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History Today: When the Napoleon era ended with Battle of Waterloo loss
One of the greatest military strategists, Napoleon Bonaparte, fought and lost at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. This marked the end of the Napoleonic era in European history. On this day in 1858, Rani Lakshmibai, the valiant Queen of Jhansi, died while fighting against British soldiers near Gwalior read more
One of the most important battles in Europe was fought on June 18, 1815. The day saw French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte lose to the Duke of Wellington in the Battle of Waterloo, thus, effectively bringing an end to the Napoleonic era in European history.
If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.
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In 1858, Queen of Jhansi Rani Lakshmibai died while battling British forces near Gwalior. She died a heroic death and is considered to be a pivotal figure during the Rebellion of 1857.
Napoleon loses the Battle of Waterloo
June 18 witnessed one of those wars that went on to change the history of Europe. Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated on this day in the Battle of Waterloo. This marked the end of his reign as Emperor of the French and the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars.
After escaping exile on the island of Elba, Napoleon returned to France in March 1815 and regained power, beginning the period known as the 'Hundred Days.' Determined to crush opposition swiftly, Napoleon led his army into present-day Belgium, where the Seventh Coalition forces, primarily British-led troops under the Duke of Wellington and
Prussian troops commanded by Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, had assembled.
In this oil painting of the Battle of Waterloo, Duke of Wellington is seen ordering his forces. Wikimedia Commons
Napoleon aimed to divide and conquer the coalition forces before they could unite. He initially achieved a victory against the Prussians at Ligny on June 16 and engaged the Anglo-Allied army at Quatre Bras.
However, the main confrontation at Waterloo on June 18 proved to be his undoing. Napoleon delayed his attack until midday to allow the muddy ground to dry after heavy overnight rain, a decision that proved critical. This delay gave the Prussian forces, led by Marshal Gebhard von Blucher, precious time to regroup and march towards Waterloo.
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Throughout the day, Napoleon's forces launched repeated, fierce assaults against Wellington's well-fortified positions. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, Wellington's lines held. The timely arrival of Blucher's Prussian army in the late afternoon on the French right flank turned the tide decisively against Napoleon. The French army, exhausted and increasingly outnumbered, began to buckle under the combined pressure. A final, desperate charge by Napoleon's elite Imperial Guard was repulsed, leading to a complete rout of the French forces.
Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo ended his dreams of an empire and forced him to abdicate for a second time. He was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, where he died in 1821. The victory at Waterloo ushered in a new era of peace and conservative order in Europe, led by the Congress of Vienna.
Rani Lakshmibai dies
She was considered to be one of the most valiant and heroic leaders of the Rebellion of 1857. On this day in 1858, Rani Lakshmibai died while fighting the British forces near Gwalior after they annexed her Kingdom of Jhansi under the controversial Doctrine of Lapse.
Born as Manikarnika Tambe in 1828 in Varanasi, she was married to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi and later became the queen, or Rani, of the princely state. After her husband's death in 1853, the British East India Company refused to recognise her adopted son as heir and annexed Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse. This injustice deeply angered Lakshmibai, who vowed to fight for her kingdom's sovereignty.
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The Queen of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai. Wikimedia Commons
When the 1857 revolt against British rule broke out, Rani Lakshmibai emerged as a leading force in the rebellion. She organised an army, trained soldiers, including women, and fiercely defended Jhansi when British troops besieged the city in March 1858. After a prolonged battle, she escaped in disguise and continued resistance.
At Gwalior, she joined forces with other rebel leaders, including Tatya Tope, and together they managed to capture the formidable Gwalior Fort. However, the British soon launched a counter-attack. On June 17, 1858, a fierce engagement took place at Kotah-ki-Serai in Gwalior. Rani Lakshmibai, reportedly dressed as a male soldier and fighting on horseback, led her troops with exceptional bravery. She was mortally wounded during this intense combat, choosing death over capture by the British.
The British praised her courage, with General Rose calling her 'the most dangerous of all Indian leaders.' Though the rebellion was ultimately suppressed, Rani Lakshmibai became a symbol of resistance, courage and patriotism. Her fearless stand against colonial rule continues to inspire generations and holds a revered place in India's freedom movement.
