Datar Kaur

Datar Kaur
Maharani Sri Datar Kaur Mai Nakain Sahiba of Sarkar-i-Khalsa
Maharani consort of the Sikh Empire
Tenure12 April 1801 – 20 June 1838
PredecessorRaj Kaur
SuccessorChand Kaur
Sardarni of Sukerchakia Misl
TenureApril 1797 – 11 April 1801
PredecessorRaj Kaur
BornBibi Raj Kaur Nakai
c. 1784
Baherwal Kalan, Nakai Misl, Sikh Confederacy
(present-day Kasur District, Punjab, Pakistan)
Died20 June 1838 (aged 5354)
Sheikhupura Fort, Sheikhupura, Punjab, Sikh Empire
(now Punjab, Pakistan)
Burial
Royal Garden, Lahore (Samadhi)
(present day Islamia College Civil Lines)
SpouseMaharaja Ranjit Singh (m. 1797)
IssueMaharaja Kharak Singh
Kunwar Rattan Singh
Kunwar Fateh Singh
HouseNakai (by birth)
Sukerchakia (by marriage)
FatherSardar Ran Singh Nakai
MotherRani Karman Kaur
ReligionSikhism

Maharani Datar Kaur (born Bibi Raj Kaur Nakai; (c. 1784– 20 June 1838) was the queen consort of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire and the mother of his successor, Maharaja Kharak Singh. She was the daughter of Sardar Ran Singh Nakai, third ruler of the Nakai Misl and Sardarni Karman Kaur.

Datar Kaur was betrothed to Ranjit Singh in childhood; the Anand Karaj took place when the couple were still young. Though Ranjit Singh married several times for political reasons, Datar Kaur remained his favorite and most respected wife. He lovingly addressed her as Mai Nakain.

In 1801, she gave birth to Kharak Singh, the heir apparent of Ranjit Singh. She took an active interest in the affairs of the State and was given command during the Battle of Multan (1818) alongside her son, Kharak Singh. She was the grandmother of Maharaja Nau Nihal Singh (1821–1840) and aunt of Sardar Kahan Singh Nakai. Datar Kaur died on 20 June 1838 in her haveli in Sheikhupura.

Her Samadhi is located in the royal garden, now part of the grounds of Government Islamia College, Civil Lines, Lahore.