Lehal Library

12. Suzerain of Malwa First Treaty with the British, January 1806 n the five years following Ranjit Singh's assumption of the title of Maharajah of the Punjab, the situation on his eastern frontier changed completely. In AD 1800 the powers to be reckoned with were the puppet Mughal emperor and, beyond Delhi, the English. In 1802 Thomas was eliminated by Sindhia's French general, Perron. Perron became the most powerful man in eastern Punjab; he began to think in terms of a kingdom of bis own. He exploited the gratitude of the Malwa chiefs for ridding them of Thomas and bad many exchange turbans with him.' He made overtures to Ranjit Singh and did his best to persuade him not to have anything to do with the British emissaries who were then in the Punjab.2 I I He forestalled tht' English in their designs in this direction by warning the Sikhs. In a lettt:r to Bbag Singh of Jind (Ranjit's uncle) he wrote: "It is an invarial>k custom with I.be English first to gain a footing by the excitement of anu-ice, hy the promise of assistance or other flattt>ring terms. and Lhen by gradual seeps to assume the govemment of the country, viz. Cheyt Singh, Tippu Sultan, Nawab C'..ossim AH Khan, Nawab Asafuddowlah, Nizam Ally Khan. and oLhers.' (SC 51 of 19.3.1801). 2 [n a letter (SC 49 of 16.8.1802) to ('.,ollins, Ranjit Singh explained his position with unusual candour. 'Raja Shag Sing Bahadue (my maternal uncle), accompanied bvVakeel~ on the parl of General Perron, Raja Sahib Sing (of Patiala). and Mr Louis (a subordinate of General Perron), etc.