led by Sardar Jai Singh Kanhaiya. It had a Strength of 5,000 regular horsemen.The Kanhaiya Misl was founded by Sardar Jai Singh , a Sandhu Jatt of the village of Kahna, 21 km south-west of Lahore on the road to Firozpur. His father Bhai Khushhal Singh sold hay at Lahore...
at the Battle of Batala. During the Battle of Batala Jai Singh Kanheya
Jai Singh Kanheya
Jai Singh Kanheya was the founder and leader of the Kanheya Misl until his death at the age of 81. His daughter-in-law, Sada Kaur succeeded him in the leadership of the misl.-Early life:...
's son and successor, Gurbaksh Singh Kanheya, was killed. His widow, Sada Kaur
Sada Kaur
Sada Kaur was a Punjabi Sikh who played an important role in Ranjit Singh's rise to power in Punjab. She was the mother-in-law of Maharajha Ranjit Singh and she was the chief of Kanheya misl.-Life and career:...
betrothed her daughter to Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
, Maha Singh's Son. Sada Kaur
Sada Kaur
Sada Kaur was a Punjabi Sikh who played an important role in Ranjit Singh's rise to power in Punjab. She was the mother-in-law of Maharajha Ranjit Singh and she was the chief of Kanheya misl.-Life and career:...
would later succeed to the leadership of the Kanheya Misl
Kanheya Misl
The Kanheya Misl was first led by Sardar Jai Singh Kanhaiya. It had a Strength of 5,000 regular horsemen.The Kanhaiya Misl was founded by Sardar Jai Singh , a Sandhu Jatt of the village of Kahna, 21 km south-west of Lahore on the road to Firozpur. His father Bhai Khushhal Singh sold hay at Lahore...
and aided Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire.-Early life:...
in his early victories. According to the Gujrat District gazetteer 1921 Maha Singh was one of the chiefs of the Chatha
Chatha
Chatha ) is a Punjabi Jatt tribe that inhabits parts of the Punjab in India and Pakistan. - History :The Chatha tribe were originally settled Gujranwala District, in which district they hold 184 villages...
Jatt tribe.
In 1790, he died during the siege of Sodhra
Sodhra
Sodhra is a town and Union council of Gujranwala District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located at 32°28'0N 74°11'0E with an altitude of 222 metres and is part of Wazirabad Tehsil...
, which was being occupied by the Bhangi Misl
Bhangi Misl
The Bhangi Misl was a large Sikh Misl centered around a village around Amritsar. It was founded in the early 18th century by Hari Singh. It grew in strength and territory to cover an area from Attock to Multan and emerged as the strongest power in the western Punjab region. However, deaths among...
.