Sukerchakia Misl

{{Short description|Sovereign state of the Sikh Confederacy}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox country | conventional_long_name = '''Sukerchakia Misl''' | native_name = ''Shukarchakī'ā Misal'' | common_name = Sukerchakia Misl | year_start = 1748 | year_end = 1801 | p1 = Durrani Empire | flag_p1 = Flag of Herat until 1842.svg | p11 = Singhpuria Misl | flag_p11 = Sikh flag.jpg | s1 = Sikh Empire | flag_s1 = Sikh Empire flag.svg | flag = Nishan Sahib | flag_border = no | era = Early modern period | event_start = Split from Singhpuria Misl | event_end = Capture of Lahore by Ranjit Singh and formation of the Sikh Empire | capital = Sukerchak {{small|(initial)}} Gujranwala {{small|(later)}} | religion = {{plainlist| *Sikhism {{small|(rulers)}} *Islam {{small|(majority)}} *Hinduism }} | languages_type = Common language | languages = Punjabi | title_leader = Sardar | leader1 = Naudh Singh | year_leader1 = 1748–1752 | leader2 = Charat Singh | year_leader2 = 1752–1774 | leader3 = Mahan Singh | year_leader3 = 1774–1792 | leader4 = Ranjit Singh | year_leader4 = 1792–1801 | today = {{flag|Pakistan}} }} {{Misls}} The '''Sukerchakia Misl''' was one of twelve Sikh misls in Punjab during the 18th century, concentrated in Gujranwala and Hafizabad districts in western Punjab (in modern-Pakistan) and ruled from (1752–1801). The misl, or grouping with its own guerilla militia (jatha), was founded by Charat Singh of Sandhawalia, grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sukerchakia Misl|url=https://www.sukerchakia.com/sukerchakia-misl/}}</ref> The last Sukerchakia Misldar (commander of the Misl) was Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh united all the misls and established an independent Sikh Empire. The ruling-family of the misl were of a Jat background.<ref name="Dhavan">{{cite book |last=Dhavan |first=Purnima |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-7HJ5idB8_QC&pg=PA61 |title=When Sparrows Became Hawks: The Making of the Sikh Warrior Tradition, 1699-1799 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-19-975655-1 |page= |pages=60–61}}</ref><ref name="Sachdeva">{{cite book |last=Sachdeva |first=Veena |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HQkX8OZ65qwC |title=Polity and Economy of the Punjab During the Late Eighteenth Century |publisher=Manohar |year=1993 |isbn=978-81-7304-033-7 |page=163}}</ref>

== Etymology == The name Sukerchakia is derived from the words ''suker'' (meaning small or narrow) and ''chak'' (referring to a petty tract of land).<ref name="Singh">{{cite book |last=Singh |first=Bhagat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BihuAAAAMAAJ |title=A History of the Sikh Misals |publisher=Punjabi University |year=1993 |edition=1st |page=175 |oclc=30513185 |quote=Budha Singh,¹ an affluent {{underline|Jat farmer}} of the village of Sukarchak in the Majha tract of the Punjab, was the {{underline|first historically known ancestor of Maharaja Ranjit Singh}}. His original name was Desu.² He was born in 1670.³ He possessed 25 acres of land and three ploughs and a well. On this land he had built a couple of houses for his family and cattle. The place was named Sukarchak. ''Sukar'' means small and narrow and ''chak'' signifies a petty tract of land.}}</ref> The word originated as a name for land that had been owned and built-upon by Budh Singh, ancestor of Ranjit Singh.<ref name="Singh" />

