1 48 DEATH OF MAHA SINGH. A. D. 1792.
2 ■when in the early part of the year 1792 he became seri-
3 ously ill. The siege was immediately broken up, and the
4 ( chief being carried back to his principal place of resi-
5 dence Goojraolee, expired there in the twenty-seventh year
6 of his age. He was brave, active, and prudent beyond his
7 years, and left a high reputation amongst his nation, for all
8 the qualities of a Sirdar. He shook off' the trammels of his
9 mother's guardianship at the early age of seventeen, and
10 some time after, having detected her in an intrigue with a
11 Brahmin, put her to death with his own hand ; an act of
12 barbarous justice, that does not seem to have lessened his
13 reputation, or in any way to have affected his character
14 injuriously in the eyes of his cotemporaries.
15 Maiia Singh left only one son, the present Runjeet
16 Singh, who was then in his twelfth year. His mother
17 became regent, and was assisted by the minister of her
18 husband, LuKHOO or LuKiiPUT Singh. Suda Koon-
19 WUR, the minor chief s mother-in-law, exerted also much
20 influence in the conduct of affairs, and in the year
21 following, viz. in 1793, the demise of Jy Singh left
22 the Ghunee Misul likewise under her direction, every
23 thing having been prepared beforehand, for the exclusion
24 of the sons of that Sirdar.
25 Little care was taken of the education of Runjeet
26 Singh: the means were furnished to him of gratifying
27 every youthful passion or desire, and his early years w ere
28 passed in indulgence and in following the sports of the
29 iield. He was never taught to read or write in any lan-
30 guage. While still in tutelage, however, a second marriage
31 was contracted for him with Raj Koonwur, a daughter
32 of the Nukee chief, KiiujAN Singh.