1. It was a land mark in Indian history. It was termed as first war
of Independence by Savarkar. But ridiculed as Sepoy Mutiny by
British as only a part of central India participated in it. Any way
it was starting point against British Rule. Had it succeeded, there
would has been a different chapter in the History of India.
2. Previous Mutinies – Bengal 1764, Vellore 1806, 47th Regiment 1824 and 34th, 22nd, 66 and 37 native infantry in 1844, 1849, 1850 and 1852.
3. Reasons for the Revolt- It can be divided into individual Reasons
and social, Economic, political and administrative Reasons
4. Individual Reasons
a) Grievance of Native Rulers – Doctrine of Lapse – Annexation of
Awadh abolition of titles. Successor of Bahadur Shah would be known
as princes.
b) Grievance of Sepoys – Para 2 above
c)Grievance of Orthodox and conservative
people – Domination of Christian missionary- abolition of Sati, widow
remarriage act, protection of converts from Hinduism 1856
d)Grievance of crafts man, peasants and Zamindars Village and
crap destroy, Zamindars affected by permanent settlement and strict
collection of Revenue
5. Economic Causes – Heavy Taxation Borrowed from Money lenders –
drain of wealth – Destruction ofvillage industries and crafts
manship and permanent settlement
b) Political Cause – Subsidiary Allowance, doctrine of lapse
c) Social Cause – Conversion, Sati, Widow Re-marriage
d) Administrative Cause: Corruption
6) Immediate cause – Introduction of New Enfield Rifle in
January 1867 with Greased Cartridge with fat of Cows and
Pigs – Sepoys of 19th N.I. at Berhampur disobey on 26.02.1957 and Mangal Pandey of 34 N.I. at Barakpur started it.
7. Courses of Revolt
a) Beginning 10.05.1957. Sepoy at Merut started – British tried to
control by declaring Bahadur Shah as Emperor of India – No effect –
Massacre of British Civil Military Officers.
b) Spread – to various Places as detailed below.
c)Centres, leaders and suppression
I. Delhi – Bahadur Shah II – Arrested and deported to Rangoon
II Kanpur – Nana sahib, Tantiatope – Killed at Gwaliar
III Lucknow – Begum of Awadh –
defeated Bihar - Kunwar Singh
IV Jansi – Rani Lakshmi Bai – She Captured Gwaliar – Lost later
8. Reasons for failure : a) Only Central region participated
b) Un Sympathetic attitude and Hostility of many native rulers seek
non participation by Bengal, Punjab, Bombay, Madras
c) Hostility of Money lenders and Merchants
e) Weakness of Revolters f)Strong British
9) Hindu Muslim unity factor – First time Witnessewd –Accepted
Bahadur Shah – Sentiment of Both respected – Ban on Cow slaughter
ordered – Both Hindu and Muslim were included in main positions .
Conclusion: It was not successful due to factors mentioned above – yet
it was starting point. It was more than Sepoy- Mutiny – Due to
these there was major transformation in British policy- Try divide and
rule by provoking Muslims. Above all company’s rules ended.
IMPORTANT WARS
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1) First Carnatic War- 1745-48-Austrian
War cause- Nawab ofCarnatic supported British but lost- Victory
forFrench- difference between Dupleix andLa Bourdaunaris- Treaty
of
Aix.La Chapple- Madras given back-Proved superiority of foreign army over Large local Army
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2) Second Carnatic War-1749-54-Originally
Dupleix,Chanda Sahib, and Nasir Jung joined and defeated Md Ali
in the battle of AMBUR..later Marathas, Tanjore and British
supported him and Capture ofArcot by Clive- French influence
restricted toHyderabad.
Treatyof Pondichery
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3) Thir CarnaticWar- 1758-63-Capture
of Chandernagore by Clive and more British army at Bengal- Battle
of Wandiwasi1760 and defeat of Lallyat Eyre Coteled- Treaty of
Paris- ended French ambitionin India.
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4)Battle of Plassey: 1757-Why Bengal-Siraj ud dowla and Mir jafar and Mir Kasim- Wanted to overthrow- Clive entered and defeated
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5) Battle of Buxar-1764 Mir Kasim shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Monghyer-Vansitrat andMir Kasim-Lost- Shah alam became puppet.
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6) Anglo Mysore War1 : 1767-69: Haider Ali+Nizam+French- Vs English- Hyder won- Treaty of madras
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7) Anglo Mysore –1780-84War2:Hyder+ Nizam+Marathas Hyder killed- Treaty ofMangalore-
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8) Third War: 1790-92-
TipuVsEnglish-Nizam and Marathas- Tipu lost- Treatyof
Seerangapattinam-Tipu helped Hindus- Temple- coin-Foreign embassy
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9) Fourth War: 1799-Tipu- Vs English- Tipu killed
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10) First Anglo maratha War: 1775-1782- Sawai Madhava Rao vs English with Ragnath Rao- Treaty of Salabi-20 yearspeace
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11) SecondAnglo Maratha War: 1803-05- Baji Rao II- Treaty of Bassein
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12) Third War- 1817-1818Lasr PeshwaNanaSahib dethroned and sent to Kanpur- satara captured by British
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13)First Anglo Sikh War-
1843-46-4 battles ended with Treaty of Lahore and Sikhs ceded
Jullundur to British- Treaty of Bhairowal- Duleep singh made King
by British
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14) Second Anglo sikh War: 1848-49- To suppress revolt of Mulraj- Annexation of Punjab in 1849- DuleepSingh pensioned off to England
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15) First Afghan War- 1839-42- Forward Policy of Lord Auckland
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16) Second War 1878-1880- Lytton’s Forwardpolicy led to the war
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17) Burmese Wars
a) First- 1824-26 b) Second- 1852 c) 1885- Lord dufferin.
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18) Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816)
over Nepal’s southward and Britain’s northward expansion in
India. Although the British defeated Nepal, they were so impressed
by the Gurkha fighters that they enticed them to enter the
British (and subsequently, Indian) army. The Gurkhas, known for
carrying razor-sharp curved knives called kukris,
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