THE RANI OF JHANSI

1857-1858: The British Empire in india is teetering on the brink of collapse in the face of widespread rebellion by native regiments. In the final phase of the Great Indain Mutiny an intrepid young woman rises to lead the mutinying sepoys: Lakshmibai the Rani of Jhansi. In India she is still venerated today as leader in the fight for national independence. To the British she was a treacherous villan even one hundred years after her death still unquestioningly held to blame for the ghastly massacre of British families. The author basing his work on research of primary sources in the National Archives of India and the British Library as well as inspections of historical sites seeks to portray the legendary Joan of Arc of India true to history and devoid of the distortions rendered by legend and polemic.