Home > Indian History > History of India > Lord Mountbatten
Lord Mountbatten
Lord Mountbatten, was the last Viceroy of British Indian Empire and the first Governor General of independent India.

Share this Article:

Lord Mountbatten, last Viceroy of British Indian EmpireLord Mountbatten, the British admiral and statesman, formerly known as Louis of Battenberg was deemed to be the person without whom independence in India would not have come so early. Lord Mountbatten, youngest child and second son to Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, was born on 25th June in 1900 in Frogmore House, Windsor in England. The Battenberg family had to drop their title from Battenberg to Mountbatten due to the anti German feelings in Britain during the First World War in 1917. Mountbatten`s maternal grandparents were Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, the daughter to Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha. His paternal grandparents were Prince Alexander of Hesse and Princess Julia of Battenberg. As his paternal grandparents` marriage was morganic, Lord Mountbatten and his father were styled "Serene Highness" rather than "Royal Highness" and were given the title "Battenberg". Jord Mountbatten had two sisters and one brother. His sisters were Prince Andrew of Greece, mother to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Louise of Sweeden and brother was George Mountbatten, the second Marquess of Milford Heaven.

Lord Mounbatten had his primary education in Lockers Park Prep School and then was admitted in Osborne and Datramouth Royal Naval College and he studied there from 1913 to 1916. After his marriage to Edwina Ashley on 18th July 1922, he came into the ownership of Classiebawn and its estate which were passed down to him from his wife`s family, Palmerston. Lady Mountbatten and Louis Mauntbatten had two daughters: Lady Patricia Edwina Victoria,born on 14th February 1924 ,was Countess Mountbatten of Burma and Lady Brabourne and Lady Pamela Carmen Louise who became Mrs.David Hicks after marriage, was born on 19th April 1929. Lady Mountbatten was in good terms with Indian Prime Miniseter, Jawaharlal Neheru. Lady Mountbatten died at the age of fifty eight on 21st February,1960 in Jesselton( modern Kota Kinabalu), North Borneo(modern Malaysian state of Sabah) .

During the First World War, Lord Mountbatten served on board Lion and Elizabeth. In the Second World War he commanded the fifth destroyer Flotilla . He was the captain of the destroyer Kelly which sunk off Crete on 23rd May in 1940 with the demise of one hundred thirty lives. He remained the Supreme Allied Commander in South East Asia. After the war he was appointed the Viceroy of India. Lord Mountbatten was popular as Lord Louis among the British people. In recognition of his service in the Far East he earned the epithet of "Earl Mountbatten". In early May 1940, a British convoy was led by Mountbatten to evacuate the Allied forces participating in the Namsos Campaign. In the same year, he invented the Mountbatten Pink naval camouflage pigment. In August 1941, Mountbatten was appointed the captain of HMS Illustrious of Norfolk, Virginia. He also visited to Pearl Harbour where the lack of co-operation and unity between the US Navy and US Army disturbed his mind. On 27th October 1941, Lord Mountbatten was appointed as the head of Combined Operations Command by Winston Churchill. In August 1942, he launched a series of commando raids in addition to the disastrous Dieppe Raid which was considered to be a massive disaster, causing wounds to a huge number of people, the majority of them being Canadians. Though he became a controversial figure in Canada, a Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Crops (RCSCC#134 Admiral Mountbatten in Sudbury, Ontario) was named after him in 1946. Mountbatten was promoted to vice admiral by Churchill. In October 1943, Mountbatten was designated as the head of the South East Asia Command (SEAC). He established an elaborate headquarter in the Royal Palace at Kandy, Sri Lanka. Later He directed the liberation of Burma and Singapore. In 1945, Lord Mountbatten was the first to accept the Japanese surrender. In 1947, Mountbatten, replacing Lord Wavell, was selected the Viceroy of India by Clement Attlee.

After independence, the title "Viceroy" was replaced by "Governor General" and Lord Mountbatten happened to be the first Governor General of independent India. Lord Mountbatten was selected the First Sea Lord and served from the year 1955 to 1959 and remained Chief Defence Staff from 1959 to 1965. In 1967, Mountbatten attended a private meeting with MI5 agent Cecil King and the Government`s Chief Scientific adviser, Solly Zuckerman. Mountbatten was designated the President of the United World Colleges Organisation. He, being the President of United World Colleges Organisation, encouraged the heads , politicians as well as the world to share his interest. Mountbatten`s personal involvement gave rise to the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore in 1971 and in 1974 UWC was established in Canada. In 1978, Lord Mountbatten`s presidency was passed down to his nephew HRH The Prince of Wales.

Lord Mountbatten used to share an amicable relationship with Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. Mountbatten`s first proposed solution for the Indian subcontinent which is known as the "May Plan", was rejected by Jawaharlal Nehru considering the fact that it may cause the "balkanization of India". In 1974, Mountbatten was designated as the first Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight.

Lord Mountbatten was assassinated on 27th August,1979 by IRA, members of terrorist organization by a bomb weighed fifty pound. Mountbatten`s family members were also killed in this mishap. Nicholas Knatchbull, Mountbattel`s elder daughter`s fourteen years old son and Baroness Brabourne, his elder daughter`s eighty three year old mother -in -law who were severely injured and died on the next day. Nicholas Knatchbull`s parents and their son Timonthy survived but the explosion caused them severe injury.

Mountbatten`s grave is at Romsey Abbey where he was buried. The President of Ireland, Patrick Hillary and the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch attended in St. Patrick`s Cathedral in Dublin in remembrance of Mountbatten.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.