Revolts Against British Rule:
Early Revolts:-
1. In Meghalaya, the Khasis Tribe revolted under the leadership of Utirot Singh.
2. The Wahabi Muslims declared a holy war against the British. The Wahabi movement was founded by Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi.
The First Independence War:- The first war of Indian Independence began on 10 May 1857 at Meerut with the mutiny of Indian soldiers. This is known as Revolt of 1857. Dalhousie refused to recognise the adopted son of the deceased Raja Ganga Dhar Rao and annexed Jhansi in 1854.
Immediate Cause of the revolt:- The cartridges were smeared with cow’s and pig’s fat as grease and the paper covering them had to be bitten off before they could be loaded into the rifle. It became the immediate cause of the revolt. In Barrackpore (West Bengal) in March 1857, Sepoy Mangal Pandey had rebelled against the introduction of the new cartridges of fat and had been executed. Centres of the Revolt and Related Leaders:
1. Meerut-With the capture of Delhi by the rebel forces of Meerut they proclaimed Bahadur Shah Jafar as their war leader award the Emperor of India.
2. Delhi-In Delhi the Chief Commander of the troops was Bakht Khan.
3. Awadh- The wife of Wazid Ali Hazrat Mahal led the revolt.
4. Bundelkhand-Jhansi, Rani LaxmiBai gave her leadership.
5. Bareli-Khan Bahadur Khan led the revolt.
6. Kanpur-Nana Sahib was proclaimed the Peshwa. He led the revolt in Kanpur,.
7. Bihar-Revolt was commanded by 80 years old Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur. The other prominent rebellion were Tantia Tone and Azimullah Khan.
Events happened during the Revolt:- Throughout the revolt, the Hindus and Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder. Delhi was recaptured by the British in September 1857. Bahadur Shah Jafar was taken prisoner. He was tried and exiled to Rangoon (Burma) where he died in 1862. Three of his sons, who also had been captured, were shot dead at the Khuni Darwaza at Delhi. In 1858, Lucknow fell to British^ troops and Begum Hazrat Mahal and Nana Sahib escaped to Nepal. Kunwar Singh and Rani of Jhansi were killed during the war. Tantia Tope was hanged. V.D. Savarkarhas called the 1857 mutiny - “The First War of Independence.”
Early Revolts:-
1. In Meghalaya, the Khasis Tribe revolted under the leadership of Utirot Singh.
2. The Wahabi Muslims declared a holy war against the British. The Wahabi movement was founded by Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi.
The First Independence War:- The first war of Indian Independence began on 10 May 1857 at Meerut with the mutiny of Indian soldiers. This is known as Revolt of 1857. Dalhousie refused to recognise the adopted son of the deceased Raja Ganga Dhar Rao and annexed Jhansi in 1854.
Immediate Cause of the revolt:- The cartridges were smeared with cow’s and pig’s fat as grease and the paper covering them had to be bitten off before they could be loaded into the rifle. It became the immediate cause of the revolt. In Barrackpore (West Bengal) in March 1857, Sepoy Mangal Pandey had rebelled against the introduction of the new cartridges of fat and had been executed. Centres of the Revolt and Related Leaders:
1. Meerut-With the capture of Delhi by the rebel forces of Meerut they proclaimed Bahadur Shah Jafar as their war leader award the Emperor of India.
2. Delhi-In Delhi the Chief Commander of the troops was Bakht Khan.
3. Awadh- The wife of Wazid Ali Hazrat Mahal led the revolt.
4. Bundelkhand-Jhansi, Rani LaxmiBai gave her leadership.
5. Bareli-Khan Bahadur Khan led the revolt.
6. Kanpur-Nana Sahib was proclaimed the Peshwa. He led the revolt in Kanpur,.
7. Bihar-Revolt was commanded by 80 years old Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur. The other prominent rebellion were Tantia Tone and Azimullah Khan.
Events happened during the Revolt:- Throughout the revolt, the Hindus and Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder. Delhi was recaptured by the British in September 1857. Bahadur Shah Jafar was taken prisoner. He was tried and exiled to Rangoon (Burma) where he died in 1862. Three of his sons, who also had been captured, were shot dead at the Khuni Darwaza at Delhi. In 1858, Lucknow fell to British^ troops and Begum Hazrat Mahal and Nana Sahib escaped to Nepal. Kunwar Singh and Rani of Jhansi were killed during the war. Tantia Tope was hanged. V.D. Savarkarhas called the 1857 mutiny - “The First War of Independence.”
