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172
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
CHAP, vn
with their notion of the rights of a religious teacher; but his decree that all the young women of marriageable age should be at once wedded, interfered with the
1831.
profits of Afghan parents, proverbially avaricious, and who usually disposed of their daughters to the wealthiest bridegrooms. But when Saiyid wa? accused, perhaps unjustly, of assigning the maidens
Ahmad
He
relin-
quishes
Peshawar, 1830;
and retires towards Kashmir, and is surprised and slain.
May
1831.
one by one to his needy Indian followers, his motives were impugned, and the discontent was loud. Early in November 1830 he was constrained to relinquish Peshawar to Sultan Muhammad at a fixed tribute, and he proceeded to the left bank of the Indus to give battle to the Sikhs. The Saiyid depended chiefly on the few 'Ghazis' who had followed his fortunes throughout, and on the insurrectionary spirit of the Muzalfarabad and other chiefs, for his Usufzai adherents had greatly decreased. The hill 'khans' were soon brought under subjection by the efforts of Sher Singh and the governor of Kashmir; yet Ahmad- continued active, and, in a desultory warfare amid rugged mountains, success for a time attended him; but, during a cessation of the frequent conflicts, he was surprised, early in May 1831, at a place called Balakot, and fallen upon and slain. The Usufzais at once expelled his deputies, the 'Ghazis' dispersed in disguise, and the family of the Saiyid hastened to Hindustan to find an honourable asylum with their friend the Nawab of Tonk.i
Ranjit
Singh courted by various parties.
The Baluch s.
Shah Mahmud.
The fame of Ranjit Singh was now at its height, and his friendship was sought by distant sovereigns. In 1829, agents from Baluchistan brought horses to the Sikh ruler, and hoped that the frontier posts of Harrand and Dajal, westward of the Indus, which his feudatory of Bahawalpur had usurped, would be restored to the Khan.^ The Maharaja was likewise in communication with Shah Mahmud of Herat,^ and in 1830 he was 1 Capt. Wade to Resident at Delhi, 21st March 1831, and other dates in that and the previous year. Cf. Murray, Ranjit Singh, p. 150. The followers of the Saiyid strenuously deny his assumption of the title of Khalif, his new coinage, and his bestowal of Usufzai maidens on his Indian followers. 2 Capt. Wade to the Resident at Delhi, 3rd May 1829, and 29th April 1830. Harrand was once a place of considerable repute. (See Munshi Mohan Lai, Journal, under date 3rd March 1836.) The Bahawalpur Memoirs show that the Nawab was aided by the treachery of others in acquiring it. The place had to be retaken by General Ventura (as the author learnt from that officer), when Bahawal Khan was deprived of his territories west of the Sutlej. 3 Capt. Wade to Resident at Delhi, 21st Jan. 1829, and 3rd Dec. 1830.
!
HISTORY OF THE SIKHS
CHAP, vn
with their notion of the rights of a religious teacher; but his decree that all the young women of marriageable age should be at once wedded, interfered with the
1831.
profits of Afghan parents, proverbially avaricious, and who usually disposed of their daughters to the wealthiest bridegrooms. But when Saiyid wa? accused, perhaps unjustly, of assigning the maidens
Ahmad
He
relin-
quishes
Peshawar, 1830;
and retires towards Kashmir, and is surprised and slain.
May
1831.
one by one to his needy Indian followers, his motives were impugned, and the discontent was loud. Early in November 1830 he was constrained to relinquish Peshawar to Sultan Muhammad at a fixed tribute, and he proceeded to the left bank of the Indus to give battle to the Sikhs. The Saiyid depended chiefly on the few 'Ghazis' who had followed his fortunes throughout, and on the insurrectionary spirit of the Muzalfarabad and other chiefs, for his Usufzai adherents had greatly decreased. The hill 'khans' were soon brought under subjection by the efforts of Sher Singh and the governor of Kashmir; yet Ahmad- continued active, and, in a desultory warfare amid rugged mountains, success for a time attended him; but, during a cessation of the frequent conflicts, he was surprised, early in May 1831, at a place called Balakot, and fallen upon and slain. The Usufzais at once expelled his deputies, the 'Ghazis' dispersed in disguise, and the family of the Saiyid hastened to Hindustan to find an honourable asylum with their friend the Nawab of Tonk.i
Ranjit
Singh courted by various parties.
The Baluch s.
Shah Mahmud.
The fame of Ranjit Singh was now at its height, and his friendship was sought by distant sovereigns. In 1829, agents from Baluchistan brought horses to the Sikh ruler, and hoped that the frontier posts of Harrand and Dajal, westward of the Indus, which his feudatory of Bahawalpur had usurped, would be restored to the Khan.^ The Maharaja was likewise in communication with Shah Mahmud of Herat,^ and in 1830 he was 1 Capt. Wade to Resident at Delhi, 21st March 1831, and other dates in that and the previous year. Cf. Murray, Ranjit Singh, p. 150. The followers of the Saiyid strenuously deny his assumption of the title of Khalif, his new coinage, and his bestowal of Usufzai maidens on his Indian followers. 2 Capt. Wade to the Resident at Delhi, 3rd May 1829, and 29th April 1830. Harrand was once a place of considerable repute. (See Munshi Mohan Lai, Journal, under date 3rd March 1836.) The Bahawalpur Memoirs show that the Nawab was aided by the treachery of others in acquiring it. The place had to be retaken by General Ventura (as the author learnt from that officer), when Bahawal Khan was deprived of his territories west of the Sutlej. 3 Capt. Wade to Resident at Delhi, 21st Jan. 1829, and 3rd Dec. 1830.
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