Aligning himself with Ranjit Singh’s enemies among the disaffected rajahs of the Punjab Hills, Shuja planned to gather a small army, make a surprise raid on Kashmir and seize the valley. It was a smart move, and could have provided a rich base from which to begin the reconquest of his lost throne—for, as William Fraser observed, Shuja was still “beloved as a sovereign for his mellowness, leniency and liberality.”
