(1)AGRA'S MARBLE HAS SUCH AN OVER-WHELMING PRESENCE THAT OTHER MONUMENTS IN THE TOWN HAVE BEEN RELEGATED TO OBLIVION. AMONGST SUCH 60-ODD MONUMENTS IN THE TOWN,THR RED TAJ IS MOST ELEGENT AND RELATIVELY WELL PRESERVED. THE TOMB IN THE RED SANDSTONE WAS BUILT BY ANN HESSING,WIDOW OF A DUTCH OFFICER,COLONEL JOHN HESSING,AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1803.
(2)IN 18TH CENTURY ,DURING THE PERIOD OF EXPANSION OF THE EUROPEONS POWERS IN THE EAST,A NUMBER OF EUROPEANS MERCENARIES CAME TO INDIA.IN THE COURSE OF TIME THEY GERW INCREASINGLY POWERFULL AND PLAYED AN IMPORTENT ROLE IN THE NEW POWER STRUGGLE. THEY CONQUERED KINGDOMS,OVERTURNED PRINCES AND RULED PROVINCES. A LONG LIST OF SUCH MILITARY ADVENTURERS CAN BE DRAWN ,THOGH THEIR NAMES ARE,BUT AS INDISDTINCT ITEMS ON A LONG FORGOTTEN SCRAWL.
(3)ONE OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS MERCENARIES OF THOSE HEADY DAYS OF ADVENTURE AND CONQUEST WAS JOHN WILLIAM HESSING.HE WAS BORN IN UTRECHT IN 1739,ENTERED THE MILITARY SERVICE OG THE V.O.C AT AN EARLY AGE OF 13 AND ARRIVED IN CEYLON IN 1752.FIVE YEARS LATER,HESSING RETURNED TO NETHERLANDS . BUT AFTER A DECADE ,HE RETURNED TO THE EAST.
(4)POSSIBLY AS A RESULT OF THE FOURTH ANGLO-DUTCH WAR,BY WHICH IN 1781 THE BRITISH OCCUPIED THE DUTCH SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA. HESSING AS DID MANY OF HIS CLAN,TOOK REFUGE WITH THE LOCAL RULERS AND WARLORDS AND ENTERED INTO MILITARY SERVICE WITH THEM.HE TOOK PART IN SEVERAL BATTLES. HE ACCOMPANIED MAHADAJI TO POONA IN JUNE1792.DURING THEIR STAY IN POONA,MAHADAJI DIED IN 1794.
(5)HESSING APPOINTED COMMANDER OF AGRA FORT. HE HELD TILL HIS DEATH.ANNE WAS DEVASTATED WITH GRIEF .SHE ALONG WITH HER SON AND DAUGHTER PAID TRIBUTE AND GOT A GRAND TOMB FOR HER HUSBAND.SHE WAS INSPIRED BY TAJ AND SO PLANNED A SIMILAR STRUCTURE.THE WHIITE MAUSOLEUM OF SHSH JAHAN FOR MUMTAJ OVER SHADOWS ALL THE TOMBS IN THE WORLD,BUT THE 'RED TAJ' IS ALSO A MONUMENT OG SUBLIME LOVE OF A DISCONSOLATE SPOUSE.THE TOMB IS SUCH A AMALLER PROJECT ON MUCH REDUCED SCALE AND SOME-VERY COMPLICATED AND COSTLY.
(2)IN 18TH CENTURY ,DURING THE PERIOD OF EXPANSION OF THE EUROPEONS POWERS IN THE EAST,A NUMBER OF EUROPEANS MERCENARIES CAME TO INDIA.IN THE COURSE OF TIME THEY GERW INCREASINGLY POWERFULL AND PLAYED AN IMPORTENT ROLE IN THE NEW POWER STRUGGLE. THEY CONQUERED KINGDOMS,OVERTURNED PRINCES AND RULED PROVINCES. A LONG LIST OF SUCH MILITARY ADVENTURERS CAN BE DRAWN ,THOGH THEIR NAMES ARE,BUT AS INDISDTINCT ITEMS ON A LONG FORGOTTEN SCRAWL.
(3)ONE OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS MERCENARIES OF THOSE HEADY DAYS OF ADVENTURE AND CONQUEST WAS JOHN WILLIAM HESSING.HE WAS BORN IN UTRECHT IN 1739,ENTERED THE MILITARY SERVICE OG THE V.O.C AT AN EARLY AGE OF 13 AND ARRIVED IN CEYLON IN 1752.FIVE YEARS LATER,HESSING RETURNED TO NETHERLANDS . BUT AFTER A DECADE ,HE RETURNED TO THE EAST.
(4)POSSIBLY AS A RESULT OF THE FOURTH ANGLO-DUTCH WAR,BY WHICH IN 1781 THE BRITISH OCCUPIED THE DUTCH SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA. HESSING AS DID MANY OF HIS CLAN,TOOK REFUGE WITH THE LOCAL RULERS AND WARLORDS AND ENTERED INTO MILITARY SERVICE WITH THEM.HE TOOK PART IN SEVERAL BATTLES. HE ACCOMPANIED MAHADAJI TO POONA IN JUNE1792.DURING THEIR STAY IN POONA,MAHADAJI DIED IN 1794.
(5)HESSING APPOINTED COMMANDER OF AGRA FORT. HE HELD TILL HIS DEATH.ANNE WAS DEVASTATED WITH GRIEF .SHE ALONG WITH HER SON AND DAUGHTER PAID TRIBUTE AND GOT A GRAND TOMB FOR HER HUSBAND.SHE WAS INSPIRED BY TAJ AND SO PLANNED A SIMILAR STRUCTURE.THE WHIITE MAUSOLEUM OF SHSH JAHAN FOR MUMTAJ OVER SHADOWS ALL THE TOMBS IN THE WORLD,BUT THE 'RED TAJ' IS ALSO A MONUMENT OG SUBLIME LOVE OF A DISCONSOLATE SPOUSE.THE TOMB IS SUCH A AMALLER PROJECT ON MUCH REDUCED SCALE AND SOME-VERY COMPLICATED AND COSTLY.
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