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List of battles between Mughals and Sikhs

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Mughal-Sikh wars
Part of the decline of the Mughal Empire

Painting of Guru Gobind Singh in battle. Illustration from a manuscript of Krishnavatar.
Date1621 – 12 March 1788
Location
Belligerents
Mughal Empire Akal Sena (1621 - 1699)
Khalsa Fauj (1699 - 1748)
First Sikh State (1709-1715)
Sikh Confederacy (1748 - 1788)
Commanders and leaders

Mughal Emperors
Jahangir I
Shah Jahan I
Alamgir I
Azam Shah
Shah Alam I
Jahandar Shah
Farrukhsiyar
Rafi al-Darajat
Shah Jahan II
Muhammad Shah
Ahmad Shah
Shah Alam II Surrendered

Mughal Governors
Jalal Khan Orakzai
Kale Khan 
Qutab Khan 
Adina Beg
Wazir Khan 
Dilwaar Khan
Mian Khan
Nasar-ul-Mulk
Abd al-Samad Khan
Zakariyya Khan
Salabat Khan 
Yahya Khan
Shahnawaz Khan
Moin-ul-Mulk
Abdul Khan 
Zabardast Khan

Mughal Generals
Mukhlis Khan 
Lal Beg 
Qumer Beg 
Painde Khan 
Hussain Khan 
Nahar Khan 
Gharit Khan 
Shamas Khan
Nahid Khan  
Din Beg  (WIA)
Zain Khan Sirhindi  
Khwaja Muhammad  (WIA)
Muhammad Yarbeg Khan 
Ahmed Khan  
Fateh Khan  
Jamal Khan
Sikh Gurus
Har Gobind
Har Rai
Gobind Singh X
Sikh Generals
Bhai Jattu
Bidhi Chand
Baba Gurditta
Bhai Sohela 
Bhatt Kirat
Bhai Desu 
Bhai Bhano
Tyag Mal Executed
Ajit Singh 
Jujhar Singh 
Bhai Daya Singh
Bhai Dharam Singh
Bhai Himmat Singh 
Bhai Mohkam Singh 
Bhai Sahib Singh 
Mata Bhag Kaur
Banda Singh Bahadur Executed
Baj Singh Executed
Binod Singh 
Bhai Mani Singh Executed
Baba Deep Singh
Baba Darbara Singh
Nawab Kapur Singh
Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
Baghel Singh
Jassa Singh Ramgarhia
Charat Singh
Sukha Singh
Haqiqat Singh Kanhaiya
Tara Singh Ghaiba
Jai Singh Kanhaiya

Many battles and campaigns between the armies of the Mughal Empire and various Sikh states took place, and started with the martyrdom of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev in 1606. The Guru's older brother Prithi Chand and Mughal subedar Chandu Shah circulated rumours up to the Mughal emperor Jahangir claiming the draft of the Adi Granth composed by the Guru was anti-Hindu as well as anti-Islamic. The Guru was called for questioning and jailed due to his support for his alleged support to the prince Khusrau Mirza against Jahangir as well as his refusal to change the words of the Adi Granth. He was imprisoned under the Governor Murtaza Khan. In the absence of Jahangir, Chandu Shah purchased the Guru's freedom and brutally tortured the Guru to death. When Jahangir found out about the scheming, he ordered Chandu Shah's execution. Jahangir handed him over to Guru Hargobind Sahib who paraded Chandu Shah through the streets of Lahore where his face was blackened and he was beaten to death by crowds.

Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Sikh guru, introduced the militarization to Sikhi. In response to his father's execution, and the persistent threat to his life from Prithi Chand, Chandu Shah, etc, since he was born. He established the Akal Sena and fought the Battle of Rohila incited by Chandu Shah's son Karam Chand and Prithi Chand's son Meherban. The Faujdar of Jalandhar, Abdul Khan, was persuaded by them to send an expedition against Guru Hargobind. The Sikhs fought and defeated the contingent of 4,000 Mughal troops sent by Abdul Khan, near the Beas River. `

Later, the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed on the orders of Aurangzeb in 1675, after he refused to convert to Islam. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last human Sikh guru, started the Khalsa tradition and fought further battles against the Mughals and their allies. Before Guru Gobind Singh's passing in 1708, he appointed his newly converted Sikh, Banda Singh Bahadur as the leader of the Khalsa Fauj and ordered him to go fight in Punjab. Banda Singh Bahadur fought further battles against the Mughal's and their allies and established the first Khalsa Rule in 1710 but was captured in 1715 and executed in 1716. After this, the Sikhs later reorganized themselves into Misls creating the Dal Khalsa which fought further battles against the Mughals under the leadership of Nawab Kapur Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and other Misl leaders. The Dal Khalsa was victorious in the last major battle in 1783 with a few smaller fights happening until the conflict ended in 1788.

