Bhopal was under the reign of its second Begum, Sikander Jahan Begum, daughter of Qudasia Begum, when the Sepoy mutiny of India broke out. Surrounded on all sides by hostile neighbours like the Marathas at Indore and Gwalior, Rajputs in Rajasthan and even the Nizam in Deccan, the rulers of Bhopal had already vowed loyalty to the emerging forces of East India Company. In August 1857, Bhopali mutineers under the banner of the Sepoy Bahadur revolt attacked the British garrison in Sehore and Berasia.
There were three points of revolt in Bhopal. Fazil Mohammad Khan, great-grandson of Dost Mohammad Khan, Non-Commisioned officers Wali Shaha and Mahavir, and the ulema supporting Bahadur Shah Zafar's call to free India. By remaining calm and farsighted, Sikander Begum was able to gain upper hand over the rebels of Sehore garrison, which broke the backbone of the rebels. Rani of Jhansi, Laxmibai the legendary queen, sent a message to Sikander stating "As soon as I have my hands free, I shall deal with you at the point of sword." to which Sikander replied "I have firearms in readiness for you. Come when you will".
According to an account of a British lady, recorded in Indian Office Library Records, while the Bhopal army surrounded the British garrison in Sehore, Sikander ensured safe passage for important British civilains, including Colonel Durand, the British Resident in Indore, to the safety of Hoshangabad fort which was protected by a loyal Pathan contingent. As the British recovered control, the support given by Sikandar Begum at the time extreme crisis was seen as ultimate proof of Bhopal's loyalty to the British government and earned for the state Her Majesty's lasting gratitude.
The wily woman, when asked by a close confident what she would have done if the British had lost, replied "In that event, the Bhopal army had made sure that the British garrison was neutralized"! Through her canny statecraft, Sikandar had ensured that by surrounding the British garrison in Sehore, she would win in either eventuality.
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