Battle of Ramkani

01Dost Muhammad’s challenge

The Sikh annexation of Peshawar in 1834 was a blow to Dost Muhammad Khan, who had just beaten off Shah Shuja at Kandahar. Early in 1835 he declared a holy war and led an army with artillery down towards the Khyber. Ranjit Singh came up in person with his main army. As the Sikhs advanced, a force of Barakzais and ghazis gathered at Ramkani to delay them.

02A day at Ramkani

The fight on 4 May 1835 went on for many hours. The Afghans used hit-and-run tactics, and the Sikh army fought on the defensive. Misr Sukh Raj distinguished himself and was rewarded by the Maharaja. In the night the Afghans withdrew. Ranjit Singh then surrounded Dost Muhammad’s main camp with a much larger army while his envoys worked on the Amir’s allies. Sultan Muhammad Khan went over to the Sikhs, and Dost Muhammad retreated to Kabul without a general battle.

Dynasty · 1799–1849 CEThe Sikh Empire (Sarkar-i-Khalsa)Ranjit Singh took Lahore in 1799 and was proclaimed Maharaja of the Punjab in 1801. He united the Sikh misls into one state, pushed the Afghans back beyond the Khyber, and built the last great Indian army to face the British; ten years after his death the empire was annexed in 1849.Read →