India's First War of Independence, 1857
Soldiers, peasants, princes and townspeople rose against Company rule across north and central India. It was crushed, but it ended the Company's rule.
How it was ruled
Rebel soldiers proclaimed the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar their leader at Delhi. After the war the British Crown took over India from the Company (Government of India Act, 1858).
How people lived
Leaders included Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, Tatya Tope, Nana Saheb, Kunwar Singh, Begum Hazrat Mahal and Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah. British reprisals were brutal.
What people did
Many rebels were sepoys and peasants hit by high land revenue and the loss of crafts.
What people ate
Rumours that new rifle cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat sparked the revolt.
Trade
Disruption of trade and revenue across the north; the British government took over the Company's debts.
Region by region
- Uttar Pradesh: Meerut (where it began on 10 May 1857), Lucknow, Kanpur and Jhansi.
- Delhi: Rebels held the city until September 1857.
- Bihar: Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur fought at the age of eighty.
- Madhya Pradesh: Gwalior, where Rani Lakshmibai died fighting in June 1858.
Key events
- 10 May 1857: Sepoys rise at Meerut
- June 1858: Rani Lakshmibai killed at Gwalior
- 1 November 1858: Queen Victoria's proclamation; Crown rule begins
Legacy
Remembered as India's First War of Independence and an inspiration to later freedom fighters.