The Nation is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Majid Nizami Trust and based in Lahore , Pakistan. Rameeza Nizami is the Executive Editor of The Nation . She is the adopted daughter of the renowned Pakistani journalist, the late Majid Nizami (3 April 1928 – 26 July 2014).
106-519: It is published from Lahore , Islamabad , Multan and Karachi . Nawa-i-Waqt Group , which was founded in 1940 by Hameed Nizami (3 October 1915–22 February 1962) and edited by him until his death in 1962. Nawa-i-Waqt newspaper was later led by Chief Editor Majid Nizami and his nephew, Editor Arif Nizami . Nawa-i-Waqt Group also publishes the Nawa-i-Waqt , an Urdu -language daily newspaper, and prints 4 weekly English and Urdu magazines. Waqt News
212-639: A diplomatic channel with the British; in 1828, he sent gifts to George IV and in 1831, he sent a mission to Simla to confer with the British Governor General, William Bentinck , which was followed by the Ropar Meeting ; while in 1838, he cooperated with them in removing the hostile Islamic Emir in Afghanistan. As consistent with many Punjabis of that time, Ranjit Singh was a secular king and followed
318-401: A list of just sixteen wives and their pension list. Most of his marriages were performed through chādar andāz. Some scholars note that the information on Ranjit Singh's marriages is unclear, and there is evidence that he had many concubines. Dr. Priya Atwal presents an official list of Ranjit Singh's thirty wives. The women married through chādar andāzī were noted as concubines and were known as
424-553: A religious diversity. His army included Polish, Russian, Spanish, Prussian and French officers. In 1835, as his relationship with the British warmed up, he hired a British officer named Foulkes. However, the Khalsa army of Ranjit Singh reflected the regional population, and as he grew his army, he dramatically increased the Rajputs and the Sikhs who became the predominant members of his army. In
530-461: A safer capital for the sultanate, even though Delhi was considered a forward base whereas Lahore was widely considered as the centre of Islamic culture in northeastern Punjab. Lahore came under progressively weaker central rule under Iltutmish's descendants in Delhi, to the point that governors in the city acted with great autonomy. Under the rule of Kabir Khan Ayaz, Lahore was virtually independent from
636-459: A series of governors who pledged nominal allegiance to the ever-weaker Mughal emperors in Delhi. Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah I died en route to Lahore as part of a campaign in 1711 to subdue Sikh rebels under the leadership of Banda Singh Bahadur . His sons fought a battle outside Lahore in 1712 for succession to the Mughal crown, with Jahandar winning the throne. Sikh rebels were defeated during
742-517: A strong cultural and political influence over Pakistan. A UNESCO City of Literature and major centre for Pakistan's publishing industry, Lahore remains the foremost center of Pakistan's literary scene. The city is also a major centre of education sector, with some of Pakistan's leading universities based in the city. Lahore is home to Pakistan's Punjabi film industry , and is a major centre of Qawwali music . The city also hosts much of Pakistan's tourist industry , with major attractions including
848-448: A treaty that nominally subjected Lahore to Durrani rule. Lahore was third time conquered by Ahmad Shah in 1752 . The Mughal Grand Vizier Ghazi-Din Imad al-Mulk seized Lahore in 1756, provoking Ahmad Shah to invade for fourth time in 1757, after which he placed the city under the rule of his son, Timur Shah . Durrani rule was interrupted when Lahore was conquered by Adina Beg Arain with
954-733: A treaty with the British viceroy Lord Auckland to restore Shah Shoja to the Afghan throne in Kabul. In pursuance of this agreement, the British army of the Indus entered Afghanistan from the south, while Ranjit Singh's troops went through the Khyber Pass and took part in the victory parade in Kabul. The Sikh Empire, also known as the Sikh Raj and Sarkar-a-Khalsa, was in the Punjab region, the name of which means "the land of
1060-621: Is a corruption of the word Ravāwar, as R to L shifts are common in languages derived from Sanskrit . Ravāwar is the simplified pronunciation of the name Iravatyāwar, a name possibly derived from the Ravi River , known as the Iravati River in the Vedas . Another theory suggests the city's name may derive from the word Lohar , meaning "blacksmith". According to a legend, Lahore's name derives from Lavpur or Lavapuri (City of Lava ), and
1166-499: Is mentioned as a town which had "impressive temples, large markets and huge orchards". Lahore, previously a town, first emerged as a notable city in 11th century during the era of Sufi saint Ali al-Hajvery . Few other references to Lahore remain from before its capture by the Ghaznavid Sultan Mahmud in the 11th century. During this time, Lahore appears to have served as the capital of Punjab under Raja Anandapala of
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#17330930581431272-426: Is said that Ishar Singh was not the biological son of Mehtab Kaur and Ranjit Singh, but only procured by Mehtab Kaur and presented to Ranjit Singh who accepted him as his son. Tara Singh and Sher Singh had similar rumours, it is said that Sher Singh was the son of a chintz weaver, Nahala and Tara Singh was the son of Manki, a servant in the household of Sada Kaur . Henry Edward Fane, the nephew and aide-de-camp to
