BEGUM HAZRAT MAHAL, QUEEN OF AWADH KINGDOM, Second wife of Nawab wajid Alikhan  who was a poet singer  and musician. He was easy going. In 1856 the East india company annexed the Awadh Kingdom.  The nawab was exiled to Calcutta. The revolt 0f 1857 took place and Begum assumed control of awadh forces and  she gained control of Lucknow.  She  made prince  Birjis quadr as the next ruler and carried on the fighting. However with reversals in the war, she escaped with the prince to Nepal where she got assylum. She passed away in Nepal in 1879. Her son the prince was later pardoned by queen Victoria  permitting him to return  to India.