== History ==

=== Family origin === [[File:Family-tree of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, from the 'Iqbalnama-i-Maharaja Ranjit Singh', circa first half of the 19th century.png|thumb|Family-tree of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, from the ''Iqbalnama-i-Maharaja Ranjit Singh.'' It claims that Ranjit Singh descended from Raja Salivahan.]] The earliest traceable ancestor of the Sukerchakia family with reliable historicity was Kalu (died c.1488), a Jat of the Warraich ''got'' (clan), who moved in c.1470 from his native village of Bhatian (in modern-day Lahore district) to Sansara (or Sansi; located in modern-day Ajnala ''tehsil'', Amritsar district, Punjab, India) with his spouse. Later-on, he would further shift his family to Sand, a village approximately six kilometres from Wazirabad.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ancestors of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh |url=https://www.sikhinstitute.org/ranjitsingh/ances.html |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ancestors Table of Maharaja Duleep Singh |url=https://sikhinstitute.org/duleepsingh/ancestors.html |access-date=26 May 2023 |website=Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Chhabra |first=G. S. |title=Advanced History of the Punjab: Ranjit Singh & post Ranjit Singh period |publisher=New Academic Publishing Company |year=1972 |edition=2nd |series=Advanced History of the Punjab |volume=2 |pages=1–13 |chapter=Chapter 1: The Ancestors of Maharaja Ranjit Singh}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |title=The Sikh Review |publisher=Sikh Cultural Centre |year=1980 |volume=28 |location=Calcutta |pages=9}}</ref> Whilst Kalu had his residence in Sansi, he fathered a son named Jaddoman.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Jaddoman became a plunderer associated with the Sansi tribe.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> He died in c.1515 on a marauding expeditions and was survived by a son named Galeb (also known as Mannu).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Galeb also became a plunderer and was renowned for it. He died in c.1549 and was survived by a son named Kiddoh.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

=== Sukerchak village === Kiddoh shifted his residence from his native village to the village of Sukerchak in c.1555.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> The etymology of the name of the later Misl originates from the toponym of this village.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> The village was located approximately 3 kilometres away from Gujranwala.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Kiddoh is said to have been spiritually disposed and started working on the land as an agricultural labourer.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Kiddoh died in c.1578 and was survived by two sons named Rajadab and Premu.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Rajadab would open a grocery store in the village, worked also as an agriculturalist, and was versed and literate in the Landa script.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Rajadab died in c.1620 and left behind three sons named Nilu, Telu, and Takht Mal.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Only Takht Mal survived past childhood into adulthood, whom benefited from the intergenerational wealth that was passed down to him from the hardwork of his predecessors.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> With this small fortune, he became a lender and eventually worked his way up to become a banker.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> When he died in c.1653, he was succeeded by two sons named Balu and Bara.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

Baru is the first ancestor of the Sukerchakia family who had associations with Sikhism, as he was a follower of the founder, Guru Nanak, and an avid reader of the ''Adi Granth'' (as it was then known).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> At the age of 25, he expressed a strong desire to become initiated into the religion in Amritsar (''Khande-di-Pahul'').<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> However, due to an accident, he was unable to complete this mission.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> On his deathbed in 1679, he told his son, Budda (nicknamed Desu after his horse, Desi; born 1670; later given the baptized name of Budh Singh), to get baptized in Amritsar as a dying wish for his son to fulfil.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> [[File:Depiction of maharajas Ranjit Singh and Kharak Singh, with their ancestors Mahan Singh, Charat Singh, and Budh Singh, including Guru Har Rai, lithograph, Umdat-ut-Tawarikh (vol. II), Albert Press, Lahore, 1886.jpg|thumb|Depiction of maharajas Ranjit Singh and Kharak Singh, with their ancestors Mahan Singh, Charat Singh, and Budh Singh, including Guru Har Rai, lithograph, ''Umdat al-Tawarikh'' (vol. II), Albert Press, Lahore, 1886]] Once he reached an age of maturity, Budda was baptized into the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh himself and was renamed as Budh Singh.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Budh Singh was a warrior of high repute in his time.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> When Budh Singh died in 1716, his wife committed suicide so they were cremated together. He was survived by two sons, Naudh Singh and Chanda Singh.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Chanda was the progenitor of the Sandhawalia family of Raja Sansi.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

