Reasons for outbreak of mutiny

Doctrine of Lapse – Lord Dalhouse

• If an Indian prince died with no legitimate near, the adopted children could not inherit the region woul be annexed by the EIC.
  Eg – Oudh

Cartridge Crisis – Lee Enfield – allegedly greased with pig and cow fat

• Sepoys allegedly overed to bite them to open them – against the two main religions.

Westernisation polices – Lord Bentnick – erode Indian culture

• Outlawing of Sati and polygamy
• Christian mission schools
• Land lord system
• Disruption tot he caote system

Information:

• Inbalance in army numbers – smaller ratio of British soldiers than sepoys – risky
• Cuts to sepoys wages
• Key person: Mangal Pandey
• protested in bengal
• catalyst for mutiny
• Delhi – Weapons store – ammunition, artellery guns
• Mughal empire
• Bahadur Shah – last descendant oft he Mughal dynasty
• Cawnpore – shocked the public in Britain
• influenced attitudes towards Indian population
• widely reported on – Pall Mall Gazette

KEY EVENTS

1. Febuary 1857: Sepoys refuse rifle practice
2. Meerut – Mangal Pandey protests and is hanged
3. Delhi – rebels marcht o here: large arsenal and the old capital
4. Cawnpore – Nana sahib and the murder of women and children at the bibighar
5. Luckynow – needed two relief efforts

1.Disrespect shown towards indian culture / Doctrine Lapse
2.Cutting the wages of army
3.Evolution from „Brown Bess“ musket to Lee Enfield

4.Westernisation
5.Terms of serviece for military
6.Christanization
7.A olution of the Brown bess musket
8.Doctrine of Lapse
Rebelling states are not unfied and only a small proportion

The Aftermath: British reactions

• Some regiments had a ’no prisoners’ policy
• Harsh punishments for mutineers: hanging and being blown by cannon
• The British press: demanded no clemency be given tot he rebels
• The Indian rebels suffered the heaviest losses (100.000)
• Bahadur Shah – tried at a military court in Delhi and was exiled
• Queen Victoria – takes the title of Empress of India in 1877
• The mutiny sees the end oft he East India Company’s rule in India

How serious was the rebellion for the EIC’s rule in India?

• Death toll of Indians versus Britains
• 1858 – Government of India Act
• ultimately dissolve company rules
• Not all states joined the rebellion – largeley confired tot he North
• Rebels were able to take Delhi

1858 – Government of India Act

• Transfers all of the EIC’s power, property and possession to the British Crown
• Promise of “Equality of oppertunity“with the British
• Creation of a secretary of state for India – marking the importance of India
• Government General – victory

Military changes:

• Sepoys should no longer use artillery
• Sepoy units – supervised by a British battalion
• 2 Sepoy units: 1 British
• Greater british troop numbers – address the imbalance

Another key Person during this period of time was Charles Canning – Viceroy

The British Rule in India: an assessment

• Empire was nearly destroyed by the Munity a great rebellion in 1857.
  o disagree
  o mutiny only affected minor part of India
  o British death toll = small
  o (great rebellion) not the whole of India – many states remained loyal
  o Government of India for maintained India
  o Agree (Influence on other parts of Empire) why British send so many troops to deal?
• “Result of complex and multiple causes”
  o Agree
  o Westernisation Carbridge Crisis
  o Doctrine of Lapse (Nana Sahits)
• “In north and central India”
  o See map of the affected areas
• “Rebels commited acts of great brutality and were repressed in equally brutal ways”
  o Cawnpore and the suppression of the revolt punishments committed by the army eg- hanging and the cannons

What is an Empire?
A group of nations or peoples, ruled over by a single sovereign or government
What is a colony?
An area directly ruled by a governor on behalf of the British government and representing the crown
What other types of territories were there?

• Company rule
• Protectorates
• Dominions
• Mandates