British and Hill States | HPPSC HPAS Preparation - HPPSC HPAS (Himachal Pardesh) PDF Download

British Promises and Aftermath of the Gurkha War

• Unfulfilled Promises: During the war with the Gurkhas, the British had promised the Hill States full independence after the war. However, after the war, they did not fully honor these promises.
• Restoration of Thrones: While the British restored the thrones of the Hill States to their respective kings, they kept many strategically important areas under their control.
• States Without Heirs: The British took control of those states where there was no heir to the throne or where there were internal disputes within the royal family over succession.
• War Expenses: The Hill Rajas were forced to pay large sums of money to the British as war expenses.
• Meeting at Palasi: In Palasi, the British called a meeting of 20 Shimla Hill States to divide the territory obtained after the defeat of the Gurkhas.

Restored Hill States and British Sanads

• Restoration of Hill States: States like Bilaspur, Kotkhai, Bhagal, Bashahar, Kumarsain, Balsan, Kuthan, Mangal, and Dhami were returned to their original territories as they were before the Gurkha occupation.
• British Sanads: The rulers of these states were granted Sanads (Charters or Warrants) by the British, allowing them to rule their territories independently.
• Territorial Redistributions: Territories like Kanethi and Daleth were given to Bashahar State, while Koti, Theog, Ghund, Madhan, and Ratesh were handed over to Keonthal State.

Threat from Sikhs and British Support

• Protection from British: Due to the Sikh threat, many Hill States sought protection from the British.
• Refuge of Raja Bir Singh: Raja Bir Singh of Nurpur took refuge in Subathu Cantonment (Shimla) due to the imminent threat from the Sikhs.
• Raja Balbir Singh's Request: Raja Balbir Singh of Mandi wrote to the British political agent, Colonel Tupp, in Subathu, seeking help against Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Hill States Supporting British Against Sikhs

During the British-Sikh conflict, many Hill States aided the British forces. Leaders such as Samsher Singh of Guler, Bir Singh of Nurpur, and Narayan Pal of Kutlahar expelled the Sikhs from their territories (now part of Kangra district).

British Occupation After the Lahore Treaty (1846)

• Post-Maharaja Ranjit Singh Era: Following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the signing of the Lahore Treaty on 9 March 1846, the British occupied the areas between the Satluj and Beas rivers.
• Complete Occupation: By 1846 A.D., the British had fully occupied the territories of Kangra, Nurpur, Jaswan, Datarpur, Mandi, Suket, Kullu, and Lahaul-Spiti.