1 MAHARAJA RANJIT SINGH. 417
2 the opportunity had come to reduce his power. Desa Singh and Sansédr
3 Chand crossed the Sutlej and captured the forts of Pichrota, Makdlgarh and
4 Binoli Devi, belonging to the rdjé, and in a few days expelled him from the
5 whole territory on the right bank of the river. A detachment of troops
6 was sent against Bilaspur, and the rajé was reduced to extremities,
7 These proceedings necessitated British intervention, and the Political
8 Agent in the adjoining hills was instructed by the Resident at Delhi to repair
9 to the spot and oppose any further advance of the Sikhs by force of arms.
10 Alarmed at this promptitude, Ranjit Singh ordered the immediate recall
11 of his troops, and even sent Desa Singh to offer his apologies in person to the
12 British Agent. Before raising the blockade, however, Des& Singh succeeded
13 in exacting Rs. 24,000 from the Rajé of Bilaspur. The danger of rupture
14 being over, Ranjit Singh now thought of giving effect to his long-cherished
15 scheme of finally annexing the Kashmir valley to his dominions. <A cir-
16 cumstance which highly favoured his views of aggrandisement occurred
17 at this juncture. Bir Dhar, the Minister of Jabbdéy Khan, the Kashmir
18 Governor, having cause for dissatisfaction with his Afghan master, fled
19 from Kdshmir and sought an asylum with the Maharaja, at Lahore. He was
20 a man of considerable influence, which he now used to further the plans of
21 the Mahardjd4, supplying him with important information as to the strength of
22 the Afghan forces at various points in the country to be invaded. Muhammad
23 Azim Khan, the most energetic of the Barakzai brothers, was at this time
24 absent from Kashmir, furthering his projects in countries remote from the
25 valley, which had been divested of the most efficient of the Afghan troops, and
26 on that account, was not in a position to help the brother whom he had
27 left to govern the country in his absence.
28 In the month of April the Sikh army moved from Ldhore, under the
29 command of Mishar Dewdu Chand Zatfare Jang, the conqueror of Multan.
30 Sardar Fatteh Singh, Ahluwalia, was, during the absence of the Mahardjd
31 left in charge of Lahore, and Raja Sultan Khan. Bhimbar, having been
32 released from a confinement of seven years, his services were placed at the
33 disposal of Dewan Chand. A second division of troops was placed under
34 Prince Kharak Singh, to support the advance column under the Mishar,
35 while the Maharaja, with a third division as a reserve, halted at Wazirdbad,
36 to expedite the transit of the munitions of war and personally supervise
37 the prompt despatch of stores and supplies to the seat of war. Experience
38 had taught Ranjit Singh how disastrous it was to attempt an invasion
39 of Kashmir in the cold weather, when snow rendered the passes to the
40 valley impracticable, and he therefore wisely delayed the march until
41 May 1819, when the hot weather had sep in. Mishar Dewan Chand,
42 leaving the heavy batteries at Bhimbar, and taking with him only light
43 guns, reached Rdjauri, the raja of which place, Aiz Khan, violating his
44 oath of perpetual friendship on account of the excesses committed by-the
45 Sikh soldiers on his people, broke into rebellion. The Mishar ordered his
46 arrest, and the rdja thereupon fled. His son, Rahimullah Khan, however,
47 joined the Sikhs, and was sent by Dewdn Chand to Wazirabad, to the
48 Mahardjé, who was pleased to create him raja in place of his father.
49 The Mahardj4, with his camp, moved to Gujrdt, and from thence to
50 Bhimbar. Mishar Dewan Chand, taking with him the pick of the Sikh
51 cavalry, which marched over the mountains on foot along with the infantry,
52 soldier reduced Rdjduri, on 23rd June, and entered Bairam Gala. Mir
53 Muhammad Khan, the thanedar of Punch, tendered his submission to the
54 dewdn, and so did Muhammad Ali, the thanedar of Supin. Zabbar Dast
55 Khan, the raja of Punch, who had fled to his fort of Tari, having closed
56 A rupture with the
57 Bnitish Government
58 avoided,
59 Third invasion of
60 Kashmir, 1819.
61 The Sikh army
62 marches from Lahore
63 under the command of
64 Dewan Chand,
65 The Maharajé him-
66 self follows,
67 Rajauri reduced,
68 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com