The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms
Major exhibition at the V&A, March to July 1999
THE DEATH OF MAHARAJA
RANJIT SINGH
Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in 1839 after a reign of nearly forty years, leaving
seven sons by different wives, none of whom was a worthy successor to the
'Lion of the Panjab'. Two main factions, the Hindu Dogra brothers and the
Sikh aristocracy, fought for control.
Kharrak Singh was the first successor, but his weakness, indolence and opium
addiction, allowed his son, Nau Nihal Singh, to become effective ruler within
two months. The following year he was dead, and Nau Nihal Singh was killed
the day after his father's funeral by falling masonry.
After a stormy interval, Sher Singh became maharaja early in 1841. An impressive
figure, he was painted by many of the foreign visitors to the court, including
August Schoefft and Emily Eden. With the army in open mutiny and the British
hovering on his borders, Sher Singh was forced to make drastic changes in
his foreign policy. None was more difficult than when he welcomed to Lahore
the former enemy of the Sikhs, Dost Muhammad Khan, as he travelled to Kabul
to regain the throne of Afghanistan.
Violent deaths continued, including Sher Singh's own, in 1843. Finally, the
only remaining son of Ranjit Singh became maharaja: the seven-year-old Dalip
Singh. Real power rested with the Dogras, whose leading figures were Hira
Singh, the former favourite of Ranjit Singh, and Gulab Singh, a loyal supporter
of Ranjit Singh who now offered his services to the British in the event of
war against the Sikh kingdom.