Maharaja Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839)[3] was the founder of the Sikh Empire, which came to power in the Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. The empire, based in the Punjab region, existed from 1799 to 1849. It was forged, on the foundations of the Khalsa, under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh from a collection of autonomous Sikh Misls.[4][5] Ranjt Singh was succeeded by his son, Kharak Singh.