Jhansi Ki Rani: Queen Lakshmibai of Jhansi

Many of the brave warriors remembered and taught about in India are men. Many rulers? Men. Many politicians, fighters, and activists? Men, men, and men. But this is not because of a lack of women shaping and protecting India and its culture, it is because of a lack of representation. A lack of acknowledgement and appreciation for these women. And one of these women, one of these brave souls who fought for India and its independence, who protected and served their country with honor, who, despite all their work and sacrifice is still not a household name, is Jhansi Ki Rani, Queen Lakshmibai of Jhansi. 

Rani Lakshmibai, originally born Manikarnika Tambe (whose birth year is still argued over by British and Indian historians, the latter say 1835 whilst the other say 1827) was born in the ancient city of Varanasi to Moropanth Tambe. Tambe loyally served the Marathi Noble, Chhimaji, the younger brother of Baji Rao I, and his wife Bhagirathi. 

Manikarnika’s mother passed away when she was four years old, only a year after the death of her fathers employer. Her father moved to serve under Baji Rao’s court. Baji Rao soon became very fond of Marikarnika. It is said that after her mothers death, Marikarnika’s lack of female influence in her life caused her to be allowed to play and learn with her male peers. She excelled in horse riding, which was very unusual for a girl at the time; she was taught fencing, swordplay, and even learned how to use firearms. She was also literate, another thing unusual for girls in the 1800s. 

It is said that Manikarnika was brought to the attention of the old, desperate, heirless Raja of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao. The two wed in May of 1842. Following Indian historians’ decided year of birth for Manikarnika (1835), she would have been seven years old at the time of marriage, and fourteen years old when the marriage would have been consummated. 

She was renamed after the Hindu Goddess of beauty, prosperity, and fortune; Goddess Lakshmi. Rani Lakshmibai gave birth to a son in 1851, however he died just a few months later. Following his son's death, over the next two years, Gangadhar Rao fell increasingly ill. As per tradition, he adopted a distant, young relative of his– Anand Rao, who was later renamed Damodar Rao as the new Raja of Jhansi with Lakshmibai as his regent. Two days before his passing, Gangadhar Rao wrote to the East India Company, asking that they recognize this change with Damodar being Jhansi’s new leader. 

However, in 1853, the East India Company proposed the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ in Jhansi,  which stated that Hindu rulers who die without a natural heir were to be annexed by the British. This was applied shortly after Gangadhar’s death. Rani Lakshmibai wrote a letter to the East India Company, viciously protesting the doctrine. A reply was sent eleven days later from Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, who led the East India Company’s ‘Company Administration’, he slandered Gangahdars rule over Jhansi, naming it one of decline and improper management. He argued that Jhansi would greatly benefit from British Rule, and since the East India Company conquered Jhansi previous overlords, they had greater power and more authority to decide who Jhansi would be passed on to. 

Rani Lakshmibai continued to send the East India Company appeals, demanding that Damodar be made king through diplomatic channels. She spoke to high level officials at the East India Company and hired a lawyer to represent her. She sent letters to General Dalhousie, outlining numerous different British treaties in Jhansi itself from the years 1803-1842 which recognized Rajas of Jhansi as genuine, legitimate rulers. She also referred to parts from the Hindu Shastra tradition to prove that Damodar was, in fact, the rightful heir to the throne. All of her letters and appeals were swiftly denied by General Dalhousie. These rejections did not stop the Maharani. 

Unfortunately, none of the Rani’s many appeals became fruitful and Jhansi went to the company in 1854. The Rani was given a lifetime pension of 1000 rupees per month, which came out as 6000 pounds per year, and was made to leave Jhansi’s fort but could continue to remain in the two-story palace. However, she was deemed liable for 36,000 rupees of her husband's debt. The Rani argued, through her lawyer, that the debts were at the responsibility of the state and therefore not liable to her, but rather to the British following their annexation. This was never resolved. Another notable disagreement is the banning of killing cattle law in Jhansi that the British overturned. 

The Indian rebellion first broke out on May 10th, 1857 when native Indian troops mutinied against British officers. The rebellion swooped across North India like a dense fog, swiftly growing as more towns and troops, including Delhi, joined. Nana Sahib, one of Rani Lakshmibai’s childhood playmates, organised massacres of the British in Kanpur, and more killings in Lucknow, and soon, the news of the killings travelled to Jhansi. 

