1 THE KAPURTHALLA STATE. 467
2 head of the Phulkian families of Pattiala, Jhind, and
3 Nabha, had now become very powerful, and viewed the
4 increasing influence of Jassa Singh with the greatest
5 suspicion.
6 In 1771, he captured Rai Kot from the Pathans and
7 Rajputs of Berowal, and attacked Kassur without suc-
8 cess. The next year he marched against Kapurthalla.
9 held by Rai Ibrahim, who had engaged to pay an annual
10 tribute. But this it was very difficult to realise, and it was
11 only after reducing thirteen forts in the neighbourhood
12 of Kapurthalla, and investing the town itself, that the
13 Rarpaid what was due. But Jassa Singh’s authority was
14 not really restored, and, in 1777, his son-in-law, Mohr
15 Singh, was shot at from the fort and killed.. It was pre-
16 tended that this was an accident, and Jassa Singh was
17 Kapurthalla
18 seized and made
19 the headquarters
20 of Jassa Singh,
21 compelled to accept the explanations offered; but, in.
22 1780, he took advantage of the tribute again falling into
23 arrears to seize the town, where he continued to reside
24 till his death. - 7
25 In 1776, to avenge an attack made upon him by three
26 of the Ramgharia Sirdars, he formed a coalition with
27 several powerful confederacies, the Bhangis, Kanheyas,
28 Sukarchakias, and others, to expel Sirdar Jassa Singh
29 Ramgharia from the Punjab, and seize his possessions.
30 The expedition was a complete success; the Ramgharias
31 were utterly defeated, and the head of the confederacy
32 forced to fly’into Harriana, where he remained in great
33 poverty, and maintained himself by plunder till the death
34 of his enemy in 1783, when he returned to the Punjab,
35 and, with the assistance of Mahan Singh Sukarchakia and
36 the Katoch Rajputs, recovered a considerable portion of
37 his possessions.
38 Sirdar Jassa Singh died in 1783 at Amritsar, where
39 He joins a coali-
40 tion to drive the
41 Ramgharia
42 Chiefs from the
43 Punjab.