1 And captures Rohtas.
2 His three sons,
3 Sukha Singh, Sahib
4 Singh and Fatteh
5 Singh.
6 His death, 1783.
7 Quarrel between
8 Maha Singh, Suker-
9 chakia and Sahib
10 Singh, Bhangi,
11 The battle of Sodhra,
12 1792.
13 Defeat and death of
14 Maha Singh, Suker-
15 chakia, 1792.
16 Fourth invasion of
17 Shah Zaman, 1798,
18 He reoceupies Lahore,
19 October 1798,
20 304 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
21 Khan and Hashmat Khan, and extended his territory as far as the Bhimber
22 hills and the Manjha country. He, however, fled to Ferozepur on the appear-
23 ance of the Durrani King, Ahmad Shah, but as soon as the Shah had turned
24 his back on the Panjab, he again appeared on the scene with a large force
25 and recovered his lost territories without much difficulty. Soon afterwards
26 he laid siege to the famous fort of Rohtas, held by the Ghakkars, with the
27 assistance of Charat Singh, Sukerchakia, who was on the most amicable
28 terms with him, and gave his daughter Raj Kour in marriage to Sahib Singh,
29 son of Gujar Singh. .
30 Gujar Singh had three sons, Sukhdé Singh, Sahib Singh and Fatteh
31 Singh. The first two quarrelled and fought, Sukhd Singh being killed.
32 The second son, Sahib Singh, insulted and dishonoured his father, to oblige
33 his brother-in-law, Mahé Singh, the result of which was that the aged Gujar
34 Singh, surrendering all his possessions in favour of the youngest son, Fatteh
35 Singh, retired to Lahore, where he died *in 1788. The following year, the
36 brothers-in-law, Mahé Singh and Sahib Singh, quarrelled, in consequence of
37 the former supporting the claims of Fatteh Singh to succeed to the posses-
38 sion of the territories left by Gujar Singh. An attempt made by Raj Kour,
39 sister of Mahd Siugh, to bring about a reconciliation between the two sardars
40 was without avail. For two years the sardars exhibited the greatest hatred
41 and hostility towards each other, till, at length, in 1792, a decisive battle
42 was fought. At this juncture Mahé Singh was deserted by his trusted
43 friend, Jodh Singh, of Wazirabad, while Karam Singh, Duli, responding to
44 the call of Sahib Singh, promptly came to his assistance with a large force.
45 A desperate engagement was now fought between the two armies, the result
46 of which was at first doubtful. It so happened that Mahé, Singh became
47 ill during the contest, and fainted on his elephant. The mahdavat, seeing
48 the chief so ill, turned the elephant from the field, to bring his master to
49 the camp, for the purpose of temporary repose. Mahd Singh’s leaving the
50 field was looked upon by his followers as a signal to discontinue the conflict
51 and retire, which they did in the greatest disorder. The siege of the Sodhra
52 fort, where Sahib Singh was shut up, was raised, and Maha Singh was taken
53 to Gujranwald, where he died three days afterwards. Anattempt was made
54 by his adversary, Sahib Singh, to carry away his body, but it failed through
55 the timely help rendered by Kadar Baksh and Ghouse Khan, who, with their
56 artillery, succeeded in dispersing the Bhangi men.
57 After settling affairs with prince Mahmud, Shah Zaman again had leisure
58 to turn his attention to the Panjdb, where his cause had suffered during his
59 absence. No sooner had the Shah turned his back on the Panjab, thau the
60 Sikhs, as was usual with them on such occasions, emerged from their hill
61 retreats, and other places of retirement, and began to retaliate on the Maho-
62 medans for the cruelty and hardships which they had sustained at the hands
63 of the Durrdnis. The Sikhs had also cut off a party of five thousand Afghans,
64 which, under the command of a Durrani general, was advancing to Jhelum.
65 The king, having left Peshawar on the 25th of October 1798, entered Lahore
66 without opposition. Sahib Singh, following the example of the Lahore
67 Bhangis, Lahna Singh and Sobha Singh, on the occasion of the previous inva-
68 sion of the Shah, retired to the hills on his approach. ‘The king renewed his
69 measures of mixed threats and conciliation, and all accounts agree that no
70 outrage of any kind was committed on the people of the Panjab during this
71 campaign. Many of the Sikh sardars paid their homage to him, and all the
72 Mussalman chiefs and zemindars attended his court at Lahore. He found
73 a Ee a ee ne ey es ne
74 + The tomb of Gujar Singh, Bhangi, is situated near the Summan Burj of the Lihore fort.
75 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com