CAPF AC 2020 Q101: Modern History – Advent Of Europeans & British Expansion
Consider the following statements about the Treaty of Amritsar (1809):
1. The Treaty fixed the Sutlej as the boundary between the Punjab and British India
2. It was after this treaty Maharaja Ranjit Singh was able to annex Jammu, Multan and Kashmir to his domains
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) Both 1 and 2
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2
Explanation
Treaty of Amritsar, 1809
How to think: the treaty closed the east to Ranjit Singh.
A ruler stopped on one side grows on the other sides.
So both the boundary and the later conquests follow.
| Statement | Verdict | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. It fixed the Sutlej as the boundary | Correct | Ranjit Singh agreed not to expand east of the Sutlej |
| 2. After it, Ranjit Singh annexed Jammu, Multan and Kashmir | Correct | Safe in the east, he turned north and west |
Facts on the treaty:
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | 25 April 1809 |
| Signed by | Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Charles Metcalfe for the East India Company |
| Governor-General | Lord Minto I |
| Effect | The cis-Sutlej states came under British protection |
Ranjit Singh's later gains:
| Year | Territory |
|---|---|
| 1818 | Multan |
| 1819 | Kashmir |
| 1834 | Peshawar |
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Statement 2 is also right; the gains in the north and west came after 1809.
- (b) Incorrect. Statement 1 is also right; the Sutlej became the boundary.
- (c) CORRECT. The treaty fixed the Sutlej line and freed Ranjit Singh to expand elsewhere.
- (d) Incorrect. Both statements are true of the 1809 treaty.
Key point
Treaty of Amritsar (25 April 1809): Ranjit Singh and Charles Metcalfe; Sutlej as boundary; Lord Minto I. Later gains: Multan 1818, Kashmir 1819, Peshawar 1834.
Remember
1809 Treaty of Amritsar: Sutlej is the line; Ranjit Singh turns west and north.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the 1809 treaty with the 1846 Treaty of Amritsar, which sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh.
- Naming the river as the Beas or Ravi; it is the Sutlej.
- Thinking the treaty weakened Ranjit Singh; it secured his eastern flank.
Exam tip
Two Treaties of Amritsar: 1809 is Ranjit Singh and the Sutlej; 1846 is Gulab Singh and Kashmir.
Sources
- Bipan Chandra — History of Modern India (The British Conquest of India)
- Spectrum — A Brief History of Modern India (Expansion and Consolidation of British Power)