Rani Lakshmibai Falls in Battle: India's Warrior Queen
Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi was killed in battle near Gwalior on June 18, 1858, fighting on horseback against British forces during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She was 29 years old. The British had annexed her kingdom under the Doctrine of Lapse after her husband's death, refusing to recognize her adopted son as heir. She initially tried legal channels to recover her rights, writing directly to the British government. When the rebellion erupted, she joined the rebels and proved an exceptional military leader, defending Jhansi against a British siege for two weeks before breaking out with a small cavalry force. British officers who fought against her praised her courage. General Hugh Rose called her "the bravest and best military leader of the rebels." She remains India's most celebrated freedom fighter and a symbol of resistance against colonial rule.
June 17, 1858
168 years ago
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