THE PUNJAB
The Sukerchukia Dynasty
GENEALOGY
1799 - 1839 H.M.
Maharajadhiraja Ranjit Singh Bahadur, Sarkar-i-Wala,
Sher-i-Punjab, Maharaja of the Punjab. b. at
Gujranwala, Punjab 13th November 1780, as Budh
Sigh, son of Sardar Mahan Singh Sukerchukia, by his first
wife, Sardarni Raj Kaur Mai Malwain Sahiba, daughter of
Raja Gajpat Singh, Raja of Jind. Succeeded his father in
the Sukkarchakk estates, and as cdr. of the Sukerchukia misl
17th April 1790. Conquered Lahore and expelled
the Afghans, 7th July 1799. Assumed the title
of Maharajadhiraja and was installed on the gadi
at Lahore Fort, by Sahib Singh Bedi, 12th
April 1801. Conquered Amritsar from the Mughals in 1802,
Kangra and Jammu 1809, Wazirabad 1810, Attock 1812,
Multan 1818, Kashmir 1819, Derajat, Rawalpindi and
Mankera 1821, and Peshawar 1834. Entered into a Treaty of
Friendship with the HEIC in 1806. m. (first)
at Batala, Punjab, 1796, H.H. Maharani Mahtab Kaur Sahiba
(b. 1782; d. at Lahore, 1840), daughter of
Sardar Gurbaksh Singh Kanhya, by his wife, Sardarni Sada
Kaur, the daughter of Dasaundha Singh Dhaliwal, of
Alkolwala. m. (second) 1798, H.H. Maharani
Datar Kaur Mai Nakkayan Sahiba (d. at Lahore,
1818), née Raj Kauran, daughter of Sardar Ran Singh
Nakai, a Sindhu Jat, by his wife Sardarni Rai Kaur. m.
(third) 1815, H.H. Maharani Rup Kaur (d.
1878), daughter of Sardar Jai Singh Sindhu, of Kot Said
Mahmud, Amritsar district. m. (fourth) at
Khair, 1820, H.H. Maharani Lakshmi Kaur (d. at
Lahore, 1867), daughter of Desa Singh Vadpaga, a Sindhu
Jat of Jogki Khan, Gujranwala district. m. (fifth)
at Lahore, 1829, H.H. Maharani Mahtab Devi Sahiba (d.
by sati, at Lahore, 27th June 1839), a
natural daughter of Maharaja Sansar Chandra, Maharaja of
Kangra. m. (sixth) at Lahore, 1829, H.H.
Maharani Rajbanso Sahiba (d. at Lahore, ca. 1835),
a natural daughter of Maharaja Sansar Chandra, Maharaja
of Kangra. m. (seventh) H.H. Maharani Ram
Devi Sahiba (d. before 1839), daughter of Kaur
Singh, of Chachriwala, Gujranwala district. m.
(eighth) at Lahore, 27th September 1832, H.H.
Maharani Moran Kaur Sahiba (d.s.p.
at Lahore, 1863), alias Gul Baha Begum, a Muslim
Nautch girl whom he was later forced to renounce. m.
(ninth) a daughter of Karam Singh Chinah, of Amritsar. m.
(tenth) at Lahore, 1835, H.H. Maharani Jindan Kaur Mai
Sahiba [Chanda Kaur] (b. 1817; d. at
Abingdon House, Kensington, London, 1st August
1863, cremated at Bombay and her ashes cast upon the
Godavari River), Regent for her only son 16th
September 1843 to 16th September 1846, third
daughter of Chaudhuri Mana Singh Aulakh, of Chaar, near
Gujranwala, sometime trooper in the Maharaja's service. m.
(i) Rani Davi Kaur (d. at Amritsar, after
1839), daughter of Wazir Nakuda, a Jaswan in the
Husiarpur district. m. (ii) 1811, Rani Daya Kaur (d.s.p.
at Lahore, 1843), widow of Sardar Sahib Singh Bhangi, of
Gujrat district, and daughter of Diwan Singh Virk. m.
(iii) 1813, Rani Rattan Kaur (d. at Lahore,
1866), another widow widow of Sardar Sahib Singh Bhangi,
of Gujrat district, and daughter of Mal Singh, of
Duburje. m. (iv) 1815, Rani Chand Kaur (d.
at Lahore, 1840), a former widow, daughter of Sardar Jai
Singh, of Chainpur, Amritsar district. m. (v) ca.
