RELIGIOUS FIGURE
Begum Samru
1746 - 1836

Begum Samru
Joanna Nobilis Sombre (c. 1753 – 27 January 1836), popularly known as Begum Samru (née Farzana Zeb un-Nissa), a convert Catholic Christian, started her career as a nautch (dancing) girl in 18th-century India, and eventually became the ruler of Sardhana, a small principality (jagir) near Meerut. She was the head of a professionally trained mercenary army, inherited from her European mercenary husband, Walter Reinhardt Sombre. This mercenary army consisted of Europeans and Indians. She is also regarded as the only Catholic ruler in Northern India, as she ruled the principality of Sardhana in 18th- and 19th-century India. Read more on Wikipedia
Her biography is available in 21 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 19 in 2024). Begum Samru is the 3,086th most popular religious figure (down from 3,063rd in 2024), the 1,059th most popular biography from India (up from 1,098th in 2019) and the 63rd most popular Indian Religious Figure.
Memorability Metrics
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Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES
Among religious figures, Begum Samru ranks 3,086 out of 3,187. Before her are Yasser Al-Habib, Alphonse Lacroix, Mari Emmanuel, Margot Käßmann, Patrick Joseph Hayes, and Rufino Santos. After her are Trinley Thaye Dorje, Edward Bouverie Pusey, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, Rawil Gaynetdin, Daniil of Bulgaria, and Saad al Ghamdi.
Most Popular Religious Figures in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsYasser Al-Habib
1979 - Present
HPI: 48.94
Rank: 3,080
Alphonse Lacroix
1897 - 1973
HPI: 48.91
Rank: 3,081
Mari Emmanuel
1970 - Present
HPI: 48.90
Rank: 3,082
Margot Käßmann
1958 - Present
HPI: 48.80
Rank: 3,083
Patrick Joseph Hayes
1867 - 1938
HPI: 48.79
Rank: 3,084
Rufino Santos
1908 - 1973
HPI: 48.76
Rank: 3,085
Begum Samru
1746 - 1836
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 3,086
Trinley Thaye Dorje
1983 - Present
HPI: 48.47
Rank: 3,087
Edward Bouverie Pusey
1800 - 1882
HPI: 48.41
Rank: 3,088
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
1989 - Present
HPI: 48.29
Rank: 3,089
Rawil Gaynetdin
1959 - Present
HPI: 48.27
Rank: 3,090
Daniil of Bulgaria
1972 - Present
HPI: 48.10
Rank: 3,091
Saad al Ghamdi
1967 - Present
HPI: 47.93
Rank: 3,092
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1746, Begum Samru ranks 39. Before her are André Thouin, Louise du Pierry, James Wyatt, Peter Jacob Hjelm, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, and Henry Grattan. Among people deceased in 1836, Begum Samru ranks 53. Before her are Stephen F. Austin, William B. Travis, Heinrich XIX, Prince Reuss of Greiz, Dániel Berzsenyi, Charles Wilkins, and Tenskwatawa.
Others Born in 1746
Go to all RankingsAndré Thouin
BIOLOGIST
1746 - 1824
HPI: 56.46
Rank: 33
Louise du Pierry
ASTRONOMER
1746 - 1807
HPI: 53.74
Rank: 34
James Wyatt
ARCHITECT
1746 - 1813
HPI: 53.72
Rank: 35
Peter Jacob Hjelm
CHEMIST
1746 - 1813
HPI: 53.70
Rank: 36
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
POLITICIAN
1746 - 1825
HPI: 51.44
Rank: 37
Henry Grattan
POLITICIAN
1746 - 1820
HPI: 49.11
Rank: 38
Begum Samru
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1746 - 1836
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 39
Others Deceased in 1836
Go to all RankingsStephen F. Austin
POLITICIAN
1793 - 1836
HPI: 56.61
Rank: 47
William B. Travis
POLITICIAN
1809 - 1836
HPI: 56.15
Rank: 48
Heinrich XIX, Prince Reuss of Greiz
POLITICIAN
1790 - 1836
HPI: 55.91
Rank: 49
Dániel Berzsenyi
WRITER
1776 - 1836
HPI: 53.46
Rank: 50
Charles Wilkins
WRITER
1749 - 1836
HPI: 53.11
Rank: 51
Tenskwatawa
POLITICIAN
1775 - 1836
HPI: 52.38
Rank: 52
Begum Samru
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1746 - 1836
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 53
In India
Among people born in India, Begum Samru ranks 1,059 out of 1,861. Before her are Ebrahim Alkazi (1925), Rajmohan Gandhi (1935), Kartik Aaryan (1990), Bappi Lahiri (1952), Arun Shourie (1941), and V. Shantaram (1901). After her are Tina Desai (1987), Nandini Satpathy (1931), Rajeshwari Chatterjee (1922), Anita Hassanandani (1981), Ramdev (1965), and Pankaj Udhas (1951).
Others born in India
Go to all RankingsEbrahim Alkazi
FILM DIRECTOR
1925 - 2020
HPI: 48.66
Rank: 1,053
Rajmohan Gandhi
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1935 - Present
HPI: 48.65
Rank: 1,054
Kartik Aaryan
ACTOR
1990 - Present
HPI: 48.62
Rank: 1,055
Bappi Lahiri
SINGER
1952 - 2022
HPI: 48.61
Rank: 1,056
Arun Shourie
POLITICIAN
1941 - Present
HPI: 48.61
Rank: 1,057
V. Shantaram
FILM DIRECTOR
1901 - 1990
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 1,058
Begum Samru
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1746 - 1836
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 1,059
Tina Desai
ACTOR
1987 - Present
HPI: 48.57
Rank: 1,060
Nandini Satpathy
POLITICIAN
1931 - 2006
HPI: 48.56
Rank: 1,061
Rajeshwari Chatterjee
ENGINEER
1922 - 2010
HPI: 48.53
Rank: 1,062
Anita Hassanandani
ACTOR
1981 - Present
HPI: 48.53
Rank: 1,063
Ramdev
PRESENTER
1965 - Present
HPI: 48.51
Rank: 1,064
Pankaj Udhas
SINGER
1951 - 2024
HPI: 48.49
Rank: 1,065
Among RELIGIOUS FIGURES In India
Among religious figures born in India, Begum Samru ranks 63. Before her are Mohan Bhagwat (1950), Mirza Tahir Ahmad (1928), Simon Pimenta (1920), Joseph Parecattil (1912), Ravi Zacharias (1946), and George Koovakad (1973).
Mohan Bhagwat
1950 - Present
HPI: 53.27
Rank: 57
Mirza Tahir Ahmad
1928 - 2003
HPI: 52.76
Rank: 58
Simon Pimenta
1920 - 2013
HPI: 52.25
Rank: 59
Joseph Parecattil
1912 - 1987
HPI: 51.04
Rank: 60
Ravi Zacharias
1946 - 2020
HPI: 50.99
Rank: 61
George Koovakad
1973 - Present
HPI: 49.37
Rank: 62
Begum Samru
1746 - 1836
HPI: 48.59
Rank: 63










































