Overview

From the late seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century, the Sikh community transformed from a relatively insignificant religious minority to an elevated position of kingship and empire. Under the leadership of Guru Gobind Singh (1661–1708), Sikh elites and peasants began to align themselves with discourses of power and authority, and within a few decades Khalsa Sikh warriors conquered some of the wealthiest provinces of the Mughal and Afghan empires. In this book, Satnam Singh argues that the Sikhs' increasing self-assertion was not simply a reaction to Mughal persecution but also a result of an active program initiated by the Guru to pursue larger visions of scholarship, conquest, and political sovereignty. Using a vast trove of understudied court literature, Singh shows how Sikhs grappled with Indo-Islamic traditions to forge their own unique ideas of governance and kingship with the aim to establish an independent Sikh polity. The Road to Empire offers an impressive intellectual history of the early modern Sikh world.

Full Product Details

Author:   Satnam Singh
Publisher:   University of California Press
Imprint:   University of California Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 3.00cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.635kg
ISBN:  

9780520399372

ISBN 10:   0520399374
Pages:   346
Publication Date:   15 October 2024
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Contents Preface  Acknowledgments  Significant Events  Introduction: Power, Literature, and Political Ideas  PART I. INTELLECTUAL AND INSTIUTIONAL  1. Sikh Tradition and Rajniti  2. The Anandpur Library  3. Oceans of Knowledge  4. Institutional Context of the Dasam Granth Sahib  PART II. POLITICAZATION OF THE SIKH CHARACTER  5. Teaching Statesmanship through Fables and Erotic Stories 71 6. Balancing Lofty Ideals and Pragmatism  7. The Guru’s Political Objectives  PART III. POLITICAL SOVEREIGNTY OF THE KHALSA  8. Combining Rajniti and Rahit  9. From Translators to Political Thinkers  PART IV. ROAD TO KINGSHIP AND EMPIRE 10. The Sikh Raj of Anandpur (ca. 1684–1704)  11. The Khalsa’s Raj around Mukhlispur (ca. 1710–1716)  12. Punjab under the Rule of Khalsa Rajas (1765–1799)  Conclusion: The Political Education of Khalsa Sikhs  Appendix: Literature in the Anandpur Library  Notes  Glossary  Reference

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Author Information

Satnam Singh is a senior consultant to Danish authorities and has worked professionally for more than a decade to prevent political extremism and honor-related violence against women.

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