Tempo:
120 1805.
and a single temporal authority virtually
admitted in the person of Ranjit
Singh.
Ranjit
Singh interferes in the affairs of the Sikhs of Sirhind 1806.
Takes Ludhiana, 1806;
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
CHAP. V
which taxation and inquisition were unknown; but the petty chiefs and their paid followers, to whom their faith was the mere expression of a conventional custom, were anxious for predatory licence, and for additions to their temporal power. Some were willing to join the English, others were ready to link their fortunes with the Marathas, and all had become jealous of Ranjit Singh, who alone was desirous of excluding the stranger invaders, as the great obstacles to his own ambition of founding a military monarchy which should ensure to the people the congenial occupation of conquest. In truth, Ranjit Singh laboured, with more or less of intelligent design, to give unity and coherence to diverse atoms and scattered elements; to mould the increasing Sikh nation into a well-ordered state or commonwealth, as Gobind had developed a sect into a people, and had given application and purpose to the general institutions of Nanak.^ Holkar retired, and Ranjit Singh, as has been mentioned, entered into a vague but friendly alliance with the British Government. Towards the close of the same year he was invited to interfere in a quarrel between the chief of Nabha and the Raja of Patiala, and it would be curious to trace whether the English authorities had first refused to mediate in the dispute in consequence of the repeated instructions to avoid all connexion with powers beyond the Jumna. Ranjit Singh crossed the Sutlej, and took Ludhiana from the declining Muhammadan far^ily which had sought the protection of the adventurer George Thomas. The place was bestowed upon his uncle, Bhag Singh of
Jind, and as both Jaswant Singh of Nabha, whom he had gone to aid, and Sahib Singh of Patiala, whom he offerings had gone tc coerce, were glad to be rid of his destrucfrom Patiala. tive arbitration, he retired with the present of a piece of artillery and some treasure, and went towards the hills of.Kangra, partly that he might pay his superstiand receives
Sansar
Chand and
tious devotions at the natural flames of Juala Mukhi.^ At this time the unscrupulous ambition of Sansar Chand of Katotch had brought him into fatal collision 1 Malcolm (Sketch, pp. 106, 107) remarks on the want of unanimity among the Sikhs at the time of Lord Lake's expedition. Cf. Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 57, 58. 2 See Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 59, 60. The letter of Sir Charles Metcalfe to Government, of June 17, 1809, shows that Ranjit Singh was not strong enough at the time in question, 1806, to interfere, by open force, in the affairs of the Malwa Sikhs, and the letters of Sir David Ochterlony, of February 14, March 7, 1809 and July 30, 1811, show that the English engagements of 1805, with the Patiala and other chiefs, were virtually at an end, so far as regarded the reciprocal benefits of alliance.
and a single temporal authority virtually
admitted in the person of Ranjit
Singh.
Ranjit
Singh interferes in the affairs of the Sikhs of Sirhind 1806.
Takes Ludhiana, 1806;
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
CHAP. V
which taxation and inquisition were unknown; but the petty chiefs and their paid followers, to whom their faith was the mere expression of a conventional custom, were anxious for predatory licence, and for additions to their temporal power. Some were willing to join the English, others were ready to link their fortunes with the Marathas, and all had become jealous of Ranjit Singh, who alone was desirous of excluding the stranger invaders, as the great obstacles to his own ambition of founding a military monarchy which should ensure to the people the congenial occupation of conquest. In truth, Ranjit Singh laboured, with more or less of intelligent design, to give unity and coherence to diverse atoms and scattered elements; to mould the increasing Sikh nation into a well-ordered state or commonwealth, as Gobind had developed a sect into a people, and had given application and purpose to the general institutions of Nanak.^ Holkar retired, and Ranjit Singh, as has been mentioned, entered into a vague but friendly alliance with the British Government. Towards the close of the same year he was invited to interfere in a quarrel between the chief of Nabha and the Raja of Patiala, and it would be curious to trace whether the English authorities had first refused to mediate in the dispute in consequence of the repeated instructions to avoid all connexion with powers beyond the Jumna. Ranjit Singh crossed the Sutlej, and took Ludhiana from the declining Muhammadan far^ily which had sought the protection of the adventurer George Thomas. The place was bestowed upon his uncle, Bhag Singh of
Jind, and as both Jaswant Singh of Nabha, whom he had gone to aid, and Sahib Singh of Patiala, whom he offerings had gone tc coerce, were glad to be rid of his destrucfrom Patiala. tive arbitration, he retired with the present of a piece of artillery and some treasure, and went towards the hills of.Kangra, partly that he might pay his superstiand receives
Sansar
Chand and
tious devotions at the natural flames of Juala Mukhi.^ At this time the unscrupulous ambition of Sansar Chand of Katotch had brought him into fatal collision 1 Malcolm (Sketch, pp. 106, 107) remarks on the want of unanimity among the Sikhs at the time of Lord Lake's expedition. Cf. Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 57, 58. 2 See Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 59, 60. The letter of Sir Charles Metcalfe to Government, of June 17, 1809, shows that Ranjit Singh was not strong enough at the time in question, 1806, to interfere, by open force, in the affairs of the Malwa Sikhs, and the letters of Sir David Ochterlony, of February 14, March 7, 1809 and July 30, 1811, show that the English engagements of 1805, with the Patiala and other chiefs, were virtually at an end, so far as regarded the reciprocal benefits of alliance.
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