The eldest child of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, KHARAK SINGH, MAHARAJA (1801–1840), was born on February 9th. In 1812, he wed Chand Kaur, Jaimal Singh Kanhaiya's daughter. He was raised by the Maharaja in the martial arts lineage of the family and was given several military missions. He was assigned the nominal command of the Sheikhupura expedition (1807), given control of the Kanhaiya estates (1811), and sent out in 1812 to punish the rebellious chiefs of Bhimbar and Rajauri. He was just six years old at the time. He was given leadership of the Kashmir expedition (1819) as well as the Multan mission (1818).

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Ranjit Singh ordered him on similar missions against the Mazaris of Shikarpur and for the conquest of Peshawar. Kharak Singh, who had a weak constitution, succeeded his father to the throne in June 1839. He had to deal with the enmity of his able and ambitious minister, Dhian Singh Dogra, right away. Particularly irritating to Dhian Singh was the rise of Ghel Singh Bajva, a dependable courtier who had previously served as Kharak Singh's mentor. The Maharaja and Diet Singh were the targets of the Dogras' whispering campaign.

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It was revealed that the Maharaja and his favorite were secretly preparing to hand up control of Punjab to the British and give them six annas for every rupee of state revenue, as well as to disband the Sikh army. Some fictitious loiters were created and covertly stopped to give these stories some credibility. The older brother of Dhian Singh, Gulab Singh Dogra, was given the task of helping Kharak Singh's son, Karivar Nau Nihal Singh, who was going with him from Peshawar to Lahore. The young prince was misled by these made-up stories, and he cut off contact with his father.

The situation reached a breaking point when Dhian Singh hatched a plan to kill Chef Singh in October 1839. In the early hours of October 9th, the conspirators broke into the Maharaja's home in the Fort and killed Chet Singh in front of their royal master, who begged them in vain to spare the life of his favorite. Kharak Singh was expelled from the Fort and effectively held captive by Dhian Singh.

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Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh was seemingly put in charge, but the Dogra vizir was once again in control. The Dogra Brothers enjoyed a moment of popularity having, it seemed, just saved the Sikh kingdom from the British. Dhian Singh rationalized Kharak Singh's confinement, explaining the measures were necessary to prevent his escape to the British territory, joining several powerful Sikh Sardars who had recently crossed the Sutlej, fearing for their own lives, and returning with British help to regain his rightful throne.

Doses of mercury and another poison were administered to the Maharaja concealed in his food. The already sickly Kharak Singh quickly grew sicker. He died November 5, 1840, with his son, who had never returned to visit his father, returning 'one last time' to light his father's funeral pyre.

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