Oct 17, 2022
By Adrija Sen
India’s history has many accounts of heroes with incredible strength, courage and leadership. Some of them are the bravest queens of India. Let's discuss these famous queens of ancient India.
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Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi is one of the most well-known queens of India’s history and a revered freedom fighter in the Revolt of 1857. She was trained in warfare from a young age and was an influential military leader.
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Rani Chennamma was the Queen of Kittur, presently located in Karnataka. She was the first female ruler who defeated the British East India Company in 1824 in the first battle. She died as a prisoner of war after the second revolt.
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Harkha Bai was a powerful queen who refused to convert to Islam when she married Akbar, making her the first Hindu empress of India. She was the longest-serving empress of the empire and ran a successful trading business for revenue.
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Razia Sultana was the only female monarch that ruled the Delhi sultanate. Her rebellion in 1236 to overthrow her brother’s rule was supported by many Delhi residents, proving her to be a capable and strong leader.
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Queen Ahilyabai lost her husband, father-in-law, and son within a few decades, leading her to ascend the Maratha throne in 1767. She was a wise leader who relentlessly protected the dynasty and her kingdom by refuting multiple attacks.
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She belonged to the Chowta dynasty and ruled over Ullal. She ruled during the 16th century and was a fierce warrior who defeated the Portuguese colonisers every time but died in a battle in 1570.
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Rani Durgavati was the ruling Queen of Gondwana in the mid-1500s. She was a proficient warrior who commanded an army of 20,000 cavalry and 1,000 elephants. She died in a battle with the Mughal army while protecting her kingdom in 1564.
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Naiki Devi became the regent queen in 1175 when her husband passed away and her son was an infant. An excellent battle strategist, she was able to avert Muhammad Ghori’s invasion using guerilla techniques.
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Known as ‘Queen of the Marathas’ by the Portuguese, Rani Tarabai was the queen regent of the Maratha Empire from 1700 until 1708. She is known for her fierce resistance against the Mughal invasion of Maratha territories after the death of her husband.
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