Abbakka, Chowta

queen of Ullal, fought the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century. She belonged to the Chowta dynasty that ruled over parts of coastal Karnataka. The Portuguese made several attempts to capture Ullal, a prosperous port and a hub of the spice trade to Arabia and other countries in the west, but Abbakka repulsed each of their attacks for over four decades. For her bravery, she came to be known as thefearless queen. Partly as a result of her husband’s treachery, Abbakka lost the war against the Portuguese in the end. She was arrested and jailed. However, even in prison she revolted and she died fighting. Abbakka was one of the earliest Indians to fight colonial powers. She is sometimes regarded as the ‘first woman freedom fighter of India’.