Rebels and the Raj: The Revolt of 1857 and its Representations
Class 12 History Notes - Chapter 10
1. Pattern of the Uprising
1.1 How the Mutinies Began
The revolt started in Meerut on 10 May 1857 when sepoys:
- Broke out in mutiny after being issued new Enfield rifle cartridges rumored to be greased with cow/pig fat
- Attacked British officers and buildings (jails, treasuries, telegraph offices)
- Marched to Delhi and declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as their leader
- Spread rapidly through North India following a similar pattern in each cantonment
1.2 Lines of Communication
Evidence shows coordination among rebels:
- Sepoys across cantonments communicated through letters and emissaries
- Panchayats (councils) of native officers made collective decisions
- Rumors and prophecies spread rapidly across North India
1.3 Leaders and Followers
Leadership emerged from different sections:
- Traditional rulers: Bahadur Shah Zafar (Delhi), Nana Sahib (Kanpur), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi)
- Religious leaders: Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah (Faizabad)
- Local leaders: Shah Mal (UP), Kunwar Singh (Bihar), Gonoo (Tribal leader)
1.4 Rumours and Prophecies
Key rumors that fueled rebellion:
- Enfield cartridges greased with cow/pig fat to defile Hindus/Muslims
- Flour mixed with bone dust to destroy caste/religion
- British planning mass conversions to Christianity
- Prophecy that British rule would end on Plassey's centenary (23 June 1857)
- Mysterious circulation of chapattis across villages
1.5 Why People Believed the Rumours
Rumors resonated with genuine fears caused by:
- British social reforms (ban on sati, widow remarriage)
- Annexation policies (Doctrine of Lapse)
- Economic exploitation through land revenue systems
- Activities of Christian missionaries
2. Awadh in Revolt
2.1 Annexation of Awadh (1856)
Awadh was called "a cherry that will drop into our mouth" by Dalhousie. Its annexation:
- Displaced popular Nawab Wajid Ali Shah
- Destroyed court culture and livelihoods of artists, administrators
- Caused widespread grief among common people
Subsidiary Alliance: System where Indian rulers accepted British troops in exchange for protection, losing sovereignty
2.2 Impact on Taluqdars
British policies in Awadh:
- Disarmed taluqdars and destroyed their forts
- Summary Settlement (1856) reduced taluqdars' villages from 67% to 38%
- Increased revenue demands by 30-70%
- Destroyed traditional patron-client relationships
2.3 Sepoy-Grievances
Awadh was the "nursery of Bengal Army". Sepoys were angry about:
- Low pay and difficulty getting leave
- Racial discrimination by British officers
- Threats to their religion from new cartridges
- Annexation of their homeland (many were from Awadh)
3. What the Rebels Wanted
3.1 Vision of Unity
Rebel proclamations emphasized Hindu-Muslim unity:
- Appealed to all sections irrespective of caste/creed
- Invoked pre-British Mughal era coexistence
- British attempts to create divisions failed
Source 5: Azamgarh Proclamation (25 August 1857)
Detailed rebel document promising:
- Light revenue demands for zamindars
- Trade opportunities for Indian merchants
- High posts for Indian officials
- Employment for artisans
- Protection of religions
3.2 Against Symbols of Oppression
Rebels targeted:
- British administrative buildings and records
- Moneylenders and rich Indians seen as British allies
- Anything representing firangi raj (British rule)
3.3 Search for Alternative Power
Rebels tried to establish parallel administrations:
- Appointed officers for revenue collection
- Issued orders to maintain law and order
- Planned military campaigns against British
- Harked back to Mughal-era systems
4. British Repression
British response was brutal and systematic:
- Martial law declared across North India
- Special laws allowed summary executions
- Two-pronged attack to recapture Delhi (from Punjab and Calcutta)
- Used divide-and-rule: rewarded loyal taluqdars
- Mass executions by blowing from guns or hanging
British estimated 3/4 adult males in Awadh were rebels. Suppression took nearly a year (until March 1858).
5. Images of the Revolt
5.1 British Representations
British images served to:
- Celebrate British heroes (e.g., "Relief of Lucknow" painting)
- Portray rebels as brutal savages (e.g., "In Memoriam" showing threatened women)
- Justify violent repression (e.g., cartoons in Punch magazine)
- Demonstrate British power through execution images
5.2 Nationalist Imageries
Later nationalist representations:
- Celebrated 1857 as First War of Independence
- Glorified rebel leaders like Rani Lakshmibai as heroic figures
- Inspired freedom struggle through poems and art
Timeline of Key Events
1801 - Subsidiary Alliance in Awadh
1856 - Annexation of Awadh
10 May 1857 - Revolt begins in Meerut
11 May 1857 - Rebels reach Delhi, declare Bahadur Shah as leader
June 1857 - Spread becomes general revolt
Sept 1857 - British relief of Lucknow
1858 - Final suppression of revolt
Key Terms
- Firangi: Derogatory term for British/foreigners
- Subsidiary Alliance: System where Indian rulers accepted British troops
- Summary Settlement: 1856 land revenue system in Awadh that dispossessed taluqdars
- Danka Shah: Nickname for Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah (preacher with drum)
- Ishtahar: Rebel proclamations/notifications
- Chaurasee Des: 84 villages organized by Shah Mal
Important Figures
- Bahadur Shah Zafar: Last Mughal emperor, nominal leader of revolt
- Nana Sahib: Adopted son of Peshwa, led revolt in Kanpur
- Rani Lakshmibai: Queen of Jhansi who fought British
- Kunwar Singh: Zamindar from Bihar who joined revolt
- Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah: Muslim preacher and rebel leader
- Shah Mal: Jat cultivator who organized villages in UP