Warrior and leader of men who played a prominent part in the history
of the Sutlej states from 1793 to 1801, was the elder sister of Raja
Sahib Singh of Patiala. Born in 1771, Sahib Kaur was married at an
early age to Jaimal Singh of the Kanhaiya clan, who resided at Fatehgarh
and was master of a greater part of the Bari Doab above Dina Nagar
in present-day Gurdaspur district of the Punjab. In 1793, Raja Sahib
Singh, in view of mounting dissensions within his state, recalled
his sister Bibi Sahib Kaur to Patiala and entrusted to her the office
of prime minister.
She had not been long in Patiala when she had to return to Fatehgarh
at the head of a large Patiala army to rescue her husband who had
been captured by Fateh Singh, a rival chief. Back in Patiala she
faced a large Maratha force marching towards the town in 1794 under
the command of Anta Rao and Lachhman Rao. Raja Bhag Singh of find,
Jodh Singh of Kalsia and Bhanga Singh of Thanesar joined hands with
her while Tara Singh Ghaiba sent a detachment of troops. The joint
force, numbering about 7,000 men, met the enemy at Mardanpur near
Ambala where a fierce engagement took place. The Sikhs were severely
outnumbered and would have retreated had not Sahib Kaur, alighting
from her rath, i.e. chariot, made a brave call with a drawn sword
in hand for them to stay firm in their ranks. The next morning they
made a sudden charge on the Marathas who, taken by surprise, retired
towards Karnal in utter confusion. Bedi Sahib Singh of Una charged
the Pathan chief of Malerkotla with cow-killing and attacked him.
He was saved by the timely succour given him by Sahib Kaur. In 1796,
in response to the request of the Raja of Nahan who had sought help
from Raja Sahib Singh of Patiala to quell a revolt in his state,
Sahib Kaur proceeded to the hills with a strong force and soon reduced
the insurgents to submission. The Raja was reinstalled on the gaddi
(throne) and, at the time of Sahib Kaur's departure, he presented
her with many rich and valuable gifts in token of his gratitude.
In the summer of 1799, George Thomas, an English adventurer, who
had become very powerful and who ruled the country in the neighbourhood
of Hansi and Hissar, turned his attention to the Sikh territories
on his northern frontier and marched upon Jind. Sahib Kaur led out
a strong contingent to relieve the besieged town and, assisted by
the troops of other Sikh chiefs, she forced George Thomas to withdraw.
Owing to differences with her brother, Bibi Sahib Kaur had to leave
Patiala to take up residence in Bherian, near Sunam, which fell
within her jagir and where she had built a fort changing the name
of the village to Ubheval. She died there in 1801 in the prime of
her life.
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