COLONIAL CONQUEST AND THE FORT OF MULTAN: MILITARY STRATEGY, SIEGE WARFARE, AND IMPERIAL EXPANSION IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY PUNJAB

Abstract

Military strategy provides critical insights into the dynamics of power, conflict and state formation. This study examines the political and military campaign in Multan during the British annexation of Punjab in 1849, focusing on the conflict between Diwan Mulraj and representatives of the British East India Company, particularly Herbert Edwardes. Multan’s geo-strategic significance as a trade and military hub connecting Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent made it a focal point of imperial contestations. This article reinterprets the annexation of Multan (1848–1849) through a military history framework, focusing on strategy, siege warfare, and operational dynamics. Moving beyond conventional narratives of inevitable British victory, the study examines how the fortifications of Multan, the tactical decisions of Diwan Mulraj, and the operational planning of British commanders shaped the course of the conflict as well as History.  Drawing on colonial military records, political diaries, and settlement reports, the paper argues that the conquest of Multan was not merely a product of superior firepower but the outcome of coordinated siege tactics, logistical control, and the strategic mobilization of local alliances. By situating the siege within the broader context of imperial frontier policy and regional instability, the study highlights the interaction between military operations and political strategy. The article contributes to military historiography by demonstrating how siege warfare and indigenous responses influenced the consolidation of British rule in Punjab. Drawing upon primary archival sources, including unpublished official reports from the British Indian Library, this research explores how a commercial entity evolved into a political and military power.