A Fascinating Tale
Amar Farooqui
FARZANA: THE TEMPESTUOUS LIFE AND TIMES OF BEGUM SUMRU by A Project of Julia Keay , 2016, 327 pp., 699.00
October 2016, volume 40, No 10

The latter half of the eighteenth century was the golden era of private armies in India. A large number of these armies, each comprising a few thousand men, were officered by Europeans who are frequently referred to as ‘mercenaries’ or ‘adventurers’. These were professional soldiers who could change sides quite often, even though there were many who had a strong sense of loyalty and commitment. With the decline of the Mughal empire most States of the eighteenth century lacked the resources to maintain large standing armies.

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