The Revolt of 1857

Revolt of 1857 — one glance in

First War of Independence | 100 years after Plassey's

1757 → Battle of Plassey → British stronger while. exactly 100 years after, 1857 in most major revolt.

Governor-General: Lord Canning (after in first Viceroy became).

British PM: Lord Palmerston (Liberal Party).

Revolt's Timeline

29 Mar

Mangal Pandey
Barrackpore

8 Apr

Mangal Pandey
hanged

10 May

Meerut
beginning

11 May

Delhi
Zafar Emperor

5 Jun

Kanpur
Nana Saheb

Jun 1857

Jhansi
Laxmibai

20 Jun 1858

Gwalior
Revolt ends

Government of India Act, 1858 — Result

East India Company's rule ended.

British Crown (Queen Victoria) supreme authority was formed.

Governor-General → Viceroy became. Lord Canning = 1st Viceroy of India.

Political Causes

Doctrine of Lapse (Lord Dalhousie): son not → state British le taking. Satara (1848), Sambalpur (1849), Jhansi (1853).
Subsidiary Alliance under Lord Wellesley: Indian rulers had to maintain a British army and follow British wishes.

Economic Causes

Permanent Settlement: High land revenue demands impoverished the peasants.
Ryotwari System: directly peasants from tax → burden more.
Mahalwari System: villages with tax settlement → then also distressed.

Social Causes

Christian missionaries were very active, creating a fear that the entire population would be converted to Christianity.
Racial discrimination: The British treated Indians badly.
Social reforms: Measures against Sati, child marriage and female infanticide offended orthodox sections of society.

Immediate Cause

Enfield Rifle arrived — cartridge mouth from bite had to was.
Rumour: Cartridge in Cow fat (Hindu for sin) + Pig fat (Muslim for haram).
sepoys very angry arrived in → Spark of Revolt.

Doctrine of Lapse = Dalhousie Subsidiary Alliance = Wellesley Enfield Rifle = immediate cause Jhansi 1853 = Doctrine of Lapse

Data Correction: in the PDF "Lt. Baugh and Major Hudson" wrote was — verified source according to correct names are Lt. Baugh and Sergeant-Major Hewson. "Hudson" incorrect was, "Hewson" correct is.

Mangal Pandey — first Hero

29 March 1857 | Barrackpore

Regiment: 34th Native Infantry (Bengal)

Location: Barrackpore

Date: 29 March 1857

Action: He refused to use the greased cartridges and attacked British officers Lieutenant Baugh and Sergeant-Major Hewson.

Slogan: "Maro British "

execution (Hanged): 8 April 1857

29 Mar 1857 — Attack 8 Apr 1857 — Hanged 34th Native Infantry "Maro British "

Actual beginning — from Meerut

10 May 1857

Date: 10 May 1857

20th Native Infantry + 3rd Cavalry's soldiers refused to use the greased cartridges.

Jail broke open, British officers on attack.

Naara: "Chalo Delhi"

Delhi — 11 May 1857

Bahadur Shah Zafar — Emperor of India proclaimed

11 May 1857 — The rebels reached Delhi.

Bahadur Shah Zafar Emperor of India (Shahenshah-e-Hindustan) proclaimed.

Real Command: General Bakht Khan assumed.

After suppressing the revolt, the British exiled Bahadur Shah Zafar to Rangoon in Burma.

All Centres of the Revolt — Complete List

Delhi

Bahadur Shah Zafar + Bakht Khan

British: John Nicholson (died), Hudson

Zafar = Emperor. Later exiled to Rangoon. Started: 11 May 1857.

Lucknow

Begum Hazrat Mahal + Birjis Qadr

British: Colin Campbell, Henry Lawrence

Begum Hazrat Mahal Nepal fled. Started: 4 June 1857.

Kanpur

Nana Saheb + Tantia Tope

British: Colin Campbell, Havelock

Nana Saheb I leader. Tantia Tope guerrilla war fought continued. Started: 5 June 1857.

Jhansi

Rani Laxmibai

British: Hugh Rose

Hugh Rose said: "The only man among rebels." Started: June 1857.

Bareilly

Khan Bahadur Khan

British: Vincent Eyre / Campbell

Rohilkhand region's leader.

