Page 23 - SST Class 08

wars. Many treaties were signed between the
Marathas and the British East India Company,
which led to the control of India by the British.

The treaties with the Princely states made the
British the owner of the vast properties and
territories of India and India was indeed a jewel
in the crown of the British Empire.
The Maratha Empire completely ended after
these wars. The British completely controlled
India. In fact, after the wars, India became a
Battle of Ferozeshah, Aliwal
complete property of the British, in which the
British mapped and defined India, entirely on 1845, the Khalsa army under Tej Singh crossed
their own terms and conditions, as per the the Sutlej and swung into position for and attack
Orientalist style. on the small, isolated British force at Ferozepur.
Fourth Maratha War The Sikhs fought bravely, but since they had no
Peshwa Baji Rao II who had become very hostile leader, they were defeated at Mudki, Ferozeshah,
towards the British after entering into the Aliwal and Sobraon. By the Treaty of Lahore
Subsidiary Alliance, declared war against Lord (1846), Dalip Singh, the infant son of Ranjit
Hastings who succeeded Lord Wellesly. This was Singh was recognised as the Raja. The region
the last war between the British and the Marathas between the rivers, Sutlej and the Beas was
in which the English defeated the Peshwa, added to the British territory and the Sikh army
dethroned him and annexed all his territories. was limited to a specified number.
After this war, the Maratha chiefs were almost Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49)
crippled and they had to live at the mercy of the Lord Dalhousie had been in Delhi for barely six
English. months when the Second Anglo-Sikh War

ANGLO-SIKH WARS started. Rani Jindan had been removed from
Lahore to Shekhupura on a charge of conspiracy
There were two Anglo-Sikh Wars or campaigns
against the British Resident. The disbanded Sikh
between the British and the Sikhs. The first
soldiers were restive. In 1848, Diwan Mulraj, the
conflict took place in 1845-1846 and the second
Governor of Multan failed to comply with the
in 1848-1849. The first Sikh war led to a partial
financial demands of the Lahor durbar and
control of the Sikh kingdom by the British.
resigned. The revolt at Multan assumed quite a
However, it was the second Anglo-Sikh War
formidable proporation. The Khalsa army came
which was considered to be a major one in the
together once more to fight the English. The
history of India as it was this Sikh War, which for
English emerged victorious after destroying the
the first time annexed the whole of Punjab to
Sikh army. The Afghan cavalry under Dost
British India and the fall of the Sikh Empire. This
Mohammand, an ally of the Sikhs had been
Sikh war was a major war fought between the
chased back to their native hills. The Punjab,
British East India Company and the Sikh Empire.
annexed by a proclamation became a British
First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46)
province.
When the First Sikh War with the British began in

Social Science-8 23