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{{Short description|Ruler of Sardhana (c. 1753–1836)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Begum Samru
| image = File:Lens - Inauguration du Louvre-Lens le 4 décembre 2012, la Galerie du Temps, n° 195.JPG
| caption = Portrait of Begum Samru
| birth_name = Farzana Zeb-un-Nissa
| birth_date = {{circa}} 1753
| birth_place = Kutana,<ref>{{cite book|editor-first=Reina |editor-last=Pennington|title=Amazons to fighter pilots|date=2003|publisher=Greenwood Press|location=Westport, Conn. [u.a.]|isbn=9780313327070|page=48}}</ref> [[Meerut]], India
| death_date = 27 January {{death year and age|1836|1753}}
| death_place = [[Sardhana]], near Meerut, India
| burial_place = [[Basilica of Our Lady of Graces]], Sardhana
| other_names = Joanna Nobilis Sombre
| education =
| spouse = [[Walter Reinhardt Sombre]]
| occupation = [[Nautch|Nautch girl]]<br>Ruler of [[Sardhana]]
| parents =
}}

'''Joanna Nobilis Sombre''' ({{Circa|1753}}– 27 January 1836), popularly known as '''Begum Samru''' (née '''Farzana Zeb un-Nissa'''),<ref name=EB1911>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Sardhana |volume=24 |page=210}}.</ref><ref>[http://sardhanachurch.org/begumsumru.aspx Begum Sumru] The Church of Basilica</ref> a convert Catholic Christian started her career as a [[nautch]] (dancing) girl in 18th century India, and eventually became the ruler of [[Sardhana]], a small principality near [[Meerut]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Borpujari|first=Priyanka|date=5 July 2019|title=India's forgotten power broker—what was her secret?|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2019/07/india-forgotten-power-broker-begum-samru/|access-date=2020-04-21|website=[[National Geographic]]}}</ref><ref name=EB1911/> She was the head of a professionally trained [[Mercenaries in India|mercenary]] army, inherited from her European mercenary husband, [[Walter Reinhardt Sombre]].<ref name=EB1911/> This mercenary army consisted of Europeans and Indians. She is also regarded as the only [[Catholic Church in India|Catholic ruler in India]], as she ruled the [[principality of Sardhana]] in 18th- and 19th-century India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sardhana.org.uk/|title=The Sardhana Project|website=www.sardhana.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V22_111.gif|title=Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 22, page 105 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}</ref>

Begum Sumru died immensely rich but without an [[heir]]. Her inheritance was assessed as approximately 55.5 million gold marks in 1923 and 18 billion deutsch marks in 1953. Her inheritance continues to be disputed to this day.<ref name="Inheritance">{{cite web|url=http://www.reg-sardhana.de/inheritance.htm|title="REINHARD'S ERBENGEMEINSCHAFT" R.E.G.: The Inheritance|access-date=16 September 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929030758/http://www.reg-sardhana.de/inheritance.htm|archive-date=29 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> An organisation named "Reinhards Erbengemeinschaft" still strives to resolve the inheritance issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reg-sardhana.de/chronology.htm|title="REINHARD'S ERBENGEMEINSCHAFT" R.E.G.: Chronology of the Heir Community|access-date=16 September 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929030804/http://www.reg-sardhana.de/chronology.htm|archive-date=29 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> During her lifetime she had converted to [[Christianity in India|Christianity]] from Islam.<ref>''The Indian Mutiny and the British Imagination'' by Gautam Chakravarty, Cambridge; {{ISBN|0-521-83274-8}}</ref>

==Life==
[[File:Begum Samru's Household.jpg|thumb|300px|Begum Samru's Household. [[Chester Beatty Library]]]]

Begum Samru was of slight stature, fair complexion and distinguished by exceptional leadership abilities of an uncommon order. More than once, she headed her own troops in action. She was reportedly of [[Kashmiri people|Kashmiri]] descent.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dalrymple|2006|p=238}} "She was originally said to be a Kashmiri dancing girl named Farzana Zeb un-Nissa."</ref>

When she was in her early teens, she married (or started living with) a mercenary soldier [[Walter Reinhardt Sombre]] of [[Luxembourg]], who was operating in India. Walter Reinhardt Sombre, a European mercenary, then 45 years old, came to the red light area and fell for the charms of Farzana, then a girl of 14, says Johan Lall in his "Begum Samru - Faded Portrait in a Gilded Frame". {{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

A soldier of fortune, Sombre moved from Lucknow to Rohilkhand (near Bareilly), then to Agra, Deeg and Bharatpur and back to the Doab. Farzana helped him in those times of intrigue and counter-intrigue.