1822, Rani Mahtab Kaur (d. at Lahore, 1878),
daughter of Chaudhri Sujan, an Uthwal Jat, of Mala,
Gurdaspur district. m. (vi) 1832, Rani Saman Kaur
(d. at Lahore, 1879), daughter of Suba Singh, a
Jat, of Malwa, in the Cis-Satlaj states. m. (vii)
Rani Gulab Kaur (d. at Lahore, 1838), daughter of
a Jat zamindar, of Jagdeo, in Amritsar district. m.
(viii) Bhori Rani (d.s.p. at Lahore,
5th April 1872), who adopted a son (Kanwar
Bhup Singh). m. (a) Rani Har Davi (d. by sati,
at Lahore, 27th June 1839), daughter of
Chaudhri Ram, a Saleria Rajput, of Atalgarh, Gurdaspur
district. m. (b) Rani Raj Davi (d. by sati,
at Lahore, 27th June 1839), daughter of Padma,
a Rajput. m. (c) Rani Davno (d. by sati,
at Lahore, 27th June 1839), daughter of Sand
Bhari Chib, of Dava-Vatala, Jammu state. He d. at
Lahore, 27th June 1839, having had issue, two
sons:- 1) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Kharak Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the Punjab (s/o Maharani Datar Kaur) - see below. Copyright© Christopher Buyers
- 2) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Duleep Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the Punjab (s/o Maharani Jindan Kaur) - see below.
- 3) Shahzada Ishar Singh Bahadur. b. at Batala, 31st January 1802 (reputed s/o of Maharani Mahtab Kaur). He d. 1804.
- 4) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sher Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the Punjab (reputed twin s/o Maharani Mahtab Kaur) - see below.
- 5) Shahzada Tara Singh Bahadur. b. at Batala, December 1807 (reputed twin s/o Maharani Mahtab Kaur), educ. privately. The actual son of Manki, a Muslim slave-girl of Mai Sada Kaur. m. (first) Rani Dharam Kaur (m. second, at Lahore, 1841, H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sher Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the Punjab - see below), daughter of Jodh Singh Randhawa, a Jat of Tara, Amritsar district. m. (second) Rani Nand Kaur (m. second, at Lahore, 1841, H.H. Maharajadhiraja Sher Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the Punjab - see below), daughter of Chanda Singh, of Bhitivid, Amritsar district. He d. 1859.
- 6)
Shahzada Multana Singh Bahadur. b. at
Lahore, 1819 (reputed s/o Rattan Kaur).
Said to be the son of a Muslim slave girl in the
household of Mai Nakkain, by an attendant in the zenana.
Procured by Rattan Kaur and presented to, and
accepted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as her son. He d.
1846, having had issue, three sons:
- a) Sardar Kishan Singh. b. 1840, educ. privately. He d. after 1890.
- b)
Sardar Keshra Singh. He d. before
1890, having had issue, a son:
- i) Sardar Utam Singh. Copyright© Christopher Buyers
- c)
Sardar Arjan Singh. Served as a munsif
in Punjab for many years. He d.
1881, having had issue, a son:
- i) Sardar Hari Singh. Copyright© Christopher Buyers
- 7)
Shahzada Kashmira Singh Bahadur. b. at
Sialkot, 1821 (reputed s/o Daya Kaur).
Said to be the son of a slave girl in the
household of Daya Kaur, by a Jammu Rajput.
Procured by Daya Kaur and presented to, and
accepted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as her son. He
was k. in battle against the
Sindhanwalias, 7th May 1844, having
had issue, one son:
- a) Sardar Fateh Singh. Granted a half-share of a large jagir in Baraich, Oudh, after the annexation. m. (first) Rani Lakshman Kaur, daughter of Subadar Jawahir Singh, of Lohian, Gujranwala district. He d.s.p. 1873.
- 8)
Shahzada Peshawara Singh Bahadur. b. at
Sialkot, 1823 (reputed s/o Daya Kaur), educ.
privately. Said to be the son of a slave girl in
the household of Daya Kaur, by Jai Ram, a Lahore
shopkeeper. Procured by Daya Kaur and presented
to, and accepted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as her
son. Took refuge in British territory, 1844-1845.