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This Day, That Year
>> On this day in 2023, the experimental submersible Titan imploded during a dive into the wreck of the Titanic.
>> The first American woman to fly into outer space, Sally Ride, was launched with four other astronauts aboard the space shuttle Challenger on this day in 1983.
>> In 1979, the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) II treaty was signed by US President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.
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First Post
5 hours ago
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History Today: When the Napoleon era ended with Battle of Waterloo loss
One of the greatest military strategists, Napoleon Bonaparte, fought and lost at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. This marked the end of the Napoleonic era in European history. On this day in 1858, Rani Lakshmibai, the valiant Queen of Jhansi, died while fighting against British soldiers near Gwalior read more One of the most important battles in Europe was fought on June 18, 1815. The day saw French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte lose to the Duke of Wellington in the Battle of Waterloo, thus, effectively bringing an end to the Napoleonic era in European history. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 1858, Queen of Jhansi Rani Lakshmibai died while battling British forces near Gwalior. She died a heroic death and is considered to be a pivotal figure during the Rebellion of 1857. Napoleon loses the Battle of Waterloo June 18 witnessed one of those wars that went on to change the history of Europe. Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated on this day in the Battle of Waterloo. This marked the end of his reign as Emperor of the French and the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars. After escaping exile on the island of Elba, Napoleon returned to France in March 1815 and regained power, beginning the period known as the 'Hundred Days.' Determined to crush opposition swiftly, Napoleon led his army into present-day Belgium, where the Seventh Coalition forces, primarily British-led troops under the Duke of Wellington and Prussian troops commanded by Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher, had assembled. In this oil painting of the Battle of Waterloo, Duke of Wellington is seen ordering his forces. Wikimedia Commons Napoleon aimed to divide and conquer the coalition forces before they could unite. He initially achieved a victory against the Prussians at Ligny on June 16 and engaged the Anglo-Allied army at Quatre Bras. However, the main confrontation at Waterloo on June 18 proved to be his undoing. Napoleon delayed his attack until midday to allow the muddy ground to dry after heavy overnight rain, a decision that proved critical. This delay gave the Prussian forces, led by Marshal Gebhard von Blucher, precious time to regroup and march towards Waterloo. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Throughout the day, Napoleon's forces launched repeated, fierce assaults against Wellington's well-fortified positions. Despite heavy casualties on both sides, Wellington's lines held. The timely arrival of Blucher's Prussian army in the late afternoon on the French right flank turned the tide decisively against Napoleon. The French army, exhausted and increasingly outnumbered, began to buckle under the combined pressure. A final, desperate charge by Napoleon's elite Imperial Guard was repulsed, leading to a complete rout of the French forces. Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo ended his dreams of an empire and forced him to abdicate for a second time. He was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, where he died in 1821. The victory at Waterloo ushered in a new era of peace and conservative order in Europe, led by the Congress of Vienna. Rani Lakshmibai dies She was considered to be one of the most valiant and heroic leaders of the Rebellion of 1857. On this day in 1858, Rani Lakshmibai died while fighting the British forces near Gwalior after they annexed her Kingdom of Jhansi under the controversial Doctrine of Lapse. Born as Manikarnika Tambe in 1828 in Varanasi, she was married to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi and later became the queen, or Rani, of the princely state. After her husband's death in 1853, the British East India Company refused to recognise her adopted son as heir and annexed Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse. This injustice deeply angered Lakshmibai, who vowed to fight for her kingdom's sovereignty. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Queen of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai. Wikimedia Commons When the 1857 revolt against British rule broke out, Rani Lakshmibai emerged as a leading force in the rebellion. She organised an army, trained soldiers, including women, and fiercely defended Jhansi when British troops besieged the city in March 1858. After a prolonged battle, she escaped in disguise and continued resistance. At Gwalior, she joined forces with other rebel leaders, including Tatya Tope, and together they managed to capture the formidable Gwalior Fort. However, the British soon launched a counter-attack. On June 17, 1858, a fierce engagement took place at Kotah-ki-Serai in Gwalior. Rani Lakshmibai, reportedly dressed as a male soldier and fighting on horseback, led her troops with exceptional bravery. She was mortally wounded during this intense combat, choosing death over capture by the British. The British praised her courage, with General Rose calling her 'the most dangerous of all Indian leaders.' Though the rebellion was ultimately suppressed, Rani Lakshmibai became a symbol of resistance, courage and patriotism. Her fearless stand against colonial rule continues to inspire generations and holds a revered place in India's freedom movement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This Day, That Year >> On this day in 2023, the experimental submersible Titan imploded during a dive into the wreck of the Titanic. >> The first American woman to fly into outer space, Sally Ride, was launched with four other astronauts aboard the space shuttle Challenger on this day in 1983. >> In 1979, the SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) II treaty was signed by US President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.
