All You Need To Know About Revolt Of 1857: How Indians Challenged The British

When the British East India Company refused to recognise Rani Lakshmi Bai's adopted son's claim to the throne, the queen of Jhansi took up arms. In 1853, following the death of her husband, Lakshmi Bai adopted a young relative as her heir. The British, enforcing the Doctrine of Lapse, refused to acknowledge the adoption and annexed Jhansi.

At a time when it was unusual for women to lead in battle, Rani Lakshmi Bai rode into combat on horseback with her eight-year-old son strapped to her back. She fought alongside Tatya Tope and Nana Saheb, participating in the 1857 uprising that became known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence.

East India Company

The East India Company began as a British trading company but gradually transformed into a political and military power, controlling vast regions of India. Its rule ended in 1858, when the British Crown took direct control following the revolt.

The Causes Of The Revolt

One of the major political triggers of the revolt came from Lord Dalhousie's enforcement of the Doctrine of Lapse. Under this policy, the British refused to recognise adopted heirs when an Indian ruler died without a natural successor and annexed the state into British territory.

Jhansi, Satara, Nagpur, and Awadh suffered directly from this rule. The annexation of Awadh hit particularly hard, leaving thousands of nobles, officials, retainers, and soldiers without livelihoods and turning a once-loyal region into a hotbed of discontent.

Traditional Indian society felt alarmed by the rapid spread of Western education and reform measures. Abolishing sati, legalising widow remarriage, and raising fears of forced Christian conversions threatened established customs. The British introduced innovations like railways and the telegraph, which, while practical for them, Indians perceived as tools of cultural intrusion.

Heavy land taxes and exploitative revenue collection angered peasants and zamindars. The influx of cheap British-manufactured goods undermined Indian handicrafts, especially textiles.

Indian sepoys, who formed the bulk of the East India Company's army, suffered inferior treatment compared with European soldiers. The British paid them less, stationed them far from home, and forced them to serve overseas under the General Service Enlistment Act of 1856. When the British introduced greased cartridges, rumoured to contain cow and pig fat, they immediately triggered rebellion, offending both Hindu and Muslim religious sentiments. 

Key Leaders Of The Revolt

• Rani Lakshmi Bai (Jhansi): Defended her kingdom with unmatched bravery, strapped her young son to her back in battle, and later joined Tatya Tope to capture Gwalior.
• Tatya Tope (Kanpur and Gwalior): Expert in guerrilla tactics, coordinated regional resistance.
• Nana Saheb (Kanpur): Led Kanpur uprising after being denied his pension; escaped British retaliation.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow): Declared her son the Nawab of Awadh and led the revolt in Lucknow.
• Kunwar Singh (Bihar): Led uprisings across Bihar and central India, inspiring local resistance.
• Bakht Khan (Delhi): Formed a Court of soldiers in Delhi and assumed real power during the revolt.

Major centres of the rebellion included Meerut, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, Gwalior, Bareilly, and Arrah.

The 1857 Revolt

The revolt began in Meerut on May 10, 1857, when sepoys refused to use the greased cartridges and marched to Delhi. There, they declared Bahadur Shah II to be the emperor. Subsequent uprisings spread across northern and central India, with local leaders taking command in their regions. Despite early successes, coordination among rebels was limited, and key regions like Punjab and the south remained loyal to the British.

Aftermath

The British responded with superior military force and brutal reprisals, eventually suppressing the revolt by mid-1858. Lord Canning officially declared peace on July 8, 1858.

The aftermath saw major political and military changes:

• End of East India Company Rule: India came under direct governance of the British Crown.
• Military Reorganisation: Indian regiments were restructured to prevent unity among soldiers.
• Policy Changes For Princely States: Annexation ended, allowing rulers to adopt heirs.
• Divide And Rule: British policies deepened divisions between communities, influencing Indian politics for decades.

The 1857 revolt, though unsuccessful in overthrowing British rule, lit a flame of resistance that later grew into the Indian independence movement.