Ranjit Singh was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire and one of the greatest figures in the history of the Punjab. Despite the difficult conditions he faced, including harsh terrain, a mixed ethnic population and surrounding aggressors (particularly the British in India), Ranjit Singh managed to unite the various Sikh factions and built a nation that neighbours soon learnt to treat with respect. Following his death, the empire fell into gradual decline and in 1845, just six years after Ranjit Singh's death, the Sikhs were defeated in battle by the British and fell under the influence of the...