Sher Singh

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Sher Singh, (Born: December 1807 - Died: September 16th 1843) was a Sikh ruler of the sovereign country of Punjab and the Sikh Empire. He was the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Queen Rani Mehtab Kaur who was also the mother of Prince Tara Singh. He became Maharaja in 1841 after the sudden death of Nau Nihal Singh whose death was set in motion, some say purposely, while returning from his father's cremation. He was the half brother of Nau Nihal's father, Kartar Singh.

Proclaimed Maharaja by his vazir (pronounced wazir, his prime minister). He won the throne after a protracted siege of the Lahore Fort which was held by the Royal family. Thousands died in the siege. Historians record that he was not very smart politically and let the Dogra brothers (they were responsible for the death of Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh and his father) take charge of all functions of state. The Dogra brothers, like puppet masters, pulled the strings of others to bring about the death of Sher Singh. Sher Singh was killed as he reached for a new shotgun held by Ajit Singh Sandhawalia his cousin, who pulled the trigger. Sher Singh only had time to utter, "what treachery." The Sandhawalias believed he was complicit in the death of the two previous Maharajas. The Dogra plans went awry as Dhian Singh Dogra was out foxed and killed as well. The Sandhawalias were thought to have also had designs on the kingdom.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh had three other sons Maharaja Kartar Singh, Prince Peshaura Singh and Prince Tara Singh. (Prince Tara Singh born of same mother as Sher Singh Rani Mehtab Kaur). Prince Peshaura Singh had rebelled and had taken Attock under the instructions of the Dogra brothers. Prime minister Jawahar Singh (Jind Kaur's brother) rushed forces to Attock to stop the rebellion and in the process Prince Peshaura Singh was killed. The Sikh Khalsa army in revenge for the killing of the rebelling prince killed Duleep Singh's maternal uncle Prime minister Jawahar Singh in front of her and Duleep Singh as punishment at Lahore on September 21, 1845. [1][2].

Preceded by Nau Nihal Singh	Sher Singh January 1841–September 1843	Succeeded by Duleep Singh

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