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To bring all the native states under the direct British rule, the then Governor General of India, Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856) enunciated a policy known as the 'Doctrine of Lapse'. Under this policy, if the ruler of any princely state died without a natural heir, his adopted son would not be recognized as his successor by the British and that native state lapsed to the British dominion. By the application of this policy a number of Indian states were brought under the British sway. It was also applied to Jhansi when its ruler Raja Gangadhar Rao died without a natural heir and the British refused to recignize his adopted son as his heir. The wife of Late Gangadhar Rao, the amazon queen Lakshmi Bai, refused to surrender Jhansi. The British then sent a huge force under Sir Hugh Rose to take Jhansi. The Rani too, took up the sword against the British. The great Indian mutiny that broke out in May 1857 at Meerut and Lucknow for throwing off the British yoke spread over to Jhansi also. The rebellion in Jhansi was spearheaded by the legendary Rani Lakshmi bai. She was married to Raja Gangadhar Rao, the ruler of Jhansi. He died issueless. On the death of her husband, Rani Lakshmi Bai declared their adopted son Anand Rao as the successor of the late Raja. However the then Governor General of India had already enunciated 'Doctrine of Lapse'. By the application of this policy, Dalhousie annexed Satara, Jaipur, Tanjore, Sambhalpur, etc. to the British dominion. So Dalhousie refused to accept Anand Rao as the successor of late Gangadhar Rao and annexed Jhansi in 1853. The war of independence that broke out in 1857 shook the foundation of the British rule in India. The British administration was crumbling all over the country and became very shaky in Jhansi also. In the wake of this upheaval, Rani's rule was reestablished in Jhansi and she continued to rule for about 9-10 months. Then the trouble started for the Rani when the British offensive against her got under way, in March 1858. On 20th March 1858 General Hugh Rose reached Jhansi with a huge army. The Rani put up a heroic resistance and battled hard against the enemy for 12 days. Ultimately, the superior forces forced her to flee Jhansi. On 4 April at night, the Rani together with her 8 to 10 thousand troops left Jhansi and reached Kalpi. The very next day the fort of Jhansi was occupied by the British. At Kalpi, the Rani joined her forces with those of the Peshwa Nana Sahib and herself jumped into the battle on 22nd May dressed as a male cavalier. The combined forces of the Rani and the Peshwa, however, could not hold for long the lethal bombardment by the British guns. She had to flee Kalpi also. continued.... next page >> |
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