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{{Short description|Maharaja of the Sikh Empire from 1801 to 1839}}
{{Other uses}}
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{{Redirect|Sher-e-Punjab|the Indian hockey team|Sher-e-Punjab (field hockey team)|the radio station|KRPI|other uses|The Lion of Punjab (disambiguation)}}
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After his father died around Ranjit's early teenage years, Ranjit subsequently fought several wars to expel the [[Afghans]] throughout his teenage years. At the age of 21, he was proclaimed the "Maharaja of Punjab".<ref name="eos-rs" /><ref name="Singh2008p9" /> His empire grew in the [[Punjab region]] under his leadership through 1839.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}<ref name="Grewal6">{{cite book|last=Grewal|first=J. S.|title=The Sikh empire (1799–1849)|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=1990|series=The New Cambridge History of India|volume=The Sikhs of the Punjab|chapter=Chapter 6: The Sikh empire (1799–1849)|chapter-url=http://histories.cambridge.org/extract?id=chol9780521268844_CHOL9780521268844A008|access-date=11 August 2012|archive-date=16 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216043951/http://histories.cambridge.org/extract?id=chol9780521268844_CHOL9780521268844A008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Before his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring [[misls|misl]]s (confederacies), twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim.<ref name="Singh2008p9"/> Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to create the Sikh Empire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sarkar |first=Sir Jadunath |url=https://books.google.
Ranjit Singh's reign introduced reforms, modernisation, investment in infrastructure and general prosperity.<ref name=tejasingh65/><ref name=kaushikroyp143/> His [[Sikh Khalsa Army|Khalsa army]] and government included [[Sikhs]], [[Hindus]], [[Muslims]] and [[Ethnic groups in Europe|Europeans]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Kaushik Roy|title=War, Culture and Society in Early Modern South Asia, 1740–1849|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zp0FbTniNaYC&pg=PA147 |year=2011|publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-79087-4 |pages=143–147 }}</ref> His legacy includes a period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, including the rebuilding of the [[Harmandir Sahib]] in [[Amritsar]] as well as other major [[gurudwaras|gurdwaras]], including [[Takht Sri Patna Sahib]], [[Bihar]] and [[Hazur Sahib Nanded]], [[Maharashtra]] under his sponsorship.<ref name=lafontp95/><ref>{{cite book|author=Kerry Brown|title=Sikh Art and Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ddgO-DldmSwC |year=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-63136-0 |page=35}}</ref> Ranjit Singh was succeeded by his son [[Kharak Singh]]. Ranjit Singh also founded the [[Order of the Propitious Star of Punjab]] in [[1837]]. Singh is known by several titles such as ''Sher-e-Punjab'' ("Lion of Punjab") and ''Sarkar-e Wallah'' (Head of Government).
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In 1789, Ranjit Singh married his first wife [[Mehtab Kaur]],<ref name="Atwal">{{Cite book |last=Atwal|first=Priya|date=2020|title=Royals and Rebels|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/oso/9780197548318.001.0001|isbn=978-0-19-754831-8}}</ref> the muklawa happened in 1796.<ref name="Lafont2002p33" /> She was the only daughter of [[Gurbaksh Singh Kanhaiya]] and his wife [[Sada Kaur]]. She was the granddaughter of [[Jai Singh Kanhaiya]], the founder of the [[Kanhaiya Misl]].