Scroll.in
6 hours ago
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Reading letters to my parents from TB Cunha, the ‘Father of Goan nationalism'
Going through the family archive of documents can be an emotional roller coaster. Often (as was most recently the case at the time of my mother's demise in April 2024), one needs to find a specific elusive paper that you thought was safely filed away in this folder, only to find it has mysteriously migrated elsewhere and one has to turn the house upside down in order to retrieve it. Too often, one finds that a precious document or photograph has gotten even yellower and more brittle and fragile. Then one has to digitise it and live in hope that one will remember where that jpeg gets filed away, and hope it doesn't get corrupted or deleted due to some computer virus or other hocus-pocus that I can't understand. But there are some photographs and letters that stop you in your tracks from whatever your initial quest had been and take you in a completely different direction. It doesn't happen often, but it is quite an experience when it does. Last month, our family visited Goa's Aguada fort, now for some inexplicable reason re-branded as 'Aguad', dropping the final 'a'. Maybe it is easier for the visitor and tourist to pronounce. Why don't we drop the 'a' in 'Goa' and just call our state 'Go'? It was our first visit to the museum, and our son, recently out of high school, still had the history of the Goan Liberation movement fresh in his memory. By coincidence, a few days earlier, tidying up a pile of old letters and documents, I had found the sheaf of letters to my mother and father in the years before they were married from the 'Father of Goan nationalism', Tristão de Bragança Cunha (1891-1958), better known as TB Cunha. A significant portion of the museum at Fort Aguada is devoted to Cunha, as he was imprisoned in a dark damp cell there by the Portuguese authorities for his activities against the regime. Great salute by remembering today the History of Goa Freedom struggle's towering personality on his 132nd birth anniversary Dr TB Cunha.🙏 @FirstSutraFdn — Prakash W. Kamat (@PrakashWKamatPK) April 2, 2024 A brief biography: Born on April 2, 1891 in Chandor, South Goa, Cunha finished his school education in Nova Goa (today, the state capital Panjim or Panaji). He went to Pondicherry for his baccalauréat and then to Paris, where he secured a degree in electrical engineering at the Sorbonne. In France, Cunha was associated with the Anti-Imperialist League. He published a biography of Mahatma Gandhi in French before the more famous one by Romain Rolland. On his return to Goa, Cunha founded the Goa National Congress in 1928. He campaigned for Goan freedom from Portuguese rule through articles and books. He was badly beaten by Portuguese police after making a protest speech in Margao in 1946, days after Ram Manohar Lohia gave his call for freedom at the same location on June 18. That date is now celebrated as Goa Revolution Day. Cunha was arrested and confined in a solitary cell at Fort Aguada. He was the first civilian in Goa to be tried by a military tribunal. He was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment in Portugal's notorious Peniche Fortress, to which many other Goan freedom fighters were also dispatched. After his release, he made his way to Mumbai, where he formed the Goa Acrtion Committee to co-ordinate the activities of the many Goan freedom groups operating by then. He also published a newspaper called Free Goa. He died on September 26, 1958. His remains lie in an urn at Panjim's Azad Maidan. Apart from the obvious fact that Cunha was a giant in Goan history, his letters throw warm light on the milestones in my own parents' lives. For instance, when recreating a chronology of my mother Dr Elvira Dias's life, I recalled that she had completed her MBBS exams in April 1956. How lovely therefore to find a letter from Cunha dated July 19 of that year. In earlier correspondence, he had addressed her simply as 'Miss Elvira', but in this instance, he begins with 'Dear Dr Elvira de Sousa'. 'First of all I congratulate you for your success in your Final Exam in your medical studies and wish you a brilliant and prosperous career of doctor,' he writes. 