Question

What was the extent are expansion of the sikh territories in the late eighteenth century?

Answer 1

By the 18th century, the Sikhs had formed 12 groups or misls to protect themselves and their territories. But they were not united and had to face Afghan invasions and Mughal persecution. 

In 1792 Ranjit Singh became the head of the Sukerchakia misl. In 1799 he captured Lahore, two years later in 1801 he became the Maharaja of Punjab. He passed away in 1839.

The Sikh kingdom extended from the Punjab region to Khyber Pass in the west. It stretched from Kashmir in the north to Sindh in the south and Tibet in the east. The empire was divided into four provinces. They were Lahore which was the Sikh capital, Multan, Peshawar and Kashmir.

Answer 2

In the eighteenth century, the Sikhs composed themselves into various groups called Gathas, and later on misls. These groups were under-equipped pioneers. Their joined powers were known as the excellent armed force (dal Khalsa). The aggregate decision was taken by them in the wake of meeting at Amritsar at the season of Baisakhi and Diwali. These aggregate decisions were called 'resolutions of the Guru (gurumatas)'. A system called rakhi was acquainted which offered security with the cultivators on the installment of an expense of 20% of the produce.

In the late eighteenth century, the regions under the Sikhs reached out from the Indus to the Jamuna however they were isolated under various rulers. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was one ruler who rejoined these groups and set up his capital at Lahore in 1799.