Foreign officials of the Sikh Empire
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The Sikh Empire of the northwestern Indian subcontinent employed many foreigners, mostly Europeans and some Americans, in its administration and military. Fixty-two Europeans served in the Sikh Khalsa Army, coming from English, Russian, Spanish, Greek, German (incl. Prussian), French, and Austrian-backgrounds.[1][2] The nationality with the largest representation in the Sikh Empire were the French, with there being sixteen French officers of the Sikh army.[1] The foreign officials were known as Firanghis and served in various roles, such as generals, military advisors, administrators, and physicians.[2]
Western/European officers from various backgrounds, including Britishers, Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Americans, and Russians, also rose to high levels within the Sikh court in many instances.[3] However, the Sikh court was wary of the Westerners within the court, and kept them therefore under strict regulation.[3] These foreign Western members of the court were persuaded by the state to integrate themselves by marrying a local woman, settling down within the empire, swearing loyalty to the Sikh state, and adopt the cultural customs of the locals, such as growing out a beard or wearing a turban.[3][4] The Western members of the court were also banned from publicly consuming beef or smoking.[3][4] The Westerners adopted a mixture of both European and Punjabi clothing and some chose to wear Punjabi weapons on their person.[4]
After the fall of Napoleon, the generals Ventura and Allard joined the services of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1822.[1] They helped reform the jagirdari cavalry along European lines.[1] Generals Ventura and Allard were responsible for establishing the Fauj-i-Khas unit, with Allard commanding three regiments in his brigade while Ventura controlled five divisions.[1] Meanwhile, Claude-Auguste Court was tasked with setting-up an artillery division of the Sikh army, which had three brigades by 1830.[1] Colonel Francois Henry Mouton and Signor Colonel Domingo Hurbon were given the job of engineering a pontoon bridge for the Sikh Army at the Battle of Sobraon in 1846 during the First Anglo-Sikh war.[2] Signor Colonel Domingo Hurbon was one of the European officials who remained serving the Sikh Empire until its very end.[2]
French cavalry officers of the Sikh army included General Allard, Commander de la Roche, Mouton, Mr Garron (or Carron), Messrs de Facieu (father and son) and Captain Argoud.[5] The infantry wing consisted of Captain de la Font, Mr Amise, Mr Dubuignon, Mr de la Ust, and Mr Gervais, while General Court took-care of the artillery operations.[5]
Doctors
Three foreign doctors were recorded as being on the payroll of the Sikh army: the Transylvanian Johann Martin Honigberger, a Frenchman called Benet, and an Englishman called Harvey.[5] Dr Benet was employed shortly as Maharajah Ranjit Singh's medical physician and the surgeon-general of the Sikh army.[5]