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CHAP. VII
SAIYID AHMAD AT PESHAWAR
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Sultan Muhammad, by the presence of i830. a Sikh force under the Prince Sher. Singh and General But defeats Ventura, which had been moved to that quarter under Yar mupretence of securing for the Maharaja a long-promised hammad. horse of famous breed named Laila, the match of one J^'.^'^^^'J^^g' of equal renown named Kahar, which Ranjit Singh 1^29!^°" had already prided himself on obtaining from the Barakzai brothers.^ The Sikh troops withdrew to the Indus, leaving ^""g'^'g^^jj" Sultan Muhammad Khan and his brothers to guard ^^^^g^ ^^^ their fief or dependency as they could, and it would mdus. even seem that Ranjit Singh hoped the difficulties of isso. their position, and the insecurity of the province, would But the influence of justify its complete reduction.Saiyid Ahmad reached to Kashmir, and the mountaineers between that valley and the Indus were unwilling subjects of Lahore. Ahmad crossed the river in June 1830, and planned an attack upon the Sikh force commanded by Hari Singh Nalwa and General Allard; but he was beaten off, and forced to retire to He is comp^i^^^ ^° the west of the river. In a few months he was strong enough to attack Sultan Muhammad Khan; the Ba- ;"3jjg^;,p"„* rakzai was defeated, and Peshawar was occupied by ^^id routs the Saiyid and his 'Ghazis'. His elation kept pace with suitan muhis success, and, according to tradition, already busy hammad with his career, he proclaimed himself Khalif, and Khan, and struck a coin in the name of 'Ahmad the Just, the p^^JJ^j^^j. defender of the faith, the glitter of whose sword scat- Jg^ tereth destruction among infidels'. The fall of Peshawar caused some alarm in Lahore, and the force on the Indus was strengthened, and placed under the command of Prince Sher Singh. The petty Muhammadan The saiyid-s to his brother.
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generally, with whom self-interest overcame were averse to the domination o? the Indian adventurer, and the imprudence of Saiyid Ahmad gave He had levied umbrage to his Usufzai adherents. from the peasants a tithe of their goods, and this measure caused little or no dissatisfaction, for it agreed chiefs faith,
1 Cf. Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 146, 149. The followers of Saiyid Ahmad believe that poison was administered, and describe the 'Ghazi' as suffering much from its effects. General Ventura at last succeeded in obtaining a Laila, but that the real horse, so named, was transferred, is doubtful, and (Capt. Wade to the at one time it was declared to be dead. Resident, Delhi, 17th May 1829.) 2 Capt. Wade to the Resident, Delhi, 13th Sept. 1830. The Maharaja also reserved a cause of quarrel with the Barakzais, on account of their reduction of the Khattaks, a tribe which Ranjit Singh said Fateh Khan, the Wazir, had agreed to leave independent. (Capt. Wade to Government, 9th Dec. 1831.)
n
influence
SAIYID AHMAD AT PESHAWAR
i7l
Sultan Muhammad, by the presence of i830. a Sikh force under the Prince Sher. Singh and General But defeats Ventura, which had been moved to that quarter under Yar mupretence of securing for the Maharaja a long-promised hammad. horse of famous breed named Laila, the match of one J^'.^'^^^'J^^g' of equal renown named Kahar, which Ranjit Singh 1^29!^°" had already prided himself on obtaining from the Barakzai brothers.^ The Sikh troops withdrew to the Indus, leaving ^""g'^'g^^jj" Sultan Muhammad Khan and his brothers to guard ^^^^g^ ^^^ their fief or dependency as they could, and it would mdus. even seem that Ranjit Singh hoped the difficulties of isso. their position, and the insecurity of the province, would But the influence of justify its complete reduction.Saiyid Ahmad reached to Kashmir, and the mountaineers between that valley and the Indus were unwilling subjects of Lahore. Ahmad crossed the river in June 1830, and planned an attack upon the Sikh force commanded by Hari Singh Nalwa and General Allard; but he was beaten off, and forced to retire to He is comp^i^^^ ^° the west of the river. In a few months he was strong enough to attack Sultan Muhammad Khan; the Ba- ;"3jjg^;,p"„* rakzai was defeated, and Peshawar was occupied by ^^id routs the Saiyid and his 'Ghazis'. His elation kept pace with suitan muhis success, and, according to tradition, already busy hammad with his career, he proclaimed himself Khalif, and Khan, and struck a coin in the name of 'Ahmad the Just, the p^^JJ^j^^j. defender of the faith, the glitter of whose sword scat- Jg^ tereth destruction among infidels'. The fall of Peshawar caused some alarm in Lahore, and the force on the Indus was strengthened, and placed under the command of Prince Sher Singh. The petty Muhammadan The saiyid-s to his brother.
,
;
^
i)
,
]
''
i:
1;
r I.
!t
i
»i
,
:
]
1^
;
generally, with whom self-interest overcame were averse to the domination o? the Indian adventurer, and the imprudence of Saiyid Ahmad gave He had levied umbrage to his Usufzai adherents. from the peasants a tithe of their goods, and this measure caused little or no dissatisfaction, for it agreed chiefs faith,
1 Cf. Murray, Ranjit Singh, pp. 146, 149. The followers of Saiyid Ahmad believe that poison was administered, and describe the 'Ghazi' as suffering much from its effects. General Ventura at last succeeded in obtaining a Laila, but that the real horse, so named, was transferred, is doubtful, and (Capt. Wade to the at one time it was declared to be dead. Resident, Delhi, 17th May 1829.) 2 Capt. Wade to the Resident, Delhi, 13th Sept. 1830. The Maharaja also reserved a cause of quarrel with the Barakzais, on account of their reduction of the Khattaks, a tribe which Ranjit Singh said Fateh Khan, the Wazir, had agreed to leave independent. (Capt. Wade to Government, 9th Dec. 1831.)
n
influence
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