List of battles between Mughals and Sikhs

Mughal-Sikh wars
	Part of the decline of the Mughal Empire
	; Painting of Guru Gobind Singh in battle. Illustration from a manuscript of Krishnavatar.
Date	1621 – 12 March 1788
Location	North India
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 ; ; 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 ; 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 ; Baj Singh ; Binod Singh †; Bhai Mani Singh ; 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

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 Mughals failed to capture Guru Gobind Singh
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 First battle of Banda Singh Bahadur's military conquest
Battle of Samana (1709)	Khalsa Fauj	Mughal Empire	Khalsa victory Banda Singh Bahadur captures Samana
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 Wazir Khan was killed by Fateh Singh.
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 Jaspat Rai killed
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 Dal Khalsa	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]}

References

^ Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606–1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 820. ISBN 9788126908585.
^ ^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.
^ Raju, Karam Singh (1999). Guru Gobind Singh: Prophet of peace. Sanbun Publishers. ISBN 9380213646.
^ Malhotra, Anshu; Mir, Farina (21 February 2012). Punjab Reconsidered: History, Culture, and Practice. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-908877-5.
^ 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.
^ Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606–1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 822. ISBN 9788126908585.
^ "Episode-39 (Panj Pyare-2 Bhai Dharam Singh & Dr, Daulat Sngh) – Avatar Meher Baba Prasar Kendra". Retrieved 16 October 2020.
^ "Punj Piare ~ Bhai Dharam Singh | Anandpur Sahib | SinghSahib.com ~ a complete portal on Sikhism". www.singhsahib.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
^ Bhati, Sandeep (1 December 2016). "Bhai Dharam Singh". Speaking Tree. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
^ "Gurdwara Bhai Daya Singh Bhai Dharam Singh Nanded | Discover Sikhism". www.discoversikhism.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
^ ^a ^b History of Islam, p. 506, at Google Books
^ Sagoo, Harbans (2001). Banda Singh Bahadur and Sikh Sovereignty. Deep & Deep Publications.
^ Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN 9788186505465.
^ Singha, H.S. (2005). Sikh Studies, Book 7. Hemkunt Press. p. 34. ISBN 9788170102458.

Sources

Shaw, Jeffrey M.; Demy, Timothy J., eds. (2017). War and Religion: An Encyclopedia of Faith and Conflict. ABC-CLIO. pp. 574–577. ISBN 978-1-61069-517-6.
Jacques, Tony (2007). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: F-O. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 421. ISBN 978-0-313-33536-5.

External links

Media related to Mughal-Sikh Wars at Wikimedia Commons

[1] Surjit Singh Gandhi (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold: 1606–1708 C.E. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 820. ISBN 9788126908585.

[:0-2] 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.

[auto-11] 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.

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List of battles between Mughals and Sikhs

Contents

Battles

See also

References

External links