Battles

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Conflict (Period)

Belligerents Opponents Outcome
Battle of Rohilla
(1621)
Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Sangrana (1628) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Amritsar (1634)
Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Lahira
(1634)
Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Kartarpur
(1635)
Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Phagwara (1635) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Kiratpur (1638) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Sutlej (1652) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Kiratpur (1658) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Nadaun
(1691)
Akal Sena, Kahlur State Mughal Empire Combined victory of Sikhs and Kahlur State
Battle of Anandpur (1695) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Guler (1696) Akal Sena Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Anandpur (1700) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire, Sivalik Hills Raja's Khalsa victory
Battle of Nirmohgarh (1702) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Basoli
(1702)[1]
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
First battle of Chamkaur
(1702)
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire, Raja's of Sivalik Hills Khalsa victory
First Battle of Anandpur (1704) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Raja's of Sivalik Hills Khalsa victory
Second Siege of Anandpur (1704) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Raja's of Sivalik Hills Combined victory of Mughals and Hill Rajas
  • Mughal and Hill Rajas betrayed the Sikhs and broke the vows of Allah, Quran and the cow.[2]
Battle of Sarsa
(1704)
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire, Sivalik Hills Raja's Combined victory of Mughals and Hill Rajas
  • The Mughals and Hill's kings betrayed the Sikhs and broke the vows of their God and the Quran.[2]
Battle of Shahi Tibbi
(1704)
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire, Sivalik Hills Raja's Khalsa victory
  • The Mughals and Shivalik Hill kings were forced to retreat and the Sikhs fought bravely along with Baba Ajit Singh and those Sikhs gained martyrdom excluding Baba Ajit Singh.
Battle of Chamkaur (1704)[3][4][5][6] Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Raja's of Sivalik Hills Mughal victory
Battle of Muktsar
(1705)
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
  • Wazir Khan retreats
Battle of Jajau (1707)
[7][8][9][10]
Bahadur Shah I

Khalsa Fauj

Muhammad Azam Bahadur Shah victory
  • Seeing the complex situation in Malwa, Bahadur Shah asked Guru Gobind Singh for help. The Guru sent Bhai Dharam Singh to fight with 300 soldiers. Azam Shah killed by Guru Gobind Singh and Isha Khan Main.
Battle of Chittorgarh (1708) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
  • Zorawar Singh Palit and his 20 Sikhs killed after causing heavy casualties to the Mughals
Battle of Amritsar (1709) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Sonipat
(1709)[11]
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Samana
(1709)
Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Kapuri (1709) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Sadhaura
(1710)[12][13][11][14]
First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
  • Banda Singh Bahadur capture Sadhaura
Battle of Ropar (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Chappar Chiri
(1710)
First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Siege of Sirhind
(1710)
First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
  • Establishment of Sikh rule from Lahore to the sanctum sanctorum of Delhi
  • Sucha Nand killed by Banda Singh Bahadur and thousands of Mughal soldiers killed by Sikhs and those people who are involved in martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh younger sons (Saka Sirhind affair)
Battle of Saharanpur (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Jalalabad (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Siege of Kotla Begum (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Bhilowal (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Rahon (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Thanesar (1710) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Siege of Lohgarh
(1710)
First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Battle of Bahrampar (1711) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
  • Mughal faujdar of Jammu Qutab-ud-Din Khan Kheshgi killed
  • Khan's son, Shams Khan, also killed
Battle of Hoshiarpur (1711) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Battle of Kalanaur (1711) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Batala (1711) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Aurangabad (1711) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Pasrur (1711) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Jammu
(1712)
First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Battle of Sadhaura (1712) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Lohgarh (1712) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Siege of Sadhaura (1713) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
  • Sadhaura retaken by the Mughals after a Siege
  • Banda Singh Bahadur escapes
Battle of Lohgarh (1713) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
  • Mughals fail to kill or capture Banda Singh Bahadur
Battle of Kiri Pathan (1714) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Ropar (1714) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
  • 200 Sikhs killed out of 7000
  • Sikhs retreat to Shivalik Hills
Battle of Gurdas Nangal (1715) First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Siege of Gurdaspur
(1715)
First Sikh State Mughal Empire Mughal victory
  • Banda Singh Bahadur and his soldiers captured and later executed
Massacre of the Sikhs (1716)[clarification needed] Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
Battle of Wan (1726) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Mughal victory
Battle of Thikriwala (1731) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Sunam (1735) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Sirhind (1735) Khalsa Fauj Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Battle of Basarke (1736) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Amritsar (1738) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Samad Khan's expedition against the Sikhs (1738) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Sarai Nurdin (1739) Bhai Bota Singh and Bhai Garja Singh Mughal Empire Mughal victory
  • Mughals suffer high casualties compared to Sikhs.
Battle of Rorī Sahib (1746) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Kahnuwan (1746) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
Battle of Kasur (1747) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Mughal victory[citation needed]
Battle of Sodhra and Badra (1748) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Battle of Khanpur (1748) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory[citation needed]
Siege of Amritsar (1748) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Khalsa victory
Siege of Ram Rauni