=== Sukerchakia Jatha === ''Chaudhary'' Naudh Singh was the landlord of Gujranwala area that he renamed as Shukar Chak (meaning: "thanks for the land").<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Dhir |first=Krishna S. |title=The Wonder That Is Urdu |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=2022 |isbn=9788120843011 |edition=1st |location=Delhi |pages=537 |quote=The early 18th century remained a turbulent period during which the Sikhs did not have a single individual as a Sikh leader. The Mughals had taken control of much of Punjab from 1733 until, in 1735, the Khalsa rejected the confederacy status granted to them by the Mughals. Ahmed Shah Durrani began his campaigns in April 1748 and recaptured Punjab in the Third Battle of Panipat. At the time, Sardar Charat Singh, son of Naubh [sic] Singh, was a member of the Singhpuria Misl. Born in about 1733, he distinguished himself even at an early age. He married Sardarni Desan Kaur, the daughter of Sardar Amir Singh, a powerful leader in Gujranwala, and moved to his headquarters there. Along with 150 horsemen, he split from the Singhpuria Misl and established the Sukerchakia Misl (Suker from "shukar = an expression of 'gratitude for' or "thanks for'; 'chak'= 'land' or 'territory'). The Sukerchakia strength and territory grew under the leadership of Charat Singh. On his death in 1770, his son, Maha Singh took over the misl and the growth continued. When Ahmad Shah Durrani died in June 1772, he was succeeded by his son Timur Shah, whose forces invaded Punjab a number of times.}}</ref> The very beginning and earliest traces of the Sukerchakia Misl can be traced to Nodha Singh constructing a minor fortress in his native village of Sukerchak, along with gathering a small ''jatha'' of 30 horsemen to protect his locality from invading Afghans.<ref name=":2" /> He and his group of horsemen would later join the Faizalpuria Misl of Nawab Kapur Singh in 1730.<ref name=":2" /> He became wealthy by pillaging the caravans of the invading Afghans and established himself as the local chieftain of Sukerchak. He was severely wounded in 1747 during a fight with Afghans after being shot in the head.<ref name=":2" />

=== Independent misl === At the annual Diwali meeting of the Sarbat Khalsa in Amritsar in 1748, a ''Gurmata'' was passed that reorganized the various scattered and numerous jathas into eleven organized ''Misls'', with the Sukerchakia Misl forming out of this judgement.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Harbans |title=The Encyclopedia of Sikhism |publisher=Punjabi University, Patiala |volume=2: E-L |pages=362–3}}</ref>{{Efn|It is unclear if the Sukerchakia Misl would have been established as an independent misl in 1748 after the passing of the Gurmata by the Sarbat Khalsa or if it was established a little later by Charat Singh's split from the Singhpuria Misl.|group=note}} When Naudh died in 1752, he had four sons who survived him named Charat Singh, Dal Singh, Chet Singh, and Mangi Singh.<ref name=":2" />

==== Under Charat Singh ==== thumb|Painting of Charat Singh during an engagement with Afghan Durrani forces Charat Singh was the eldest son of Naudh Singh, the father of Maha Singh, and the grandfather of Ranjit Singh.<ref name=":4" /> Charat Singh formally created the Sukerchakia Misl.<ref>{{cite book |last=Khushwant Singh |title=Ranjit Singh, Maharaja of the Punjab |publisher=Penguin Books, India |date=2008 |pages=1–3 |chapter=Chapter 1: Ranjit Singh's Ancestors, Birth and the Years of Tutelage |isbn=9780143065432 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/warriors/charat.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991114215535/http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/warriors/charat.html |archive-date=14 November 1999 |title=Sikh Warriors}}</ref> He distinguished himself at an early age in campaigns against Ahmad Shah Abdali and split from the Singhpuria Misl to formally establish the Sukerchakia Misl in Gujranwala.<ref name=":4" /> He combined with the Mughalchak missal and extended his rule in Rohtas, Chakwal, Pind Dadan Khan which stood in the Pothohar region of northern Punjab and took Wazirabad under his control. {{Blockquote|text="Chaudhary Charat Singh strengthened his position by matrimonial alliances. Dal Singh Kalianwala of Alipur renamed Akālgarh was married to the sister of Charat Singh. Sohel Singh Bhangi was married to the daughter of Charat Singh. Sahib Singh Bhangi, son of Gujar Singh, was married to another daughter, Raj Kaur. Charat's Singh's son Mahan Singh was married to the daughter of Jai Singh Mann of Mughalchak."|author=Hari Ram Gupta|title=History of the Sikhs. Vol. IV: Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls (1982)|source=page 304<ref>{{cite book |last = Gupta |first = Hari Ram |title = History of the Sikhs. Vol. IV: Sikh Commonwealth or Rise and Fall of the Misls |date = October 2001 |publisher = Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1982 |isbn = 978-8121501651 |pages = 304}}</ref>}}During the time of Charat Singh, men were only able to join the misl after having been first baptized into the Khalsa as a criterion for admission.<ref name=":4" /> Charat Singh rose the number of horsemen to around 150.<ref name=":4" /> The headquarters of the misl moved from Sukerchak village to Gujranwala after the marriage of Charat to Desan Kaur, the daughter of Amir Singh of Gujranwala, whom had been a close ally to Charat.<ref name=":4" /> Amir Singh was an aged but still powerful sardar.<ref name=":4" />