Returned to the Punjab, revolted and pardoned
several times. m. Rani … Kaur (d.
at Baraich, Oudh, 1872). He was k.
(strangled) by Fateh Khan Tiwana and Sardar
Chattar Singh Attariwala, at Attock, while in
safe custody, 30th August 1845, having
had issue, an only son:
- a)
Sardar Jagjoth Singh. b. 1844.
Granted a half-share of a large jagir in
Baraich, Oudh, after the annexation. A
great philanthropist and public
benefactor, who performed valuable
services to the government during the
Second Afghan War. He had issue, a son:
- i) Sardar Amar Singh. b. 1876.
- a)
Sardar Jagjoth Singh. b. 1844.
Granted a half-share of a large jagir in
Baraich, Oudh, after the annexation. A
great philanthropist and public
benefactor, who performed valuable
services to the government during the
Second Afghan War. He had issue, a son:
1839 - 1840 H.H.
Maharajadhiraja Kharak Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the
Punjab. b. at Lahore, 22nd February
1801, eldest son of H.H. Maharajadhiraja Ranjit Singh
Bahadur, Sher-i-Punjab, Maharaja of the Punjab, by his
second wife, H.H. Maharani Datar Kaur Mai Nakkayan
Sahiba, educ. privately. Received the principality
of Jammu as his jagir in 1812. Appointed by his
dying father as Heir Apparent with the title of Tika
Sahib Bahadur, 20th June 1839. Proclaimed
on the death of his father, 27th June 1839.
Installed on the gadi at Lahore Fort, 1st
September 1839. Dethroned and imprisoned 8th
October 1839. m. (first) at Fatehgarh, 6th
February 1812, H.H. Maharani Chand Kaur Mai Sahiba (b.
at Fatehgarh, 1802; k. 10th June 1841),
who assumed ruling powers on the death of her son 6th
November 1840, only daughter of Sardar Jaimal Singh
Kanhya, of Fatehgarh, near Gurdaspur. m. (second)
1816, H.H. Maharani Khem Kaur Sahiba (d. at
Lahore, 1881), daughter of Sardar Jodh Singh Kalas Bajwa.
m. (third) at Amritsar, 1818, H.H. Maharani Kishan
Kaur Sahiba (d. at Lahore, 1876), daughter of
Chaudhri Raja Singh Jat, of Samra, in Amritsar district. m.
(i) at Amritsar, 1815, Rani Ishwar Kaur (d. by
sati at Lahore, 5th November 1839),
previously in the zanana of his fater, daughter of
Sardar Lal Singh Sindhu, of Siranwali, Sialkot district.
He d. 5th November 1840 (poisoned),
having had issue, an only son, by his first wife:- 1) H.H. Maharajadhiraja Nau Nihal Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the Punjab (s/o Maharani Chand Kaur) - see below.
1840 H.H.
Maharajadhiraja Nau Nihal Singh Bahadur, Maharaja of the
Punjab. b. at Lahore, 9th March 1821,
only son of H.H. Maharajadhiraja Kharak Singh Bahadur,
Maharaja of the Punjab, by his first wife, H.H. Maharani
Chand Kaur Mai Sahiba, educ. privately. Murdered
his father's Chief Minister and assumed ruling powers as
Regent and Chief Minister, 8th October 1839.
Succeeded on the death of his father, 5th
November 1840. m. (first) at Lahore Fort,
10th March 1837, H.H. Maharani Nanaki Kaur
Sahiba (d. at Lahore, 1856), daughter of General
Sardar Sham Singh Attarawala. m. (second)
H.H. Maharani Sahib Kaur Sahiba (d. at Lahore,
1841), daughter of Sardar Gurdit Singh Gilwaliwala, of
Amritsar. m. (third) H.H. Maharani
Bhadauran Kaur Sahiba (d. by sati, at
Lahore, 6th November 1840), daughter of a
Sardar of Bhadaur. m. (fourth) H.H.
Maharani Katochan Kaur Sahiba (d. by sati,
at Lahore, 6th November 1840), daughter of
Mian Rai Singh, of Lambagraon. He d. from injuries
received by falling masonry from the Roshnai Darwaza,
when returning from the cremation ceremonies for his late
father, at Lahore Fort, 6th November 1840.