===Ruler===
On the death of her husband Walter Reinhardt in 1778, she succeeded to his Principality yielding about £90,000 per annum. Over time, she became powerful, ruling over a large area from Sardhana, [[Uttar Pradesh]]. Her conduct in the internal management of her estate was highly commendable.
On 7 May 1781, aged around thirty, Begum Samru was baptized ''Joanna Nobilis'', by a Roman Catholic priest.
Throughout her life, she had only one friend, Begum Umdaa, who belonged to the other [[Jagirdar]] Family of Sardhana became her closest friend with time and fulfilled her relation until her death with Begum Samru. Even after Begum Umdaa was married, Begum Samru took out time to visit her to [[Meerut]] in good and bad.
Farzana was courted by some of the European officers who were associated with her husband. Among them were Le Vassoult, a Frenchman, and [[George Thomas (soldier)|George Thomas]], an Irishman. The Begum favoured the Frenchman and when, in 1793, the rumour spread that she had married him, her troops mutinied. The couple sought to escape secretly by night - [[Le Vassoult]] on horseback and the Begum in a palanquin. Misinformed that Le Vassoult had been shot, she stabbed herself but survived. Her lover, however, died of a self-inflicted wound to the head. One version has it that she suggested a suicide pact but only nicked herself when the unsuspecting Le Vassoult shot himself dead. When British General [[Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake|Lord Lake]] met the Begum in 1802, in a fit of enthusiasm he gave her a hearty kiss, which appalled her troops. But with her customary tact, Begum Samru pacified them by saying that it was only "the kiss of the Padre to a repentant child".<ref name=EAH>{{cite book|first=Edward Arthur Henry|last=Blunt|author-link=E. A. H. Blunt|title=List of Inscriptions on Christian Tombs and Tablets of Historical Interest in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|url=https://archive.org/stream/listofinscriptio00blunuoft#page/4/mode/2up|year=1911|page=16}}</ref>
The Begum, though only {{frac|4|1|2}} feet tall, wore a turban and rode on horseback as she led her troops to battle. So invincible did she seem that the superstitious spread the word that she was a witch who could destroy her enemies just by throwing her cloak towards them. Her army occupied the left of the [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] line at the [[battle of Assaye]] and hers was the only part of the Mahratta force that was not driven in disarray from the battle field. Having annihilated an advance by the 74th Highlanders and a picket detachment commanded by a [[John Orrok|Colonel Orrock]], her army then withstood a cavalry charge from the [[British Raj|Raj]] before marching from the field in good order.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Skinner |first1=James |title=The Recollections of Skinner of Skinner's Horse |date=April 2006 |isbn=1846770610}}</ref> She inducted [[Jat people|Jat]]s into her irregular armies.<ref name=bagartribune1>Nonica Datta, [http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99jul03/saturday/head1.htm "Forming an identity"], [[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]], 3 July 1999.</ref><ref name=mulayjat1>Nonica Datta, 1999, [https://books.google.com/books?id=sBBuAAAAMAAJ "Forming an Identity: A Social History of the Jats], [[Oxford University]] Press, page 12.</ref>
After the fall of [[Aligarh Fort|Aligarh]] in September 1803, she was induced to surrender to [[Gerard Lake, 1st Viscount Lake|Lord Lake]] and afterwards lived on good terms with the British, receiving visitors including the Bishop of Calcutta, [[Reginald Heber]], Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army [[Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere|Lord Combermere]] and Italian adventurer [[Jean-Baptiste Ventura]].<ref name=EAH />

===Death===
She died at Sardhana in January 1837 at the age of 85, bequeathing the greater part of her property to [[David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre]], who descended from Walter Reinhardt Sombre, from his first wife.<ref name="Inheritance"/> Several stories and novels have been written based on her political and diplomatic astuteness and on crucial battles fought by troops directly commanded by her.<ref>[http://www.natgeotraveller.in/magazine/journeys/critical-mass Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401052616/http://www.natgeotraveller.in/magazine/journeys/critical-mass |date=1 April 2013 }}, natgeotraveller.in; accessed 28 August 2014.</ref>

There is a rumor that One of the sons of the Begum had been killed by the Begum herself, as he had some physical disorder due to which he couldn't get married.

