{"product_id":"hazrat-mahal-the-rebel","title":"Hazrat Mahal: The Rebel Begam of Awadh","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRescued from the shadows of history, discover the extraordinary life of Begam Hazrat Mahal—the fierce, unlikely leader who defied the East India Company during the First War of Independence.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Book:\u003c\/b\u003e Begam Hazrat Mahal (c. 1820–1879) remains one of the most elusive and fascinating figures in Indian history. Born the daughter of a slave of likely African ancestry and a domestic servant, her early origins were humble. Entering Prince Wajid Ali Shah’s \u003ci\u003ePari Khana\u003c\/i\u003e as a courtesan, she rose through the ranks to become one of his wives and the mother to his son, Birjis Qadr.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the East India Company brutally annexed Awadh in 1856 and exiled the king to Calcutta, the region erupted into rebellion. With her thirteen-year-old son installed as the royal figurehead of the resistance, Hazrat Mahal stepped up as its de facto leader. Unfazed by prejudice, she united a fractured coalition of powerful landowners, nawabi elite, religious leaders, enraged soldiers, and ordinary citizens. Despite having no prior political or military experience, she orchestrated brilliant strategies, managed warring factions, and went toe-to-toe with the formidable power of the British Empire—at the very heart of which lay the dramatic siege of the Lucknow Residency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on decades of meticulous research and newly discovered archival sources from both Indian and British records, acclaimed historian Rosie Llewellyn-Jones brings nineteenth-century Awadh vividly to life through the story of its fiercest protector.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eKey Features \u0026amp; Benefits:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUnsung Historical Hero:\u003c\/b\u003e Sheds light on an extraordinary female leader whose vital role in the 1857 uprising has long been overlooked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMeticulously Researched:\u003c\/b\u003e Written by acclaimed historian Rosie Llewellyn-Jones, utilizing previously undiscovered Indian and British archives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompelling Narrative:\u003c\/b\u003e Traces an incredible journey from a courtesan’s quarters to the command center of a historic anti-colonial rebellion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRich Historical Depth:\u003c\/b\u003e Explores the political complexities, alliances, and dramatic events surrounding the siege of the Lucknow Residency.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"BEETLE BOOK SHOP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52840869232923,"sku":null,"price":679.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0686\/2150\/0699\/files\/71yPouKICpL._SL1445.jpg?v=1786772287","url":"https:\/\/beetlebookshop.com\/kn\/products\/hazrat-mahal-the-rebel","provider":"Beetle Book Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}