Who founded the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century?

Ranjit Singh founded the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century.

Known as the Lion of the Punjab, Ranjit Singh united several Sikh misls, or confederacies, and captured Lahore in 1799. He was formally proclaimed Maharaja of the Sikh Empire in 1801. His rule brought much of the Punjab under a single central authority and created a powerful state between Afghanistan and British India.

Ranjit Singh’s army was reorganized with help from European military officers, while Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu officials served in his administration. His government was based in Lahore, which became the political center of the empire. The empire also controlled territories in the northwest, including Peshawar and Kashmir at different times.

Ranjit Singh died in 1839. The Sikh Empire continued for several years but was annexed by the British East India Company after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849. His son Dalip Singh was the last Maharaja, not the founder.