Rani Lakshmibai

Rani Lakshmibai was the Rani, or queen, of the princely state of Jhansi in north-central India, who became one of the most celebrated leaders of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against East India Company rule. After the death of her husband, the Maharaja of Jhansi, the British moved to annex the state under the doctrine of lapse, refusing to recognize her adopted son as a legitimate heir, a decision that made her a determined opponent of Company rule once rebellion broke out elsewhere in northern India in 1857. She raised and personally led an army in defense of Jhansi, reportedly fighting in battle disguised in male dress, and after the fall of Jhansi in 1858 she continued the fight alongside other rebel forces, allying with commanders including Tantia Tope. She was killed in battle near Gwalior in June 1858, and her defiance, along with the manner of her death in combat, made her one of the most enduring symbols of resistance to British colonial rule in Indian national memory.