Wonder Woman of the Week: Lakshmibai

Like many warrior queens of history, Lakshmibai was not born for war. Unfortunately, war was thrust upon her people, and- through growing violence and tragedy- Lakshmibai was forced to lead forces in battle. Lakshmibai's story started far before her birth. In the mid-18th Century, the British East India Trade Company secured its corporate monopoly over all trade goods in modern-day India- then a conglomeration of several small kingdoms and city-states. One hundred years later, heavy taxes and forced conversion to Christianity was sewing seeds of discontent in the peoples of the region- including Jhansi where Lakshmibai was born into a minor royal family- stripped of their power by the colonial British powers.

Lakshmibai married into a royal family in Jhansi, and she and her husband adopted a son after their only biological son died in childhood. As a result, the British used the adoption as grounds for stripping the family of their holdings claiming any local ruler without a biological heir would have to surrender their territories to the British Empire. The British evicted Lakshmibai and her family amid growing unrest throughout the region. Among the Muslim and Hindu Indians in the colony, British style weapons- requiring the use of cow and pig grease which were religious taboos among the Indians- were the tipping point which caused rebellion in 1857.

When the rebellion began, Lakshmibai got permission from the British to assemble a bodyguard unit as violence swept across India. When rebellious Indian troops marched on Jhansi, a powerful battle ensued. There are several disagreeing accounts over what happened, but what is known is that the local British garrison was completely annihilated, their families killed, and Lakshmibai took over leadership of the fort their with her armed guards. Allied city-states to the British sent forces to divy up the region among themselves, and Lakshmibai sent out a call for aid from the British. The British agreed to send help to reestablish peace, but no soldiers arrived. Lakshmibai had had enough of British lies and decided to join the rebellion.

British forces arrived to subjugate Lakshmibai's fortress, but the warrior queen was prepared. A brutal siege ensued as British forced surged the fort under heavy casualties, but the defenders were losing the battle. Lakshmibai managed to escape with her adopted son and a small unit of bodyguards before the British overran the fort, then escaped to a small village. The British pursued however and battled the warrior queen again and defeated her at Kalpi. Lakshmibai withdrew again and joined up with other rebel forces, but their camp was attacked by British cavalry soon after. In this final battle, Lakshmibai fought beside her troops at the Battle of Gwalior and died from wounds incurred from battle.

Lakshmibai's defeat however cemented her name in history. She- and other defeated rebel leaders like her- became heroes to India, and their defeat inspired others like them to fight for independence from Great Britain for the next hundred years. When India finally gained their independence from Great Britain, several statues began appearing throughout India to the new nation's warrior queen.