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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} | ||
'''Walter Reinhardt Sombre''' (born | '''Walter Reinhardt Sombre''' (born '''Walter Reinhardt''' or '''Reinert'''; {{circa|1725 – 4 May 1778}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Keene|first=Henry Georg|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6Jf1J0OP03AC|title=The Fall of the Moghul Empire: An Historical Essay|year=1876|location=London|pages=135}}</ref><ref>[http://www.bharatonline.com/uttar-pradesh/fairs-festivals/sardhana-fair.html Sardhana Fair – Christian Fair Sardhana – Sardhana Fair Meerut India – Christian Fair Meerut<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>) was a [[Europeans|European]] adventurer and mercenary in [[India]] from the 1760s. | ||
==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
Sombre is thought to have been born in [[Strasbourg]] or [[Treves]].<ref>Details as given in Michaud, ''Biographie universelle, ancienne et moderne'', entry Somrou</ref> His nationality | Sombre is thought to have been born in [[Strasbourg]] or [[Treves]].<ref>Details as given in Michaud, ''Biographie universelle, ancienne et moderne'', entry Somrou</ref> His birthplace and nationality, being given in various sources as Austrian,<ref>[[Stephen Neill]], ''A History of Christianity in India: 1707-1858''</ref> French,<ref>[http://www.worldwideschool.org/library/books/hst/asian/TheFalloftheMoghulEmpireofHindustan/chap7.html] says Franco-German, but also offers [[Salzburg]] as birthplace.</ref> German,<ref>[http://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/01-15May04-Print-Edition/0105200496.htm Dying abode of the unsung Begum Sumru, The Milli Gazette, Vol.5 No.09, MG103 (1-15 May 04)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Luxemburger, or Swiss, are uncertain.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20021112004719/http://www.geocities.com/clintonbennett/Lectures/Chandra.html] calls him Swiss-German.</ref> Another version is that he was born in a village called Simmern near Trier (Treves). | ||
Only one place is documentarily supported in a Protestant church Register as Walter Reinhard's Birth Place: [[Eisenberg, Rhineland-Palatinate|Eisenberg]] in [[Rhineland-Palatinate]], [[Germany]] . The register indicates, he was born at that place on 27 January 1723.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063013/http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm</ref> | Only one place is documentarily supported in a Protestant church Register as Walter Reinhard's Birth Place: [[Eisenberg, Rhineland-Palatinate|Eisenberg]] in [[Rhineland-Palatinate]], [[Germany]] . The register indicates, he was born at that place on 27 January 1723.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm |title=Introduction Reinhard's Heirs |website=www.reg-sardhana.de |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063013/http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm |archive-date=2 February 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
==Career== | ==Career== | ||
He entered early into the French Service assuming the name of Summer, but due to the darkness of his complexion, he received the French nickname Sombre.<ref name="Reinhardt">{{cite web |url=http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm |title="REINHARD'S ERBENGEMEINSCHAFT" R.E.G.: About the German Adventurer Walter Reinhard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063013/http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm |archive-date=2 February 2017 }}</ref> His nickname<ref>Summer, Samru, Sumroo, Somroo, Sombrou, Somrou, Somru, Sumru.</ref> was a ''[[nom de guerre]]'' | He entered early into the French Service assuming the name of Summer, but due to the darkness of his complexion, he received the French nickname Sombre.<ref name="Reinhardt">{{cite web |url=http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm |title="REINHARD'S ERBENGEMEINSCHAFT" R.E.G.: About the German Adventurer Walter Reinhard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063013/http://www.reg-sardhana.de/introduction.htm |archive-date=2 February 2017 }}</ref> His nickname<ref>Summer, Samru, Sumroo, Somroo, Sombrou, Somrou, Somru, Sumru.</ref> was a ''[[nom de guerre]]'' and is more commonly used for him in Indian sources. | ||
He was a turncoat, changing sides for advantage. Soon after his enlistment in the French Service, he went to Bengal, entered a Swiss Corps in Calcutta from which he deserted in 15 days, fled to the Upper Provinces and served some time as a private trooper in the cavalry of Sufdur Jung. This service, he also quit and became attached to the service of [[Mir Qasim]], [[Nawab of Bengal]]. While in the Nawab's service he was blamed for a [[Patna massacre of 1763|massacre]] of English captives at [[Patna]].<ref>''Mir Kasim was defeated in two pitched battles at [[Gheria]] and [[Udhanala]] (Oodeynullah) in August and September 1763, and in revenge ordered the massacre of all his prisoners, which was carried out with the help of a renegade in his employment named Walter Reinhardt, (afterwards the husband of the famous Begum Samru). About sixty Englishmen were murdered on this occasion, the bodies being thrown into a well belonging to the house in which they were confined.''{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Patna (Behar) |display=Patna |volume=20 |page=929}}</ref> | He was a turncoat, changing sides for advantage. Soon after his enlistment in the French Service, he went to Bengal, entered a Swiss Corps in Calcutta from which he deserted in 15 days, fled to the Upper Provinces and served some time as a private trooper in the cavalry of Sufdur Jung. This service, he also quit and became attached to the service of [[Mir Qasim]], [[Nawab of Bengal]]. While in the Nawab's service he was blamed for a [[Patna massacre of 1763|massacre]] of English captives at [[Patna]].<ref>''Mir Kasim was defeated in two pitched battles at [[Gheria]] and [[Udhanala]] (Oodeynullah) in August and September 1763, and in revenge ordered the massacre of all his prisoners, which was carried out with the help of a renegade in his employment named Walter Reinhardt, (afterwards the husband of the famous Begum Samru). About sixty Englishmen were murdered on this occasion, the bodies being thrown into a well belonging to the house in which they were confined.''{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Patna (Behar) |display=Patna |volume=20 |page=929}}</ref> | ||
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==Personal life== | ==Personal life== | ||
Later on, Walter Reinhardt formed his own mercenary army, in which [[Jat]]s also served. In about 1767, when he was 42, he met and married (or started living with) a 14-year-old | Later on, Walter Reinhardt formed his own mercenary army, in which [[Jat]]s also served. In about 1767, when he was 42, he met and married (or started living with) a 14-year-old Tawaif named Farzana, who became known as [[Begum Samru]]. Sumroo moved from Lucknow to Rohilkhand (near Bareilly), then to [[Agra]], Deeg and Bharatpur and back to the Doab. At one time, he was Governor of Agra. He attained a position from [[Shah Alam II]], briefly held before his death, ruling [[Sardhana]]. He was General of [[Maharaja]] [[Jawahar Singh]] of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]] | ||
==Death== | ==Death== | ||