This Is A Translation Of The 1898 Book By Alexander Gardner Called An Eyewitness Account Of The Fall Of Sikh Empire

The definitive biography of Ranjit Singh, contemporary of Napoleon and one of the most powerful and charismatic Indian rulers of his ageRanjit Singh has been largely written out of accounts of the subcontinent's past by recent Western historians, yet he had an impact that lasts to this day. He unified the warring chiefdoms of the Punjab into an extraordinary northern Empire of the Sikhs, built up a formidable modern army, kept the British in check to the south of his realm, and closed the Khyber Pass through which plunderers had for centuries poured into India. Unique among empire builders, he was humane and just, gave employment to defeated foes, honored religious faiths other than his own, and included Hindus and Muslims among his ministers. In person he was a colorful character whose his court was renowned for its splendor; he had 20 wives, kept a regiment of "Amazons," and possessed a stable of thousands of horses. The authors make use of a variety of eyewitness accounts from Indian and European sources, from reports of Maratha spies at the Lahore Durbar to British parliamentary papers and travel accounts. The story includes the range of the maharaja's military achievements and ends with an account of the controversial period of the Anglo-Sikh Wars following his death, which saw the fall of his empire while in the hands of his successors.

In 1812, Sir John Malcolm, a Lieutenant General in the British Army wrote A Sketch of the Sikhs , commonly believed to be the first account of the Sikhs written by a non-Sikh. In truth, soldiers, travellers, diplomats, missionaries and scholars had provided accounts for many years before. Drawing on this difficult-to-access material, the editors of this volume have compiled a unique source that offers a fascinating insight into the early developments in Sikh history. From the first ever written accounts of the Sikhs by Persian chroniclers of the Moghul Emperor to the travel diary of an Englishwoman, this volume contains material invaluable to those studying the evolution of the Sikh religion as well as to those interested in learning more about this major religion. It also provides an unparalleled look into the growth and solidification of the religious practices of Sikhs. At a time when the misunderstanding of the Sikh religion and those who practise it has reached new and deadly heights, this volume hopes to introduce a wider audience to the roots of its culture. For more detailed information, including examples of illustrations, and selected extracts, go to www.sicques.com

A civilian's view of the First Sikh War James Coley, the author of this small book, was Chaplain to the Governor General, Sir Henry Hardinge, not a serving soldier, but his account of the harrowing events he witnessed during the First Sikh War is the kind of primary source material relating to the campaign to subjugate the Sikhs of the Punjab that only an eyewitness can provide. The Sikhs were a martial nation and were not only the strongest and best trained native military force on the Sub-Continent, but also the last remaining independent army to stand in the path of the British Empire's total domination of India. Any conflict that involved the Sikhs was sure to be Hard fought and bloody and in the event the Sutlej campaign caused-for a short time-the fate of British India to hang in the balance. The first part of Coley's book, an invaluable source of information for those seriously interested in the subject, concerns the actions that were fought close to the River Sutlej, the boundary of Sikh territory; the second part is about a cold weather tour in the peace that followed. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The International Bibliography of Sikh Studies brings together all books, composite works, journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, project reports, and electronic resources produced in the field of Sikh Studies until June 2004, making it the most complete and up-to-date reference work in the field today. One of the youngest religions of the world, Sikhism has progressively attracted attention on a global scale in recent decades. An increasing number of scholars is exploring the culture, history, politics, and religion of the Sikhs. The growing interest in Sikh Studies has resulted in an avalanche of literature, which is now for the first time brought together in the International Bibliography of Sikh Studies. This monumental work lists over 10,000 English-language publications under almost 30 subheadings, each representing a subfield in Sikh Studies. The Bibliography contains sections on a wide variety of subjects, such as Sikh gurus, Sikh philosophy, Sikh politics and Sikh religion. Furthermore, the encyclopedia presents an annotated survey of all major scholarly work on Sikhism, and a selective listing of electronic and web-based resources in the field. Author and subject indices are appended for the reader’s convenience.

The Second Anglo-Sikh War is the warts-and-all story of the conflict that led to the downfall of the Sikh Empire. Continuing his innovative approach to history writing from The First Anglo-Sikh War, Amarpal Singh augments the narrative of the campaign with battlefield guides that draw on eyewitness accounts and invite the reader to take a tour of the battlefields, either physically or virtually.Fully illustrated with period drawings, modern-day photographs and new maps, The Second Anglo-Sikh War gives this neglected conflict the attention it sorely deserves.

The definitive account of the First Anglo-Sikh War, with maps that shed light on the action as never before