Sikh Soldiers receiving their pay at the Royal Durbar
Punjab Army (or sometimes called the army of Lahore) was the military force of the Sikh Empire responsible for land defense from 1801-1849.
Background
Bodyguard of Ranjit Singh
The military strength consisted fully of professional soldiers. The army was divided into six main military divisions: Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Medical, Engineering and logistical support. The regular military force was backed up and supported by a further 52,000 well-trained and equipped professional-grade irregulars. In addition, a large reservoir of feudal and militia forces was available. Artillery division in 1838 had 188 heavy artillery guns.[1][2] The army at the time was regarded as the premier fighting force of Asia.[3]
The Sikh Army was strongly Punjabi with a predominantly Sikh cadre [4] but also had a significant multi-religious component made up from other parts of the Punjabi people: different religious backgrounds: Muslim, Hindu and different tribal backgrounds: Pashtuns, Dogras, Khatris, Jatts, Ramgarhias, Nepalis and European mercenaries. A promotion to a higher military rank was based on military skill, not hereditary background, so was a classic meritocracy. Sikhs formed the bulk of the Sikh Empire's army.
The Cavalry was divided into three divisions:
- Regular Cavalry
- Ghorchara Fauj Cavalry
- Jagirdari Cavalry
See also
References
- ↑ Major Pearse, Hugh; Ranjit Singh and his white officers
- ↑ The Heritage of the Sikhs By Harbans Singh. (Date:1994, ISBN 81-7304-064-8)
- ↑
- ↑ http://britishbattles.com/first-sikh-war/moodkee.htm
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Lord of the Five Rivers, By Jean-Marie Lafont. (Oxford University Press. Date:2002, ISBN 0-19-566111-7).
- History of Panjab, Dr L. M. Joshi, Dr Fauja Singh.
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