The Sepoy mutiny of 1857 was a major turning point for the British rule in India. Great Britain was at the height of its colonial power and was exploiting the Indian sub continent for many resources. They maintained a relatively small army of around fifty thousand troops. The rest of the army was made up of Indian Sepoy's, the term for local soldiers recruited by the British.
The mutiny, or rebellion as it is often known finally erupted on May 10, 1857. Yet it had been brewing for a number of years. The final straw that began the hostilities was the belief that animal fat, particularly pork fat, was being used to grease the cartridge shells. Soldiers were required to bite the ends of the paper cartridges. Obviously this would require them to be in direct contact with the fat, which was against the strict religious beliefs of the Sepoy's.
As with many tragic stories the problems go back for many years and are very complex. The British had been a major presence in India for many years. They were rapidly expanding their empire and were busy exploiting the valuable natural resources of the Indian sub continent. The British army had around fifty thousand regular troops stationed in India to maintain law and order and protect their supplies.
Interestingly most of the Bengal Sepoy's were recruited from the higher castes and received special privileges. Some of these privileges included separate food and dining halls. The opportunity to observe their religious holidays and festivals, but one of the most crucial was their exemption from overseas service. Overseas service was viewed as demeaning for a high class Hindu.
Eventually as the British army expanded into China and Burma they needed more troops. The burden of overseas service fell disproportionately on the Bombay and Madras regiments. Slowly, changes began to be made that would require new recruits to serve overseas. They would also not receive the same level of pension as other recruits. This was viewed as an attack on the way of life of many of the high caste Indian soldiers who often followed their fathers into military service.
As more and more European officers began to arrive in India the native soldiers felt increasingly threatened. The troubles had been brewing for quite some time, but finally came to a head in 1857 over the matter of the cartridges. The soldiers had been issued with the newer model 1853 Enfield rifles and the cartridges were packed in such a way that the soldier had to bite the paper ends off before loading them.
A rumor spread throughout the country that the British used pig fat to grease the cartridges. Although this was strenuously denied and changes were made, the bad feelings continued. The Indians saw the use of pork fat as a direct insult to their religious beliefs. They became increasingly agitated until the matters finally became violent on May 10.
The Sepoy mutiny of 1857 was swift and brutal. The Indians turned on their British comrades with astonishing ferocity. Many people in the outlying regions stood no chance and were quickly killed. The worst of the fighting took place in the areas of central and upper India. Eventually the British were able to prevail and regain control. They responded by reorganizing the army and bringing in crown rule. The rebellion had many long lasting and far reaching consequences for India.
The mutiny, or rebellion as it is often known finally erupted on May 10, 1857. Yet it had been brewing for a number of years. The final straw that began the hostilities was the belief that animal fat, particularly pork fat, was being used to grease the cartridge shells. Soldiers were required to bite the ends of the paper cartridges. Obviously this would require them to be in direct contact with the fat, which was against the strict religious beliefs of the Sepoy's.
As with many tragic stories the problems go back for many years and are very complex. The British had been a major presence in India for many years. They were rapidly expanding their empire and were busy exploiting the valuable natural resources of the Indian sub continent. The British army had around fifty thousand regular troops stationed in India to maintain law and order and protect their supplies.
Interestingly most of the Bengal Sepoy's were recruited from the higher castes and received special privileges. Some of these privileges included separate food and dining halls. The opportunity to observe their religious holidays and festivals, but one of the most crucial was their exemption from overseas service. Overseas service was viewed as demeaning for a high class Hindu.
Eventually as the British army expanded into China and Burma they needed more troops. The burden of overseas service fell disproportionately on the Bombay and Madras regiments. Slowly, changes began to be made that would require new recruits to serve overseas. They would also not receive the same level of pension as other recruits. This was viewed as an attack on the way of life of many of the high caste Indian soldiers who often followed their fathers into military service.
As more and more European officers began to arrive in India the native soldiers felt increasingly threatened. The troubles had been brewing for quite some time, but finally came to a head in 1857 over the matter of the cartridges. The soldiers had been issued with the newer model 1853 Enfield rifles and the cartridges were packed in such a way that the soldier had to bite the paper ends off before loading them.
A rumor spread throughout the country that the British used pig fat to grease the cartridges. Although this was strenuously denied and changes were made, the bad feelings continued. The Indians saw the use of pork fat as a direct insult to their religious beliefs. They became increasingly agitated until the matters finally became violent on May 10.
The Sepoy mutiny of 1857 was swift and brutal. The Indians turned on their British comrades with astonishing ferocity. Many people in the outlying regions stood no chance and were quickly killed. The worst of the fighting took place in the areas of central and upper India. Eventually the British were able to prevail and regain control. They responded by reorganizing the army and bringing in crown rule. The rebellion had many long lasting and far reaching consequences for India.
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