📌 Topic 01 of 6 · Chapter 14 · Indian National Movement (1857–1920)
Revolt of 1857 — First War of Independence
Causes (political, economic, military, social), events (Meerut, Delhi, Lucknow, Jhansi), suppression and aftermath.
📖 Nature of the 1857 Revolt
The Revolt of 1857 is variously described as:
- “Sepoy Mutiny” — British view (Sir John Lawrence, Sir John Seeley)
- “First War of Independence” — V.D. Savarkar’s view (1909)
- “Feudal revolt” — R.C. Majumdar’s view
- Most historians today see it as a complex event — partly military mutiny, partly popular uprising, partly feudal reaction
⚔️ Causes of the 1857 Revolt
| Category | Causes |
|---|---|
| Political | Doctrine of Lapse; annexation of Awadh (1856); Subsidiary Alliance; humiliation of Indian rulers; Bahadur Shah Zafar’s pension reduced |
| Economic | Drain of wealth; deindustrialisation; heavy taxation; destruction of Indian industries; peasant indebtedness |
| Social/Religious | Fear of forced conversion; interference in social customs (Widow Remarriage Act, Sati abolition); missionary activities; General Service Enlistment Act |
| Military | Greased cartridges (cow/pig fat); racial discrimination; low pay; General Service Enlistment Act (1856) — sepoys had to serve overseas |
| Immediate Cause | Greased cartridges for Enfield rifle — sepoys had to bite the cartridge; cow fat (Hindu) and pig fat (Muslim) — religious sentiments hurt |
⚔️ Key Events of 1857
| Place | Leader | Events |
|---|---|---|
| Meerut | Sepoys | First outbreak (May 10, 1857); sepoys refused greased cartridges; mutinied and marched to Delhi |
| Delhi | Bahadur Shah Zafar II | Last Mughal emperor declared leader; captured by British (September 1857); Zafar exiled to Rangoon |
| Lucknow | Begum Hazrat Mahal | Led resistance; Residency besieged; British Resident Henry Lawrence killed |
| Jhansi | Rani Lakshmibai | “Mardani” — fought bravely; escaped to Gwalior; died fighting (June 1858) |
| Kanpur | Nana Sahib | Led revolt; Tantia Tope was his general; British garrison massacred |
| Arrah (Bihar) | Kunwar Singh | 80-year-old zamindar; fought bravely; guerrilla warfare |
| Bareilly | Khan Bahadur Khan | Led revolt in Rohilkhand |
⭐ Rani Lakshmibai — “Mardani”: Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi is the most celebrated hero of the 1857 Revolt. She fought bravely at Jhansi, escaped when the fort fell, and continued fighting at Gwalior. She died in battle on June 17, 1858. British General Hugh Rose described her as “the most dangerous of all Indian leaders.” She is called “Mardani” (brave woman).
📉 Suppression and Aftermath
- Revolt suppressed by September 1858
- British used overwhelming force — reinforcements from England
- Many Indian rulers helped the British suppress the revolt — Hyderabad, Patiala, Gwalior
- Government of India Act (1858): Power transferred from EIC to British Crown; Queen Victoria became sovereign; Governor-General renamed Viceroy
- Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858): Promised no more annexations; religious tolerance; Indians in civil services
- Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled to Rangoon (Burma) — died there in 1862
📝 Exam Tip:
• Immediate cause = greased cartridges = Enfield rifle = cow fat + pig fat
• First outbreak = Meerut = May 10, 1857
• Rani Lakshmibai = Jhansi = “Mardani” = died June 1858 at Gwalior
• Nana Sahib = Kanpur = Tantia Tope = his general
• Government of India Act 1858 = EIC dissolved = British Crown took over
• Immediate cause = greased cartridges = Enfield rifle = cow fat + pig fat
• First outbreak = Meerut = May 10, 1857
• Rani Lakshmibai = Jhansi = “Mardani” = died June 1858 at Gwalior
• Nana Sahib = Kanpur = Tantia Tope = his general
• Government of India Act 1858 = EIC dissolved = British Crown took over