Treaty of Amritsar (1846)
Amritsar, Punjab, India
What happened
The British East India Company, represented by Frederick Currie and Henry Lawrence, and Maharaja Gulab Singh of Jammu signed the treaty. After the First Anglo-Sikh War, the British gained hill lands from the Sikh state. In Amritsar they transferred the hills between the Indus and Ravi rivers, including Kashmir, to Gulab Singh for a payment of 75 lakh rupees. He agreed to send a yearly gift that included a horse, twelve shawl goats and three pairs of Kashmir shawls.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It created the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir under British overall control. Gulab Singh's family ruled it until 1947.
What came next
Gulab Singh exchanged some lands with neighbours in 1847. His son Ranbir Singh succeeded him.
Did you know?
The British first asked for one crore of rupees but settled for 75 lakh.
Timeline
- 1809Gulab Singh joins Ranjit Singh's army.
- 16 March 1846The Treaty of Amritsar is signed.
- 30 June 1857Gulab Singh dies.
- 1947Jammu and Kashmir accedes to India.