Treaty of Amritsar (1809) facts for kids
The Treaty of Amritsar in 1809 was an important agreement. It was signed between the British East India Company and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh was a powerful Sikh leader. He started the Sikh empire. The British wanted Ranjit Singh's help. They feared a French invasion of India. Ranjit Singh wanted to make his kingdom stronger. He wanted to add lands south of the Sutlej River. The treaty made the Sutlej River their border. Singh hoped to unite all Sikhs in his kingdom. This included the Malwa Sikhs. They lived between the Sutlej and Yamuna Rivers.
How the Treaty Came About
Ranjit Singh (born 1780, died 1839) was a brave Sikh warrior. He was building a new kingdom in northern India. He made Lahore his capital city in 1799. In 1801, he became the maharajah of the Punjab. By 1808, his lands stretched far. They were between the Jhelum and Sutlej Rivers.
The Sikh leaders in the Malwa region felt worried. They feared Ranjit Singh would take over their lands. So, they asked the British for protection. The British East India Company (EIC) first said no. They were worried about a possible invasion. This invasion was rumored to come from Napoleon and Russia. They had signed a peace deal in 1807. The EIC needed Ranjit Singh as a friend. His kingdom was a good buffer zone. It was between Russia and India. This would protect India from attack.
Ranjit Singh agreed to meet a British diplomat. His name was Charles Metcalfe. They talked for months about the possible invasion. Singh then invaded Malwa. He wanted to show Metcalfe his power there. He also wanted the Yamuna River to be his border. The EIC reacted by sending their soldiers. They went to the Sutlej River. They said this river was their border. They wanted Singh to agree to a treaty. But Singh challenged them. He sent his own soldiers across the river. They faced the EIC troops.
Around this time, Napoleon's army attacked Spain. It seemed very unlikely they would attack India. So, the EIC changed their plan. They no longer needed Singh as a close ally. They offered a new treaty. This treaty allowed Singh to keep some lands. These lands were south of the Sutlej in Malwa. But the Sutlej River would still be the border. Singh did not know the EIC had changed their mind. He decided it was best not to fight. He knew his army was not as strong. So, he signed the new treaty.
The treaty stopped Singh from taking more land south of the Sutlej. But it gave him complete freedom. He could expand his rule north of the river. This helped him take over other Sikh groups. He expanded his empire to places like Peshawar, Multan, and Kashmir. He did this by defeating the Afghan Durrani Empire. He also had French generals. They helped him make his army more modern. This strong Sikh empire lasted until the British took over in 1849.
Images for kids
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A letter from Lord Minto to Emperor Ranjit Singh from 1808. It talks about Singh taking lands from Sikh leaders. These leaders were protected by the British. This letter might have led to the Treaty of Amritsar in 1809.
See also
- List of treaties
- Treaty of Lahore
