Khyati Rajvanshi

Oct 7, 2023 | indianexpress.com | Khyati Rajvanshi

In the wake of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, a surge of patriotic fervour swept across the United Kingdom. Surviving participants, particularly the officers, returned home in October 1879 to a hero’s welcome and their first stop was Windsor Castle, where they had the honour of meeting Queen Victoria herself. But their journey didn’t end there. The officers continued to Portsmouth, the home of their regiment, where they met with the talented artist Elizabeth Thompson also known as Ladu Butler.

Sep 30, 2023 | indianexpress.com | Khyati Rajvanshi

The pages of history are often marked by moments of fierce struggle, where courage and determination collide on extensive stretches. One such monumental event inscribed in maritime history is the Battle of Camperdown. On that fateful day of October 11, 1797, a maritime showdown unfolded off the Dutch coast. Admiral Adam Duncan led the brave British North Sea Fleet, facing off against Vice-Admiral Jan de Winter’s Batavian Navy, forming a climactic chapter during the French Revolutionary Wars.

Sep 23, 2023 | indianexpress.com | Khyati Rajvanshi

In 1783, John Singleton Copley completed a powerful painting titled “The Passing of Major Peirson on 6th January 1781.” This renowned artwork captures a significant event during the January 1781 invasion of Jersey by American-allied French soldiers, and the heroic defence led by the young Major Francis Peirson. The battle unfolds with intricate detail, depicting the streets of Jersey as the backdrop, while women and children seek safety on the city’s outskirts.

Sep 16, 2023 | indianexpress.com | Khyati Rajvanshi

Amid the Hundred Years’ War, a historic battle was fought that would go on to become one of the most famous clashes in history – the Battle of Agincourt, which has been immortalised by none other than the great playwright, William Shakespeare, in his iconic play, Henry V. A young and ambitious ruler, Henry V, who ascended the throne of England in 1413, had his sights set on a grand invasion of France.

Sep 9, 2023 | indianexpress.com | Khyati Rajvanshi

As a witness to this radical change, in this painting, one can see the historic moment when the Bastille in Paris fell on the morning of 14 July 1789. Despite housing only a few prisoners at the time, the building held great significance as a symbol of French absolutism. Its fall represented a wider attack on the oppressive French state. During that eventful summer, a National Assembly gathered to discuss a new constitution, composed of commoners and supporters.