'Your graduation has put you in a good position to help to the welfare of the people and I am sure that you will be of great service to the collectivity.' Cunha then writes laconically about having 'received the letter that you mention and I have replied to it, and also have published in my paper the translation of the Lawyer's letter as you may have need. Copies of this since have been sent to Germany,' where my father was studying at the time. His address, written in his hand at the top right of every letter, was then, as now, a very fashionable one: the Art Deco building Sunshine (on the Oval Maidan), Churchgate Reclamation, Fort, Bombay. He ends 'With best greetings, Yours sincerely, TB Cunha.' In one letter, he mentions having called her hostel 'but was told that you were out.' In another, he apologise for having missed her visit when she called on him. You have to marvel at Cunha's penmanship; it is legible most of the time and extremely neat. You get the impression of someone who has thought through his sentences and paragraphs before he commences writing. In all his correspondence spanning several years, there isn't a single crossed-out word. He seems to have had a fondness for black ink, as he uses it in all the correspondence. The letters to my father in West Germany are on diaphanous 'air mail' paper, so the writing on each side can be difficult to read. The tone is a tad more formal, business-like. In a letter on July 3, 1956, Cunha writes: 'I am in receipt of your two last letters, thanks…I have sent to you two copies of the past issues of 'Free Goa' in order [that] you may send over to Lisbon.' He adds, 'I have been sending 3 copies with 3 different addresses to Portugal but I don't know if they reach the addresses as 'K' has told me that none reached lately when he was there. So please make inquiries if any of them have been received there.' Further on he laments, 'It looks as if pro-Portuguese elements have succeeded in sabotaging the work for Liberation.' In another letter he rants about a foreign student who borrowed an important reference book but never returned it. Somewhere along the line, he sort of nudges my father to think of 'Miss Elvira' as wife material. He gave their union his stamp of approval. The letters shed some light on what was going on in his life too. The last letter I could find is from 1957; he was dead just a year later. My parents would have been aghast at my making their personal correspondence public. But this is no ordinary personal correspondence when the sender is someone as larger-than-life as Cunha. With Goa Revolution Day upon us, I thought this would be a fitting time to share this facet of family history.
India Today
17 hours ago
- India Today
Jijabai Bhonsle, the woman behind Shivaji's dream of Swarajya
It was the year 1630, within the stone walls of Shivneri Fort near Junnar, Maharashtra, a child was born far from royal courts and political power. Jijabai gave birth to the soon-to-be first Chattrapati of Marathas. Shivaji's crying sound echoed in Shivneri Fort. At that moment, Jijabai was surrounded not by armies or nobles, but by a handful of trusted chieftains of Shahaji Bhonsle, Shivaji's role in raising Shivaji in the early years wasn't wrapped in grand declarations. While Shahaji served under Adil Shahi of Bizapur, it was Jijabai who remained behind, shaping Shivaji's world with stories and valour could be matched with Jawantabai of Mewar, whose persistence shaped the greatest of Maharanas, Maharana Pratap. And then there's the lesser-known side: historians and history books suggest that Shivaji's early exposure to the ideas of Swarajya didn't come from battlefield tales, but from philosophical debates at home, the words, the stories that he was hearing from lessons of leadership were instilled in Shivaji by Jijabai herself. It was she who taught Shivaji to remain close to the masses, which worked and Shivaji became popular at a very young age, bowed by the people in all corners of the jagirs (feudal land grant) granted to him by Shahji this mix -- a remote fort, a political mother, a child raised not just to rule, but to think -- that sets the early story of Shivaji OF MARATHASBorn in 1598 in the town of Sindkhed Raja, Jijabai entered a world often dictated by political unrest and clan of Lakhuji Jadhav, a Maratha noble serving the Nizamshahi, and Mhalasabai, Jijabai was married young to Shahaji marriage was politically strategic, but it meant long years of separation. With Shahaji engaged in military service under the Nizamshahi and later the Adilshahi sultanates, Jijabai was left to raise Shivaji Maharaj largely on her