Reason of war of Independence 1857

India’s First War of Independence (1857-58), also referred to as the Sepoy Mutiny, Uprising of 1857 or
Great Rebellion, was an uprising against British rule in India, which had its roots in a variety of
political, social, economic and religious factors that had built up over time. A few specific areas such
as Meerut, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow and Jhansi were the centers of resistance. The resistance
disintegrated primarily due to lack of leadership and unity on the part of the Indians. It was a
remarkable event in Indian history, marking the formal start of the British Raj in India as well as the
initial stirrings of the struggle for independence from colonialism.

Causes of war
The War of Independence broke out due to a variety of factors some longstanding and some more
immediate. One important cause was the Doctrine of Lapse introduced in 1852, under which the
British could take over kingdoms that did not have a direct male heir. The Governor General, Lord
Dalhousie, was able to annex several prominent states such as Awadh using this doctrine. Then there
were reforms such as replacement of Sanskrit and Persian with English as the language of official use
in 1834 and the abolishment of sati, which along with the work of missionaries lead to fears that social
and religious values were under threat.

Disgruntlement amongst the Bengal Army, which was recruited from Northern India particularly
Awadh, also formed a basis for the uprising. As the East India Company expanded its territory, soldiers
from the Bengal Army were now expected to serve in far-away territories or overseas, something that
they were previously exempted from due to religious reasons. There were also issues related to the
basis for promotion and low salary that served as causes for discontent in army.

The immediate cause of the war was the introduction of the Enfield rifle in January 1857 which used
greased cartridges apparently coated in cow and pig fat that lead to dissent amongst the Indian
troops. The British eventually sought to recall the cartridges but it was too late, as troop uprisings had
already begun.

Events and important figures

In March 1857 in Bengal a sepoy called Mangal Pandey refused to use the cartridges, revolted against
his commanding officers and was later executed. In April 1857 in Meerut, sepoys refusing to use the
cartridges were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment; this sparked the first uprising in May. From there
the uprising spread to Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur (Cawnpore) and Jhansi with British losing control in a
matter of weeks. In Delhi the Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor, was installed as ruler. In
Kanpur an uprising led by Nana Sahib captured the town. Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, who fought to
defend Jhansi, later captured Gwalior and fought valiantly till her death. The Siege of Delhi lasted
from July to September 1857 and for a while it seemed as though the rebels would force the British to
withdraw, however the British forces were able to prevail and recapture the city. By the end of the
1857 the British began to recapture cities, in March 1858 it recaptured Lucknow and on 8 July 1858 a
peace treaty was signed ending the uprising.

Aftermath
The uprising failed due to lack of leadership and unity on the part of the Indians. Many important
Nawabs did not join the uprising and there was also a lack of a common cause amongst those
involved. As a result of the uprising, the British Government sought to establish direct rule in India. In
1858 the Parliament transferred the rights of the East India Company to the British Crown. The new
administration included a British Secretary of State, a viceroy (in place of governor general) and an
advisory council. In 1877 Queen Victoria of England was declared Empress of India.

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