Treaty of Amritsar (1846) facts for kids

The Treaty of Amritsar was a key agreement signed in 1846. It was made between the British East India Company and Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu. This treaty officially created the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It also placed this new state under the control of the British Indian Empire.

What Was the Treaty of Amritsar?

The Treaty of Amritsar was signed on March 16, 1846. It made official the agreements that had been set out in the Treaty of Lahore. These agreements were made between the British East India Company and Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu. This happened right after the First Anglo-Sikh War.

How Gulab Singh Gained Land

Under Article 1 of the treaty, Gulab Singh received a large area of hilly land. This land was located between the Indus River and the Ravi River. It included a place called Chamba but not Lahul. This territory was originally given to the British by the Lahore State. This transfer was part of the earlier Treaty of Lahore, signed on March 9, 1846.

The Cost of the Land

According to Article 3 of the treaty, Gulab Singh had to pay a large sum of money. He paid 75 lakhs (which is 7.5 million) of Nanak Shahi rupees to the British. Nanak Shahi rupees were the money used in the Sikh Empire at that time. He also agreed to pay other tributes every year. This treaty marked the start of the Dogra family's rule in the Kashmir region.

Gulab Singh's Role in the War

During the First Anglo-Sikh War, Maharaja Gulab Singh Jamwal, who was a Dogra ruler, helped the British Empire. He fought against the Sikhs. After the Sikh Empire was defeated, two important treaties were signed. These were the Treaty of Lahore (March 9, 1846) and the Treaty of Amritsar (March 16, 1846).

Agreements from the Treaty of Lahore

The Treaty of Lahore was signed between the 7-year-old Maharaja Duleep Singh (a Sikh ruler) and the British Empire. In this treaty, Jammu was officially taken over by the British. Article 12 of the Treaty of Lahore recognized Gulab Singh's help. It stated that he would become an independent ruler of certain hilly areas. These areas would be given to him by a separate agreement with the British. The British also agreed to recognize his independence because of his good actions.

Gulab Singh's Promise to the British

As part of the Treaty of Amritsar, Maharaja Gulab Singh Jamwal agreed to help the British Empire. Article 6 stated that he and his future rulers would join British troops with all their soldiers. This would happen when the British were fighting in the hills or near Gulab Singh's lands. In return, Article 9 said that the British Government would help Gulab Singh. They would protect his lands from outside enemies.

Kashmiris and the Wars

Because of these agreements, the Dogras helped the British Empire in many conflicts. This included the Indian Rebellion and other wars. Many Kashmiris fought in the First and Second World Wars. They served in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces. They also joined the Royal Navy, the British Army, the merchant navy, and the Gilgit Scouts. This was mentioned by Major William A. Brown in his book, "The Gilgit Rebellion 1947."

Challenges for the Kashmiris

The British did not have enough resources to take over such a large area right after taking parts of Punjab. So, they made Gulab Singh pay 75 thousand Nanakshahee Rupees for war damages. Some angry officials in Lahore tried to make the governor of Kashmir rebel against Gulab Singh. However, this rebellion failed. This was largely thanks to the actions of Herbert Edwardes, a British official. People in Jammu and Kashmir also rebelled against the new rule.

Complaints About High Taxes

To pay for the land and wars, the people of Kashmir faced very high taxes from the start. They also complained about being treated unfairly. Some British writers wrote a lot about these treaties and the difficult conditions. For example, Robert Thorp wrote in 1868 that the people of Kashmir were "sold into slavery" to Gulab Singh. Arthur Brinkman also wrote in 1867 about the "wretched condition" of the people. He said they felt they were "sold against their inclination."

Key Articles of the Treaty

The Treaty of Amritsar had ten main articles. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Article 1: The British Government gave control of the hilly and mountainous areas to Maharajah Gulab Singh and his male heirs forever. This land was east of the Indus River and west of the Ravi River, including Chamba.
• Article 3: In return for this land, Maharajah Gulab Singh agreed to pay the British Government 75 lakhs of Nanakshahee rupees.
• Article 4: The borders of Maharajah Gulab Singh's lands could not be changed without the British Government's agreement.
• Article 5: If any disagreements came up between Gulab Singh and other states, he would ask the British Government to help solve them. He would accept their decision.
• Article 6: Maharajah Gulab Singh promised that he and his heirs would join the British troops with all their soldiers. This would happen when the British were fighting in the hills or near his lands.
• Article 9: The British Government promised to help Maharajah Gulab Singh. They would protect his lands from outside enemies.
• Article 10: Maharajah Gulab Singh recognized that the British Government was supreme. As a sign of this, he would give them one horse, twelve special shawl goats, and three pairs of Cashmere shawls every year.

The treaty was signed by Sir Henry Hardinge, Frederick Currie, and Henry Montgomery Lawrence for the British. Maharajah Gulab Singh signed for himself. It was completed in Amritsar on March 16, 1846.

See also

• List of treaties
• Treaty of Lahore