how can you tell that the Britishers had a high opinion of the Rani of Jhansi
Answers
Few Indians may know that the British, who fought the plucky Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi during the Great Indian Mutiny of 1857-58, also admired her greatly. ... Not pretty and pock marked with small pox, but beautiful eyes and figure," noted Lord Canning, India's first Viceroy, in his private papers.
Answer:
Few Indians may know that the British, who fought the plucky Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi during the Great Indian Mutiny of 1857-58, also admired her greatly. Her enemies on the battlefield and the political bigwigs of that time, openly acknowledged that she was a rare combination of bravery, intelligence and administrative ability. And interestingly, many were in raptures over her personal charm and beauty.
She was a "man among mutineers," wrote Sir Hugh Rose, who led the British forces against her. "She used to dress like a man (with a turban) and rode like one. Not pretty and pock marked with small pox, but beautiful eyes and figure," noted Lord Canning, India's first Viceroy, in his private papers.
"She was a good looking woman, rather stout but not too stout," wrote John Lang in Wanderings in India (1859). "Her face must have been very handsome when she was younger. Even now it has many charms," Long, who knew her, said. According to him, the expression was very intelligent, the eyes were particularly fine, and the nose very delicately shaped. She was not fair though she was far from dark.