A charismatic and authoritarian figure, Nicholson's life and controversial exploits have created a polarized legacy with contemporary descriptions of Nicholson ranging from him being the man who was crucial in suppressing the Indian Rebellion to him being an "imperial psychopath". However, Nicholson was certainly a man of his time whose stern but fair governance gained him both fear and respect in equal measure from the various groups of people who lived under his rule. His imposing physical appearance and noted deeds of valor and violence created an almost mythical status and even religious worship among the numerous tribes of the North-West Frontier whom Nicholson brought into the British Empire.