1378-1980: Is said to have been founded by Prince Lava, the son of Sita and Rama . The same account attributes the founding of nearby Kasur to his twin brother Kusha , though it was actually established in the 16th century. Taank Kingdom 550–950 Hindu Shahis 1001–1020 [REDACTED] Ghaznavid Empire 1020–1186 [REDACTED] Ghurid Empire 1186–1206 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1206–1214 Multan State 1214–1217 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1217–1223 [REDACTED] Khwarazmian Empire 1223–1228 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1228–1241 [REDACTED] Mongol Empire 1241– 1266 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1266–1287 [REDACTED] Mongol Empire 1287–1305 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1305–1329 [REDACTED] Chagatai Khanate 1329 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1329–1342 Khokhars 1342 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1342–1394 Khokhars 1394–1398 [REDACTED] Timurid Empire 1398–1414 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1414–1431 Khokhars 1431–1432 [REDACTED] Delhi Sultanate 1432–1524 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1524–1540 Sur Empire 1540–1550 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1550–1739 [REDACTED] Afsharid Empire 1739 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1739–1748 [REDACTED] Durrani Empire 1748–1758 Nawab of Punjab 1758 [REDACTED] Maratha Empire 1758–1759 [REDACTED] Durrani Empire 1759–1765 [REDACTED] Bhangi Misl & Kanhaiya Misl 1765–1799 [REDACTED] Sikh Empire 1799–1846 [REDACTED] British East India Company 1846–1858 [REDACTED] [REDACTED] British Raj / British Empire 1858–1947 [REDACTED] Pakistan 1947– present No definitive record of Lahore's early history exists, and its ambiguous historical background has given rise to various theories about its establishment and history. Hindu legend states that Keneksen,
1484-572: The Afghans throughout his teenage years. At the age of 21, he was proclaimed the "Maharaja of Punjab". His empire grew in the Punjab region under his leadership through 1839. Before his rise, the Punjab region had numerous warring misls (confederacies), twelve of which were under Sikh rulers and one Muslim. Ranjit Singh successfully absorbed and united the Sikh misls and took over other local kingdoms to create
1590-643: The Badshahi Mosque , was raised during Aurangzeb's reign in 1673, as well as the iconic Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore fort in 1674. Civil wars regarding succession to the Mughal throne following Aurangzeb's death in 1707 led to weakening control over Lahore from Delhi, and a prolonged period of decline in Lahore. Mughal preoccupation with the Marathas in the Deccan Plateau eventually resulted in Lahore being governed by
1696-614: The Chattha chieftain Pir Muhammad. Ranjit Singh contracted smallpox as an infant, which resulted in the loss of sight in his left eye and a pockmarked face. He was short in stature, never schooled, and did not learn to read or write anything beyond the Gurmukhi alphabet. However, he was trained at home in horse riding, musketry and other martial arts. At age 12, his father died. He then inherited his father's Sukerchakia Misl estates and
1802-750: The Ghurid ruler Muhammad captured the city and imprisoned the last Ghaznavid ruler Khusrau Malik, thus ending Ghaznavid rule over Lahore. Lahore was made an important establishment of the Mamluk dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate following the assassination of Muhammad of Ghor in 1206. Under the reign of Mamluk sultan Qutb ud-Din Aibak , Lahore attracted poets and scholars from medieval Muslim World . Lahore at this time had more poets writing in Persian than any other city. Following
1908-532: The Hindu Shahis , Ghaznavids and Delhi Sultanate . It succeeded Multan as the primary cultural centre of Punjab in the late-medieval era , reaching the height of its splendor under the Mughal Empire between the late 16th and early 18th centuries and also serving as its capital city between 1586 and 1598. During this period, it was one of the largest cities in the world. The city was captured and looted by
2014-553: The Khalsa community of Sikh warriors by Guru Gobind Singh accelerated the decay and fragmentation of the Mughal power in the region. Raiding Afghans attacked the Indus river valleys but met resistance from both organised armies of the Khalsa Sikhs as well as irregular Khalsa militias based in villages. The Sikhs had appointed own zamindars , replacing the previous Muslim revenue collectors, which provided resources to feed and strengthen
2120-513: The Koh-i-Noor diamond from Shuja Shah Durrani in 1813. He erected the Gurdwara Dera Sahib to mark the site of Guru Arjan Dev 's death (1606). The Sikh royal court also endowed religious architecture in the city, including a number of Sikh gurdwaras , Hindu temples, and havelis . While much of Lahore's Mughal-era fabric lay in ruins by the time of his arrival, Ranjit Singh's rule saw
2226-469: The Nakai Misl in 1797 and she turned into Ranjit's most beloved wife. Mehtab Kaur had three sons, Ishar Singh who was born in 1804 and died in infancy. In 1807 she had Sher Singh and 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. His second marriage was to, Datar Kaur (Born Raj Kaur )
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#17330930581432332-709: The Nihangs , whose leader Akali Phula Singh was the Jathedar of the Akal Takht . When Ranjit Singh visited Amritsar , he was called outside the Akal Takht, where he was made to apologise for his mistakes. Akali Phula Singh took Ranjit Singh to a tamarind tree in front of the Akal Takht and prepared to punish him by flogging him. Then Akali Phula Singh asked the nearby Sikh pilgrims whether they approved of Ranjit Singh's apology. The pilgrims responded with Sat Sri Akal and Ranjit Singh
2438-576: The Pakistani province of Punjab . It is the second largest city in Pakistan , after Karachi , and 26th largest in the world , with a population of over 13 million. Located in central-eastern Punjab, along the River Ravi , it is the largest Punjabi-speaking city in the world. Lahore is one of Pakistan's major industrial, educational and economic hubs. It has been the historic capital and cultural centre of
2544-565: The Walled City , the famous Badshahi and Wazir Khan mosques, as well as several Sikh and Sufi shrines. Lahore is also home to the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens , both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The origin of Lahore's name is unclear. The city's name has been variously recorded by early Muslim historians as Luhawar , Lūhār , and Rahwar . The Iranian polymath and geographer , Abu Rayhan Al-Biruni , referred to
2650-558: The Walled City . Shah Jahan's son, Aurangzeb , last of the great Mughal Emperors, further contributed to the development of Lahore. Aurangzeb built the Alamgiri Bund embankment along the Ravi river in 1662 in order to prevent its shifting course from threatening the city's walls. The area near the embankment grew into a fashionable locality, with several nearby pleasure gardens laid by Lahore's gentry. The largest of Lahore's Mughal monuments,
