Leonpcs at 22:04, 25 January 2026

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{{Short description|1709 conflict}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Disputed|date=February 2022}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=February 2022}}
}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Samana
| partof = [[Mughal-Sikh Wars]]
| image =
| caption =
| date = 26 November 1709
| place = [[Samana, Punjab|Samana]]{{sfn|Sagoo|2001|p=124}}
| territory =
| result = Sikh victory<ref name="sarsa">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=06k5ygAACAAJ|title=Dictionary of Battles and Sieges|page=891|author= Jacques, Tony|year=2007|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-33536-5}}</ref><ref name="jacques">Jacques, p. 892</ref><br/>Establishment of the First Sikh State
| combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Sikh flag.jpg}} [[Khalsa]]
* [[Ryot|Peasants]]
* [[Dahiya (surname)|Dahiyas]] of [[Khanda, Sonipat|Khanda]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Joon |first=Rs |date=2017-04-20 |title=Foreword to History: A Novel |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5406/illinois/9780252039003.003.0023 |journal=University of Illinois Press |volume=1 |pages=179–180 |doi=10.5406/illinois/9780252039003.003.0023 |quote=While on his way to Punjab, Banda Bairagi broke his journey at Sehri - Khandaa a Jat village of Dahiya Gotra, 20 miles west of Delhi. From there he dispatched letters to all the Jathedars of the Panth to concentrate forthwith. He planned to attack and loot the Royal treasury by and by the Sikhs started arriving and the strength of the force rose to 14000. He attached Samana, overran Sadhora|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg}} [[Mughal Empire]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Sikh flag.jpg}} [[Banda Singh Bahadur]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Alam of the Mughal Empire.svg}} [[Wazir Khan (Sirhind)|Wazir Khan]]
| strength1 = 3,000 [[Sowar|Cavalry]]<br>5,000 Infantry<br>8,000 Total
| strength2 = 10,000+
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = 10,000 Mughal killed<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Ganda |title=A Short History of the Sikhs |publisher=Orient Longmans |year=1950 |pages=79}}</ref>
}}
{{Campaignbox Mughal-Sikh Wars}}

The '''Battle of Samana''' was fought between the [[Khalsa]] under the leadership of [[Banda Singh Bahadur]] and the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] Government of [[Samana, Punjab|Samana]] in 1709. Following the battle, [[Banda Singh Bahadur]] shook the administration of [[Old Delhi|Delhi]].<ref name="Mikaberidze2011">{{cite book|author=Alexander Mikaberidze|authorlink= Alexander Mikaberidze|title=Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia: A Historical Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jBBYD2J2oE4C&pg=PA120|accessdate=15 September 2013|date=31 July 2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-337-8|pages=120–}}</ref>

==Background==
Samana was a town where executioners Sayyed Jalal-ud-din, Shashal Beg and Bashal Beg lived. Sayyed Jalal-ud-din was responsible for the execution of Sikh [[Guru Teg Bahadur]], whereas, Shashal Beg and Bashal Beg were responsible for the execution of Guru Gobind Singh's [[Zorawar Singh (Sikhism)|two]] [[Fateh Singh (Sikhism)|children]].{{sfn|Sagoo|2001|p=125}}<ref name="pat">{{cite book|title=The Sikhs|last=Singh|first=Patwant|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=27XYeylUzWwC&pg=PT68|publisher=[[Crown Publishing Group]]|year= 2007|isbn=9780307429339|pages=68}}</ref>

==Battle==
The [[Sikhs]] had 3,000 horsemen and 5,000 foot-soldiers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Singh and Singh|first=Daljeet and Kharak|title=Sikhism its Philosophy and History|publisher=Institute of Sikh Studies|year=1997|isbn=81-85815-03-8|location=Nagar, Chandigarh|pages=426}}</ref> The commander of [[Samana, Punjab|Samana]] had his town well defended. [[Banda Singh Bahadur|Banda]] advanced with speed during the night and reached the gates of Samana by the dawn of November 26. Once the gate-keepers were killed the whole army charged into the town. The executioners of [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]] and his [[Fateh Singh (Sikhism)|grand]][[Zorawar Singh (Sikhism)|children]] were killed.<ref name=":0" /> The [[Ryot|peasantry]] of the neighborhood joined Banda Singh's army of 8,000, looking to wreak vengeance upon their expropriating [[Zamindar|zamindars]] (feudal lords) and together with Banda and his army entered the town from all sides, killed thousands of the city's inhabitants and razed the town.{{sfn|Sagoo|2001|p=125}}<ref>{{cite book|author=|title=Journal of Indian History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TDFuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA209|year=1981|publisher=Department of Modern Indian History, 1981 |pages=209|quote=The peasantry joined hands with the Sikhs and did not hesitate to wreak vengeance upon their expropriating landlords.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Grewal |first=J. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2_nryFANsoYC&pg=PA82 |title=The Sikhs of the Punjab |date=1998-10-08 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-63764-0 |pages=82 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="jacques">Jacques, p. 892</ref> Nearly 10,000 Muslims are said to have been massacred in the town and a great amount of wealth was obtained.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Hari Ram |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.73329/page/n67/mode/2up?view=theater |title=Studies in Later Mughal History of the Panjab, 1707-1793 |pages=46|date=1944}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Ganda |title=A Short History of the Sikhs |publisher=Orient Longmans |year=1950 |pages=79}}</ref>

== Aftermath ==
After the successful expedition against Samana, [[Banda Singh Bahadur]] established the First Sikh State and appointed [[Fateh Singh (Sikh warrior)|Fateh Singh]] as the Governor of [[Samana, Punjab|Samana]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite book|last=Gandhi|first=Surjit|url= https://archive.org/details/SikhsInTheEighteenthCentury/page/n28/mode/2up|title= Sikhs In The Eighteenth Century|page=28|date=1999}}</ref> Later, some important towns on the way to Sirhind were plundered, especially as they could provide military assistance to Sirhind.{{sfn|Gandhi|1999|p=28}}<ref>{{cite book|title=Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty|last=Sagoo|first=Harbans Kaur|url=https://archive.org/details/BandaSinghBahadurAndSikhSovereignty/page/n139/mode/1up|year=2001|isbn=9788176293006|publisher=Deep & Deep Publications |pages=124}}</ref> Banda also forcibly took supplies from the villagers and plundered [[Ambala]] on the way.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macauliffe |first=Max Arthur |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMeclUzAh9sC&pg=PA247 |title=The Sikh Religion: Its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors |date=2013-03-28 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-108-05547-5 |pages=247 |language=en}}</ref> The villages of [[Kunjpura]], [[Ghuram]] and Thaska were also destroyed by the Sikhs, which were inhabited by Muslim [[Ranghar]]s, who committed atrocities against the general population.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Hari Ram |url=https://apnaorg.com/books/english/history-of-sikhs-v2/history-of-sikhs-v2.pdf |title=History of the Sikhs: Evolution of Sikh Confederacies (1708-69) |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers |pages=9|date=1999|isbn=9788121502481|orig-date=1937}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samana}}
[[Category:Battles involving the Sikhs]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1709]]
[[Category:1709 in India]]
[[Category:1700s in the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Rajputs]]

Battle of Samana - Revision history

Leonpcs at 22:04, 25 January 2026