Empire of the Sikhs by Patwant Singh and Jyoti M. Rai tells the remarkable story of Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire, who was blind from smallpox and fought in battles with his father. His secular state was a secular empire, and his army was made up of Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and Christians. Despite his many military victories, the Maharaja was also a ruthless ruler, plundering the Punjab's wealth and killing thousands of Sikhs.