<ref name=eos-rs/> This marriage was pre-arranged in an attempt to reconcile warring Sikh ''misls'', Mehtab Kaur was betrothed to Ranjit Singh in 1786. The marriage, however, failed, with Mehtab Kaur never forgiving the fact that her father had been killed in battle with Ranjit Singh's father, and she mainly resided with her mother after marriage. The separation became complete when Ranjit Singh married [[Datar Kaur]] of the [[Nakai Misl]] in 1797 and she turned into Ranjit's most beloved wife.<ref name=eos-mk>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Sardar Singh |last=Bhatia |editor1-last=Singh |editor1-first=Harbans |editor1-link=Harbans Singh |title=Mahitab Kaur (d, 1813) |encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia Of Sikhism | volume=III M–R |edition=3rd|page=19 |publisher=Punjabi University Patiala |url=https://archive.org/details/TheEncyclopediaOfSikhism-VolumeIiiM-r/page/19/mode/1up |date=2011 |isbn=978-8-1-7380-349-9 |language=English}}</ref> Mehtab Kaur had three sons, [[Ishar Singh (Sikh prince)|Ishar Singh]] who was born in 1804 and died in infancy. In 1807 she had [[Sher Singh]] and [[Tara Singh (Sikh prince)|Tara Singh]]. According to historian Jean-Marie Lafont, she was the only one to bear the title of [[Maharani]]. She died in 1813, after suffering from failing health.<ref name="Singh2008p300">{{cite book|author=Khushwant Singh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D068dKeyGW4C|title=Ranjit Singh|publisher=Penguin Books|year=2008|isbn=978-0-14-306543-2|pages=300–301 footnote 35}}</ref>
His second marriage was to, [[Datar Kaur]] (Born ''Raj Kaur'') the youngest child and only daughter of [[Ran Singh Nakai]], the third ruler of the [[Nakai Misl]] and his wife [[Karmo Kaur|Karman Kaur]]. They were betrothed in childhood by Datar Kaur's eldest brother, ''Sardar Bhagwan Singh,'' who briefly became the chief of the Nakai Misl, and Ranjit Singh's father Maha Singh. They were married in 1797;<ref>{{Cite book|last=Atwal|first=Priya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aiA3ygEACAAJ|title=Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire|date=2020|publisher=C. Hurst (Publishers) Limited|isbn=978-1-78738-308-1|language=en}}</ref> this marriage was a happy one and Ranjit Singh always treated Raj Kaur with love and respect.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Vaḥīduddīn, Faqīr Sayyid|title=The real Ranjit Singh|date=2001|publisher=Publication Bureau, Punjabi University|isbn=81-7380-778-7|oclc=52691326}}</ref> Since Raj Kaur was also the name of Ranjit Singh's mother, his wife was renamed Datar Kaur. In 1801, she gave birth to their son and heir apparent, [[Kharak Singh]].<ref name="Singh2008p7" /> Datar Kaur bore Ranjit Singh two other sons, [[Prince Rattan Singh|Rattan Singh]] and Fateh Singh.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc0L06O1eac|title=Mahanian Koharan Tehsil .Amritsar District .AmritsarState .Punjab|date=17 December 2020 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Yudhvir Rana|date=1 May 2015|title=Descendants of Maharaja Ranjit Singh stakes claim on Gobindgarh Fort |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/descendants-of-maharaja-ranjit-singh-stakes-claim-on-gobindgarh-fort/articleshow/47123514.cms|access-date=22 September 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Yudhvir Rana|date=18 August 2021|title=Seventh generation descendent of Maharaja Ranjit Singh writes to Imran |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/seventh-generation-descendent-of-maharaja-ranjit-singh-writes-to-imran/articleshow/85432426.cms|access-date=22 September 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> Like his first marriage, the second marriage also brought him a strategic military alliance.<ref name="Singh2008p7" /> Along with wisdom and all the chaste virtues of a noblewoman, Datar Kaur was exceptionally intelligent and assisted Ranjit Singh in affairs of the State.