Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last ruler of the Sikh Empire, was born on September 4, 1838, in Lahore. He was the youngest son of the legendary Maharaja Ranjit Singh, also known as the “Lion of Punjab,” who had built a powerful Sikh kingdom that stretched from the Khyber Pass to the Sutlej River. However, Duleep Singh’s reign marked a tragic chapter in Sikh history, as it coincided with the collapse of the Sikh Empire and the annexation of Punjab by the British in 1849.
Duleep Singh’s early life was steeped in the grandeur and political complexities of the Sikh court. His father, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had united the warring factions of Punjab and created a formidable kingdom. However, Ranjit Singh’s death in 1839 led to a period of instability, as the power struggle among his heirs and court factions weakened the empire.
In this tumultuous environment, Duleep Singh ascended the throne at the tender age of five, following the assassination of his half-brother, Maharaja Sher Singh. His mother, Maharani Jind Kaur, acted as regent and fiercely protected her son’s position. Despite her efforts, the Sikh Empire, weakened by internal strife and British manipulation, was unable to withstand external pressures. The first Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46) significantly diminished the power of the Sikh kingdom, and by the time of the second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49), the British had their sights firmly set on annexing Punjab.
In 1849, after the decisive defeat of the Sikh forces, the British annexed Punjab under the terms of the Treaty of Lahore. Duleep Singh was forced to abdicate the throne, effectively ending the rule of the Sikh Empire. He was only 10 years old at the time. The British took control of Punjab, and Duleep Singh was separated from his mother and sent to Fatehgarh under British custody.
The British had a vested interest in ensuring that Duleep Singh posed no threat to their rule in India. Under the supervision of British officials, the young Maharaja was converted to Christianity in 1853, a move that symbolized his disconnection from his Sikh heritage and the Punjab he once ruled. His conversion was seen as a way to anglicize him and further distance him from his roots.
In 1854, Duleep Singh was sent to England, where he was received with great interest by the British aristocracy. Queen Victoria herself took a liking to him, and he became a popular figure in British high society. He was granted a comfortable pension by the British government and lived a life of luxury. Duleep Singh purchased the Elveden Estate in Suffolk and lived the life of a country gentleman. He even enjoyed hunting, which reminded him of his days in Punjab.
However, as he grew older, Duleep Singh began to feel a deep sense of betrayal and regret over the loss of his kingdom. He attempted to reconnect with his Sikh roots and even sought to return to India to reclaim his heritage. In the 1880s, he renounced Christianity and reconverted to Sikhism, hoping to ignite a rebellion against the British rule in India. His attempts to return to India were thwarted by the British, who saw him as a potential threat.
Duleep Singh’s life was marked by the complexities of identity, loss, and exile. He spent his final years in Paris, bitter and disillusioned by his inability to reclaim his rightful place in India. He passed away on October 22, 1893, in a Parisian hotel, far from the land of his birth and the throne he once occupied.
Though Duleep Singh’s reign was brief, his story remains a poignant reminder of the fall of the Sikh Empire and the complexities of colonialism. He is remembered not just as the last Maharaja of Punjab but also as a symbol of the cultural and political dislocation brought about by British rule in India. Today, his legacy endures in the collective memory of Sikhs, and his life is a testament to the dramatic changes that prolonged in 19th-century India.
