1. Overview
Chand Kaur (1802 - 11 June 1842) was a prominent figure in the Sikh Empire, serving as its regent from 1840 to 1841. She was formally proclaimed Malika MuqaddisaQueen ImmaculateArabic on 2 December 1840, and is sometimes considered the fourth ruler of the Sikh Empire. Her brief but impactful rule came at a turbulent time following the deaths of her husband and son, as she sought to maintain the line of succession. Her regency was marked by political struggle, ultimately leading to her abdication and subsequent assassination.
2. Life
Chand Kaur's life was deeply intertwined with the royal family of the Sikh Empire, marked by her early marriage into the ruling dynasty and the tragic loss of her husband and son, which propelled her into a position of power.
2.1. Early Life and Family Background
Chand Kaur was born in 1802 into a Sandhu Jat Sikh family in Fatehgarh Churian, located in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab. Her father was Sardar Jaimal Singh, who held the position of chief of the Kanhaiya Misl, one of the twelve Sikh confederacies that ruled various regions of the Punjab in the 18th century.
2.2. Marriage and Children
In February 1812, at the age of ten, Chand Kaur was married to Kunwar Kharak Singh, the eldest son and heir apparent of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Maharani Datar Kaur. This marriage solidified her connection to the powerful Sikh Empire dynasty. In 1816, Maharaja Ranjit Singh officially designated Kharak Singh as his heir, anointing him "Tikka Kanwar" (Crown Prince), which in turn bestowed upon Chand Kaur the title of "Tikka Rani Sahiba" (Crown Princess). Their only son, Nau Nihal Singh, was born on 23 February 1821. He later became second in the line of succession to the throne of Punjab. In March 1837, Nau Nihal Singh married Bibi Nanaki Kaur Sahiba, the daughter of Sham Singh Atariwala.
3. Rule of the Sikh Empire
The period following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was characterized by political instability and power struggles within the Sikh Empire, ultimately leading to Chand Kaur's unexpected rise to regency.
3.1. Reign and Deaths of Husband and Son
Following the death of Ranjit Singh on 27 June 1839, his eldest son Kharak Singh ascended to the throne as Maharaja, with Dhian Singh Dogra appointed as his vizier. Kharak Singh's reign was short-lived, lasting less than four months until October 1839, when he was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by his own son, Nau Nihal Singh, and Dhian Singh. Kharak Singh was subsequently imprisoned at Lahore and died in November 1840. Contemporary chroniclers suggest that his death was due to slow poisoning, allegedly administered under Dhian Singh's orders.
Tragedy struck again shortly after Kharak Singh's cremation. On 5 November 1840, as Nau Nihal Singh was returning from his father's funeral, he passed through the gate of the Hazuri Bagh with his companion Udam Singh, who was the son of Gulab Singh and Dhian Singh's nephew. As they walked, stones unexpectedly fell from above the gate, instantly killing Udam Singh and severely injuring Prince Nau Nihal Singh. Dhian Singh, who was a few steps behind, immediately arranged for the injured prince to be taken into the fort. Chand Kaur, Nau Nihal Singh's mother, was denied entry into the fort, and in her anxiety, she reportedly beat on the fort gates with her bare hands. Eyewitnesses claimed that before he was taken inside, the prince appeared only slightly injured, was conscious, and requested water. However, when his mother and friends were eventually permitted to see him, he was found dead with severe head injuries, raising suspicions about the true cause of his demise.
3.2. Regency Rule and Abdication
Following the deaths of both Kharak Singh and Nau Nihal Singh, the question of succession plunged the Sikh Empire into a deeper crisis. Dhian Singh Dogra initially supported the claim of Sher Singh, another son of Ranjit Singh from his estranged first wife, Mehtab Kaur. In response, Chand Kaur sought the backing of Gulab Singh. A compromise was proposed, suggesting that Chand Kaur adopt Sher Singh's son, Pratap Singh, to secure the line. However, Chand Kaur asserted that Nau Nihal Singh's widow, Sahib Kaur, was pregnant and might give birth to a legitimate successor. The arrival in Lahore of two influential opponents of Sher Singh, Sardar Atar Singh Sandhawalia and Sardar Ajit Singh Sandhawalia, further strengthened Chand Kaur's position. Consequently, on 2 December 1840, Chand Kaur was formally proclaimed Maharani of the Punjab, assuming the title Malika Muqaddasa, and began her regency.
The political tensions escalated rapidly. On 13 January 1841, Sher Singh arrived in Lahore and quickly gained the support of the regiments stationed outside the city walls. This left Chand Kaur with a significantly smaller force of 5000 men and a limited supply of gunpowder, facing an imposing army of 26000 infantry, 8000 horse, and 45 guns. Chand Kaur's loyal troops bravely defended the fort for two days. On the evening of 17 January, Dhian Singh Dogra intervened and brokered a ceasefire. Chand Kaur was persuaded to relinquish her claim to the throne in exchange for a pension. On 27 January, Sher Singh was formally anointed as Maharaja, and Chand Kaur retired from power, receiving a pension of 90.00 K INR.
4. Assassination
In July 1841, Sahib Kaur, the widow of Nau Nihal Singh, gave birth to a stillborn son. This event effectively removed any remaining justification for Chand Kaur's claim to the regency. The dowager Maharani subsequently retired to her son Nau Nihal Singh's haveli in Lahore. Despite her withdrawal from active politics and acceptance of a pension, her former rivals and enemies continued to perceive her as a potential threat to the new regime. On 11 June 1842, Chand Kaur was brutally murdered by her own servants, who battered her to death with wooden pikes. Sources suggest that this assassination was carried out by supporters of Sher Singh.
5. Legacy and Commemoration
Chand Kaur's historical remembrance is preserved through various memorials and religious sites. Her samadhi, known as Maharani Chand Kaur Samadhi, is located near Gumat in Jammu. A magnificent gurudwara, named Gurudwara Maharani Chand Kaur, has been constructed on the same premises, and the adjacent neighborhood is now known as Chand Nagar.
Another of her samadhis can be found at The Royal Lahore Garden. To the south of her samadhi, there is the samadhi of her mother-in-law, Maharani Datar Kaur, who was affectionately called Mai Nakain by her father-in-law, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Situated between the samadhis of these two Maharanis is a smaller samadhi dedicated to her daughter-in-law, Maharani Sahib Kaur. These sites stand as enduring tributes to Chand Kaur and her family, reflecting their significant place in the history of the Sikh Empire.