2756-492: The gurmata and provided significant patronage to the Udasi and Nirmala sect, leading to their prominence and control of Sikh religious affairs. The army under Ranjit Singh was not limited to the Sikh community. The soldiers and troop officers included Sikhs, but also included Hindus, Muslims and Europeans. Hindu Brahmins and people of all creeds and castes served his army, while the composition in his government also reflected
2862-426: The Üdi Shahi empire, who moved his capital there from Waihind. Sultan Mahmud conquered Lahore between 1020 and 1027, making it part of Ghaznavid Empire. He appointed Malik Ayaz as its governor in 1021. In 1034, the city was captured by Nialtigin, the rebellious governor of Multan . However, his forces were expelled by Malik Ayaz in 1036. With the support of Sultan Ibrahim , Malik Ayaz rebuilt and repopulated
2968-453: The Afghan army. Much of the Afghan army retreated back to Afghanistan. In 1799, Raja Ranjit Singh's army of 25,000 Khalsa , supported by another 25,000 Khalsa led by his mother-in-law Rani Sada Kaur of Kanhaiya misl , in a joint operation attacked the region controlled by Bhangi Sikhs centered around Lahore. The rulers escaped, marking Lahore as the first major conquest of Ranjit Singh. The Sufi Muslim and Hindu population of Lahore welcomed
3074-590: The Afghan forces of Nadir Shah and later Azim Khan. His court was ecumenical in composition: his prime minister, Dhian Singh , was a Hindu ( Dogra ); his foreign minister, Fakir Azizuddin , was a Muslim; and his finance minister, Dina Nath, was also a Hindu ( Brahmin ). Artillery commanders such as Mian Ghausa were also Muslims. There were no forced conversions in his time. His wives Bibi Mohran, Gilbahar Begum retained their faith and so did his Hindu wives. He also employed and surrounded himself with astrologers and soothsayers in his court. Ranjit Singh had also abolished
3180-575: The Afghans for the post of subahdar to control Lahore following the second invasion. By the end of the 18th century, the city's population drastically declined, with its remaining residents living within the city walls, while the extramural suburbs lay abandoned, forcing travellers to pass through abandoned and ruined suburbs for a few miles before reaching the city's gates. In the aftermath of Zaman Shah's 1799 invasion of Punjab, Ranjit Singh, of nearby Gujranwala , began to consolidate his position. Singh
3286-591: The Badshahi Mosque by converting it into an ammunition depot and a stable for horses. The Sunehri Mosque in the Walled City was also converted to a gurdwara, while the Mariyam Zamani Mosque was repurposed into a gunpowder factory. The Sikh royal court ( Lahore Durbar ) underwent a quick succession of rulers after the death of Ranjit Singh. His son Kharak Singh died on 6 November 1840, soon after taking
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3392-773: The British officials of the East India Company, in which he agreed that his Sikh forces would not attempt to expand south of the Sutlej River, and the Company agreed that it would not attempt to militarily cross the Sutlej River into the Sikh territory. In 1807, Ranjit Singh's forces attacked the Muslim ruled Kasur and, after a month of fierce fighting in the Battle of Kasur defeated the Afghan chief Qutb-ud-Din, thus expanding his empire northwest towards Afghanistan. He took Multan in 1818, and
3498-805: The Commander-in-Chief, India, General Sir Henry Fane, who spent several days in Ranjit Singh's company, reported, "Though reported to be the Maharaja's son, Sher Singh's father has never thoroughly acknowledged him, though his mother always insisted on his being so. A brother of Sher, Tara Singh by the same mother, has been even worse treated than himself, not being permitted to appear at court, and no office given him, either of profit or honour." Five Years in India , Volume 1, Henry Edward Fane, London, 1842 Multana Singh , Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh were sons of
3604-611: The Delhi Sultanate. Actual Sultanate rule on Lahore lasted only a few decades until the locals reclaimed their autonomy. Lahore was sacked and ruined by the Mongol army in 1241. Lahore governor Malik Ikhtyaruddin Qaraqash fled the Mongols, while the Mongols held the city for a few years under the rule of the Mongol chief Toghrul . In 1266, sultan Balban reconquered Lahore, but in 1287 under
3710-667: The Doaba region his army was composed of the Jat Sikhs, in Jammu and northern Indian hills it was Hindu Rajputs, while relatively more Muslims served his army in the Jhelum river area closer to Afghanistan than other major Panjab rivers. Ranjit Singh changed and improved the training and organisation of his army. He reorganised responsibility and set performance standards in logistical efficiency in troop deployment, manoeuvre , and marksmanship . He reformed
3816-515: The Khokhar chief, Shaikha in 1394. By the time the Mongol conqueror Timur captured the city in 1398 from Shaikha, he did not loot it because it was no longer wealthy. Timur gave control of the Lahore region to Khizr Khan , governor of Multan, who later established the Sayyid dynasty in 1414 – the fourth dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. The city was twice besieged by Jasrat , ruler of Sialkot , during
3922-714: The Lodi nobles backed away from assisting him. The city became a refuge to Humayun and his cousin Kamran Mirza when Sher Shah Suri rose in power in the Gangetic plains, displacing Mughals. Sher Shah Suri seized Lahore in 1540, though Humayun reconquered Lahore in February 1555. The establishment of Mughal rule eventually led to the most prosperous era of Lahore's history. Lahore's prosperity and central position has yielded more Mughal-era monuments in Lahore than either Delhi or Agra . By
4028-560: The Maharaja or coins being struck in her name. Bibi Moran spent the rest of life in Pathankot. Duleep Singh makes a list of his father's queens which also does not mention Bibi Moran. After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire fell apart and declined in its ability to tax or govern most of the Indian subcontinent. In the northwestern region, particularly the Punjab, the creation of
