Tempo:
CHAP. V
AHMAD SHAH DURRANI
103
governor in his neighbouring town and district of 1770, Jagadhri, and by Baghel Singh Krora Singhia, that he ^~^ ^^ proposed to the Marathas a joint expedition against the Jumna these new lords. His death, in 1770, put an end to the and Ganges. plan, for his succeeding son had other views, and en- i77o. couraged the Sikhs as useful allies upon an emergency.'
Hari Singh Bhangi died, and he was succeeded by Jhanda Jhanda Singh, who carried the power of the Misal to ^"^sii of He rendered Jammu tributary, and the ^Jj^sfi^p^g! its height. place was then of considerable importance, for the eminent. repeated Afghan invasions, and the continued insurrec- 1770. tions of the Sikhs, had driven the transit trade of the jammu plans to the circuitous but safe route of the hills; and rendered the character of the Rajput chief, Ranjit Deo, was such tributary. as gave confidence to traders, and induced them to flock The Pathans of Kasur Kasur reto his capital for protection. ^^^/^ed to were next rendered tributary, and Jhanda Singh then ^ubnussion. deputed his lieutenant, Mujja Singh, against Multan; but that leader was repulsed and slain by the united forces of the joint Afghan governors and of the Bhawalpur chief. Next year, or in 1772, these joint managers quarrelled, and as one of them asked the assistance of Jhanda Singh, that unscrupulous leader and Muitan was enabled to possess himself of the citadel. On his occupied, ^"^' return to the northward, he found that a rival claimant Charat obtained aid the of of the Jammu chiefship had Singh Sukerchukia, and of Jai Singh, the rising leader of the Kanhaya Misal. Charat Singh was killed by the bursting of his own matchlock, and Jai Singh was then jhanda so base as to procure the assassination of Jhanda Singh, singh asBeing satisfied with the removal of this powerful chief, sassinated -^^^ the Kanhaya left the Jammu claimant to prosecute his cause alone, and entered into a league with the old kanhaya, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, for the expulsion of the other 1774, Jassa Singh the Carpenter, who had rendered Ahmad Shah's nominal deputy, Ghamand Chand of Katotch, jai singh and other Rajputs of the hills, his tributaries. The Kanhaya Ramgarhia Jassa Singh was at last beaten, and he ^nd Jassa retired to the wastes of Hariana to live by plunder. At ^jj'^jj ^^^^"^ this time, or about 1774, died the Muhammadan gover- ^hJ car-^^^ nor of Kangra. He had contrived to maintain himself penter. in independence, or in reserved subjection to Delhi or Kabul,, although the rising chief of Katotch had long desired to possess so famous a stronghold. Jai Singh ^aj^^o ^-^e Kanhaya was prevailed on to assist him', and the place Kanhaya fell; but the Sikh chose to keep it to himself, and the Misai about possession of the imperial fort aided him in his usurpa- 1774.
^
1
The memoirs of the Bhawalpur family, and manuscript
Sikh histories. Cf. also Forster, TravAs, i. 148.
AHMAD SHAH DURRANI
103
governor in his neighbouring town and district of 1770, Jagadhri, and by Baghel Singh Krora Singhia, that he ^~^ ^^ proposed to the Marathas a joint expedition against the Jumna these new lords. His death, in 1770, put an end to the and Ganges. plan, for his succeeding son had other views, and en- i77o. couraged the Sikhs as useful allies upon an emergency.'
Hari Singh Bhangi died, and he was succeeded by Jhanda Jhanda Singh, who carried the power of the Misal to ^"^sii of He rendered Jammu tributary, and the ^Jj^sfi^p^g! its height. place was then of considerable importance, for the eminent. repeated Afghan invasions, and the continued insurrec- 1770. tions of the Sikhs, had driven the transit trade of the jammu plans to the circuitous but safe route of the hills; and rendered the character of the Rajput chief, Ranjit Deo, was such tributary. as gave confidence to traders, and induced them to flock The Pathans of Kasur Kasur reto his capital for protection. ^^^/^ed to were next rendered tributary, and Jhanda Singh then ^ubnussion. deputed his lieutenant, Mujja Singh, against Multan; but that leader was repulsed and slain by the united forces of the joint Afghan governors and of the Bhawalpur chief. Next year, or in 1772, these joint managers quarrelled, and as one of them asked the assistance of Jhanda Singh, that unscrupulous leader and Muitan was enabled to possess himself of the citadel. On his occupied, ^"^' return to the northward, he found that a rival claimant Charat obtained aid the of of the Jammu chiefship had Singh Sukerchukia, and of Jai Singh, the rising leader of the Kanhaya Misal. Charat Singh was killed by the bursting of his own matchlock, and Jai Singh was then jhanda so base as to procure the assassination of Jhanda Singh, singh asBeing satisfied with the removal of this powerful chief, sassinated -^^^ the Kanhaya left the Jammu claimant to prosecute his cause alone, and entered into a league with the old kanhaya, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, for the expulsion of the other 1774, Jassa Singh the Carpenter, who had rendered Ahmad Shah's nominal deputy, Ghamand Chand of Katotch, jai singh and other Rajputs of the hills, his tributaries. The Kanhaya Ramgarhia Jassa Singh was at last beaten, and he ^nd Jassa retired to the wastes of Hariana to live by plunder. At ^jj'^jj ^^^^"^ this time, or about 1774, died the Muhammadan gover- ^hJ car-^^^ nor of Kangra. He had contrived to maintain himself penter. in independence, or in reserved subjection to Delhi or Kabul,, although the rising chief of Katotch had long desired to possess so famous a stronghold. Jai Singh ^aj^^o ^-^e Kanhaya was prevailed on to assist him', and the place Kanhaya fell; but the Sikh chose to keep it to himself, and the Misai about possession of the imperial fort aided him in his usurpa- 1774.
^
1
The memoirs of the Bhawalpur family, and manuscript
Sikh histories. Cf. also Forster, TravAs, i. 148.
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