==Palace at Chandni Chowk, Jharsa and Sardhana==
[[File:Sowar of Begum Samru.png|thumb|Sowar of Begum Samru|left]]
[[File:1857 bank of delhi2.jpg|right|thumb|320px|Samru's Palace at [[Chandni Chowk]], Delhi, 1857, after ''[[Indian Rebellion of 1857|Ghadar]]'', [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]]]]

She built palaces at Sardhana, Chandni Chowk in Delhi and Jharsa. The [[paragana]] of [[Badshahpur]]-[[Jharsa]] in Gurugaon in Haryana was also ruled by Begum Samru.<ref name=hart1/>

===Jharsa palace and cantonment in Gurugram===
[[Badshahpur#Begum Samru Place|Begum Samru Place at Gurugram]] lies between [[Badshahpur]]-[[Jharsa]] in [[Gurgaon]]. The [[pargana]] of Badshahpur-Jharsa was ruled by Begum Samru.<ref name=hart1>[http://www.haryanatourism.gov.in/Destination/begum-samru-palace Begum Samru Palace, Gurugram] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201110133/http://www.haryanatourism.gov.in/Destination/begum-samru-palace |date=1 February 2020 }}, [[Haryana Tourism]].</ref><ref name="A queen's magnificent church">{{cite news|title=A queen's magnificent church|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/a-queens-magnificent-church/996392/0|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=2 September 2012}}</ref> She built a palace for herself between Badshahpur and Jharsa.<ref name=hart1/> Jharsa was the place of Samru's principal cantonment.<ref name=htj1/> Parts of her fort compound have been completely lost to encroachments. Palace building is located between Gurgaon and Jharsa village, which is used as the official residence cum camp office of the [[District collector (India)|district collector]] of Gurugram district. The Jharsa place is built in Islamic style.<ref name="A queen's magnificent church"/><ref name=htj1>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/hope-for-decrepit-french-memorial-in-gurugram-as-official-issues-directions-for-restoration/story-2kCz8ul2IGKr7NYvyiWDXL.html Hope for decrepit French memorial in Gurugram as official issues directions for restoration], Hindustan Times, Jun 2018.</ref><ref name=htj2>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurugram/a-200-year-old-memorial-in-gurugram-dedicated-to-the-begum-who-commanded-an-army/story-gynCi7xMR0F7ZtJXEtP1vI.htmlA 200-year-old memorial in Gurugram dedicated to the Begum who commanded an army], Hindustan Times, Jun 2018.</ref> A 1882 land revenue settlement report records that the idol of Sitla Mata was brought to Gurugram 400 years earlier (15th century). Begum Samru claimed the offering to Sitla Mata temple of Gurugram during the [[Chaitra]] month and the revenue from the offerings given to the deity for rest of the month was distributed among the prominent [[jat people|Jat]] families of the area.<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Gurugram-plan-a-misdirected-govt-move-from-history-to-myth/articleshow/51961328.cms Gurugram plan a misdirected govt move from history to myth], Times of India.</ref> In 1818, [[Bharawas]] district was disbanded and Gurugram was made a new district. In 1821, the Bharaswas cantonment was also moved to Hidayatpur in Gurugram.<ref>Yashpal Gulia, 2012, Heritage of Haryana.</ref>

===Sardhana palace===
The palace built by her in Sardhana near Meerut was the centre of much activity during the reign of Mughal Emperor, Akbar Shah. [[Shah Alam II]], the predecessor and father of Akbar Shah, regarded Begum Samru as his daughter. He did so because the Begum had saved Delhi from an invasion by a force of 30,000 Sikhs, under Baghel Singh in 1783. They had encamped at [[Tis Hazari]] (the name of the place being derived from the number of those who constituted the force, estimated at 30,000). Thanks to the Begum's parleys, the Sikhs did not enter the city and went back to Punjab after getting a generous monetary gift from Shah Alam. {{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

