1 no A Short History of the Sikhs.
2 if he happened to be a Brahmin or a Mussalman, his
3 alien creed was no bar to his preferment. One of the
4 most prominent officers at the court of Lahore was a
5 Muhammadan named Azziz-ud-din. He joined the
6 service of the State as durbar physician, and in
7 course of time rose to be the Maharaja's chief and
8 most confidential counsellor. Equally distinguished
9 for his learning, his skill as a diplomatist, and the
10 courtly urbanity of his manners, he became the chief
11 intermediary between the Lahore court and the
12 British Government. He was a staunch upholder of
13 the British alliance ; and the manner in which he
14 conducted the business of his chief won the admira-
15 tion of British officials, and on more than one
16 occasion called forth a warm encomium from the
17 Governor-General.
18 Raja Dina Nath, another officer of distinction, was
19 a Hindu. Scarcely inferior in attainments to Azziz-
20 ud-din, but of a more crafty disposition, he rose
21 in 1834 to the position of Minister of Finance, and
22 both during and after the lifetime of Ranjit Singh
23 his influence over the Sikh sirdars was very great.
24 He enjoyed the full confidence of his master, and in
25 later years of the British Government, who, on the
26 annexation of the Punjab, appointed him to the
27 Council of Regency, where his experience and skill
28 as a revenue officer rendered his services of great
29 value. Of equal importance in the State were the
30 Jammu brothers, Ghulab Singh, Dhian Singh, and
31 Suchet Singh. These belonged to a family of Dogra
32 Rajputs. They entered the Sikh army as troopers,
33 and by their conspicuous abilities raised themselves