4134-510: The Mongol ruler Temür Khan , the Mongols again overran northern Punjab. Because of Mongol invasions, Lahore region became a city on a frontier, with the region's administrative centre shifted south to Dipalpur . The Mongols again invaded northern Punjab in 1298 , though their advance was eventually stopped by Ulugh Khan , brother of Sultan Alauddin Khalji of Delhi. The Mongols again attacked Lahore in 1305. Lahore briefly flourished again under
4240-433: The Mughal capital when Akbar began re-fortifying the city's ruined citadel, laying the foundations for the revival of the Lahore Fort . Akbar made Lahore one of his original twelve subah provinces, and in 1585–86, relegated governorship of the city and subah to Bhagwant Das , brother of Mariam-uz-Zamani , who was commonly known as "Jodhabhai". Akbar also rebuilt the city's walls and extended their perimeter east of
4346-620: The Panjab region into his control through his general Shahanchi Khan and 12,000 soldiers. The battle was fought in the territory that fell in Ranjit Singh's controlled misl, whose regional knowledge and warrior expertise helped resist the invading army. This victory at the Battle of Amritsar (1798) gained him recognition. In 1798, the Afghan ruler sent in another army, which Ranjit Singh did not resist. He let them enter Lahore, then encircled them with his army, blocked off all food and supplies, and burnt all crops and food sources that could have supported
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4452-588: The Phulkias misl had switched loyalties in the late 18th century and supported the Afghan army invasion against their Khalsa brethren. The Kasur region, ruled by Muslims, always supported the Afghan invasion forces and joined them in plundering Sikh misls during the war. Ranjit Singh's fame grew in 1797, at age 17, when the Afghan Muslim ruler Shah Zaman, of the Ahmad Shah Abdali dynasty , attempted to annex
4558-738: The Shah Alami bazaar to encompass the sparsely populated area of Rarra Maidan. The Akbari Mandi grain market was set up during this era, which continues to function to the present-day. Akbar also established the Dharampura neighbourhood in the early 1580s, which survives today. The earliest of Lahore's many havelis date from the Akbari era. Lahore's Mughal monuments were built under the reign of Akbar and several subsequent emperors. Lahore reached its cultural zenith during this period, with dozens of mosques, tombs, shrines, and urban infrastructure developed in
4664-560: The Sikh Empire. He repeatedly defeated invasions by outside armies , particularly those arriving from Afghanistan, and established friendly relations with the British . Ranjit Singh's reign introduced reforms, modernisation, investment in infrastructure and general prosperity. His Khalsa army and government included Sikhs , Hindus , Muslims and Europeans . His legacy includes a period of Sikh cultural and artistic renaissance, including
4770-492: The Sikh forces against the Afghan forces of Shah Mahmud led by Fateh Khan Barakzai. The Afghans lost their stronghold at Attock in that battle. In 1813–14, Ranjit Singh's first attempt to expand into Kashmir was foiled by Afghan forces led by Azim Khan , due to a heavy downpour, the spread of cholera, and poor food supply to his troops. In 1818, Darbar's forces led by Kharak Singh and Misr Dewan Chand occupied Multan, killing Muzaffar Khan and defeating his forces, leading to
4876-576: The Sikh path. His policies were based on respect for all communities, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim. A devoted Sikh, Ranjit Singh restored and built historic Sikh Gurdwaras – most famously, the Harmandir Sahib , and used to celebrate his victories by offering thanks at the Harmandir. He also joined the Hindus in their temples out of respect for their sentiments. The veneration of cows was promoted and cow slaughter
4982-529: The Sikhs led by him and the Afghans, which displayed the extent of the western boundaries of the Sikh Empire. On 25 November 1838, the two most powerful armies on the Indian subcontinent assembled in a grand review at Ferozepore as Ranjit Singh, the Maharajah of the Punjab brought out the Dal Khalsa to march alongside the sepoy troops of the East India Company and the British troops in India. In 1838, he agreed to
5088-536: The Sikhs re-occupied the city after both invasions. Expanding Sikh Misls secured control over Lahore in 1767, when the Bhangi Misl state captured the city. In 1780, the city was divided among three rulers: Gujjar Singh , Lahna Singh, and Sobha Singh . Instability resulting from this arrangement allowed nearby Amritsar to establish itself as the area's primary commercial centre in place of Lahore. Ahmad Shah Durrani's grandson, Zaman Shah, invaded Lahore in 1796, and again in 1798–99. Ranjit Singh negotiated with
5194-578: The State. During the expedition to Multan in 1818 , she was given command alongside her son, Kharak Singh . Throughout his life she remained Ranjit Singh's favorite and for no other did he have greater respect for than Datar Kaur, who he affectionately called Mai Nakain. Even though she was his second wife she became his principal wife and chief consort. During a hunting trip with Ranjit Singh, she fell ill and died on 20 June 1838. Ratan Kaur and Daya Kaur were wives of Sahib Singh Bhangi of Gujrat (a misl north of Lahore, not to be confused with
5300-476: The assistance of Marathas in 1758 during their campaigns against Afghans . After Adina Beg's untimely death in 1758, however, Marathas occupied the city. The following year, Durranis again marched and conquered it. After the Durranis withdrew from the city in 1765, Sikh forces quickly occupied it. By this time, the city had been ravaged several time and had lost all of its former grandeur. The Durranis invaded two more times—in 1797 and 1798—under Shah Zaman , but
