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Revolt of 1857

The 1857 Revolt sowed the seeds of Indian nationalism, which lay dormant in the subconscious of the Indian people. It started the movement which was a continuous struggle against the British rule till 1947.

Causes of the Revolt

• Political Cause: Administrative policies of British created disaffection and discontent amongst all classes of people (ruling chiefs, royal families and masses). Policies like doctrine of lapse triggered violent response from ruling chiefs and masses alike.
• Economic Cause: The British damaged the Indian trade and manufacture by imposing a high tariff in Britain against Indian goods, and by encouraging all means the import of British goods to India. This caused huge drain of wealth which caused economic distress to masses and thereby anti-British sentiments were fuelled.
  • Social Causes: Many social initiatives like abolition of sati, allowing widow remarriage, increasing age of marriage, missionary activities, inculcating western education etc. was seen as religious interference by natives.
  • Military Cause :The Indian sepoys in the British Indian army nursed a sense of strong resentment at their low salary and poor prospects of promotion. Another important cause of the sepoys dissatisfaction was the order that abolished the foreign allowance or batta when they served in foreign territories.
  • Beginning of the Revolt
    • The 1857 Revolt was sparked off by the episode of the greased cartridges. The new Enfield rifle had been introduced for the first time in the Indian army. Its cartridges had a greased paper cover whose end had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle.
    • The grease was composed of fat taken from beef and pig. The religious feelings of the Hindu and Muslim sepoys were terribly wounded.
    • The sepoys believed that the government was deliberately trying to destroy their religious and cultural identity. Hence they raised the banner of revolt.
    • The events that led to the Revolt began on 29 March 1857 at Barrackpore. Mangal Pandey (a sepoy) refused to use the greased cartridges and single-handedly attacked and killed his officer. Mangal Pandey was hanged and his regiment was punished.
    • On May 10, 1858, sepoys in Meerut broke out in open re bellion, shot their officers, released their fellow sepoys and headed towards Delhi. Thereby starting the revolt.

    Important Leaders of the Revolt

    Delhi

    • The leadership at Delhi was nominally in the hands of Ba hadur Shah, but the real control was exercised by General Balcht Khan.
    • On the side of the British the combined effort of Nicholson, Wilson, Baird Smith and Neville Chamberlain enabled the recapture Delhi by September 1857.
    • In Delhi, Emperor Bahadur Shah II was arrested and de ported to Rangoon, where he remained in exile till he died in 1862.

    Kanpur

    • At Kanpur the revolt was led by Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Baji Rao II, the last Peshwa.
    • Nana Saheb via doctrine of lapse was disregarded as the successor of Baji Rao II and the next peshwa by British. Hence he revolted against the British.
    • Tantia Tope and Azimullah aided Nana Saheb in this fight against British.
    • Sir Hugh Wheeler the commander of the British garrison at Kanpur surrendered on the 27 June 1857. But soon Kanpur was recaptured by the British commander Sir Colin Campbell.

    Jhansi

    • Rani Laxmi Bai’s adopted son was not allowed to succeed the deceased King via doctrine of lapse.
    • Thus she revolted against the British.
      • Laxmi Bai was aided by Tantia Tope in her fight and they were successful in capturing Gwalior.
      • Sir Hugh Rose was responsible for bringing the rebellion in control in Jhansi and allied areas.
      • Laxmi Bai died on battlefield (17th June 1858) and Tantia
        Tope was captured and hanged on charges of treason.

      Lucknow

      • The revolt in Lucknow was led by Begum Hazrat Mahal (Begum of Awadh).
      • Henry Lawrence (chief commissioner) was killed, and Sir Colin Campbell supressed the revolt.

      Bihar

      • Kunwar Singh, a ruined and discontented zamindar of Jagdishpur near Oudh, was the chief organiser of the revolt in Bihar.
      • He fought the British in Bihar. Kunwar Singh sustained a fatal wound in the battle and died on 27 April 1858 at Jagdishpur.
      • Ultimately the 1857 Revolt came to an end with the vic tory of the British. Viceroy Canning proclaimed peace throughout India.