Begum Hazrat Mahal (Urdu: بیگم حضرت محل‎; c. 1820 – 7 April 1879), also known as Begum of Awadh, was the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. She rebelled against the British East India Company during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After her husband had been exiled to Calcutta, she took charge of the affairs in the state of Awadh and seized control of Lucknow.