Treaty of Amritsar in 1846 AD.

Treaty of Amritsar in 1846 AD.

• After weakened of Afghan rule in Kashmir in 1810 AD.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore Darbar decided to conquer the three separate States of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh one by one.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh was stronger than the rulers of these three separate states at that time.
• First Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered and annexed Jammu to the Lahore Darbar in 1816 AD. The last king of Jammu was Jit Singh Dev (little Son of  Dalel Singh or grandson of Maharaja Ranjit Dev of Jammu) who was compelled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and he surrendered.
• Than Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquered and annexed Kashmir to the  Lahore Darbar in 1819 AD. by defeated Afghan governor Jabbar Khan.
• Later in 1834 AD. With the help of Zorawar Singh Kahaluria of Reasi who was Wazir of Jammu King Raja Gulab Singh attacked Ladakh and defeated it's ruler Tsepal Namgyal and annexed Ladakh to the Lahore Darbar.
• After annexation of Jammu to Lahore Darbar Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent Gulab Singh who was military commander of his army to Jammu against the local leader of Jammu Mian Dido in 1820 AD.
• Gulab Singh killed Mian Dido and conquered Kishtwar , Rajouri and few other states of Jammu hills and annexed them to Lahore Darbar.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh honoured Gulab Singh with the title of Raja. And Gulab Singh became Raja Gulab Singh.
• In 1822 AD. Gulab Singh crowned himself as the king of Jammu on the bank of River Chenab. He also appointed Zorawar Singh as his Wazir.
• In 1839 AD. Maharaja Ranjit Singh died a natural death.
• After death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Lahore Darbar weakened day by day.
• In 1845 AD. The British Forces attacked Punjab and First Anglo- Punjab war was fought. The British forces defeated the army of Lahore Darbar and compelled it's ruler Dalip or Dilip Singh to sign a treaty.
• On 9th March, 1846 AD. first Treaty was signed between the British and Maharaja Dalip or Dilip Singh of Lahore Darbar, which is now known as "THE TREATY OF LAHORE" where Raja Gulab Singh became a mediator. According to one of the clauses of this treaty , Maharaja Dalip Singh accepted Gulab Singh as an independent sovereign.
• On 15th March, 1846 AD. 2nd Treaty was signed between the British government (on the plan of British Viceroy Harding) and Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu which is now known as " THE TREATY OF AMRITSAR" where British government agreed to hand over Kashmir and other hill territories to Raja Gulab Singh on the condition of the payment of Rupees seventy five lakhs (75,00,000 Nanak Shahi Rupees) as war indemnity to the British. Raja Gulab Singh accepted the condition and received said territories as his kingdom. So, Raja Gulab Singh became Maharaja Gulab Singh. Though Maharaja Gulab Singh paid RS. 75,00,000 (Nanak Shahi Rupees) to British in lieu of Kashmir, he did not acquire independent position. He remained as a tributary to the British Government."The Treaty of Amritsar" consists of ten (10) articles .

Treaty of Amritsar

March 16, 1846

   The treaty between the British Government on the one part and Maharajah Gulab Singh of Jammu on the other concluded on the part of the British Government by Frederick Currie, Esq. and Brevet-Major Henry Montgomery Lawrence, acting under the orders of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, G.C.B., one of her Britannic Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council, Governor-General of the possessions of the East India Company, to direct and control all the affairs in the East Indies and by Maharajah Gulab Singh in person - 1846.

1.  Article 1 The British Government transfers and makes over for ever in independent possession to Maharajah Gulab Singh and the heirs male of his body all the hilly or mountainous country with its dependencies situated to the eastward of the River Indus and the westward of the River Ravi including Chamba and excluding Lahol, being part of the territories ceded to the British Government by the Lahore State according to the provisions of Article IV of the Treaty of Lahore, dated 9 March 1846.
2. Article 2 The eastern boundary of the tract transferred by the foregoing article to Maharajah Gulab Singh shall be laid down by the Commissioners appointed by the British Government and Maharajah Gulab Singh respectively for that purpose and shall be defined in a separate engagement after survey.
3. Article 3 In consideration of the transfer made to him and his heirs by the provisions of the foregoing article Maharajah Gulab Singh will pay to the British Government the sum of seventy-five lakhs of rupees (Nanukshahee), fifty lakhs to be paid on or before the 1st October of the current year, A.D., 1846.
4. Article 4 The limits of territories of Maharajah Gulab Singh shall not be at any time changed without concurrence of the British Government.
5. Article 5 Maharajah Gulab Singh will refer to the arbitration of the British Government any disputes or question that may arise between himself and the Government of Lahore or any other neighboring State, and will abide by the decision of the British Government.
6. Article 6 Maharajah Gulab Singh engages for himself and heirs to join, with the whole of his Military Forces, the British troops when employed within the hills or in the territories adjoining his possessions.
7. Article 7 Maharajah Gulab Singh engages never to take to retain in his service any British subject nor the subject of any European or American State without the consent of the British Government.
8. Article 8 Maharajah Gulab Singh engages to respect in regard to the territory transferred to him, the provisions of Articles V, VI and VII of the separate Engagement between the British Government and the Lahore Durbar, dated 11 March 1846.
9. Article 9 The British Government will give its aid to Maharajah Gulab Singh in protecting his territories from external enemies.
10. Article 10 Maharajah Gulab Singh acknowledges the supremacy of the British Government and will in token of such supremacy present annually to the British Government one horse, twelve shawl goats of approved breed (six male and six female) and three pairs of Cashmere shawls.

This Treaty of ten articles has been this day settled by Frederick Currie, Esq. and Brever-Major Henry Montgomery Lawrence, acting under directions of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General, on the part of the British Government and by Maharajah Gulab Singh in person, and the said Treaty has been this day ratified by the seal of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Hardinge, Governor-General. Done at Amritsar the sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, corresponding with the seventeenth day of Rubee-ul-Awal (1262 Hijri).

(Signed) H. Hardinge (Seal) (Signed) F. Currie (Signed) H. M. Lawrence

• In 1847 AD. Under a settlement Sujanpur , part of Pathankot , Chakki etc. was taken by the British to settle a claim RS. 42,800. The boundary of Jammu and Kashmir was thus laid after these and other minor adjustments. Thus , the Jammu , Kashmir and Ladakh were politically United by Maharaja Gulab Singh Dogra , which resulted in the formation of one new state i.e. Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu and Kashmir