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2021|title=Tuberculosis: Poor Awareness Leads to Poor Control|journal=Journal of Sheikh Zayed Medical College|volume=11|issue=3|pages=1–2|doi=10.47883/jszmc.v11i03.158|s2cid=236800828|issn=2305-5235|doi-access=free}}</ref> During the [[Siege of Multan (1818)|expedition to Multan in 1818]], she was given command alongside her son, [[Kharak Singh]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U2FRAAAAYAAJ&q=datar+kaur|title=Journal of Sikh Studies|date=2001|publisher=Department of Guru Nanak Studies, Guru Nanak Dev University.|language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite book|last=Atwal|first=Priya|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LPcTEAAAQBAJ&q=royals+and+rebels|title=Royals and Rebels: The Rise and Fall of the Sikh Empire|date=2021|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-756694-7|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Postscript: Maharaja Duleep Singh">{{Citation|section=Postscript: Maharaja Duleep Singh|date=2017|title=Emperor of the Five Rivers|publisher=I.B. Tauris|doi=10.5040/9781350986220.0008|isbn=978-1-78673-095-4}}</ref> Throughout his life she remained Ranjit Singh's favorite<ref>{{Cite book|last=Tibbetts|first=Jann|title=50 Great Military Leaders of All Time|publisher=VIJ Books (India) PVT Limited|year=2016|isbn= 978-9386834195}}</ref> and for no other did he have greater respect for than Datar Kaur, who he affectionately called ''Mai Nakain.''<ref name=eos-rk>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Sardar Singh |last=Bhatia |editor1-last=Singh |editor1-first=Harbans |editor1-link=Harbans Singh |title=Raj Kaur (d. 1838) |encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia Of Sikhism | volume=III M–R |edition=3rd |page=443 |publisher=Punjabi University Patiala |url=https://archive.org/details/TheEncyclopediaOfSikhism-VolumeIiiM-r/page/443/mode/1up |date=2011 |isbn=978-8-1-7380-349-9 |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Khushwant Singh|url=http://archive.org/details/ranjitsinghmahar0000khus_h0y2|title=Ranjit Singh Maharajah Of The Punjab 1780–1839|date=1962|publisher=George Allen & Unwin Ltd|others=Servants of Knowledge}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Fakir|first1=Syed Waheeduddin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DEnRAAAAMAAJ&q=the+real+ranjit+singh|title=The Real Ranjit Singh|last2=Vaḥīduddīn|first2=Faqīr Sayyid|date=1965|publisher=Lion Art Press|language=en}}</ref>
Even though she was his second wife she became his principal wife and chief consort.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sood|first=D. R.|title=Ranjit Singh.|date=1981|publisher=National Book Trust|oclc=499465766}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|first=Patwant|last=Singh|title=Empire of the Sikhs: the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh|date=2013|publisher=Peter Owen Publishers|isbn=978-0-7206-1524-1|oclc=841311234}}</ref> During a hunting trip with Ranjit Singh, she fell ill and died on 20 June 1838.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Khurana|first=Gianeshwar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YMUtAAAAMAAJ&q=umdat-ut-tawarikh+mai+nakain|title=British Historiography on the Sikh Power in Punjab|date=1985|publisher=Allied Publishers|isbn=978-0-8364-1504-9|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|first=Lala Sohan |last=Lal Suri|title=Umdat-ut-tawarikh ['Umdat at-tawārīh, engl.] An outstanding original source of Panjab history by Lala Sohan Lal Suri.|date=1961|oclc=163394684}}</ref>[[File:Maharaja Ranjit Singh with wives Wellcome V0045197.jpg|thumb|Maharaja Ranjit Singh with some of his wives.
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[[File:Maharaja Ranjit Singh's funeral.jpg|thumb|Maharaja Ranjit Singh's funeral. ca. 1840]]
[[File:Samadhi of Ranjit Singh 1.jpg|thumb|The [[Samadhi of Ranjit Singh]] is located in [[Lahore]], Pakistan, adjacent to the iconic [[Badshahi Mosque]].]]
