Treaty of Lahore

peace treaty marking the end of the First Anglo-Sikh War

The Treaty of Lahore was signed on 9 March 1846 after the First Sikh War. After the defeat of the Sikhs at the Battle of Sobraon the British were able to march into Lahore without any further battles. After the British reached the city of Lahore the treaty was signed.[1]

The Sikhs (who had been defeated) were forced to sign the treaty with the British. As part of the treaty the Sikhs agreed to handover Kashmir and Hazara and Jalandhar Doab to the British.[2] The treaty also resulted in the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond falling into British hands.[3]

Gulab Singh, an Indian prince, negotiated between the British and the Sikhs over how the Sikhs would surrender. As well as handing over land to the British, the Sikhs had to allow a British Resident and a British army contingent at Lahore and troops in other cities.

Also, under the treaty, the Sikhs had to pay 1.2 million pounds to the British. As they were unable to pay Gulab Singh was able to take Kashmir from the Punjab government by paying 750,000 pounds to the East India Company. The Sikhs were also forced to give up the territory between the Satluj and the Beas rivers to the British. The Sikh army was also reduced. Maharaja Duleep Singh was recognised as the new ruler of Punjab. The new rulers were forbidden to employ any European without the permission of the British.[2]

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  1. Punjab - Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 20, p. 273.
  2. 2.0 2.1 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica - Punjab.
  3. "Historic Royal Palaces (UK) - Koh i Noor Factsheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2008-08-24.