==== Under Maha Singh ==== [[File:'Assembly of Sikhs and Sansar Chand of Kangra', attributed to Purkhu of Kangra, ca.1780.jpg|thumb|Ramgarhia and Sukarchakia Misls hold a diplomatic meeting. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia (long, white beard) on left. Mahan Singh with checked blanket covering chest on the right, in centre]] Then came Maha Singh (d.1792) who also expanded the Misl further.<ref name=":4" />

==== Under Ranjit Singh ==== thumb|Young Ranjit Singh, company style, circa 19th century After the decline of the Mughals, Maharaja Ranjit Singh united all the misls and shaped a powerful empire in Punjab.

== Territory == The misl originated from Sukerchak near Lahore and originally held territory in the Rechna Doab of Punjab before their major expansion.<ref name="Dhavan" /> The Shukerchakias initially held territory south of the Bhangis, dominating the tract of land between the Chenab and Ravi rivers, including the settlements of Gujranwala and Wazirabad.''<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Herrli |first=Hans |title=The Coins of the Sikhs |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal |year=2004 |isbn=9788121511322 |edition=2nd |pages=11–13 |chapter=The Sikh Misls}}</ref>''

== Leaders == {| class="wikitable" !No. !Name {{Small|(Birth–Death)}} !Portrait !Term !Reference(s) |- ! colspan="5" |As a ''Jatha'' under the Singhpuria Misl: |- |1. |Naudh Singh<br>{{Small|(died 1752)}} | |1730 – 1748 |<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Dhavan" /> |- ! colspan="5" |As an independent Misl: |- |– |Naudh Singh<br>{{Small|(died 1752)}} | |1748 – 1752 |<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Dhavan" /> |- |2. |Charat Singh<br>{{Small|(died 1774)}} |208x208px |1752 – 1774 |<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Dhavan" /> |- |3. |Maha Singh<br>{{Small|(died 1792)}} |182x182px |1774 – 1792 |<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Dhavan" /> |- |4. |Ranjit Singh<br>{{Small|(1780 – 1839)}} |200x200px |1792 – 1801 |<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Dhavan" /> |}

==Battles fought by Sukerchakia Misl== [[File:Stereoscopic photograph of the tomb or 'samadhi' (Indic cenotaph) of Mahan Singh at Gujranwala in Punjab, ca.1869.jpg|thumb|Stereoscopic photograph of the tomb or 'samadhi' (Indic cenotaph) of Mahan Singh at Gujranwala in Punjab, ca.1869]]

* Battle of Sialkot (1761) * Battle of Gujranwala (1761)<ref name="sarsa">{{cite book|url=http://m.friendfeed-media.com/6e9ec7f58014456d2d5fd015cc8af9d2974509c0|title=Dictionary of Battles and Sieges|page=419|author=Jacques, Tony|year=2006|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-313-33536-5|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626120848/http://m.friendfeed-media.com/6e9ec7f58014456d2d5fd015cc8af9d2974509c0|archive-date=2015-06-26}}</ref><ref name="Raj Pal Singh 2004 116">{{cite book|title= The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years|author= Raj Pal Singh|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ra19YSPDliQC&q=hargobind+jahangir&pg=PA21|publisher= Pentagon Press|year= 2004|isbn= 9788186505465|page= 116}}</ref> * Sikh occupation of Lahore<ref>{{cite book |last=Grewal |first=J.S. |date=1990 |title=The Sikhs of the Punjab |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2_nryFANsoYC&q=%22jamadar+khushal+singh%22&pg=PA91 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=91 |isbn=0-521-63764-3 |access-date=15 April 2014 }}</ref> * Battle of Sialkot (1763)<ref name="sarsa"/> * Siege of Gujranwala (1763) * Battle of Gujrat (1797) * Battle of Amritsar (1798)<ref>Bhagat Singh, ''A History of Sikh Misals''</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4udb8LsF3-oC&q=Phulkian+Misl&pg=PA46|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Last to Lay Arms|last=Duggal|first=K. S.|publisher=Abhinav Publications|year=2001|isbn=9788170174103|pages=46}}</ref>

== Notes == {{Reflist|group=note}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Sikh Empire}}

Category:Sikh Confederacy Category:Ranjit Singh Category:Surnames of Indian origin Category:Social groups of Punjab, India Category:Princely states of Punjab Category:Gujranwala District