Sultan Mahmud Khan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gujranwala,Shukarchakia Misl,Sikh Confederacy (present-dayPunjab,Pakistan) |
| Died | 1859 Amritsar,Punjab,British India (present-dayAmritsar,India) |
| Allegiance |  Sikh Empire |
| Service | Sikh Khalsa Army |
| Years of service | 1797-1849 |
| Rank | Jarnail |
| Commands | Command of Artillery inHazara |
| Awards | Order of Guru Gobind Singh |
| Spouse(s) | Bibi Peeran |
| Relations | Jarnail Ghaus Khan (father) Sultan Ahmad Ali (son) Khan Mohammed Ali Khan (son) |
Sultan Mahmud Khan (died 1859) was aPunjabi Muslimcommander of theSikh Khalsa Army, the army ofSarkar e Khalsa. His derah of artillery was designated as Topkhana Sultan Mahmud.[1] He is regarded as one of the best commanding officers ofMaharaja Ranjit Singh.
He is best known for showcasing his bravery inBattle of Multan, Battle of Hairdu,Battle of Shopian and theAnglo-Sikh Wars:Battle of Ramnagar[2] andBattle of Chillianwala, in which the Khalsa Fauj defeated the forces ofHugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough.[3][4]
Mahmud Khan was born to Ghaus Khan, also known as Mian Ghausa, who served in the army ofSardar Maha Singh, chief ofSukerchakia Misl. He was born to aPunjabi Muslim family ofArain decent.[5] His mother was aMeo Muslim fromMewat. His ancestral village was Bhelowal inAmritsar district.[6]
Mahmud Khan's military career started when he was quite young. During theBattle of Amritsar (1797),Battle of Gujrat (1797) andBattle of Amritsar (1798), he served under the thenSardarRanjit Singh; these battles foiled the attempts ofZaman Shah Durrani to annex Punjab into his region.[7] In 1799, Ranjit Singh and his mother-in-law,Sada Kaur liberatedLahore from theBhangi Misl and was proclaimed theMaharaja ofPunjab in 1801.
After the death of his father, he was appointed as commander of the battalion that his father previously commanded.[8][9] He showed exceptional bravery during theBattle of Multan (1818) whose command was assigned toPrince Kharak Singh and his mother,Maharani Datar Kaur. Following year, he accompanied Kharak Singh in Kashmir campaigns and part took inBattle of Shopian, after which Kashmir was annexed to the Sikh Empire.
After the death ofMaharaja Ranjit Singh, he served under his son,Maharaja Kharak Singh.
After the annexation of the Punjab intoBritish India, Sultan Mahmud Khan retired. His jagirs were initially confiscated and he received a pension of Rs 600 which he received for the rest of his life. He died in 1859.[10] His service jagirs were amounted to 6000 Rs. but he was only provided with Rs. 600. His son, Ahmad Ali was allotted a pension of Rs. 120.[11]
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