In 1787(?), when the emperor, Shah Alam, blind and feeble, was in pursuit of Najaf Quli Khan and trying to quell the rebellion stirred up by him, an incident occurred at Gokalgarh that brought the Begum closer to Shah Alam. Seeing that the emperor's troops were wavering in their resolve to attack the rebel leader, she advanced with a force of 100 men and whatever big guns she had and opened fire on Najaf Quli Khan and his men. This did the trick and Najaf sought the Begum's help to make his peace with Shah Alam. Thankful for her intervention, the emperor bestowed special honours on her at the royal court and declared her to be "his most beloved daughter". Not only that, she was also confirmed in her estate at Sardhana, which was the subject of a dispute with Louis Balthazar alias Nawab Zafaryab Khan, another son of her late husband, General Sombre, by his first wife, Badi Bibi (senior wife).Until his death, Emperor Shah Alam and his major wives treated her almost as a relative, and embraced her when she entered the zenana (women) quarters. as the English visitor Ann Deane noted in late December 1808: " ....and afterwards I accompanied her to the royal residence ......we then ascended ....to the zenanah ['women's quarters'].... the begum now led the way through crowds of eunuchs ....Here we were met by the queen Dowager....an ugly, shriveled old woman, whom the begum embraced."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Deane|first1=Ann|title=Tour Through the Upper Provinces in Hindostan|url=https://archive.org/details/tourthroughupper00dean|date=1823|publisher=C and J.Rivington|location=London|pages=[https://archive.org/details/tourthroughupper00dean/page/148 148]–175}}</ref>

===Chandani Chowk palace===
Begum Samru's palace in [[Chandni Chowk]], now called Bhagirath Palace, was built in a garden gifted by [[Akbar II|Akbar Shah]], a later day mughal, to the Begum when he ascended the throne after the death of [[Shah Alam]] in 1806. Her palatial building still stands in Chandni Chowk, New Delhi. It is currently owned by the [[State Bank of India]], Chandni Chowk Branch.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/history-is-bunk-at-this-delhi-palace/article5109192.ece|title=History is bunk at this Delhi palace|last=Madhur Tankha|newspaper=The Hindu|date=9 September 2013|access-date=January 18, 2018}}</ref>

==Death==
[[File:Statue Inscription Sardhana.jpg|thumb|Inscription on the Statue of Begum Samru at the Basilica of Our Lady Of Graces in Sardhana]]
Begum Samru died on 27 January 1836 at the age of 82 or 83 and was buried under the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Graces]] which she had built.

== Popular culture ==
The Begum Samru is depicted as a prominent noble lady in TV drama series ''[[Beecham House]]'' first aired June 2019. The role was portrayed by Indian actress [[Lara Dutta]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lara Dutta Plays Begum Samru In 'Beecham House' & The Story Behind This Historical Figure Is Incredible |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/lara-dutta-plays-begum-samru-in-beecham-house-the-story-behind-this-historical-figure-is-incredible-18024071 |website=Bustle |access-date=30 July 2019}}</ref> She also features as a prominent character in the novel ''[[Flashman and the Cobra]]'' by [[Robert Brightwell]].<ref name="Telegraphindia">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/pressrelease/prnw/enuk201403264841_public.html |title=Flashman Rides Again |newspaper=Telegraphindia.com |date= |last= |access-date=2015-09-01}}</ref>

Begum Samru appears as the antagonist in the British colonial author William Browne Hockley's short story "The Natch".
Sir Walter Scott's Old Mother Montreville in ''[[The Surgeon's Daughter]]'' is based on Begum Samru.

==See also==
* [[Nautch]]
* [[Tawaif]]
* [[Prostitution in colonial India]]

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book|last=Dalrymple|first=William|authorlink=William Dalrymple (historian)|publisher=Viking Penguin|title=The Last Mughal|year=2006|isbn=0-670-99925-3}}.{{refend}}
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book|last=Keay|first=Julia|authorlink=John Keay (historian)|publisher=I.B.Tauris|title=Farzana: The Woman who Saved an Empire|year=2014|isbn=978-1784530556|ref=none}}.{{refend}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samru, Begum}}
[[Category:1753 births]]
[[Category:1836 deaths]]
[[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Islam]]
[[Category:People from Meerut district]]
[[Category:Kashmiri people]]
[[Category:Indian former Muslims]]
[[Category:Indian courtesans]]
[[Category:Indian female royalty]]
[[Category:Indian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Women in Jammu and Kashmir politics]]
[[Category:Indian women in war]]
[[Category:Stabbing survivors]]
[[Category:Women in 18th-century warfare]]
[[Category:Women in 19th-century warfare]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Dancers from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Women artists from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:18th-century dancers]]
[[Category:18th-century Indian artists]]

Begum Samru - Revision history

Bot at 14:17, 27 October 2022