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Rani of Jhansi

The Rani of Jhansi}} (born Manikarnika Tambe; }} 1828 or 1835 – 18 June 1858), also known as Rani Lakshmibai, }} was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The queen consort of the princely state of Jhansi from 1843 to 1853, she assumed leadership of Jhansi after the outbreak of conflict and fought several battles against the British. Her life and deeds are celebrated in modern India and she remains a potent symbol of Indian nationalism.

Born into a Maharashtrian Karhada Brahmin family in Varanasi, Manikarnika Tambe married the raja of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao, at a young age, taking the name Rani Lakshmibai. The couple had one son but he died young, and so when Gangadhar Rao was on his deathbed in 1853, he adopted a young relative to be his successor. The British East India Company, the overlord of Jhansi, refused to recognise this succession and annexed Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse, ignoring the Rani's vigorous protests to Governor-General Lord Dalhousie.

In May 1857, the Indian troops stationed at Jhansi mutinied and massacred all the British in the town; the Rani's complicity and participation in these events was and remains contested. She took over rulership of Jhansi and recruited an army to see off incursions from neighbouring states. Although her relations with the British were initially cordial, they decided to treat her as an enemy: Hugh Rose attacked and captured Jhansi in March and April 1858. The Rani escaped the siege on horseback and joined other rebel leaders at Kalpi, where Rose defeated them on 22 May. The rebels fled to Gwalior Fort, where they made their last stand; the Rani died there in battle.

After the rebellion, the Rani's name and actions became closely associated with nationalist movements in India. Her legend, influenced by Hindu mythology, became hugely influential because of its universal applicability. She was regarded as a great heroine by the Indian independence movement and remains revered in modern India, although she is viewed more negatively in Dalit communities. Rani Lakshmibai has been extensively depicted in literature, most famously in the 1930 poem "Jhansi Ki Rani" and Vrindavan Lal Verma's 1946 novel ''Jhansi ki Rani Lakshmi Bai'', in addition to artwork and cinema. Provided by Wikipedia