Origins & Early Life

Ranjit Singh (Punjabi pronunciation: [ɾəɳd͡ʒiːt̪(ə̆) sɪ˩˥ŋɡ]; c. 13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839) was the founder and the first maharaja of the Sikh Empire, ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. Starting as a local chieftain, by the time of his death he had expanded his kingdom from Ladakh in the north to the borders of Sindh, and from Khyber Pass in the west to the river Sutlej in the east. Ranjit Singh was born to Maha Singh, the leader of the Sukerchakia Misl, and fought his first battle alongside his father at the age of ten.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

After Maha Singh died during his early teenage years, Ranjit Singh became leader of the misl. He was the most prominent of the Sikh leaders who opposed Zaman Shah, the ruler of Durrani Empire, during his third invasion. After the retreat of Zaman Shah in 1799, he captured Lahore from the Sikh triumvirate which had been ruling the city since 1765. At the age of 21, he was formally crowned at Lahore. Before his rise, the Punjab had been fragmented into a number of warring Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu states.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

A large part of Punjab was under direct Durrani control. By 1813, Ranjit Singh had successfully annexed the Sikh misls and taken over the local kingdoms...

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