(1748–1749)

Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Multan (1749) Kaura Mal
Dal Khalsa
Shah Nawaz Khan Kaura Mal and Sikh victory
Battle of Jalandhar (1750) Dallewalia Misl Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Nadaun (1752) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Anandpur (1753) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Lahore (1753) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
  • Prisoners from Lahore freed by the Khalsa
Battle of Fatehabad (1753) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Patti (1754) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Delhi (1764) Bharatpur State Mughal Empire Bharatpur and Sikh victory
Sikh raids on Delhi (1764–1788) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire and Allies Sikh victory
Battle of Panipat (1766) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Sonipat (1766) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Karnal (1767) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire and Gwalior State Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Ghazi-U-Din-Nagar (1768) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Anupshahar (1768) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Fourth Battle of Panipat (1770) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire and Rohillas Sikh victory
Attack on Delhi (1770) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Siege of Kunjpura (1772) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire, Durrani Empire and Maratha Empire Sikh victory
Siege of Jind (1776) Jind State Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Ghanaur (1778) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Attack on Delhi to Rakabganj

(1778)

Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Siege of Patiala (1779) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Shafi's campaign against the Sikhs (1780–1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Baghpat (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Sardana (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Mawana (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Battle of Muradnagar (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Patparganj (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Shahdara (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Sheikhpura (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Barnawa (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Sirhind (1781) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Sikh raids on Delhi to Hardwar

(1782)

Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Delhi (1783) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory
Raid of Delhi

(1784)

Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Raids from Panipat to Delhi (1786) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire and Gwalior State Sikh victory[citation needed]
Raids from Agra to Delhi (1787) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Battle of Shahdara (1787) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Attack on Red Fort (1787) Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]
Attack on Delhi

(1788)

Dal Khalsa Mughal Empire Sikh victory[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606–1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 820. ISBN 9788126908585.
  2. ^ a b Fenech, Louis E. (2013). The Sikh Ẓafar-nāmah of Guru Gobind Singh : a discursive blade in the heart of the Mughal Empire. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0-19-998060-4. OCLC 826068533.
  3. ^ Raju, Karam Singh (1999). Guru Gobind Singh: Prophet of peace. Sanbun Publishers. ISBN 9380213646.
  4. ^ Malhotra, Anshu; Mir, Farina (21 February 2012). Punjab Reconsidered: History, Culture, and Practice. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-908877-5.
  5. ^ Fenech, Louis E. (2013). The Sikh Zafar-namah of Guru Gobind Singh: A Discursive Blade in the Heart of the Mughal Empire. Oup USA. ISBN 978-0-19-993145-3.
  6. ^ Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606–1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 822. ISBN 9788126908585.
  7. ^ "Episode-39 (Panj Pyare-2 Bhai Dharam Singh & Dr, Daulat Sngh) – Avatar Meher Baba Prasar Kendra". Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Punj Piare ~ Bhai Dharam Singh | Anandpur Sahib | SinghSahib.com ~ a complete portal on Sikhism". www.singhsahib.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  9. ^ Bhati, Sandeep (1 December 2016). "Bhai Dharam Singh". Speaking Tree. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Gurdwara Bhai Daya Singh Bhai Dharam Singh Nanded | Discover Sikhism". www.discoversikhism.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  11. ^ a b History of Islam, p. 506, at Google Books
  12. ^ Sagoo, Harbans (2001). Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty. Deep & Deep Publications.
  13. ^ Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN 9788186505465.
  14. ^ Singha, H.S. (2005). Sikh Studies, Book 7. Hemkunt Press. p. 34. ISBN 9788170102458.
Sources
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