Walter Reinhardt Sombre
Encyclopedia
Walter Reinhardt Sombre was an adventurer and mercenary in India
from the 1760s.
Sombre is thought to have been born in Strasbourg
or Treves
. His nationality is uncertain, being given in various sources as Austrian, French, German, Luxemburger, or Swiss. One version is that he was born in a village called Ort Simmern near Trier (Treves). There are still Reinhardts in the area.
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. His nickname 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 massacre of English captives at Patna
.
In The Fall of the Mogul Empire of Hindustan, H.G. Keene describes this massacre:
Later on, Walter Reinhardt formed his own mercenary army, in which Jats also served. In about 1767 he met and married (or started living with) a 14 year old Nautch
girl 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
.
Sombre died at Agra on 4 May 1778. He was buried in the Agra churchyard by his widow, Begum Samru. His widow took over his mercenary army and succeeded to the rule of Sardhana.
A modern novelist, Mr Vikram Chandra
, has used the character of Sumroo in his book "Red Earth and Pouring Rain". In this book, fiction intermingles with history and myth. The dramatis personae include the historical adventurers, the Frenchman Benoit de Boigne
(1751–1830), the German Walter Reinhardt (1720–1778) and the Irishman George Thomas
(1756–1802).
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from the 1760s.
Sombre is thought to have been born in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
or Treves
Trèves
-France:Trèves is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Trèves, in the Rhône department* Trèves, in the Gard department* Trèves, former commune of the Maine-et-Loire department, now part of Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault...
. His nationality is uncertain, being given in various sources as Austrian, French, German, Luxemburger, or Swiss. One version is that he was born in a village called Ort Simmern near Trier (Treves). There are still Reinhardts in the area.
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. His nickname 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
Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim was Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1764. He was installed as Nawab by the British East India Company replacing Mir Jafar, his father-in-law, who had himself been installed by the British after his role in the Battle of Plassey...
, Nawab of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
. While in the Nawab's service he was blamed for a massacre of English captives at Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
.
In The Fall of the Mogul Empire of Hindustan, H.G. Keene describes this massacre:
- In the meanwhile the unscrupulous heroes who were founding the British Government of India had thought proper to quarrel with their new instrument Mir Kasim, whom they had so lately raised to the Masnad of Bengal. This change in their councils had been caused by an insubordinate letter addressed to the Court of Directors by Clive's party, which had led to their dismissal from employ. The opposition then raised to power consisted of all the more corrupt members of the service; and the immediate cause of their rupture with Mir Kasim was about the monopoly they desired to have of the local trade for their own private advantage. They were represented at that Nawab's Court by Mr. Ellis, the most violent of their body; and the consequence of his proceedings was, in no long time, seen in the murder of the Resident and all his followers, in October, 1763. The scene of this atrocity (which remained without a parallel for nearly a century) was at Patna, which was then threatened and soon after stormed by the British; and the actual instrument was a Franco-German, Walter Reinhardt by name, of whom, as we are to hear much more hereafter, it is as well here to take note. This European executioner of Asiatic barbarity is generally believed to have been a native of Treves, in the Duchy of Luxemburg, who came to India as a sailor in the French navy. From this service he is said to have deserted to the British, and joined the first European battalion raised in Bengal. Thence deserting he once more entered the French service; was sent with a party who vainly attempted to relieve Chandarnagar, and was one of the small party who followed Law when that officer took command of those, who refused to share in the surrender of the place to the British. After the capture of his ill-starred chief, Reinhardt (whom we shall in future designate by his Indian sobriquet of "Sumroo," or Sombre) took service under Gregory, or Gurjin Khan, Mir Kasim's Armenian General. Broome, however, adopts a somewhat different version. According to this usually careful and accurate historian, Reinhardt was a Salzburg man who originally came to India in the British service, and deserted to the French at Madras, whence he was sent by Lally to strengthen the garrison of the Bengal settlement. The details are not very material: Sumroo had certainly learned war both in English and French schools. He again deserted from the Newab, served successively the Principal Chiefs of the time, and died in 1776.
Later on, Walter Reinhardt formed his own mercenary army, in which Jats also served. In about 1767 he met and married (or started living with) a 14 year old Nautch
Nautch
In North India, Nautch is one of several styles of popular dance, performed by girls known as "Nautch girls". The word Nautch is an anglicized version of नाच , a word found in Hindi and Urdu , and several other languages of North India, derived from the Sanskrit, Nritya, via the Prakrit, Nachcha...
girl named Farzana, who became known as Begum Samru. Sumroo moved from Lucknow to Rohilkhand (near Bareilly), then to Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, Deeg and Bharatpur and back to the Doab. At one time, he was Governor of Agra. He attained a position from Shah Alam II
Shah Alam II
Shah Alam II , also known as Ali Gauhar, was a Mughal emperor of India. A son of Alamgir II, he was exiled to Allahabad in December 1759 by Ghazi-ud-Din, who appointed Shah Jahan III as the emperor. Later, he was nominated as the emperor by Ahmad Shah.Shah Alam II was considered the only and...
, briefly held before his death, ruling Sardhana
Sardhana
Sardhana is a town and a municipal board in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located northeast of New Delhi, and 13 mi from Meerut...
.
Sombre died at Agra on 4 May 1778. He was buried in the Agra churchyard by his widow, Begum Samru. His widow took over his mercenary army and succeeded to the rule of Sardhana.
A modern novelist, Mr Vikram Chandra
Vikram Chandra
Vikram Chandra is an Indian writer. His first novel, Red Earth and Pouring Rain, won the 1996 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, Best First Book....
, has used the character of Sumroo in his book "Red Earth and Pouring Rain". In this book, fiction intermingles with history and myth. The dramatis personae include the historical adventurers, the Frenchman Benoit de Boigne
Benoît de Boigne
Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...
(1751–1830), the German Walter Reinhardt (1720–1778) and the Irishman George Thomas
George Thomas (soldier)
George Thomas was an Irish mercenary who was active in 18th century India. In the 1790s he was the most successful general in India.-Biography:...
(1756–1802).