Who was Wilayat Mahal? An heir to the kingdom of Awadh, a delusional outcast, or a cunning impostor?

“Wajid Ali was weak and contemptible, the wedge of British treachery. But our ladies were always strong and perfect. Nobody could defy Oudh.”

Begum Wilayat Mahal made this statement in an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 1985. It provides a telling insight into her thoughts on the 1857 Revolt, and why she mostly referred to Hazrat Mahal, rather than Wajid Ali Shah, as her ancestor. She admired her greatly and wished to see herself in the same line of strong women fighting for their kingdom, and for their rights.

The life of Hazrat Mahal, the warrior queen who gave the British a stiff fight during the 1857 Revolt, remains an enigma that has not yet been fully explored.

The initial part of her life, especially her origins, has never been conclusively established; the latter part of her life spent in Nepal has also not been examined sufficiently. Only her role during the 1857 Revolt has received the attention of historians, due to the availability of records from that period.

Perhaps this is why it was possible for Wilayat to claim ancestry from Hazrat Mahal. Her life story was simply not known enough. Even though Wilayat did not provide documented proof, the ancestry was ultimately stated as...

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