The Misldars occupation of Lahore took place in 1761 when the Misaldars besieged Lahore and captured it after facing no opposition from Durrani forces
Date :- 27 October 1761
Location :- Lahore
Result:- Misls Victory
Belligerents :- Misls Vs Durrani Empire
Commanders and leaders :- Charat Singh with Hari Singh Dhillon Of Bhangi , Raja Ala Singh Of Patiala , Jai Singh Of Kahniya Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Vs Ahmad Shah Durrani , Timur Shah Durrani , Khwaja Obed, the Governor of Lahore
Background :-
After victory in the Third Battle of Panipat, Ahmad Shah Durrani sent General Nuruddin with 12,000 soldiers to chastise Sikhs. Charat Singh of Sukerchakia attacked Nuruddin’s army at Sialkot. Nuruddin escaped and the Sikhs won a great victory in the 1761 Battle of Sialkot.
Afghan General Khwaja Obed Khan was also sent to punish Sikhs. Khwaja obed wanted to attack Charat Singh at Gujranwala but before he could, he was attacked by Misldars led by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Hari Singh Dhillon, and Jai Singh Of Kanhiya. The Afghan forces were surrounded and Khwaja fled the battlefield. misldars once again defeated the Afghans in the 1761 Battle of Gujranwala.
Siege of Lahore :-
The Sikhs gained enough confidence to capture Lahore after back to back victories. They met at Amritsar on 27 October 1761, the day of Diwali, and decided to capture Lahore. The Misldars besieged Lahore, Khawaja obed did not oppose the Sikh attack, Misldars entered the Lahore city, plundered the city,captured the Royal mint and struck coins bearing Sikka Zad dar Jahan Bafazat-i-Akal, mulk-i-Ahmad garift Jassa Kalal, which means ‘the coin struck by Grace of God in the country of Ahmad captured by Jassa Kalal.
References :-
- Mehta, J. L. (2005). Advanced study in the history of modern India 1707–1813. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 303.
- Raj Pal Singh (2004). The Sikhs: Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Pentagon Press. p. 116.
- Kakshi, S.R.; Pathak, Rashmi; Pathak, S.R. Bakshi R. (2007-01-01). Punjab Through the Ages. Sarup & Sons. p. 15.