Kharak Singh

He was born in Lahore in 1801, the first legitimate son of Ranjit Singh and his second wife Datar Kaur.[3] In 1812, at the age of 11 he was married to Chand Kaur, daughter of Sardar Jaimal Singh, chief of the Kanhaiya Misl. Their son Nau Nihal Singh was born in 1821.[3] In 1816 he married again when he was still a prince, to Bibi Khem Kaur Dhillon, a Jat Sikh daughter of Jodh Singh Kalalvala and grand daughter of Sahib Singh Dhillon.[1] After the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, Bibi Khem's jagirs were reduced by the British raj due to her anti-British role in the war.[1]

Kharak received the principality of Jammu as his jagir in 1812. In 1818, together with Misr Diwan Chand he commanded an expedition against the Afghan ruler of Multan Nawab Muzaffar Khan, achieving a decisive victory at the Battle of Multan.He was born into Sandhawalia Jat family.[4] In 1819, he held nominal command of the expedition to conquer Kashmir. [5] Three months before his death, Ranjit Singh awarded Kashmir to Kharak, which was seen as a check on the ambitions of Gulab Singh.[6]

Though courageous and good in battle, Kharak was regarded as simple minded to succeed his father as Maharaja.[7] It was believed he lacked his father's diplomatic skills, and wasted himself by consuming excessive amounts of alcohol and opium.[7][3] He developed a close relationship with his tutor Chet Singh, who gained such an ascendancy over him as to render him a puppet.[3] This relationship with Chet Singh created tensions with Prime Minister Raja Dhian Singh, and in 1839, Chet Singh was murdered.[3]

On the death of his father he was proclaimed Maharajah and installed on the throne at Lahore Fort on 1 September 1839. Following his accession, a series of lavish parties, and escalation of his indulgence in drink, drugs and dancing girls alienated many of his advisers and generals.[8] The Austrian physician Johann Martin Honigberger who was present at court, described his coronation as a dark day for the Punjab, and referred to the Maharajah as a blockhead who twice a day deprived himself of his senses and spent his whole time in a state of stupefaction.[8]

Raja Dhian Singh had previously resisted attempts to allow Kharak training in state craft, and on 8 October 1839 he instigated his removal from the throne with Nau Nihal Singh becoming de facto ruler.[9]

Kharak Singh was poisoned with white lead and mercury.[8] Within six months he was bedridden, and eleven months after the poisoning he died on 5 November 1840 in Lahore.[10][8] The official announcement blamed a sudden mysterious illness.[8] Though never proven, most contemporaries believed Raja Dhian Singh to be behind the poisoning.[8] At his funeral, three of his wives committed sati.[8]

• Gurdaspur District

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kharak Singh.

• Singh, Harbans "The encyclopedia of Sikhism. Vol III." pages 494–495
• "Bibi Khem Kaur Dhillon", URL accessed 11/16/06

• Genealogy of Kharak Singh