How a century of conflict between the Durrani and Sikh Empires reshaped the subcontinent
Spanning from 1748 to 1837, the Afghan–Sikh Wars saw the rise of the Sikh Empire against the declining power of the Durrani dynasty. From guerilla skirmishes to major sieges, this prolonged struggle for control over the Punjab region ultimately defined the borders and sovereignty of a new regional power.
The conflict originated from the power vacuum left by the collapse of the Mughal Empire and the subsequent rise of the Durrani Empire under Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747. By 1748, the Sikhs had organized into the Dal Khalsa, a unified military force that began to challenge Afghan dominance. The early decades were marked by intense guerilla warfare, with the Sikhs repeatedly reclaiming and losing key cities like Lahore. By 1765, Sikh sovereignty was firmly established, symbolized by the striking of their own coins, a direct challenge to Afghan authority.
As the Durrani Empire faced internal instability and succession crises, the Sikh Empire, led by figures like Ranjit Singh, expanded its reach. A pivotal moment occurred in 1813 at the Battle of Haidaru, where Dewan Mokham Chand’s forces defeated the Afghan army, securing the Attock Fort. This victory paved the way for further expansion, including the annexation of Kashmir in 1819 and the eventual capture of Multan. These campaigns were not merely territorial; they were strategic efforts to control vital trade routes and consolidate power against a fractured Afghan state.
The wars concluded in the early 19th century, with the Battle of Jamrud in 1837 serving as a final, contested engagement. The outcome remains a subject of historical debate; while some view the failure of the Afghans to seize Peshawar or Jamrud as a Sikh victory, others point to the death of the prominent Sikh commander Hari Singh Nalwa as an Afghan success. Regardless of the interpretation of this final battle, the century-long conflict fundamentally altered the political landscape, shifting authority from the Afghan monarchs to the rising Sikh state.
Source: Afghan–Sikh Wars
