Capture of Peshawar (1834)

The Capture of Peshawar in 1834 was a significant event in the history of the Sikh Empire under Ranjit Singh. It marked the definitive end of Peshawar's semi-autonomous status under the Durrani dynasty and its formal incorporation into the Sikh kingdom.

Prior to 1834, Peshawar had been ruled by various Durrani princes and Sardars, often in a state of internal conflict and subject to Sikh incursions and tributes. While the Sikhs had exerted considerable influence over the region for several decades, they had not directly annexed it. They had, however, consistently raided and levied taxes, weakening the local Pashtun rulers.

In 1834, Ranjit Singh, seeing an opportunity to consolidate his power and control over the strategic region, launched a full-scale invasion of Peshawar. The Sikh army, commanded by prominent generals such as Hari Singh Nalwa and Prince Nau Nihal Singh, encountered relatively little resistance. Dost Mohammad Khan, the then ruler of Peshawar, was absent, attempting to secure support from other regional powers against the Sikh advance.

With Dost Mohammad Khan's absence and a lack of coordinated resistance from the local population, the Sikh army swiftly occupied Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa was appointed as the governor of Peshawar, marking the official beginning of Sikh rule over the city and its surrounding territories.

The Capture of Peshawar had far-reaching consequences. It extended the Sikh Empire's western frontier, giving them control over a crucial trade route and a strategically important region bordering Afghanistan. The annexation also led to significant cultural and demographic changes in Peshawar, as Sikh administrators and merchants settled in the city. The event also strained relations between the Sikh Empire and Afghanistan, leading to future conflicts and tensions. The Sikh rule in Peshawar lasted until the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, when the entire Sikh Empire was annexed by the British.