5406-482: The capture of his father's murderer, Ajit Singh. Duleep Singh was then crowned Maharajah, with Hira Singh as his wazir , but his power would be weakened by the continued infighting among Sikh nobles, as well as confrontations against the British during the two Anglo-Sikh wars . After the conclusion of the two Anglo-Sikh wars, the Sikh Empire fell into disarray, resulting in the fall of the Lahore Durbar , and commencement of British rule after they captured Lahore and
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#17330930581435512-440: The city as Luhāwar in his 11th century work, Qanun , while the poet Amir Khusrow , who lived during the Delhi Sultanate period, recorded the city's name as Lāhanūr . Yaqut al-Hamawi records the city's name as Lawhūr , mentioning that it was famously known as Lahāwar . Persian historian Firishta mentions the city as Alahwar in his work, with al-Ahwar being another variation. One theory suggests that Lahore's name
5618-436: The city was captured by the Sukerchakia Misl , based in Gujranwala , under Ranjit Singh in July 1799 where he was crowned the Maharaja of Punjab , thus Lahore became the capital of the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century, regaining some of its lost grandeur. In the aftermath of the Second Anglo-Sikh War , Punjab was annexed by the East India Company in 1849 and Lahore became the capital of British Punjab . Lahore
5724-464: The city's importance even further. Struggles between Zakariyya Khan's sons following his death in 1745 further weakened Muslim control over Lahore, thus leaving the city in a power vacuum, and vulnerable to foreign marauders. The Durrani ruler Ahmad Shah occupied Lahore in 1748 . Following Ahmed Shah Durrani's quick retreat, the Mughals entrusted Lahore to Mu’īn al-Mulk Mir Mannu . Ahmad Shah again invaded in 1751, forcing Mir Mannu into signing
5830-415: The city, which had been devastated after the Ghaznavid invasion. He also erected city walls and a masonry fort was built in 1037–1040 on the ruins of a previous one. A confederation of Hindu princes unsuccessfully laid siege to Lahore in 1043–44 during Ayaz's rule. The city became a cultural and academic centre, renowned for poetry . Lahore was formally made the eastern capital of Ghaznavid Empire during
5936-429: The city. During the reign of Emperor Jahangir in the early 17th century, Lahore's bazaars were noted to be vibrant, frequented by foreigners, and stocked with a wide array of goods. In 1606, Jehangir's rebel son Khusrau Mirza laid siege to Lahore after obtaining the blessings of the Sikh Guru Arjan Dev . Jehangir quickly defeated his son at Bhairowal, and the roots of Mughal–Sikh animosity grew. Sikh Guru Arjan Dev
6042-414: The city. Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang gave a vivid description of a large and prosperous unnamed city that may have been Lahore when he visited the region in 630 CE during his tour of India. Xuanzang described the city, then under Taank rule, as a great Brahmin city. The first document that mentions Lahore by name is the Hudud al-'Alam ("The Regions of the World"), written in 982 CE, in which Lahore
6148-574: The death of Aibak, Lahore first came under the control of the Governor of Multan, Nasir ad-Din Qabacha , and then was briefly captured in 1217 by the sultan in Delhi, Iltutmish . In an alliance with local Khokhars in 1223, Khwarazmian sultan Jalal al-Din Mangburni captured Lahore after fleeing from Genghis Khan 's invasion of his realm. Mangburni then fled from Lahore to the city of Uch Sharif after Iltutmish's army re-captured Lahore in 1228. The threat of Mongol invasions and political instability in Lahore caused future sultans to regard Delhi as
6254-496: The end of Afghan influence in the Punjab. In July 1818, an army from the Punjab defeated Jabbar Khan, a younger brother of the governor of Kashmir Azim Khan, and acquired Kashmir, along with a yearly revenue of Rs seventy lacs. Dewan Moti Ram was appointed governor of Kashmir. In 1823, Yusufzai Pashtuns fought the army of Ranjit Sing north of the Kabul River . In 1834, Mohammed Azim Khan once again marched towards Peshawar with an army of 25,000 Khattak and Yasufzai tribesmen in
6360-419: The event of external invasion such as from the Muslim armies of Ahmed Shah Abdali from Afghanistan, they would usually unite. Towards the end of 18th century, the five most powerful misls were those of Sukkarchakkia, Kanhayas, Nakkais, Ahluwalias and Bhangi Sikhs. Ranjit Singh belonged to the first, and through marriage had a reliable alliance with Kanhayas and Nakkais. Among the smaller misls, some such as
6466-409: The expense of destroying the remaining Mughal architecture for building materials. He established a mint in the city in 1800, and moved into the Mughal palace at the Lahore fort after repurposing it for his own use in governing the Sikh Empire. In 1801, he established a Gurdwara Ram Das to mark the site where Guru Ram Das was born in 1534. Lahore became the empire's administrative capital, though
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#17330930581436572-509: The final spouse of Ranjit Singh. Her father, Manna Singh Aulakh, extolled her virtues to Ranjit Singh, who was concerned about the frail health of his only heir Kharak Singh. The Maharaja married her in 1835 by 'sending his arrow and sword to her village'. On 6 September 1838 she gave birth to Duleep Singh , who became the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire . His other wives included, Mehtab Devi of Kangara also called Guddan or Katochan and Raj Banso, daughters of Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra. He
6678-535: The five rivers". The five rivers are the Beas , Ravi , Sutlej , Chenab and Jhelum , all of which are tributaries of the river Indus . The geographical reach of the Sikh Empire under Singh included all lands north of Sutlej River, and south of the high valleys of the northwestern Himalayas. The major towns at the time included Srinagar, Attock, Peshawar, Bannu, Rawalpindi, Jammu, Gujrat, Sialkot, Kangra, Amritsar, Lahore and Multan. Muslims formed around 70%, Hindus formed around 24%, and Sikhs formed around 6–7% of
6784-468: The forces of the Persian Afsharid ruler Nader Shah in 1739. Although Mughal authority was briefly re-established, it fell into a period of decline and nominal control with frequent raids and invasions by Afghans and Marathas . After the official end of Mughal rule and Afghan–Maratha War in Punjab, the city became heavily contested among the Afghans and the local Punjabi states between 1748 and 1798 . The Afghans were eventually driven out of Punjab as
