Joanna Nobilis Sombre (c. 1753 – 27 January 1836), popularly known as Begum Samru (née Farzana Zeb un-Nissa),[2][3] a convert Catholic Christian[4] started her career as a nautch (dancing) girl in 18th century India, and eventually became the ruler of Sardhana, a small principality near Meerut.[5][2] She was the head of a professionally trained mercenary army, inherited from her European mercenary husband, Walter Reinhardt Sombre.[2] This mercenary army consisted of Europeans and Indians. She is also regarded as the only Catholic ruler in India, as she ruled the principality of Sardhana in 18th- and 19th-century India.[6][7]
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.[8] An organisation named "Reinhards Erbengemeinschaft" still strives to resolve the inheritance issue.[9]
^Pennington, Reina, ed. (2003). Amazons to fighter pilots. Westport, Conn. [u.a.]: Greenwood Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780313327070.
^ abcChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sardhana" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 210..
^Begum Sumru The Church of Basilica
^The Indian Mutiny and the British Imagination by Gautam Chakravarty, Cambridge; ISBN 0-521-83274-8
^Borpujari, Priyanka (5 July 2019). "India's forgotten power broker—what was her secret?". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
^"The Sardhana Project". www.sardhana.org.uk.
^"Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 22, page 105 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu.
^""Reinhard's Erbengemeinschaft" R.E.G.: The Inheritance". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2006.
^""Reinhard's Erbengemeinschaft" R.E.G.: Chronology of the Heir Community". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2006.
Joanna Nobilis Sombre (c. 1753 – 27 January 1836), popularly known as BegumSamru (née Farzana Zeb un-Nissa), a convert Catholic Christian started her...
by the people. BegumSamru Place at Gurugram lies between Badshahpur-Jharsa. The paragana of Badshahpur-Jharsa was ruled by BegumSamru (b.1753 – d.1836)...
Anarkali, Mah Laqa Bai, Bhagmati, Lal Kunwar, Qudsia Begum, Zainabadi Mahal, Mubarak Begum and BegumSamru (who rose to rule the principality of Sardhana in...
at Shah Alam II's court, Ghulam Kadir tried to secure the support of BegumSamru, the wife of Walter Reinhardt, and ruler over the principality of Sardhana...
was ruled by BegumSamru (b.1753 – d.1836), who built a palace for herself between Badshahpur and Jharsa. Jharsa was the place of Samru's principal cantonment...
church was built by BegumSamru, a Muslim Nautch girl of 14 who married a European mercenary soldier, Walter Reinhardt Sombre. Samru converted to Roman...
their mother Kunti. In the 19th century, Sardhana was the capital of the BegumSamru, born as Farzana Zebunisa in 1751, and considered to be the only Catholic...
another walled courtyard around the exterior. Historic havelis include: BegumSamru's palace built in 1806, now called Bhagirath Palace, see. Dharampura Haveli...
nautch girl [dancer member of the professional troupe]." — Pran Nevile BegumSamru (christened as Joanna Nobilis Sombre) was an 18th century ruler who started...
in the ITV 6-part drama, Beecham House where she played the role of BegumSamru. In 2021, Dutta played the role of the former Prime Minister of India...
lokatari bhuta" dating back to 672 CE or 871 CE. Jharsa paragana passed to BegumSamru in 1776–77 and came under direct British rule in 1836 after her death...
while the second wife was BegumSamru (c. 1753–1836). The name "Samru" is the local corruption of the name "Sombre", and Begum, a Kashmiri Muslim by birth...
living with) a 14-year-old Tawaif named Farzana, who became known as BegumSamru. Sumroo moved from Lucknow to Rohilkhand (near Bareilly), then to Agra...
BegumSamru (1753-1836), who constructed a magnificent palace for herself between Badshahpur and Jharsa. Jharsa was the primary cantonment of Begum Samru...
the middle of the street. North of the street, there is the mansion of BegumSamru, now called Bhagirath Palace. South of the street is Dariba Kalan, a...
Sardhana, made up largely of ancestral lands which once belonging to the BegumSamru. While these lands have mostly now been dispensed of, the descendants...
district came under his rule. Upon his death, they came into the hands of BegumSamru. During this time, the southern part of the district had remained under...
Courtesan, Begum Sumroo (she is also known as BegumSamru), traces the picaresque adventures of a legendary historical figure from British India, Begum (Queen)...
Bariawas 7 km to the southeast of Rewari) Jharsa cantonment and palace of BegumSamru (b.1753 – d.1836), which later became a British cantonment at the same...
Kadir, a leader of the Afghan Rohilla, tried to secure the support of BegumSamru, the wife of Walter Reinhardt, and ruler over the principality of Sardhana...
French generals in the late 18th century and they granted Farukhnagar to BegumSamru and Jharsa (Badshahpur) to her European husband Walter Reinhardt Sombre...
behest of Baghel Singh and a title of Badshah Singh was given to him. BegumSamru requested Baghel Singh to show mercy on Shah Alam II. Baghel Singh accepted...
Character Actor Main John Beecham Tom Bateman Henrietta Beecham Lesley Nicol BegumSamru Lara Dutta Daniel Beecham Leo Suter Margaret Osborne Dakota Blue Richards...
Duchess of Tuscany (1547–1578) Joanna Nobilis Sombre (c. 1753–1836), BegumSamru of Sardhana Princess Joanna of Courland (1783-1876) Joanna Ampil, Filipina...
Gurugram folks. This controversy was put at rest during the time of BegumSamru, the Governor of Jharsa under the Mughals. Her child who had contracted...
Mela Baptist missionary John Chamberlain, who was in the service of BegumSamru at Sirdhana, preached at the 1814 Ardh Kumbh. He spent 14 days in Haridwar;...
in 1820, though appears to have remained at least partially Muslim. BegumSamru – powerful lady of north India, ruling a large area from Sardhana, Uttar...
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