← Back to the front page

Women That Left Their Mark Throughout History

Khalid Elhassan August 4, 2020 34 min

21. The Badass Rani of Jhansi

Lakshmibai (circa 1830 – 1858) is one of India’s most badass fighting women. Also known as the Rani of Jhansi, Lakshmibai was the rani, or queen, of the Indian princely state of Jhansi in northern India. She was one of the leaders of the Indian Mutiny against British rule in 1857 – 1858, during which she personally led troops and fought in the line of battle. Her exploits made her an Indian national heroine, a symbol of resistance to British rule, and a martyr for independence.

Born and raised in an upper-caste Brahman family, Lakshmibai had an unusual upbringing for a girl of her class. Brought up among boys in a prince’s household, she was taught and became proficient in martial arts such as swordsmanship, shooting, and horseback riding. Upon coming of age, she was married to the maharaja, or princely ruler, of Jhansi. Fate had more in store for her than just being a maharaja’s wife.

Written by

Khalid Elhassan

A lifelong history buff, I developed a particular passion for WW2 history as a child, when I spent hours listening to my grandfather, enraptured, as he recounted his wartime experiences in the British East African Campaign and with the British 8th Army in North Africa.

I graduated with a history BA from George Mason University, then went on to get a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. After lawyering for a decade, I moved to sunny Rio de Janeiro and a less demanding career, opening a tourism agency in Copacabana.

A big chunk of my free time is spent blogging (you can follow me on Quora https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Elhassan ) or freelance writing, mostly about my favorite subject, history.