In the 1830s, Ranjit Singh suffered from numerous health complications as well as a stroke, which some historical records attribute to alcoholism and a failing liver.<ref name="Smith1920p690" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Kartar Singh Duggal|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Last to Lay Arms|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4udb8LsF3-oC&pg=PA107 |year=2001|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-410-3|pages=107–108 }}</ref> According to the chronicles of Ranjit Singh's court historians and the Europeans who visited him, Ranjit Singh took to alcohol and [[opium]], habits that intensified in the later decades of his life.<ref>{{cite book|author=Khushwant Singh|title=Ranjit Singh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D068dKeyGW4C |year=2008|publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-306543-2 |pages= 6, 253–254 }}</ref><ref name="Macintyre2008p154">{{cite book |author=Ben Macintyre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i6XLFu1xMOMC |title=The Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan |publisher=Macmillan |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-4668-0379-4 |pages=154–157}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Das |first=Aditya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q5McDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA133 |title=Defending British India Against Napoleon: The Foreign Policy of Governor-General Lord Minto, 1807–13 |date=2016 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=978-1-78327-129-0 |page=133 |language=en}}</ref> He died in his sleep on 27 June 1839.<ref name="Anand2015p13" /><ref name="britranjit" /> According to William Dalrymple, Ranjit Singh had been washed with water from the Ganges, paid homage to the Guru Granth Sahib, and was fixated on an image of Vishnu and Lakshmi just before his death.<ref>{{Cite book |
Four of his Hindu wives- Mehtab Devi (Guddan Sahiba), daughter of Raja Sansar Chand, Rani Har Devi, the daughter of Chaudhri Ram, a Saleria Rajput, Rani Raj Devi, daughter of Padma Rajput and Rani Rajno Kanwar, daughter of Sand Bhari along with seven Hindu concubines with royal titles committed [[Sati (practice)|sati]] by voluntarily placing themselves onto his funeral pyre as an act of devotion.<ref name="Anand2015p13" /><ref>{{cite book|last=Altekar|first=Anant S.|page=132 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VYG4K0yYHQgC&pg=PA131|title=The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization: From Prehistoric Times to the Present Day |year=1956 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-8120803244}}</ref>
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*On 20 August 2003, a 22-foot-tall bronze statue of Singh was installed in the [[Parliament of India]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Ranjit|title=Parliament to get six more portraits, two statues|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-08-20/india/27212843_1_new-portraits-patriots-and-politicians-statues|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512235014/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-08-20/india/27212843_1_new-portraits-patriots-and-politicians-statues|archive-date=12 May 2013|access-date=11 August 2012|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=20 August 2003}}</ref>
*A museum at [[Ram Bagh Palace]] in Amritsar contains objects related to Singh, including arms and armour, paintings, coins, manuscripts, and jewellery. Singh had spent much time at the palace in which it is situated, where a garden was laid out in 1818.<ref>{{cite web|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, Amritsar|url=http://www.punjabmuseums.gov.in/museum.php?mid=8|publisher=Punjab Museums|access-date=11 August 2012|archive-date=14 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714112220/http://punjabmuseums.gov.in/museum.php?mid=8|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*On 27 June 2019, a nine-foot bronze statue of Singh was unveiled at the Haveli Maharani Jindan, [[Lahore Fort]] at his 180th death anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statue of Ranjit Singh unveiled on his 180th death anniversary|date=28 June 2019|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1490828|access-date=29 June 2019}}</ref> It has been vandalised several times since, specifically by members of the [[Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore vandalised by a man because Singh had converted a mosque into a horse stable|date=12 December 2020|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/323914-raja-ranjit-singhs-lahore-statue-vandalised-for-the-second-time|access-date=13 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Kumar |first1=Anil |title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue in Pakistan vandalised by activist of banned far-right outfit |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/maharaja-ranjit-singh-statue-pakistan-vandalised-tlp-activist-1841863-2021-08-17 |website=India Today |date=17 August 2021 |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref>
=== Exhibitions ===
* ''Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King'' ([[The Wallace Collection]], London; 10 April–20 October 2024) – co-curated by the Wallace Collection's director, Xavier Bray, and scholar of Sikh art, Davinder Singh Toor.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wigh |first=Sonia |date=30 June 2024 |title=Ranjit Singh's world: An exhibition in London traces his reign |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/ranjit-singhs-world-an-exhibition-in-london-traces-his-reign-635460/ |access-date=18 August 2024 |work=The Tribune}}</ref>
=== Crafts ===
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