LUCKNOW or Lakbnau, the capital city of the province of Oudh, situated on both banks of the river Gumti, in lat. 26° 51' 40" N., and long. 80° 58' 10" E. Area, 13 square miles; population in 1881, 261,303 persons. Lucknow was not, by the most probable accounts, founded before the time of raja Jye-chand of Kanouj, the downfall of whose kingdom, at the hands of Shahab-ud-Din iu A.D. 1194, saw the last of the Hindu dynasties of Northern India. Owners of the Oudh country, before the early Rajput and Muham madan settlers, were tribes of Bhai, Arakh, and Pasi. At present the non-Hindu Pasi, Chamar, are numerous; other tribes being Ahir, Brahman, Kshatriya, Kaeh'hi, Kurmi, and Lodha, with Muhammadans. The Hindus form by far the greatest portion of the agricultural classes. Saadat Khan, founder of the last Ondh kingdom, began life as a Persian merchant of Naishapur, and ended it as the greatest warrior of his age, except perhaps Ahmad Shah. He became subabdar of Oudh in A.D. 1732. Before his death he had made Oudh practically an independent principality. Even in his old age he retained his personal strength and his military skill ; and his Hindu foes recorded with awe how he slew in single combat Bhagwant Singh Khichi, and how his troops, when almost beaten, rushed again to the conflict where the long white beard of their chief led the van of the battle.
Ghazi-ud-Din Hyder, son of Saadat Ali Khan (1814), was the first of his line who bore the name of padshah or king. For a hundred years, until the middle of the 19th century, it was the capital of a great Muhammadan kingdom. It was then assumed by the British ; but it is still the centre of modern Indian life, the leading city of native fashion, and the chief school of Indian music, grammar, and Musalman theology. It was taken by the Indian rebels in 1857. It was entered on the 25th August 1857 by Generals Have lock and Outran, and was relieved by General Havelock on the 25th September 1857. The second relief of Lucknow was effected by Sir Colin Campbell on the 17th November 1857 ; its final capture occurred on the 19th March 1858. Lucknow was so named by Rama, in compliment to his brother Lakshman. The most remarkable objects are the Iniambara in the eastern Gothic style, erected to the memory of Asof-ud-Dowla. It consists of buildings of great extent, in two courts ; in the inner is the tomb of the founder, on which are placed his turband and sword ; the Rumi Darwazah or Constantinople gate ; the tomb of Nawab Saadat Ali ; the tomb of general Claude Martine ; the palace called Dil Kusha.