Rani of Jhansi

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Birth of Lakshmibai

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Her father Moropant Tambe worked as an adviser to the court of the peshwa,of the Maratha empire,Baji Rao II.As Manikarnika’s mother lost her mother at her age of four,she moved to the court along with her father.Bai had an unusual upbringing for a Brahmin girl.She was educated,and was more independent in her childhood than others of her age.She was trained with martial arts and became proficient in sword Fighting and horse riding.

Early life of Jhansi

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Lakshmibai,Rani of Jhansi,was born on 19th November 1828 at Varanasi.She was born into a Marathi karhade Brahmin family.She was named Manikarnika and was nicknamed Manu.Rani Lakshmibai one of the warriors of India’s struggle for independence,lost her mother at the age of four.

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Marriage with Maharaj of jhansi

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She married the Maharaja of Jhansi,Gangadhar Rao in 1842.After wedding she changed her name to lakshmibai,in honour of goddess Lakshmi.In the year of 1851,she gave birth to a boy.But he died when he was only few months old.Once,Maharaj became ill.By following the Hindu tradition they adopted a five year old boy .He was named Damodhar Rao and declared to be the heir of the throne of Jhansi.

Doctrine of lapse

The east India company took advantage of the maharaj’s death and applied the doctorine of lapse.

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Doctorine of lapse is an annexation policy followed by Lord Dalhousie. ⭐According to this, any princely state under the direct or indirect control of the East India Company where the ruler did not have a legal male heir would be annexed by the company.

⭐As per this, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom.

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So ,due to this policy,Britishers did not accept Damodhar Rao as the legal heir.

By applying the doctorine of policy, Dalhousie annexed the states of Satara,Jaitpur and Sambalpur,Baghat,Udaipur,Nagpur.The plan of the Britishers was to annex Jhansi.They seized the state jewels,granted her pension and asked her to leave the fort forever.

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Revolt of 1857

The Revolt of 1857 had broken out in Meerut and the Rani was ruling over Jhansi as regent for her minor son. British forces under the command of Sir Hugh Rose arrived at Jhansi fort with the intention of capturing it in 1858. He demanded that the city surrender to him or else it would be destroyed.

⭐ As many factor led to the revolt,the main factor is the introduction of greased cartridges by the East Indian company.

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⭐The sepoys had to bite the cartridges by their teeth.This was unaccepted by the soldiers as the cartridges were greased with beef and pork.

⭐In January 1858, the English army started marching towards Jhansi and besieged the city. Lakshmibai gave a great fight against the British as the siege of jhansi lasted for about two weeks.

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⭐After a fierce war,when the British army entered jhansi,Rani lakshmibai tied her son Damodhar rao to her back and faught bravely .

⭐She escaped to kalpi and was accompanied with other rebellions.She then departed to gwalior and a fierce battle was taught between the British and lakshmibai’s army.

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Death of lakshmibai

On June 18th 1858, Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, one of the most important figures of India’s First War of Independence, died while fighting against the British in Gwalior.

India’s freedom struggle had seen many freedom fighters over the years, but the name of Rani Lakshmibai stands out among them. Lakshmibai, the Rani of the princely state of Jhansi, was a brave and fearless woman who fought courageously against the British and eventually lost her life in battle on June 18th 1858 in Gwalior.

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“If defeated and killed on the field of battle ,we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation”