Farzana

The Woman Who Saved an Empire

AvJulia Keay

Inbunden, Engelska, 2014

858 kr

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Beskrivning

Amongst the riches of nineteenth century India, as the British fought their way across Mughal territory, an orphaned streetgirl ends up at court with the ear of the Emperor. That girl was Farzana, and she would become a courtesan, a leader of armies, a treasured defender of the last Mughal emperor and the head of one of the most legendary courts in history. In this beautifully written book, the author's last, Julia Keay weaves a story which spans the Indian continent and the end of a golden era in Indian history, the story of a nobody who became a teenage seductress and died one of the richest and most prominent women of her age. Farzana rode into battle atop a stallion, though only 4 1/2 feet tall, and led an army which defended a sickly Mughal Empire. She dabbled in witchcraft while gaining favour with the Pope, and died a favourite of the British Raj. Farzana is an evocative and moving depiction of one of the most remarkable, and least-known, historical lives of the nineteenth century.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:2014-09-11
Mått:135 x 216 x 33 mm
Vikt:533 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:352
Förlag:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN:9781784530556

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Mer om författaren

JULIA KEAY was the author of several acclaimed biographies including The Spy Who Never Was, With Passport and Parasol and Alexander the Corrector. She also wrote numerous BBC radio documentaries, including two plays, and, with her husband John Keay, co-edited two editions of the Encyclopedia of Scotland and the third edition of the London Encyclopedia. The text of Farzana was completed just before her death in 2011.

Recensioner i media

'This book, about an amazing woman, now stands as a fitting memorial to another. Julia will be greatly missed, and this book shows what an enjoyable writer we have lost.' WILLIAM DALRYMPLE 'A delight to read' Charles Allen, Literary Review

Innehållsförteckning

Foreword viiPrologue 1PART ONE: MARRIED TO THE REGIMENT1750–17781 Where Passions Rage 132 In Between Empires 263 The Butcher of Patna 434 Enchanted by Her Heroism 625 A Home of Their Own 77PART TWO: DAUGHTER OF THE EMPEROR1778–17886 Steel Beneath the Muslin 957 Fit for Service 1248 Fearless Foreigner 1469 Violence, Rapine and Barbarity 16610 Errors of Judgement 18911 A Gathering Storm 21412 A Salutory Experience 237PART THREE: THE ONLY LADY AT THE TABLE1788–183613 A Genius for Majesty 25514 Best-laid Plans 269Epilogue 291Afterword 298Notes 300Select Bibliography 320Index 327