Bot at 03:00, 21 December 2022

2022-12-21T03:00:17Z

New page

{{use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| death_date = 1770 or {{Death date and age|1774|1732}}
| death_place = [[Sukerchakia Misl]], [[Gujranwala]], [[Sikh Confederacy]]
| image = Charat_Singh.png
| succession = 1st Chief of [[Sukerchakia Misl]]
| reign = 1752—1774
| successor = [[Maha Singh]]
| father = [[Naudh Singh]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Singh |first=Bhagat |date=1993 |title=A History of Sikh Misls |publisher=Punjabi University, Patiala |page=177 |isbn=813020181X}}</ref>
| spouse = [[Desan Kaur]] (m.1756)
| issue = [[Mahan Singh]] <br> Sahej Singh <br> Raj Kaur <br> Saher Kaur
| dynasty = [[Sandhawalia]]
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 1721 or 1732 ([[Gujranwala]], [[Pakistan]])
}}
{{Sikhism sidebar}}

'''Sardar Charat Singh''' (1721–1770<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Herrli |first=Hans |title=The Coins of the Sikhs |pages=7}}</ref> or 1733—1774), also [[Romanization|romanised]] as '''Charhat Singh''', was the father of [[Mahan Singh]], and the grandfather of [[Ranjit Singh]]. He distinguished himself at an early age in campaigns against [[Ahmad Shah Abdali]] and along with 150 [[Equestrianism|horsemen]] split from the [[Singhpuria Misl]] to establish the [[Sukerchakia Misl]].<ref>{{harvnb|Bakshi|Pathak|2007|page=14}}</ref> He was born in a [[Sandhawalia]] [[Jats|Jat]] clan.

==Early life==
Charat Singh was born to Chaudhary Naudh Singh (died 1752) and Lali Kaur in a [[Jat]] family.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Hari Ram|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S1wwAQAAIAAJ&q=misls+siksh|title=History of the Sikhs: The Sikh commonwealth or Rise and fall of Sikh misls|date=October 2001|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal|isbn=978-81-215-0165-1|language=en}}</ref> His grandfather was Budh Singh (died 1718), a disciple of [[Guru Gobind Singh]].<ref name=":0" /> In 1756 he married [[Desan Kaur|Desan Kaur Waraich]], a daughter of [[Sikh]] ruler Amir Singh Waraich. The couple had four children, two sons, [[Maha Singh]] and Suhej Singh followed by two daughters, Bibi Raj Kaur (not to be confused with the wife of Mahan Singh) and Saher Kaur.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Griffin|first=Lepel Henry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z1UoAAAAYAAJ&dq=Datar+kaur&pg=PA388|title=The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab|date=1890|publisher=Civil and Military Gazette Press|language=en}}</ref>

He married the daughter of [[Jat people|Jat]] [[Sikh]] ruler Amir Singh Waraich of [[Gujranwala]], an older but still powerful sardar, and moved his headquarters there.

==Military campaigns==

After the [[Third Battle of Panipat]], Ahmad Shah Durrani sent his general Nur-ud-din to punish the Sikhs. He crossed the river [[Jhelum]] in August 1761 at Khushab and marched up the left bank of the river, He destroyed three largest towns of the Doab, Bhera, Miani and Chak Sanu, The first two towns rose from the ruins afterwards, while the third remained deserted. Charat Singh along with other Sikh re checked his advance on the eastern bank of river [[Chenab]]. Afghans, 12,000 in number, fled away to Sialkot, which was immediately invested by Charat Singh, Nur-ud-din escaped on the eighth day to Jammu in the disguise of a beggar. His troops surrendered, but were allowed to go in safety. This success made Charat Singh a front rank leader among the Sikh sardars. He also seized some guns and other arms. When all was over Charat Singh made triumph entry in his capital Gujranwala<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Hari Ram|title=History Of Sikhs Vol.2 Evolution of Sikh Confederacies|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal|year=2007|isbn=81-215-0248-9|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

Charat Singh's victory over Nur-ud -din deeply perturbed Khwajah Abed Khan, the Durrani's governor of Lahore. He decided to check the growing power of Charat Singh. Besides he wanted to impress upon his master, the Durrani Emperor, that he was quite active in dis charging his duties. He invested Charat Singh's fort of Gujranwala in September, 1761. Charat Singh continued fighting from inside the fort. The other Sikh sardars, [[Jassa Singh Ahluwalia]], Bhangi chiefs Hari Singh, [[Jhanda Singh Dhillon]], Lahna Singh and Gujar Singh, [[Jai Singh Kanhaiya]], and Sobha Singh came for the relief of Charat Singh and encamped 6 kms away from Gujranwala. Khwajah Abed realized that he would be besieged and would soon be in the jaws of a nutcracker. In the night he took to flight without striking a blow. A number of swivels, pieces of cannon, horses, camels, etc., fell into the hands of the Sikhs, when all was over, <ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Hari Ram|title=History Of Sikhs Vol.2 Evolution of Sikh Confederacies|publisher=[[Munshiram Manoharlal]]|year=2007 |isbn=81-215-0248-9}}</ref>

In the beginning of January, 1762, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] came to the Panjab to inflict a crushing defeat on the Sikhs like that of the Marathas in the previous year .The Sikhs lay encamped at Kup near Malerkotla. Ahmad Shah suddenly pounced upon them on February 5, 1762, and killed about 25,000 Sikhs. On this occasion Charat Singh played a dominant role in opposing the enemy and in raising the spirit of the Sikhs.