own. Jijabai, with Shivaji Maharaj standing alongside, and Tanaji kneeling in front (Image: Wikimedia Commons) When Shivaji was born at Shivneri Fort in 1630, the Deccan was already fractured by shifting alliances and growing imperial the age of six, Shivaji and Jijabai were sent to Pune, where Shahaji had appointed Dadoji Konddev to manage his a place of prominence to Marathas once thriving, had been devastated by Murar Jagdeo, a Maratha noble allied with the Nizam, in retaliation for Shahaji's shift to the Adilshahi. The town lay in ruins when Shivaji first saw did not see the place in ruins -- she saw the ground for rebuilding. She called on villagers to return, revived civic life, and had young Shivaji ceremonially plough the land with a golden was no mere ritual, but the quiet herald of Maratha self-assertion, a moment wherein young Shivaji first began to feel the stirrings of duty to connect with the soil beneath regent of the Pune jagir, Jijabai worked with Dadoji Konddev to restore not just order, but rebuilt temples such as Kasba Ganpati and Tambdi Jogeshwari, re-establishing the region's cultural and religious oversaw Shivaji's education, making sure he studied Sanskrit, Persian, and the duties of statecraft. AI-generated image He was trained in horse-riding and swordsmanship, but also raised on the stories of the Ramayana and Majumdar writes in Shivaji, "The courage that made Shivaji courageous and fearless came from Jijabai. She not only instilled the thoughts of Swarajya but at times became her mentor."Jijabai remained active beyond the palace -- riding on horseback, visiting fields, and meeting encouraged Shivaji to do the same. Many of his companions -- local Mavalas -- would later become the backbone of his early and purpose defined the way Jijabai raised Shivaji. She steered Shivaji away from luxury, and towards achieving Rajmata, she shaped not just Shivaji, but a vision -- one that would go on to challenge first the Adil Shahi and then Mughal empire. Treaty of Purandar was signed in 1665 which forced Shivaj to give up on several major forts (Image: Wikimedia COmmons) THE GURU MOTHER: RAJMATAOne of the earliest lessons Jijabai taught Shivaji was to respect women. It stayed with him. As a ruler, Shivaji brought in strict laws against anyone who harmed or insulted women, even those from the his early years, when Afzal Khan killed Shivaji's elder brother Sambhaji, Jijabai asked Shivaji to take a stand, and it was then Shivaji planned to kill Afzal Khan which he later Shivaji was away -- leading campaigns or handling political matters -- it was Jijabai who managed the affairs of the 1665, when Shivaji was forced to sign the Treaty of Purandar under pressure from Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Aurangzeb, Jijabai reminded him that it was not the told him to treat it as a temporary compromise and to stay focused on the bigger goal -- Swarajya.A year later, when Shivaji was called to Aurangzeb's court in Agra and no one knew if he would return, Jijabai took care of the political matters of the the death of Shivaji's wife Saibai, Jijabai took care of Sambhaji Maharaj and instilled him with the thoughts of Swarajya, repeating the role she had taken with his a grandmother to Sambhaji, Jijabai guided him with the same values she had given Shivaji -- strength, discipline. (Image: Wikimedia Commons) advertisementJijabai also supported Shivaji's efforts to bring change. She stood behind his land reforms, his push for social equality, and his decision to welcome back Hindus who had converted under Shahaji passed away in 1664, Jijabai chose not to follow the practice of Sati, which was still common at the June 6, 1674, Shivaji was crowned as Chhatrapati at Raigad. For Jijabai, it was the result of a lifetime of effort and days later, on June 18, the same year at Panchad, Maharashtra, she passed played a key role in ending the long-standing conflict between the Bhosales and the Jadhavs -- her husband's and her own a time when Maratha clans were often divided by ego and pride, Jijabai called for one of her most remembered conversations, she told her father, Lakhuji Jadhav: 'Marathas are fighting with each other for ego and greed. If they unite, the invaders will be defeated. It is a shame to work under foreign rulers -- you must stop.'Those words helped bring the two families -- the Jadhavs and the Bhonsles -- together and laid the foundation for future unity among the Marathas.
