John Nicholson

British general who died in Indian rebellion of 1857

Brigadier-General John Nicholson (1822-1857) was a British officer of the East India Company, who served and died in British India. He is especially famous today and remembered as the 'Saviour of Delhi' who gave his life and died at Delhi, in September 1857 during the Indian Mutiny (or First Indian War of Independence), so that the British empire might be saved.

Portrait of John Nicholson

Nicholson was a very strict and honest administrator, and always took stern action to check crime and dishonesty. Because of this, he was deified (made into a deity, or god) by some Indian people in his lifetime. The people who worshiped him were called Nikal Saynis.

Nicholson was buried near Delhi when he died but there is a famous monument, the Nicholson Memorial (also called Nicholson's Obelisk) near Taxila in Pakistan. This was made here by the British people ruling here many years ago, because Nicholson had spent a lot of time in that area.


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