Arrah (Jagdishpur)

Kunwar Singh

British: William Taylor + Vincent Eyre

Bihar's hero. Oldest leader (~80 years) but bravest! Started: August 1857.

Allahabad (Prayagraj)

Liaquat Ali

British: Colonel Neill

Started: June 1857.

Fatehpur

Azimullah Khan

British: General Renard

Started in 1857.

Faizabad (Ayodhya)

Maulvi Ahmadullah

British: Campbell

He declared a jihad.

Gwalior

Tantia Tope

—

Revolt ended here — 20 June 1858.

Sambalpur (Odisha)

Surendra Shahi + Ujjwal Shahi

—

Odisha in revolt.

Assam

Diwan Maniram Dutta

—

Northeast in revolt.

Revolt Fail why occurred?

4 Major Reasons

1. Limited Geographical Spread: South India and Punjab remained peaceful — revolt only North in India more was.

2. Limited Social Base: Educated middle class, rich merchants, and zamindars did not support.

3. Lack of Central Leadership: any one strong leader not was — Bahadur Shah Zafar weak the, only symbolic figure the.

4. Poor Resources: British with better guns, telegraph and railways the → communication + logistics advantage.

South India + Punjab = remained peaceful No central leader British: telegraph + railways = advantage Middle class + zamindars = did not support

Historians & Their Opinions — Key Facts to Remember

V.D. Savarkar

"The Indian War of Independence, 1857"

before person who it War of Independence said.

S.N. Sen

"Eighteen Fifty-Seven"

Official Government Historian was.

R.C. Majumdar

"The Sepoy Mutiny and the Revolt of 1857"

Bola: "Neither first, nor national, nor war of independence."

Ashok Mehta

"The Great Rebellion"

it "Great Rebellion" said.

Disraeli

(British MP)

said: "A National Revolt."

T.R. Holmes

—

said: "A Conflict between Civilisation and Barbarism."

John Lawrence & Seeley

"Sepoy Mutiny"

said: "A complete Sepoy Mutiny."

Savarkar = 1st to say War of Independence Majumdar = "Neither first nor national" Disraeli = "National Revolt" (British MP) S.N. Sen = Official Govt Historian

Governance After the Revolt — 1858 Changes

Government of India Act, 1858 passed.

The East India Company's rule, which had existed since 1600, ended.

British Crown (Queen Victoria) supreme authority became.

The designation of Governor-General was changed to Viceroy.

Lord Canning = First Viceroy of India.

EIC rule end — 1858 Queen Victoria = supreme authority Governor-General → Viceroy Lord Canning = 1st Viceroy

Trap #1 — Mangal Pandey whom killed?

correct name: Lt. Baugh and Sergeant-Major Hewson. in the PDF "Major Hudson" was — this incorrect is. Hewson correct is. Verified sources from confirm is.

Trap #2 — Revolt when began?

Mangal Pandey incident: 29 March 1857 at Barrackpore. The revolt formally began on 10 May at Meerut, and the rebels reached Delhi on 11 May. These are three different dates.

Trap #3 — Real command in Delhi who was?

Bahadur Shah Zafar only symbolic leader was. Real military command = General Bakht Khan. They are different.

Trap #4 — Do not confuse the historians' interpretations

Savarkar = "War of Independence" (before) R.C. Majumdar = "Neither first, nor national, nor war of independence" Disraeli = "National Revolt" (British MP was!) T.R. Holmes = "Civilisation vs Barbarism"

Trap #5 — Jhansi waali quote

British commander Hugh Rose described Rani Lakshmibai as "the only man among the rebels". This exact attribution is frequently asked in examinations.

Trap #6 — Kunwar Singh's age

Kunwar Singh (Arrah/Jagdishpur) — Bihar's hero — ~80 years's the when revolt in fought. Oldest rebel leader. This fact very is frequently asked.

Trap #7 — Revolt when ended?

Revolt start: 10 May 1857 (Meerut). Revolt end: 20 June 1858 (Gwalior). Government of India Act: 1858. Lord Canning = Governor-General during revolt + 1st Viceroy after.

Trap #8 — Doctrine of Lapse states

In exams examples are frequently asked: Satara (1848), Sambalpur (1849), Jhansi (1853). Jhansi most famous is — Rani Laxmibai's connection because was.