6890-455: The founder of the Solar dynasty , migrated out from the city. Alexander the Great 's historians make no mention of any city near Lahore's location during his invasion in 326 BCE, suggesting the city had not been founded by that point or was not noteworthy. Ptolemy mentions in his Geography a city called Labokla situated near the Chenab and Ravi rivers which may have been in reference to ancient Lahore, or an abandoned predecessor of
6996-408: The iconic Naulakha Pavilion in 1633. Shah Jahan lavished Lahore with some of its most celebrated and iconic monuments, such as the Shahi Hammam in 1635, and both the Shalimar Gardens and the extravagantly decorated Wazir Khan Mosque in 1641. The population of pre-modern Lahore probably reached its zenith during his reign, with suburban districts home to perhaps 6 times as many compared to within
7102-471: The lesser title of Rani (queen). While Mehtab Kaur and Datar Kaur officially bore the title of Maharani (high queen), Datar Kaur officially became the Maharani after the death of Mehtab Kaur in 1813. Throughout her life was referred to as Sarkar Rani . After her death, the title was held by Ranjit's youngest widow Jind Kaur. According to Khushwant Singh in an 1889 interview with the French journal Le Voltaire , his son Dalip (Duleep) Singh remarked, "I am
7208-450: The minarets of the Badshahi Mosque in order to target Chand Kaur's forces in the Lahore fort, destroying the fort's historic Diwan-e-Aam . Kaur quickly ceded the throne, but Sher Sing was then assassinated in 1843 in Lahore's Chah Miran neighbourhood along with his wazir Dhiyan Singh. Dhyan Singh's son, Hira Singh, sought to avenge his father's death by laying siege to Lahore in order to capture his father's assassins. The siege resulted in
7314-601: The muklawa happened in 1796. 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 . 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
7420-405: The name of Guru Nanak named the "NanakShahi" ("of the Emperor Nanak"). In 1802, Ranjit Singh, aged 22, took Amritsar from the Bhangi Sikh misl , paid homage at the Harmandir Sahib temple, which had previously been attacked and desecrated by the invading Afghan army, and announced that he would renovate and rebuild it with marble and gold. On 1 January 1806, Ranjit Singh signed a treaty with
7526-407: The name of jihad, to fight against infidels. The Maharaja defeated the forces. Yar Mohammad was pardoned and was reinvested as governor of Peshawar with an annual revenue of Rs one lac ten thousand to Lahore Darbar. In 1835, the Afghans and Sikhs met again at the Standoff at the Khyber Pass , however it ended without a battle. In 1837, the Battle of Jamrud , became the last confrontation between
7632-485: The nearby economic centre of Amritsar had also been established as the empire's spiritual capital by 1802. By 1812, Singh had mostly refurbished the city's defences by adding a second circuit of outer walls surrounding Akbar's original walls, with the two separated by a moat. Singh also partially restored Shah Jahan's decaying Shalimar Gardens and built the Hazuri Bagh Baradari in 1818 to celebrate his capture of
7738-561: The re-establishment of Lahore's glory, though the Mughal monuments suffered during the Sikh period. Singh's armies plundered most of Lahore's most precious Mughal monuments, and stripped the white marble from several monuments to send to different parts of the Sikh Empire during his reign. Monuments plundered for decorative materials include the Tomb of Asif Khan, the Tomb of Nur Jahan, and the Shalimar Gardens. Ranjit Singh's army also desecrated
7844-623: The rebuilding of the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar as well as other major gurdwaras , including Takht Sri Patna Sahib , Bihar and Hazur Sahib Nanded , Maharashtra under his sponsorship. 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). Ranjit Singh
7950-513: The reign of Farrukhsiyar when Abd as-Samad and Zakariyya Khan suppressed them. Nader Shah 's brief invasion of the Mughal Empire in early 1739 wrested control away from Zakariya Khan Bahadur . Though Khan was able to win back control after the Persian armies had left, the trade routes had shifted away from Lahore, and south towards Kandahar instead. Indus ports near the Arabian Sea that served Lahore also silted up during this time, reducing
8056-643: The reign of Ghiyath al-Din Tughlaq (Ghazi Malik) of the Tughluq dynasty between 1320 and 1325, though the city was again sacked in 1329 by Tarmashirin of the Central Asian Chagatai Khanate , and then again by the Mongol chief Hülechü. Khokhars seized Lahore in 1342, but the city was retaken by Ghazi Malik's son, Muhammad bin Tughluq . The weakened city then fell into obscurity and was captured once more by
8162-501: The reign of Khusrau Shah in 1152. After the fall of Ghazni in 1163, It became the sole capital. Under their patronage, poets and scholars from other cities of Ghaznavid Empire congregated in Lahore. The entire city of Lahore during the medieval Ghaznavid era was probably located west of the modern Shah Alami Bazaar and north of the Bhatti Gate . Following the Siege of Lahore in 1186,
8268-520: The reign of Mubarak Shah , the longest of which being in 1431–32. To combat Jasrat, the city was granted by the Sayyid dynasty to Bahlul Lodi in 1441, though Lodi would then displace the Sayyids in 1451 by establishing himself upon the throne of Delhi. Bahlul Lodi installed his cousin, Tatar Khan, to be governor of the city, though Tatar Khan died in battle with Sikandar Lodi in 1485. Governorship of Lahore
8374-552: The rule of Ranjit Singh. In 1800, the ruler of the Jammu region ceded control of his region to Ranjit Singh. In 1801, Ranjit Singh proclaimed himself as the "Maharaja of Punjab", and agreed to a formal investiture ceremony, which was carried out by Baba Sahib Singh Bedi – a descendant of Guru Nanak. On the day of his coronation, prayers were performed across mosques, temples and gurudwaras in his territories for his long life. Ranjit Singh called his rule "Sarkar Khalsa", and his court "Darbar Khalsa". He ordered new coins to be issued in
