| Amar Singh | |
|---|---|
| Raja-e-Rajgan of Patiala | |
 Painting of Amar Singh, ca. 1880 | |
| Maharaja of Patiala | |
| Reign | 1765 – 1781 |
| Enthronement | 1765 |
| Predecessor | Ala Singh |
| Successor | Sahib Singh |
| Born | 7 June 1748 |
| Died | February 1781 |
| Issue | Sahib Kaur and Sahib Singh |
| Dynasty | Phulkian dynasty |
| Father | Sardul Singh |
| Religion | Sikhism |
Amar Singh (1748–1781) was the second ruler and the Raja-e-Rajgan (King of Kings) of the princely state of Patiala. Singh succeeded his grandfather, Ala Singh, as the Raja of Patiala in 1765.[1] In 1767, Ahmed Shah Abdali, the founder and king of the Afghan Durrani Empire, bestowed upon Singh the title of Raja-e-Rajgan, a superior royal title compared to the titles of other Sikh rulers and leaders.[2]
During his reign, Singh through many battles and conflicts, made Patiala the most powerful state between the Yamuna and the Sutlej rivers of North India.[1] Singh also successfully continued the pragmatic foreign policy of his grandfather, Ala Singh, by maintaining good relations with both the Dal Khalsa and the Durrani Empire.[3]
His death in 1781, at the age of 34, is seen by historians as a tragedy for Patiala and Punjabi history.[1][4][5] Historians have speculated that had Singh lived longer, he would have managed to grow Patiala to rival Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Sikh Empire and would have kept the British Empire from expanding into Punjab, as Ranjit Singh would not have been seen as a threat in the face of a larger and more powerful Patiala State.[1][4][5] His was succeeded by six year old son, Sahib Singh.[6]
- ^ a b c d Singh, Ganda, ed. (1985). The Punjab Past and Present. Part 1. Vol. 19. Patiala: Punjabi University. pp. 30–32.
- ^ Lethbridge, Sir Roper (2005). The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated of the Indian Empire. Delhi: Aakar Books. p. 412. ISBN 978-81-87879-54-1. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
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:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:022was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Imperial Gazetteer of India. Vol. XX. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1908. pp. 34–36. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.