In January, 1764, the Sikhs decided to punish Jani Khan and Mani Khan of Morindah as they had surrendered Mata Gujri and Guru Gobind Singh's two youngest sons to Wazir Khan of Sarhind . On this occasion Charat Singh posted his troops on the road to Sarhind to check any troops coming from that direction, He fought in the [[Battle of Sirhind (1764)|battle of Sirhind]] against [[Zain Khan Sirhindi]], but took no territory as he had his eyes on the north-west Panjab. Charat Singh took possession of parganahs of Gujranwala, Qila Didar Singh, Qila Mian Singh, Qila Sahib Singh covering the
northern half of Gujranwala tahsil.
==Death==
In 1774, he invaded [[Jammu]] with [[Jai Singh Kanheya|Jai Singh]] of the [[Kanheya Misl]] to aid the eldest son of Ranjit Deo, Brij Raj Deo, against his father.<ref>{{harvnb|Bakshi|Pathak|2007|page=15–16}}</ref> The [[Bhangi Misl]] joined the side of Ranjit Deo against him. During the preparations for battle a [[matchlock]] exploded and killed him.<ref>{{harvnb|Bakshi|Pathak|2007|page=16}}</ref> During a battle the next day Jandha Singh, the leader of the [[Bhangi Misl]] was killed and both [[Misl]]s retreated from the fight.

==Charat Singh Memorial Alliance ==

"Charat Singh strengthened his position by matrimonial alliances.
* Charat's Singh's son [[Mahan Singh]] was married to the daughter of Jai Singh Mann of [[Mogalchak]]-[[Mananwala]].
* Dal Singh Kalianwala of Alipur renamed Akālgarh was married to the sister of Charat Singh.
* Sohel Singh [[Bhangi Misl|Bhangi]] was married to the daughter of Charat Singh.
* Sahib Singh Bhangi, son of Gujar Singh, was married to another daughter, Raj Kaur.
To establish a prominent place for himself among the Sikhs Charat Singh built a fort at Amritsar to the north of the city." – '''[[Hari Ram Gupta]]'''<ref>{{cite book
|last = Gupta
|first = Hari Ram
|title = History of the Sikhs. Vol. IV: Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls
|date = October 2001
|publisher = Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1982
|isbn = 978-8121501651
|pages = 304}}</ref>

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=Leader of the [[Sukerchakia Misl]]|before=none|after=[[Maha Singh]]
|years=unknown – 1770}}
{{s-end}}

==Battles fought by Charat Singh==
* [[Battle of Lahore (1759)]]
* [[Battle of Eminabad (1761)]]
* [[Battle of Sialkot (1761)]]
* [[Battle of Gujranwala (1761)]].<ref name="Raj Pal Singh 2004 116">{{cite book|title= The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years|author= Raj Pal Singh|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ra19YSPDliQC&pg=PA116 |publisher= Pentagon Press|year= 2004|isbn= 9788186505465|page= 116}}</ref><ref name="sarsa">{{cite book|url=http://m.friendfeed-media.com/6e9ec7f58014456d2d5fd015cc8af9d2974509c0|title=Dictionary of Battles and Sieges|page=419|author=Jacques, Tony|year=2006|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-33536-5|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626120848/http://m.friendfeed-media.com/6e9ec7f58014456d2d5fd015cc8af9d2974509c0|archive-date=26 June 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* [[Sikh Occupation of Lahore]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Grewal |first=J.S. |date=1990 |title=The Sikhs of the Punjab |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2_nryFANsoYC&dq=%22jamadar+khushal+singh%22&pg=PA91 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=91 |isbn=0-521-63764-3 |access-date=15 April 2014 }}</ref>
*[[Battle of Harnaulgarh|Battle of Harnaulgarh (1762)]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=www.DiscoverSikhism.com|url=https://archive.org/details/SardarJassaSinghAhluwalia_651|title=Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia}}</ref>
*Battle of Amritsar (1762)
* [[Battle of Sialkot (1763)]].<ref name="Raj Pal Singh 2004 116"/>
*[[Battle of Sirhind (1764)]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=www.DiscoverSikhism.com|url=https://archive.org/details/SardarJassaSinghAhluwalia_651|title=Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* In the 2010 historical TV series ''[[Maharaja Ranjit Singh (TV series)|Maharaja Ranjit Singh]]'' telecasted on [[DD National]], the character of Charat Singh is portrayed by Jaspal Singh Sehgal.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{Cite book
| editor-last1 = Bakshi
| editor-first1 = S.R.
| editor-last2 = Pathak
| editor-first2 = Rashmi
| title = Punjab Through the Ages
| publisher = Sarup and Son
| year = 2007
| location = New Delhi
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kxtEFA5qqR8C&dq=charat+singh&pg=PA15
| isbn = 978-81-7625-738-1}}

{{Sikhism}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=Leader of the [[Sukerchakia Misl]]|before=none|after=[[Maha Singh]]
|years=1752 –1770}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Charat}}
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
[[Category:Sikh warriors]]
[[Category:1774 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]

{{Sikhism-stub}}

Charat Singh - Revision history

Bot at 03:00, 21 December 2022