8480-399: The son of one of my father's forty-six wives." Dr. Priya Atwal notes that Ranjit Singh and his heirs entered a total of 46 marriages. But Ranjit Singh was known not to be a "rash sensualist" and commanded unusual respect in the eyes of others. Faqir Sayyid Vaḥiduddin states: "If there was one thing in which Ranjit Singh failed to excel or even equal the average monarch of oriental history, it
8586-485: The state of Gujarat). After Sahib Singh's death, Ranjit Singh took them under his protection in 1811 by marrying them via the rite of chādar andāzī , in which a cloth sheet was unfurled over each of their heads. The same with Roop Kaur, Gulab Kaur, Saman Kaur, and Lakshmi Kaur who looked after Duleep Singh when his mother Jind Kaur was exiled. Ratan Kaur had a son Multana Singh in 1819, and Daya Kaur had two sons Kashmira Singh and Pashaura Singh in 1821. Jind Kaur ,
8692-477: The throne. On that same day, the next appointed successor to the throne, Nau Nihal Singh , died in an accident at the gardens of Hazuri Bagh. Maharaja Sher Singh was then selected as Maharajah, though his claim to the throne was quickly challenged by Chand Kaur , widow of Kharak Singh and mother of Nau Nihal Singh, who quickly seized the throne. Sher Singh raised an army that attacked Chand Kaur's forces in Lahore on 14 January 1841. His soldiers mounted weaponry on
8798-677: The time of the rule of the Mughal empire's greatest emperors, a majority of Lahore's residents did not live within the walled city itself but instead lived in suburbs that had spread outside the city's walls. Only 9 of the 36 urban quarters around Lahore, known as guzars , were located within the city walls during the Akbar period. During this period, Lahore was closely tied to smaller market towns known as qasbahs , such as Kasur and Eminabad , as well as Amritsar , and Batala in modern-day India, which in turn, linked to supply chains in villages surrounding each qasbah . Beginning in 1584, Lahore became
8904-580: The total population living in Singh's empire Ranjit Singh allowed men from different religions and races to serve in his army and his government in various positions of authority. His army included a few Europeans, such as the Frenchman Jean-François Allard , though Singh maintained a policy of refraining from recruiting Britons into his service, aware of British designs on the Indian subcontinent. Despite his recruitment policies, he did maintain
9010-427: The two widows of Sahib Singh, Daya Kaur and Ratan Kaur, whom Ranjit Singh took under his protection and married. These sons, are said to be, not biologically born to the queens and only procured and later presented to and accepted by Ranjit Singh as his sons. In 1802, Ranjit Singh married Moran Sarkar , a Muslim nautch girl . This action, and other non- Sikh activities of the Maharaja, upset orthodox Sikhs, including
9116-449: The warriors aligned with Sikh interests. Meanwhile, colonial traders and the East India Company had begun operations in India on its eastern and western coasts. By the second half of the 18th century, the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent (now Pakistan and parts of north India) were a collection of fourteen small warring regions. Of the fourteen, twelve were Sikh-controlled misls (confederacies), one named Kasur (near Lahore)
9222-594: The whole Bari Doab came under his rule with that conquest. In 1819 at the Battle of Shopian , he successfully defeated the Afghan Sunni Muslim rulers and annexed Srinagar and Kashmir , stretching his rule into the north and the Jhelum valley, beyond the foothills of the Himalayas. The most significant encounters between the Sikhs in the command of the Maharaja and the Afghans were in 1813, 1823, 1834 and 1837. In 1813, Ranjit Singh's general Dewan Mokham Chand led
9328-418: The wider Punjab region , and is one of Pakistan's most socially liberal , progressive , and cosmopolitan cities. Lahore's origin dates back to antiquity. The city has been inhabited for around two millennia , although it rose to prominence in the late 10th century with the establishment of the fortified Walled City . Lahore served as the capital of several empires during the medieval era, including
9434-490: The wider Punjab region. The British East India Company seized control of Lahore in February 1846 from the collapsing Sikh state and occupied the rest of Punjab in 1848. Following the defeat of the Sikhs at the Battle of Gujrat , British troops formally deposed Maharaja Duleep Singh in Lahore that same year. Punjab was then annexed to the British Indian Empire in 1849. At the commencement of British rule, Lahore
9540-488: The youngest child and only daughter of Ran Singh Nakai , the third ruler of the Nakai Misl and his wife 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; this marriage was a happy one and Ranjit Singh always treated Raj Kaur with love and respect. Since Raj Kaur
9646-438: Was Muslim controlled, and one in the southeast was led by an Englishman named George Thomas. This region constituted the fertile and productive valleys of the five rivers – Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Bias and Sutlej. The Sikh misls were all under the control of the Khalsa fraternity of Sikh warriors, but they were not united and constantly warred with each other over revenue collection, disagreements, and local priorities; however, in
9752-668: Was able to seize control of the region after a series of battles with the Bhangi chiefs who had seized Lahore in 1780. His army marched to Anarkali, where according to legend, the gatekeeper of the Lohari Gate , Mukham Din Chaudhry, opened the gates allowing Ranjit Singh's army to enter Lahore. After capturing Lahore, Sikh soldiers immediately began plundering Muslim areas of the city until their actions were reined in by Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh's rule restored some of Lahore's lost grandeur, but at
9858-549: Was also married to Rani Har Devi of Atalgarh, Rani Aso Sircar and Rani Jag Deo According to the diaries, that Duleep Singh kept towards the end of his life, these women presented the Maharaja with four daughters. Dr. Priya Atwal notes that the daughters could be adopted. Ranjit Singh was also married to Jind Bani or Jind Kulan, daughter of Muhammad Pathan from Mankera and Gul Bano, daughter of Malik Akhtar from Amritsar. Ranjit Singh married many times, in various ceremonies, and had twenty wives. Sir Lepel Griffin , however, provides
