Karorsinghia Misl

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The Karorsinghia Misl was named after Karora Singh, a Dhaliwal Jatt of Barki in Lahore district. The founder of the jatha or band of warriors that subsequently acquired the size and power of a misl, was Shiam Singh of Narii who had battled with the invading forces of Nadir Shah in 1739. He was succeeded by Karam Singh, an Uppal Khatri of the village of Paijgarh in Gurdaspur district. Karam Singh fell fighting against Ahmad Shah Durrani in January 1748 and was succeeded by Karora Singh.

Karora Singh confined his activities to the tract lying south of the Karigra hills in Hoshiarpur district, and had seized several important towns such as Hoshiarpur, Hariana and Sham Chaurasi before he died in 1761. Baghel Singh who succeeded Karora Singh as leader of the Karorsinghias is celebrated in Sikh history as the conqueror of Mughal Delhi. A Dhillon Jat, Baghel Singh arose from the village of Jhabal, in Amritsar district, to become a formidable force in the Sutlej region.

According to Syad Muhammad Latif, Baghel Singh had a force of 12,000 fighting men. As well as being a soldier, he was an adept in political negotiation and was able to win over many an adversary to his side. The Mughals, the Ruhilas, the Marathas and the English sought his friendship. In the wake of the decay of Mughal authority in the Punjab owing to Ahmad Shah Durrani's successive invasions during the latter half of the eighteenth century, the Sikhs began extending their influence. Baghel Singh took possession of portions of the Jalandhar Doab and established himself at Hariana, near Hoshiarpur. Soon after the Sikh conquest of Sirhind in January 1764, he extended his arms towards Karnal, occupying a number of villages including Chhalaudi which he later made his headquarters.