RIINTEET-SINGH, Maharajah of the Punjab (generally described by English writers as the king of Lahore), was b. at Gugaranwalla, Nov. 2, 1780. His father, Malia-Singh, was sirdar of Kukur-Chnkeah, one of the twelve missouls or military organizations of the Sikhs, and died when Runjeet-Singh was about 12 years old, leaving a full treasury and a well-regulated government. His widow took charge of the administration, and attempted by every means in her power to render her son effeminate, but Runjeet-Singh's character was not capable of being weakened by such treatment. When about 17 years old his mother died suddenly (poisoned, as it is reported, by her son), and he immedi ately assumed the government. Ruujeet-Shigh now showed himself to be a prince of overwhelming ambition, and capable of attaining his object either by policy and address, or by form In 1799, having rendered important service as an ally to Zeman Shah of Afghanistan, who had invaded the Punjab, he received from that monarch liberty to take possession of Lahore, which he accordingly did, and held it, despite the utmost efforts of his brother sirdars. To these quarrelsome neighbors he next turned his attention, and succeeded iu subduing some and rendering others tributary, so that by 1809 he ,had greatly reduced their number. His successes having alarmed the Sikh chiefs, situated between the Sutlej and the Jumna, they besought the governor-general's interference, and this was the only occasion on which he ever came into collision with the British. Arrangements were amicably made, and Britain gave up all pretension to interference north of the Sutlej, on condition that that boundary should be carefully respected. Run jeet-Singh, thus freed from the only danger he feared, pursued his schemes of aggran dizement; and in 1812, having compelled all but three of the Punjab sirdars to resign their authority, he organized the whole under one sovereignty, and proclaimed himself rajah. His army had for several years previously been organized and disciplined according to the European fashion by English officers who had entered his service, so that the wild and undisciplined troops of the neighboring states had not a chance of suc cessfully opposing him. About this time his capital was resorted to by two of the dis
possessed rulers of Afghanistan, one of whom, Shah-Sujah, was the possessor of the celebrated Koh-i-ndr (q.v.), which prize Runjeet-Singh eagerly coveted, and at last obtained as the price of his assistance in recovering the throne of Cabul. In 1813 Run jeet-Singh obtained possession of Attock, took :Milan by storm in 1817, and in 1819 annexed Cashmere, assuming after these exploits the title of maharajah. In 1822 he took into his service Allard and Ventura, two FrenCh officers who formerly served under Napoleon, and by their aid he finished the reconstruction of his army, with the view of extending his dominion to the west of the Indus. In pursuance of this scheme, he wrested (1829) from the Afghans the province of Peshawur. He had now an extensive territory, peopled by more than 20,000,000, and a well-trained army of 70,000 men, of whom 36,000 were infantry, thoroughly disciplined, and this numerous ho'st was employed for several years in desultory wars with the Afghans. Between him and the British there was always a mutual distrust, dissembled by the show of extreme cordial ity; but as both parties scrupulously abstained from any cause of offense, pacific rela tions were never interrupted. In 1836 his army was totally defeated by the Afghans, but this reverse seems not in the slightest degree to have affected the stability of 'his role, even in the most recently acquired districts; and, strange to say, his long reign was not disturbed by a single revolt. He died June 27, 1839. Runjeet-Singh is one of the most remarkable men in eastern history; in person he was short and slight; his countenance, deeply marked with small-pox (which had deprived him of the sight of one eye), was, however, expressive of strong determination, to which the calm of his brilliant dark eye lent additional effect. He was totally uneducated; could neither read nor write; yet the indefatigable of his administration, and his clemency and moderation (rare qualities in an Asiatic despot), are without a parallel in the east. See English Cyclopedia; Cuvilier-Fleury, Hates Eistoriques sur le General 'Allard; Revue Beitannigne, vols. x., xiii., xxiii., and xxvii.