The Times 1841 Maharani Chand Kaur

[puzzled]

nice little bit of history, The Times 1841 mentions Maharani Chand Kaur becoming the queen.    Chand Kaur was the wife of Maharaja Kharak Singh. A few hours after Kharak Singh died their son Nau Nihal Singh, next in line to become Maharaja also died. The whole thing most likely was a planned murder, Kharak Singh was poisoned while Nau Nihal Singh was murdered. It most likely was planned by the dogras, other families that opposed Ranjit Singh and probabaly some of Maharaja Sher Singhs men as well.  Soon after Nau Nihal Singh died Sher Singh proclaimed himself Maharaja, Chand Kaur the widow of Kharak Singh and mother Nau Nihal Singh challenged Sher Singh with the claim that her dead son Nau Nihal Singhs wife Sahib Kaur is expecting a baby and till the baby is not born she will sit on the throne, therefore Maharani Chand Kaur sat on the throne in Lahore. Brave woman for standing up to the giants of the Sikh empire! She also managed to get a big % of the Sikh army on her side.  Tragically when Sahib Kaur did give birth it was a still born baby. Maharaja Sher Singh then did not wait any longer when he heard of the still birth and marched with his troops towards Lahore fort. Chand Kaur refused to give up her title and the city broke into civil war. Massive parts of the city were blown up and the number of casualties was very high. Eventually Chand Kaur and her forces had no choice but to surrender and leave Lahore fort. Sher Singh then became Maharaja.

Chand Kaur then retired and started living in her sons haveli in Lahore but was still seen as a threat and was beaten to death in the haveli. 

The Times 1841 mentioning Chand Kaur becoming queen.