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Revision as of 20:59, 18 January 2009
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| Battle of Jamrud | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Afghan-Sikh wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Sikh Empire | Durrani Empire | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Hari Singh Nalwa | Akbar Khan & Abdul Samad Khan | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 1000 in the fort, with 2000-3000. | 8,000, with approx 15,000 irregulars | ||||||||
The battle of Jamrud was fought between the remnants of the Durrani Empire and Sikh Empire. The Sikh Empire was building up towards crossing the Khyber pass and capturing Kabul pass. The Afghan attempt to dislodge the Sikhs from the strategic Khyber pass failed, but the killing of Sikh General Hari Singh Nalwa halted Ranjit's Singhs plans to cross west of the Khyber pass.
Introduction
The Battle of Jamrud, was fought between the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh and the Afghan Emir Dost Muhammad Khan. The Afghans had been facing a succession of defeats at the hands of the Sikhs over the years precdeding, and had seen their once mighty Empire shrink with the loss of Punjab, Kashmir, Multan and more painfully what now constitutes the North West Frontier Province. The last loss was the most personal as the inhabitants of the region were fellow Pashtuns and the town of Peshawar was the summer capital of the Afghan Emirs.
Background
In 1837, the Sikh Army at Peshawar army was back at Lahore for the wedding of Kanwar Nau-nihal Singh, the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is alleged that inside information on the goings on in Lahore were sent to Kabul by the Dogras which encouraged the Afghans to attack and reclaim the land of their fellow tribesmen. Such a message was very encouraging to the Afghans and the Emir of Afghanistan Dost Muhammad Khan who immediately rushed his army under his son to drive the Sikhs out of Peshawar. Although the battle was not won by the Afghan army, Hari Singh Nalwa (who was ill at the time) was killed by the yousafzai tribes men
The Battle
Sardar Hari Singh Nalua had earlier build a fort on the entrance of Khyber pass called fort of Jamrud, this fort was being commanded by Sardar Mahan Singh Mirpura. For want of timely help the Sardar was of course killed, but the Afghans could not dislodge the Sikh troops from the fort of Jamrud.
Fallout
The battle's importance was in putting an end to Sikh Empire's plans to invade Afghanistan and rendering Jamrud the westernmost limit of Sikh influence. The loss of Hari Singh Nalwa proved a major blow to the Sikh Army and the subsequent June 1839 death of Ranjit Singh plunged the Kingdom into dynastic conflict.
References
- The Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-century Land Warfare: An Illustrated World View By Byron Farwell Published by W.W. Norton, 2001 ISBN 0393047709, 9780393047707
- Chief and families of Note in Punjab, Vol II, op.cit., pp. 87,89,90
- The Sikhs and Afghans, in Connexion with the India and Persia, Immediately Before and After the Death of Ranjeet Singh: From the Journal of an Expedition to Kabul Through the Panjab and the Khaibar Pass By Shahāmat ʻAlī Published by J. Murray, 1847 Original from the University of Michigan
Further reading
- Olaf Caroe, The Pathans
- Hari Singh Nalua