Charat Singh

Charat Singh
Charat Singh
Chief of Sukerchakia Misl
Reign	1752-1774
Successor	Maha Singh
Born	1732
Died	1774 (aged 41–42), Misl, Sikh Confederacy
Spouse	Desan Kaur (m.1756)
Issue	Mahan Singh ; Sahej Singh ; Raj Kaur ; Saher Kaur
Dynasty	Sandhawalia
Father	Naudh Singh[1]

Sardar Charat Singh (1733-1774) 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 horsemen split from the Singhpuria Misl to establish the Sukerchakia Misl.[2]

Early life

Charat Singh was born to Chaudhary Naudh Singh and Lali Kaur.[3] In 1756 he married Desan Kaur Waraich, a daughter of Jat 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.[4]

Head of Sukerchakia Misl

He married the daughter of Jat Sikh ruler Amir Singh Waraich of Gujranwala, an older but still powerful sardar, and moved his headquarters there. In 1760, Ubed Khan, the governor of Lahore attacked his fort at Gujranwala but was completely routed in ensuing battle because Charat Singh had received intelligence on the attack.[5] In 1761, Sikh members of the population of Eminābād asked for his help against their ruler, a Faujdar. In the battle outside the Faujdar's fort, Chaudhary Charat Singh and ten of his horsemen rushed the opposing army's line and killed their leader.[5] In 1762, he attacked the Rear Guard of Ahmad Shah Abdali's retreating army and captured "Wazirabad, Ahmedabad, Rohtas, Dhanni, Chakwal, Jalalpur, Pind Dadan Khan, Kot Sahib Singh, Raja-Ka-Kot, etc.",[5] which left the Bhangi Misl jealous. In 1774, he invaded Jammu with Jai Singh of the Kanheya Misl to aid the eldest son of Ranjit Deo, Brij Raj Deo, against his father.[6] The Bhangi Misl joined the side of Ranjit Deo against him. During the preparations for battle a matchlock exploded and killed him.[7] During a battle the next day Jandha Singh, the leader of the Bhangi Misl was killed and both Misls retreated from the fight.

Key matrimonial alliances which strengthened the Sukerchakia Misl

"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 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[8]

Battles fought by Charat Singh

In popular culture

In the 2010 historical TV series Maharaja Ranjit Singh telecasted on DD National, the character of Charat Singh is portrayed by Jaspal Singh Sehgal.

References

Singh, Bhagat (1993). A History of Sikh Misls. Punjabi University, Patiala. p. 177. ISBN 813020181X.
Kakshi 2007, p. 14
Gupta, Hari Ram (October 2001). History of the Sikhs: The Sikh commonwealth or Rise and fall of Sikh misls. Munshiram Manoharlal. ISBN 978-81-215-0165-1.
Griffin, Lepel Henry (1890). The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab. Civil and Military Gazette Press.
Kakshi 2007, p. 15
Kakshi 2007, p. 15–16
Kakshi 2007, p. 16
Gupta, Hari Ram (October 2001). History of the Sikhs. Vol. IV: Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1982. p. 304. ISBN 978-8121501651.
Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. p. 116. ISBN 9788186505465.
Jacques, Tony (2006). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Greenwood Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-313-33536-5. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015.
Grewal, J.S. (1990). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 91. ISBN 0-521-63764-3. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.
www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.

Bibliography

Kakshi, S.R.; Rashmi Pathak; S.R. Bakshi; R. Pathak (2007). Punjab Through the Ages. New Delhi: Sarup and Son. ISBN 978-81-7625-738-1.

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[1] Singh, Bhagat (1993). A History of Sikh Misls. Punjabi University, Patiala. p. 177. ISBN 813020181X.

[2] Kakshi 2007, p. 14

[3] Gupta, Hari Ram (October 2001). History of the Sikhs: The Sikh commonwealth or Rise and fall of Sikh misls. Munshiram Manoharlal. ISBN 978-81-215-0165-1.

[4] Griffin, Lepel Henry (1890). The Panjab Chiefs: Historical and Biographical Notices of the Principal Families in the Lahore and Rawalpindi Divisions of the Panjab. Civil and Military Gazette Press.

[Kakshi_2007_page=15-5] Kakshi 2007, p. 15

[6] Kakshi 2007, p. 15–16

[7] Kakshi 2007, p. 16

[8] Gupta, Hari Ram (October 2001). History of the Sikhs. Vol. IV: Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1982. p. 304. ISBN 978-8121501651.

[Raj_Pal_Singh_2004_116-9] Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. p. 116. ISBN 9788186505465.

[sarsa-10] Jacques, Tony (2006). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Greenwood Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-313-33536-5. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015.

[11] Grewal, J.S. (1990). The Sikhs of the Punjab. Cambridge University Press. p. 91. ISBN 0-521-63764-3. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

[12] www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.

[13] www.DiscoverSikhism.com. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.