1885.] 
C. J. Rodgers —Some Coins of Ranjit Deo. 
61 
“ During a portion of the year they would be present at that city, 
attending the court of the ruler and holding separate ones themselves. 
At this day various spots in the town are remembered where each of 
these tributaries held its court on a minor scale. Doubtless there was 
some petty warfare, resulting sometimes in an extension and sometimes 
in a contraction of the power of the central ruler; but usually the chiefs 
were more occupied in sport than in serious fighting, and, in fact, the 
various families had continued in nearly the same relative positions for 
great lengths of time.” 
“ From the time of Ranjit Deo’s death the fortunes of Jummu 
became more dependent than before on the world outside the rugged 
hills, the result being a change in, and at length almost a complete 
break-up of, the old system of government.” 
Mr. Drew does not tell us when Ranjit Deo ascended the throne 
or when he died. He adds in a foot note “ Ranjit Singh was of the 
Jat caste, and was in no way connected with Ranjit Deo or with any 
of the Dogra tribe.” We learn, however, from the “ History of the 
Panjab,”* Yol. I, p. 219, that in 1762 A. D. Ahmad Shah Durrani after 
almost annihilating the Sikhs in an engagement near Ludhiana, a dis¬ 
aster “ characterized in Sikh tradition as the ghulu ghara or bloody 
carnage,” “his attention was turned towards Kashmir where his 
governor Sukh Jewan had for nine years conducted the administration 
without remitting any portion of the revenues to the royal treasury. 
The co-operation of Ranjit Deo, Raja of Jummu, having been secured, 
with some difficulty, a strong detachment was sent from Lahore, under 
the command of Kur-ud-Din, and the Raja conducted it across the Pir 
Panjal mountains into the valley, which submitted after a slight resis¬ 
tance. Sukh Jewan being made a prisoner was punished with the loss 
of his eyes. Ahmad Shah, having made these arrangements to secure 
his territory east of the Indus, returned to Kabul at the end of the year 
1762 A. D.” 
The same writer tells us on p. 237,—“ The Hill Raja of Jummu 
Ranjit Deo, had a misunderstanding with his eldest son, Brij Raj, and 
desired to set aside his pretensions to the succession in favour of the 
youngest, Mian Dulel Singh. In order to secure his hereditary rights, 
Brij Raj broke into rebellion, and applied to Charat Singh,f offering a 
large yearly tribute, on condition of his aiding to depose his father. Charat 
Singh having an old enmity against Ranjit Deo, closed with the offer, 
and strengthening himself by association with Jai Singh of the Ghania 
Misl, their united forces marched into the hills, and encamped at 
* London, Wm. H. Allen and Co., 1846. 
f The father of Maha Singh and grandfather of Ranjit Singh. 
