Battle of Rahon (1710)
Battle of Rahon | |||||||
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Part of Mughal-Sikh Wars | |||||||
Painting from an illustrated folio of a Mughal manuscript depicting the Battle of Rahon (1710). From the ‘Tawarikh-i Jahandar Shah’, Awadh or Lucknow, ca.1770. Shamas Khan is depicted being killed by Nar Singh and Pahar Singh | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
First Sikh State | Mughal Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Unknown | Shamas Khan | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
70,000-80,000[2] | 100,000[2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Heavy[3][4] |
The Battle of Rahon was fought between Sikhs and Mughal Empire on 11 October 1710.
Background
Banda Singh Bahadur captured almost half of
Battle
The Sikhs arrived at Rahon, hastily built a fortress, and issued threatening orders to the revenue payers and revenue officers for their submission. Shamas Khan and his army reached Rahon, surrounded the fort from all sides to attack the Sikhs, while the Sikhs responded with shelling with cannons. The Sikhs realizing that they were outnumbered, retreated back to the fort of Rahon where they were besieged for several days.
Outcome
The result of the battle is disputed among historians. According to some accounts, the Sikhs would occupy the fort of Rahon and would subsequently capture the Jalandhar Doaba from the Mughals.[11][4][12][5] According to Hari Ram Gupta, following the capture of Rahon by the Sikhs, the Mughals would fight a battle with the Sikhs in the garden of Yaqub Khan. The Sikhs were defeated in the garden, forcing their retreat towards the fort of Rahon. After a short siege, Rahon fell in November of 1710, and the Sikh forces were forced to retreat.[1] After the capture of Rahon, the Mughals under Shamas Khan would advance and capture Sirhind, resulting in the death of 1,000 Sikhs.[2][1] However according to Ganda Singh, the Mughal army, under the command of Shamas Khan, advanced upon Sirhind. Sukha Singh and Sham Singh would fight the Mughals in the garden of Yaqub Khan. The Sikhs were defeated, Sukha Singh was killed, and the Sikhs were forced to retreat towards the fort of Sirhind.[13] Surjit Singh Gandhi also states that the fight between Sukha Singh and the Mughals occurred within the outskirts of Sirhind.[14] Sirhind would be recaptured by the Mughals, and the severed heads of the slain Sikhs would be sent to the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah.[13]
Aftermath
Shortly after the capture of Sirhind, Shamas Khan was dismissed as faujdar of the Jalandhar Doaba by the Mughal authorities. This was largely due to Muhammad Amin Khan's resentment towards Shamas, as Shamas was the one who recaptured Sirhind. Resentful that he was not the one that recaptured the city, Muhammad Amin Khan managed to convince the Mughal authorities in removing Shamas Khan as Faujdar of Jalandhar. He accused Shamas of endangering Mughal authority, and as a result, Shamas was dismissed from his post as faujdar of Jalandhar.[13]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 9788121502481.
They stood their ground for some time, eating whatever could be had from the deserted houses. The fort fell in November and the Sikhs were driven away. Shams Khan then advanced upon Sarhind. Baj Singh and Ali Singh were defeated. They fled away to Lohgarh. Shams Khan occupied Sarhind and killed a number of Sikhs.
- ^ ISBN 9781000609448.
- ^ a b Sagoo 2001, p. 192.
- ^ a b c d e Singh, Ganda (1990) [1935]. Life of Banda Singh Bahadur. Publication Bureau, Punjabi University. pp. 117–121.
- ^ ISBN 81 7380-671-3.
- ^ Sagoo 2001, p. 175.
- ^ Sagoo 2001, p. 176.
- ^ Sagoo 2001, p. 177.
- ISBN 9788176293006.
- ^ Gandhi, Surjit (1999). Sikhs In The Eighteenth Century. p. 39.
- ^ Sagoo 2001, p. 178.
- ISBN 978-0-313-33536-5.
- ^ a b c Singh, Ganda (1935). Iife of Banda Singh Bahadur Based on Contemporary and Original Records. The Sikh History Research Department, Khalsa College, Amritsar. pp. 133–134.
- ISBN 81-7205-217-0.
The next confrontation with the Sikhs took place on the outskirts of Sirhind. Here, too, the Sikhs who fought under Sukha Singh, the Brother of Baj Singh, were worsted and rushed to take shelter in the fort of Sirhind.