The Enthronement of Mai Chand Kaur-1840

The main objective of the present paper is that how after the sad demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, the interests of the State were not taken care and conspiracies were envisaged to downplay the antagonistic candidature for enthronement. Contemporary and secondary sources were exhausted to make a fair and comprehensive account of the theme under study. At places, day to day reports from sources such as the Chronicler of Lahore Darbar, Sohan Lal Suri‘s Umdat-Ut Tawarikh and the then serving military officers related with the British and Lahore Kingdom are extensively quoted for achieving the main objectives of the present study. Mai Chand Kaur, daughter in law of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and wife of Maharaja Kharak Singh, acceded to the throne of Lahore Darbar as regent and remained in power from November 30, 1840 to January 18, 1841. Her enthronement came through machinations. Cleavage was discernible among the courtiers and each group was there to promote the cause their favourite candidate. Bloody path was taken to get the candidature of the other party bypassed. Lahore Kingdom became a prey to the Court conspiracies after the unfortunate demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in which the interests of the State were subjugated and individual concerns got the front seat. Mai Chand Kaur managed to utilize these concerns to attain her enthronement, though finally she became a trap to the web of negative connotations which she herself woven.