When war broke out and battle began, Rani Lakshmibai was placed at the center of the rebellion. A small group of officials of the East India Company and their families sought refuge in Jhani’s fort while the Rani negotiated their safe evacuation with the rebels. In the end, the officials and their family were killed by the rebels after leaving the fort, which the Rani had no control over. The British, however, remained firm in their belief that she was complicit in the rebels' acts, ignoring her denials.  

In March of 1858, Sir Hugh Rose marched for Jhansi and began a siege. The Rani fled in disguise as the East India Company forces captured Jhansi. It is still not completely known how she managed to escape. Some say she escaped on horseback after scaling and jumping the fortress walls. Some say that an Indian soldier serving Hugh Rose secretly sent a horse for her to lower herself and her son and escape. 

However, the most truthful account is that, equipped with 300 soldiers, she tied her son around her waist and rode what some say was 164km to Kalpi in one night to escape a dangerously evolving situation. However it is still debated whether it was one night or whether she reached in April, which was still an incredible feat. Kalpi, which was located on the Yamuna River, was the headquarters of Rao Sahib, the nephew of the Rani’s childhood friend, Nana Sahib. By April 27th, an army of 10,000 soldiers were formed and put under the control of the Rani, Tatya Tope, the Raja of Banpur, and few others. She was, unfortunately, looked over in favor of Tatya Tope, who was said to resent her and her ideas for army discipline. 

Hugh Rose’s army moved from Jhansi and set sights on Kalpi. Tatya Tope led his soldiers in retaliation at the town of Kunch. He, however, refused to listen to the Rani’s military, which led to Rose outmanovering him, resulting in over 600 casualties, the capture of all the rebels' guns, and arguments among the rebels themselves. Tatya then headed to Gwalior, where he hoped to gain the allegiance of Gwalior’s Contingent. Rose thought the Gwalior Contingent was the best army in India, who had remained loyal to Gwalior’s Raja, who was a British ally. 

All the while, Rani Lakshmibai and the rebel leaders prepared five lines of defence around Kalpi’s fort walls. On the 22nd of May, they attacked Hugh Rose’s forces while under the cover of a smoke screen. But once again, the Rani’s advice was ignored, which led to an exodus of the rebel leaders.

Charles Canning, General Dalhousie’s successor, announced that the Rani was now considered a rebel leader, and placed a bounty of 20,000 rupees for her capture. On May 31st, the Gwalior Contingent turned on their Raja after he fled to the British. The Contingent opened their doors to the rebel leaders. 

On the 3rd of June, Rao Sahib was announced ‘vice-king’ alongside his uncle Nana Sahib with hearty feasts and fierce celebrations. Rani Lakshmibai refused to attend, citing that they should be preparing for battle rather than start celebrating. She managed to convince Rao Sahib to focus on the warfare to come on the 5th of June. 

The next day, Hugh Rose and his troops left for Gwalior, arriving 10 days later. He ordered an attack on the 17th of June. 

At 7:30am, commanded by Rani Lakshmibai, units from the 95th regiment of foot engaged rebel forces on ground between Kotah-ki-Serai and Gwalior. Her bodyguards were scattered after a surprise charge by a squadron of the Eighth Hussars. Said by an eyewitness, the Rani, who may have been with another woman by the name of Mundar, charged at the squadron. Rani Lakshmibai died fighting in battle. 

It is assumed that Rani Lakshmibai was cremated after her death, and it is unknown if she was stabbed with a spear or shot. The reaction to her death from British officers was mixed, some mourning the loss of a worthy opponent, while others reacted with a mix of pleasure and regret. Some believed she died an easy death. Hugh Rose himself wrote that she was "remarkable for her beauty, cleverness, perseverance [and] generosity to her subordinates. These qualities, combined with her rank, rendered her most dangerous of all the rebel leaders.” and that she was the "best and bravest of the rebels" in a battle report. 

The Indian resistance collapsed after the passing of their "most determined, spirited, and influential head", who had, as the commander of the Hussars put it, "fought like bricks". The Rani of Jhansi was deeply feared, having been given the nickname ‘The Beast of Jhansi’. She fought bravely and died a hero fighting for India and Jhansi’s freedom and independence. She was constantly underestimated and ignored, but fought valiantly for what she thought was right, standing by her son and refusing to be squashed by British oppression. She was, and is, still regarded as one of the greatest heroes and warriors in India's history. 

Rani - Queen

Raja - King

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“Indian Rebellion of 1857.” Wikipedia, 8 Feb. 2023, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857.

to, Contributors. “Queen of a Princely State in India.” Wikipedia.org, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 27 Mar. 2003, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rani_of_Jhansi. Accessed 27 July 2025.