9964-466: 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 . Datar Kaur bore Ranjit Singh two other sons, Rattan Singh and Fateh Singh. Like his first marriage, the second marriage also brought him a strategic military alliance. Along with wisdom and all the chaste virtues of a noblewoman, Datar Kaur was exceptionally intelligent and assisted Ranjit Singh in affairs of
10070-462: Was another Lahore-based, Urdu-language television channel that was part of the Nawa-i-Waqt Group. This article about a Pakistani newspaper is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Lahore Lahore ( / l ə ˈ h ɔːr / lə- HOR ; Punjabi : لہور [lɔː˩˥ɾ] ; Urdu : لاہور [laːˈɦɔːɾ] ) is the capital and largest city of
10176-561: Was born in a Sandhawalia Jat Sikh family on 13 November 1780 to Maha Singh and Raj Kaur in Gujranwala , Punjab region (present-day Punjab, Pakistan ). His mother Raj Kaur was the daughter of Sidhu Jat Sikh ruler Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind . Upon his birth, he was named Buddh Singh after his ancestor who was first in line to take Amrit Sanchaar . The child's name was changed to Ranjit (literally, "victor in battle") Singh ("lion") by his father to commemorate his army's victory over
10282-586: Was central to the independence movements of both India and Pakistan, with the city being the site of both the Declaration of Indian Independence and the resolution calling for the establishment of Pakistan . It experienced some of the worst rioting during the partition period, preceding Pakistan's independence. Following the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, Lahore served as the capital of West Punjab from 1947 to 1955, and of West Pakistan from 1955 to 1970. Primarily inhabited by ethnic Punjabis , Lahore exerts
10388-476: Was converted into "Moti Mandir" (Pearl Temple) by the Sikh army, and Sonehri Mosque was converted into a Sikh Gurdwara , but upon the request of Sufi Fakir (Satar Shah Bukhari), Ranjit Singh restored the latter to a mosque. Lahore's Begum Shahi Mosque was also used as a gunpowder factory, earning it the nickname Barudkhana Wali Masjid , or "Gunpowder Mosque." Singh's sovereignty was accepted by Afghan and Punjabi Muslims, who fought under his banner against
10494-501: Was estimated to have a population of 120,000. Prior to annexation by the British, Lahore's environs consisted mostly of the Walled City surrounded by plains interrupted by settlements to the south and east, such as Mozang and Qila Gujar Singh , which have since been engulfed by modern Lahore. The plains between the settlements also contained the remains of Mughal gardens, tombs, and Sikh-era military structures. Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839)
10600-407: Was executed in Lahore in 1606 for his involvement in the rebellion. Emperor Jahangir chose to be buried in Lahore, and his tomb was built in Lahore's Shahdara Bagh suburb in 1637 by his wife Nur Jahan , whose tomb is also nearby. Jahangir's son, Shah Jahan (reigned 1628–1658), was born in Lahore in 1592. He renovated large portions of the Lahore Fort with luxurious white marble and erected
10706-596: Was punishable by death under his rule. He ordered his soldiers to neither loot nor molest civilians. He built several gurdwaras, Hindu temples and even mosques, and one in particular was Mai Moran Masjid, built at the behest of his beloved Muslim wife, Moran Sarkar . The Sikhs led by Singh never razed places of worship to the ground belonging to the enemy. However, he did convert Muslim mosques into other uses. For example, Ranjit Singh's army desecrated Lahore's Badshahi Mosque and converted it into an ammunition store, and horse stables. Lahore's Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque)
10812-423: Was raised by his mother Raj Kaur, who, along with Lakhpat Rai, also managed the estates. The first attempt on his life was made when he was 13, by Hashmat Khan, but Ranjit Singh prevailed and killed the assailant instead. At age 18, his mother died and Lakhpat Rai was assassinated, and thereon he was helped by his mother-in-law from his first marriage. In 1789, Ranjit Singh married his first wife Mehtab Kaur ,
10918-506: Was released and forgiven. An alternative holds that Ranjit went to visit Moran on his arrival in Amritsar before paying his respects at Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara , which upset orthodox Sikhs and hence was punished by Akali Phula Singh. Iqbal Qaiser and Manveen Sandhu make alternative accounts of the relationship between Moran and the Maharaja; the former states they never married, while the latter states that they married. Court chronicler, Sohan Lal Suri makes no mention of Moran's marriage to
11024-472: Was the founder and first maharaja of the Sikh Empire , ruling from 1801 until his death in 1839. He ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He survived smallpox in infancy but lost sight in his left eye. He fought his first battle alongside his father at age 10. After his father died around Ranjit's early teenage years, Ranjit subsequently fought several wars to expel
11130-463: Was the size of his harem." George Keene noted, "In hundreds and in thousands the orderly crowds stream on. Not a bough is broken off a wayside tree, not a rude remark to a woman". According to the pedigree table and Duleep Singh 's diaries that he kept towards the end of his life another son Fateh Singh was born to Mai Nakain, who died in infancy. According to Henry Edward only Datar Kaur and Jind Kaur's sons are Ranjit Singh's biological sons. It
11236-449: Was transferred by Sikandar Lodi to Umar Khan Sarwani, who quickly left the management of this city to his son Said Khan Sarwani. Said Khan was removed from power in 1500 by Sikandar Lodi, and Lahore came under the governorship of Daulat Khan Lodi , son of Tatar Khan and former employer of Guru Nanak (the founder of Sikhism ). Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire , captured and sacked Lahore and Dipalpur, although he retreated after
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